ITUA20164167A1 - TRANSPARENT WALL FOR BOATS AND BOATS FOR BOATS - Google Patents

Description

"TRANSPARENT WALL FOR BOAT HULLS AND PORTHOLES FOR

BOATS "

The present invention relates to a transparent wall for boat hulls and a porthole for boats.

In greater detail, the present invention refers to a transparent wall, generally made of glass, which constitutes at least a portion of the hull or superstructure of a boat. This transparent wall is advantageously equipped with at least one porthole, which is also the subject of the present invention.

As is known, boats of various kinds are equipped on the sides and in correspondence of the respective hull with a series of portholes, that is to say openings suitable for allowing air and light into the internal environment of the boat. The porthole generally has a circular development and is equipped with: a fixed portion with an annular profile and immovably associated with the wall (hull); and a movable portion, commonly called "door" and rotatable around a connection hinge with the aforementioned fixed portion.

The mobile portion has an annular frame sized to be associated with the fixed portion and a transparent panel develops inside the frame, such as tempered glass or PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) or PC (Polycarbonate).

In this way, the hatch is switchable between a closed condition in which the frame adheres to the fixed portion to ensure a fluid-tight closure necessary to prevent the entry of water into the boat.

The fluid seal is implemented by an elastomeric gasket interposed between the frame and the fixed portion which is pressed by the frame itself by means of suitable clamping levers arranged inside the boat. In particular, the levers can be actuated manually and are rotatably engaged to the fixed portion to lock the door by holding it pressed against the respective fixed portion and thus defining a hermetic closure.

The portholes of the known type and described above, although capable of allowing the passage of air and light in the internal environment of the boat and at the same time guaranteeing, in the closed condition, a fluid seal, can be improved under various aspects and in particular in the their aesthetic presentation.

In fact, it should be noted that the external surface of the transparent panel is placed internally with respect to the external surface of the hull. In other words, the portholes define on the external surface of the hull a recess having a substantially circular profile and corresponding to the shape of the porthole itself.

Similarly, even the internal surface of the transparent porthole panel is not coplanar with the internal wall of the hull, thus giving an unpleasant and disharmonious aesthetic aspect compared to the increasingly sought-after profile in shipbuilding.

This condition derives from the structure of the movable portion which is hinged on the inner wall of the hull and which therefore, in the closed condition, is placed in a rearward position, ie internal with respect to the hull.

This disadvantage, in addition to defining a purely aesthetic drawback, is also limiting from the point of view of the aerodynamic efficiency of the boat. It should be noted in this regard that in this situation the hull is not totally coplanar but has a series of irregularities determined precisely by the holes for housing the portholes which, even in closed condition, are placed internally with respect to the external surface of the hull.

Also known are boats equipped with transparent walls, having much larger dimensions than the portholes, and arranged in correspondence with openings made in the hull. These walls give more light inside the boat and allow you to have a very wide view of the external environment from inside the boat.

In addition, the transparent walls, mostly made of glass, can be equipped with portholes to allow ventilation of the internal environment. In this case, the transparent panel of the porthole can be of "increased" thickness, to make the external surface of the panel coplanar with the external surface of the wall and therefore of the hull, thus giving a valuable aesthetic effect.

The "increased" thickness panel consists of at least two transparent plates spaced apart and in which one of said plates is moved outwards with respect to the annular frame. In this situation, the two plates are spaced to define an internal chamber inside the porthole.

Also in this solution, although able to obtain the coplanarity of the external surface of the transparent wall also in correspondence with the porthole, important drawbacks are highlighted.

In fact, it should be noted that the "increased" thickness structure of the transparent door panel is particularly heavy and has very high construction costs due to the presence of the two sheets spaced apart.

In addition, condensation liquid can form inside the chamber between the sheets, resulting in damage to the view through the porthole.

In this regard, it should also be noted that the transparent portion of the porthole is different from the structure of the transparent wall with the consequent difference in the view from inside the boat.

Finally, a further drawback arises from the aesthetic appearance of the porthole described above which is internally protruding from the transparent wall and therefore not coplanar with the internal surface of the hull. This drawback derives from the presence of fluid sealing systems placed on the internal surface of the transparent wall and which therefore force the positioning of the annular frame of the door and the respective internal plate on a respective parallel plane and superimposed on the plane of the internal surface of the transparent wall.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a transparent wall for boat hulls and a respective porthole capable of solving the aforementioned problems.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a transparent wall for boat hulls and a porthole contained in this wall which are structurally simple and have very low manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a transparent wall for boat hulls equipped with a porthole, capable of maintaining a correct view from the inside of the boat towards the outside, both in correspondence with the wall and at the porthole.

