Occupant protection apparatus for a center console vessel

Abstract

An occupant protection apparatus is provided for a vessel having a center helm console supported by a deck, wherein the console is disposed between and separated from opposing port and starboard gunwales of the vessel. The apparatus comprises a rigid panel member operably engaged with each of the port and starboard sides of the console. Each panel member has fore and aft ends, wherein the fore end of each panel member is pivotably attached to the starboard and port sides, respectively, of the console such that the aft side of each panel member is pivotable between an inboard position adjacent to the respective port and starboard sides of the console, and an outboard position adjacent to the respective port and starboard gunwales of the vessel. The panel members in the outboard position protect the occupant from wind and/or water spray produced by the vessel moving through water.

1 . An occupant protection apparatus for a waterborne vessel having a center helm console supported by a deck, the center helm console being disposed between and separated from opposing port and starboard gunwales of the vessel so as to allow an occupant to move between fore and aft sides of the center helm console past one of a port side and a starboard side thereof, said apparatus comprising: 
 a rigid panel member operably engaged with each of the port and starboard sides of the center helm console, each rigid panel member having opposing fore and aft ends, the fore end of each rigid panel member being pivotably attached to the starboard and port sides, respectively, of the center helm console such that the aft side of each rigid panel member is pivotable between an inboard position adjacent to the respective port and starboard sides of the center helm console, and an outboard position adjacent to the respective port and starboard gunwales of the vessel, the rigid panel members in the outboard position thereby being adapted to protect the occupant from at least one of wind and water spray produced by the vessel moving through water.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a rigid transparent panel operably engaged with each rigid panel member and configured to allow an occupant behind the center helm console to see therethrough.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising an actuator device operably engaged between the center helm console and each rigid panel member, each actuator device being selectively actuatable to move the corresponding rigid panel member between the inboard and outboard positions.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  further comprising a controller device operably engaged with at least one of the actuator devices, the controller device being mounted to the center helm console and being configured so as to allow the occupant to control the at least one of the actuator devices.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the actuator device is configured to be at least one of electrically-operated, pneumatically-operated, and hydraulically-operated.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the actuator device comprises an extendable ram mechanism.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the vessel further includes a top configured to extend over the center helm console, and wherein the rigid panel members are configured to extend between the top and the deck.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein each rigid panel member includes an upper end adjacent to the top and a lower end adjacent to the deck, and wherein at least one of the upper end and the lower end of each rigid panel member includes a seal member operably engaged therewith so as to provide a seal with the corresponding one of the top and the deck.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein, in the inboard position, each rigid panel member is configured to extend substantially parallel to the corresponding one of the port side and the starboard side of the center helm console so as to allow the occupant to pass between the center helm console and one of the port gunwale and starboard gunwale.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a seal member extending along the fore end of each rigid panel member, where the rigid panel member is pivotably attached to the center helm console, so as to provide a seal with the center helm console at least when the respective rigid panel member is in the outboard position.