Finally, an important task of the present invention is to provide a transparent wall for boat hulls in which the porthole obtained in it is perfectly coplanar both to the internal surface of the wall and to the external surface.

The specified technical task and the specified purposes are substantially achieved by a transparent wall for boat hulls and by a porthole for boats, comprising the technical characteristics set out in one or more of the appended claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a transparent wall for boat hulls and a porthole for boats, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which :

Figure 1 shows a perspective and schematic view of a boat equipped with a transparent wall according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an internal perspective view of the transparent wall equipped with a porthole according to the present invention and in a respective closed condition;

- figure 2a is a detail of the transparent wall of figure 2 with the porthole in a respective open condition;

Figure 3 is an external perspective view of the transparent wall equipped with a porthole according to the present invention and in a respective open condition; And

- figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of the transparent wall of figures 2 and 3.

With reference to the accompanying figures, the reference number 1 globally indicates a transparent wall for hulls 2 of boats 3.

In particular, as is better illustrated in figure 1, the present invention finds application for boats 3 of any kind and therefore not limited to the boat illustrated purely by way of example in the aforementioned figure 1.

The wall 1 is housed in correspondence with one or more areas of the hull 2 of the boat 3.

By way of non-limiting example, Figure 1 illustrates a hull 2 equipped at the side with two walls 1 according to the present invention.

In greater detail, the wall 1 is applied to an opening obtained in the hull which can have any shape and size.

The wall 1 preferably comprises at least one panel 4 made of a material transparent at least to the light included in the visible spectrum, and having a substantially flat conformation.

Preferably, the panel 4 is made of glass.

Alternatively, the panel 4 can be made of other materials suitably sized to be resistant in accordance with the regulations in force, such as for example Plexiglass (Polymethylmethacrylate) or Lexan (Polycarbonate).

Advantageously, as visible in Figures 2 to 4, the wall 1 comprises an internal panel 5 and an external panel 6 mutually coupled at respective contact surfaces 5a, 6a.

In this situation, the internal panel 5 defines a surface 5b arranged inside the boat 3, opposite the respective contact surface 5a, which constitutes the internal surface of the hull 2.

Similarly, the external panel 6 has a surface 6b arranged externally to the boat 3, opposite the respective contact surface 6a, which constitutes the external wall of the hull 2.

Each panel 5, 6 is equipped with a concentric through cavity 7, which defines a passage opening obtained in the hull 2 of the boat 3.

It should be noted that the wall 1 can be equipped with one or more through cavities 7 as a function of the number of passage openings to be obtained in the hull 2.

Again, purely by way of example and therefore not limiting, through cavities 7 having a circular shape are illustrated. However, it should be specified that the cavity can have any peripheral development according to the various constructive and aesthetic requirements of the boat 3. Furthermore, a coupling layer 8 is advantageously provided between the contact surfaces 5a, 6a of the panels 5, 6 able to maintain the panels 5, 6 engaged with each other in a stable manner.

For example, the coupling layer 8 can be made of PVB (polyvinyl butyral), SGP (SentryGlas®) or other transparent adhesive films suitable for gluing the panels 5, 6.

In accordance with a preferential solution, the panels 5, 6 are made of the same material (glass) and have different thicknesses. However, the material of the two panels 5, 6 can be differentiated while still maintaining the characteristic of transparency to light in such a way as to effectively define a "window" obtained in the hull 2 of the boat 3.

The dimensions of the panels 5, 6 are determined according to the various needs for strength and impact resistance in accordance with the regulations in force in the nautical sector.

As is better illustrated in Figure 4, the through cavity 7 of the internal panel 5 is larger than the through cavity 7 of the external panel 6. In this situation, an annular groove 9 is made between the edges 7a of the panels 5, 6 which define the aforementioned through cavity 7.

In other words, the difference in size of the cavities 7 of the two panels 5, 6 forms a "step" in correspondence with the aforementioned edges 7a which constitutes this groove 9.

It should also be noted that in this case, the groove 9 has a depth corresponding to the cross-sectional thickness of the internal panel 5. Furthermore, it should be noted that the groove 9 extends along the entire peripheral development of the cavity 7 in correspondence with the internal surface 5b of the panel. internal 5.

In accordance with a further embodiment solution in which at least the internal panel 5 is made of plastic material (for example Polymethylmethacrylate or Polycarbonate), the groove 9 is obtained by removing material from the internal edge 7a of the internal panel 5. This solution is also realized if only one panel is used 4.

An elastic body 10 for sealing fluid is housed inside the groove 9. The elastic body 10 has an annular conformation to be surrounding the cavity 7 in correspondence with the internal panel 5. Advantageously, the elastic body 10 is made of rubber, such as for example EPDM (Ethylene-Propylene Diene Monomer) or other material having the same characteristics of elasticity and resistance.

Furthermore, the elastic body 10 has a substantially rectangular shape in cross section (Figure 4) in which an upper surface 11 is defined having a convex and rounded profile, and arranged in correspondence with the internal surface 5b.

This upper surface 11, in a rest condition of the elastic body 10, is slightly protruding from the plane of the internal surface 5b of the internal panel 5.

As will be better described below, the elastic body 10 in the working condition is designed to be compressed inside the groove 9 and to position the aforementioned upper surface 11 on the same plane of the internal surface 5b.

The wall 1 also comprises at least one fixed annular frame 12 engaged on the internal surface 5b of the internal panel 5 and extending around the elastic body 10 and therefore around the through cavity 7.

The fixed annular frame 12 has a substantially flat conformation in which a respective internal face 12a glued to the aforementioned internal surface 5b and an external face 12b visible from the inside of the boat 3 is defined. A movable annular frame 13 is also provided rotatably engaged to the fixed frame 12 to be moved between a closed condition of the cavity 7 (figures 2, 3 and 4) in which the movable frame 13 is associated with the fixed frame 12 and an opening condition of the cavity 7 (figure 2a) in which the movable frame 13 is spaced from the fixed frame 12.

It should be noted that the movable frame 13, in the respective closed condition, is engaged with the elastic body 10 to define a hermetic seal.

More specifically, the mobile frame 13 also has a flat conformation and defines an annular contrast surface 13a suitable for compressing the elastic body 10 in the respective closed condition, and a visible surface 13b opposite the contrast surface 13a.

As is better illustrated in figure 4, the mobile annular frame 13 has smaller dimensions than the fixed frame 12 to be arranged inside the fixed frame 12 in the aforementioned closed condition.

In this situation, the movable frame in the closed condition is partially housed in correspondence with the cavity 7 and has the contrast surface 13a resting on the upper surface 11 of the body 10 to define the fluid seal.

It should be noted that the movable frame acts by compressing the elastic body 10 by means of reversible coupling means 14 associated with the fixed frame 12 and engageable with the movable frame 13 in the respective closed condition.

In particular, the coupling means 14 comprise at least one pair of levers 15 (not described in detail) rotatably engaged on the external face 12b of the fixed frame 12 and configured to interfere with the visible surface 13b of the mobile frame 13 in the closed condition to hold the movable frame 13 itself pressed against the elastic body 10.

To determine the open condition, the levers 15 are disengaged from the visible surface 13b from the movable frame 13. In this way, the movable frame 13 is moved manually away from the fixed frame 12. Advantageously, the movable frame and the fixed frame are connected by a hinge 16 (also not described in detail) which allows the rotation of the movable frame 13 during its movement between the respective closing / opening conditions.

The movable frame 13 has internally at least one plate 17 made of a material that is transparent at least to the light included in the visible spectrum. In this situation, the movable frame 13 and the plate 17 engaged to it constitute a movable "door" able to enclose the cavity 17 while leaving the passage of light in the closed condition.

In accordance with a first embodiment, the plate 17 is made in a single body and has an outer surface 17a coplanar with the outer surface 6b of the outer panel 6 and an inner surface 17b coplanar with the inner surface 5b of the inner panel 5.

In this situation, the plate 17 is arranged inside the through cavities 7 of the panels 5, 6 and has a thickness equal to the thickness of the two panels 5, 6.

In accordance with a further preferential embodiment illustrated in particular in Figure 4, there is provided an internal plate 18 and an external plate 19 mutually coupled at respective contact surfaces 18a, 19a.

The internal plate 18 has a surface 18b arranged inside the boat 3 coplanar with the internal surface 5b of the internal panel 5, and the external plate 19 has a surface 19b arranged outside the boat 3 coplanar with the external surface 6b of the external panel 6.

In this situation, the plates 18, 19 are mutually coupled by means of a coupling layer 20 interposed between the contact surfaces 18a, 19a to keep the plates 18, 19 engaged with each other. Also in this case, the materials used for the plates 18, 19 and for the coupling layer 20 can be identical to those already indicated for the panels 5, 6.

Therefore, in the closed condition of the movable frame 13 the wall 1 is totally coplanar, and therefore flush, both externally and internally.

The present invention also relates to a porthole 100 which can be applied directly to the hull 2 of the boat 3 regardless of the structure of the hull 2 itself (with or without a transparent wall).

In this case, the porthole 100 includes a fixed annular frame 12 associated around a through cavity 7 obtained directly in the hull 2 of a boat 3 or made of metal material also housed in the thickness of the boat.

The porthole 100 also comprises a movable annular frame 13 rotatably engaged to the fixed frame 12 to be moved between a closing condition of the cavity 7 in which the movable frame 13 is associated with the fixed frame 12 and an opening condition of the cavity 7 in which the movable frame 13 is spaced from the fixed frame 12.

Inside the mobile frame 13 develops at least one plate 17 made of transparent material at least to the light included in the visible spectrum. In addition, the porthole 100 has an elastic fluid sealing body 10 having an annular shape and arranged inside the fixed frame 12.

In this situation, the mobile frame 13 has an annular contrast surface 13a engageable to the elastic body 10 in the respective closed condition to define the hermetic seal and ensure the absence of water leaks through the cavity 7.

The mobile frame 13, in the respective closed condition, is arranged inside the fixed frame 12 and lies on the same plane of the fixed frame 12.

In this situation, as described above, the plate 17 has an internal surface 17b of the boat lying on the same plane of lying of the elastic body 10.

Consequently, an outer surface 17a of the plate 17 is coplanar with the outer surface 6b of the hull 2, and an inner surface 17b is coplanar with the inner surface 5b of the hull 2.

In this situation it should be noted that the elastic body 10 is arranged in an annular housing seat 9 obtained on an internal surface 5b of the hull 2 of the boat 3.

Also in this case, the porthole 100 preferably comprises at least an internal plate 18 and an external plate 19 mutually coupled at the respective contact surfaces 18a, 19a.

The internal plate 18 has a surface 18b arranged inside the boat 3 coplanar with the internal surface 5b of the hull 2, and the external plate 19 has a surface 19b arranged outside the boat 3 coplanar with the external surface 6b of the hull 2. Advantageously, between the contact surfaces 18a, 19a of the plates 18, 19 there is housed a coupling layer 20 adapted to keep the plates 18, 19 themselves engaged with each other.

The present invention therefore achieves the purposes indicated above and brings numerous advantages.

In the first place, the wall 1 made of transparent material is totally flat, that is to say coplanar both in correspondence with the respective external and internal surface.

This advantage derives from the possibility of obtaining an internal seat for housing the elastic body 10 which ensures the fluid tightness of the door. Consequently, the internal plate of the door, made in a single body, allows it to be arranged flush (coplanar) both with the external surface of the wall 1 and with the respective internal surface.

Even in the case of the porthole 100 only, it is possible to obtain the double coplanarity of the surfaces with the consequent advantages in terms of aesthetics of the entire boat.

It should also be noted that the structure of the plates 18, 19, which are coupled into a single body, is particularly simple with the consequent advantages in the costs of manufacturing the entire porthole.

In addition, the absence of a chamber inside the porthole allows you to always maintain a correct and non-alterable view determined by the transparent nature of the sheets themselves.

Finally, a further important advantage of the present invention is determined by the versatility of the porthole 100 which can be engaged in any type of hull or superstructure, after forming the annular groove for housing the elastic body 10.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS 1. Transparent wall for boat hulls comprising: - at least one panel (4) made of transparent material at least to the light included in the visible spectrum; said panel (4) having a substantially flat conformation and defining a through cavity (7); - at least one fixed annular frame (12) associated around said through cavity (7); - at least one annular movable frame (13) rotatably engaged to said fixed frame (12) to be moved between a condition of closure of the cavity (7) in which the movable frame (13) is associated with the fixed frame (12) and a condition opening the cavity (7) in which the movable frame (13) is spaced from the fixed frame (13); and - at least one plate (17) made of transparent material at least to the light included in the visible spectrum and arranged inside said mobile frame (13); characterized in that it further comprises an elastic fluid-sealing body (10) housed in an annular groove (9) formed on an edge (7a) of the panel (4) defining said through cavity (7); said movable frame (13) in the respective closed condition being engageable with the elastic body (10) to define a hermetic seal. 2. Wall according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least an internal panel (5) and an external panel (6) mutually coupled at respective contact surfaces (5a, 6a); said internal panel (5) presenting a surface (5b) arranged inside the boat (3) and opposite to the respective contact surface (5a) and said external panel (6) presenting a surface (6b) arranged externally to the boat (3 ) and opposite to the respective contact surface (6a). 3. Wall according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it also comprises a coupling layer (8) interposed between the contact surfaces (5a, 6a) of the panels (5, 6) to keep the panels (5, 6) engaged among them. 4. Wall according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each panel (5, 6) comprises respective coincident through cavities (7); said through cavity (7) of the inner panel (5) being larger than the through cavity (7) of the outer panel (6) to define the annular groove (9); said groove (9) being interposed between the edges (7a) of each panel (5, 6). 5. Wall according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said elastic body (10) has an annular shape and an upper surface (11) arranged in correspondence with said internal surface (5b). Wall according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said fixed annular frame (12) is arranged on said internal surface (5b) of the internal panel (5) and develops around said elastic body (10) . 7. Wall according to the previous claim, characterized by the fact that said mobile annular frame (13) has smaller dimensions than the fixed frame (12) to be arranged inside the fixed frame (12) itself in the respective closed condition; said movable frame (13) presenting an annular contrast surface (13a) for compressing the elastic body (10) in the respective closed condition. Wall according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said plate (17) is made in a single body and has an external surface (17a) coplanar with the external surface (6b) of the external panel (6) and an internal surface (17b) coplanar with the internal surface (5b) of the internal panel (5). Wall according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that it comprises at least one inner plate (18) and one outer plate (19) mutually coupled at respective contact surfaces (18a, 19a); said inner plate (18) having a surface (18b) disposed inside the boat (3) and coplanar with the inner surface (5b) of the inner panel (5), and said outer plate (19) presenting a surface (19b) arranged externally to the boat (3) and coplanar with the external surface (6b) of the external panel (6). 10. Wall according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it also comprises a coupling layer (20) interposed between the contact surfaces (18a, 19a) of the plates (18, 19) to keep the plates (18, 19) engaged among them. Wall according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that said panels (5, 6) are made of glass and in that said panels (5, 6) comprise a different thickness from each other. Wall according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises reversible coupling means (14) associated with the fixed frame (12) and engageable with the mobile frame (13) in the respective closed condition to retain the mobile frame (13) ) itself pressed against the elastic sealing body (10); said hooking means (14) being disengageable from the mobile frame (13) to allow the respective opening condition. 13. Boat portlight, comprising: - at least one fixed annular frame (12) associated around a through cavity (7) obtained in the hull (2) of a boat (3); - at least one annular movable frame (13) rotatably engaged to said fixed frame (12) to be moved between a condition of closure of the cavity (7) in which the movable frame (13) is associated with the fixed frame (12) and a condition opening the cavity (7) in which the movable frame (13) is spaced from the fixed frame (12); and - at least one plate (17) made of transparent material at least to the light included in the visible spectrum and arranged inside said mobile frame (13); - an elastic body (10) for sealing fluid having an annular shape and arranged inside said fixed frame (12); said movable frame (13) presenting an annular contrast surface (13a) engageable to the elastic body (10) in the respective closed condition to define a hermetic seal; characterized by the fact that said movable frame (13), in the respective closed condition, is arranged inside the fixed frame (12) and lies on the same plane of the fixed frame (12); and by the fact that said plate (17) in the closed condition, has an internal surface (17b) to the boat (3) lying on the same plane where the elastic body (10) lies. 14. Porthole according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said elastic body (10) is arranged in an annular housing seat (9) obtained on an internal surface (5b) of the hull (2) of the boat (3); said elastic body (10) having an upper surface (11) which can be abutted to the contrast surface (13a) of the mobile frame (13) and arranged in correspondence with the internal surface (6b) of the hull (2). 15. Porthole according to the previous claim, characterized in that said plate (17) is made in a single body and has an external surface (17a) coplanar with the external surface (6b) of the hull (3) and an internal surface (17b ) coplanar with the internal surface (5b) of the hull (2). 16. Porthole according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises at least one inner plate (18) and one outer plate (19) mutually coupled at respective contact surfaces (18a, 19a); said internal plate (18) having a surface (18b) arranged inside the boat (3) and coplanar with the internal surface (5b) of the hull (2), and said external plate (19) presenting a surface (19b) arranged externally to boat (3) and coplanar with the external surface (6b) of the hull (2). 17. Porthole according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it also comprises a coupling layer (10) interposed between the contact surfaces (18a, 19a) of the plates (18, 19) to keep the plates (18, 19) engaged among them.