Detachable fins and fin assemblies for watersport boards

Abstract

Tool-less detachable fins and fin assemblies for watersport boards (e.g, surfboards, wake boards, windsurfing boards, kite boards, stand-up paddle boards and the like) are disclosed. Some embodiments are directed toward detachable fin assemblies which include a fin having a mounting tang defining at least one detent recess in an edge thereof, and a fin box defining an elongate mounting channel for receiving the mounting tang of the fin. The fin box includes at least one spring-biased ball detent assembly having a ball detent positioned so as to engage the at least one detent recess when the mounting tang is positioned within the mounting channel to thereby removably fix the fin to the fin box. The fin box may include at least one threaded aperture for receiving a ball detent assembly therein.

1 . A detachable fin assembly comprising:
 a fin having at least one mounting tang and an edge that has at least one detent recess; and   a fin box defining an elongate mounting channel for receiving the mounting tang of the fin,   wherein the fin box comprises at least one spring-biased detent assembly adapted to engage the at least one detent recess when the mounting tang is positioned within the mounting channel to thereby removably fix the fin to the fin box.   
     
     
         2 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting tang is a central mounting tang having a lower edge that defines the at least one detent recess, and wherein the fin further comprises forward and rearward mounting tangs, the central mounting tang being positioned between the forward and rearward mounting tangs. 
     
     
         3 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one detent recess is asymmetrically positioned along the lower edge of the central mounting tang to be closer to the forward mounting tang than the rearward mounting tang. 
     
     
         4 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the detent assembly extends upwardly from a bottom surface of the mounting channel, and wherein the forward, central, and rearward mounting tangs substantially define an inverted U-shaped space to accommodate the upwardly extending detent assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting tang of the fin comprises one or more outwardly protruding mounting lugs, and wherein the fin box includes one or more nonstraight slots for receiving the respective mounting lugs therein. 
     
     
         6 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the fin comprises forward and rearward opposed pairs of the mounting lugs, and wherein the fin box comprises forward and rearward opposed pairs of the slots for receiving the respective mounting lugs therein. 
     
     
         7 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the mounting tang is a central mounting tang and the edge is a lower edge that defines the at least one detent recess, and wherein the fin further comprises forward and rearward mounting tangs, the central mounting tang being positioned between the forward and rearward mounting tangs. 
     
     
         8 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one detent recess is asymmetrically positioned along the lower edge of the central mounting tang to be closer to the forward mounting tang than the rearward mounting tang. 
     
     
         9 . The detachable fin assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein the detent assembly extends upwardly from a bottom surface of the mounting channel, and wherein the forward, central, and rearward mounting tangs substantially define an inverted U-shaped space to accommodate the upwardly extending detent assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fin box comprises at least one threaded aperture for receiving a detent assembly therein. 
     
     
         11 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting tang has forward and rearward detent recesses in forward and rearward edges, respectively, of the mounting tang. 
     
     
         12 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the forward and rearward detent recesses are vertically off-set relative to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the forward detent recess is at a lower position than the rearward detent recess. 
     
     
         14 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fin box further comprises a forward detent assembly for engagement with the forward detent recess, and a rearward mounting rod for engagement with the rearward detent recess. 
     
     
         15 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fin box further comprises a rearward ball detent assembly for engagement with the rearward detent recess, and a forward mounting rod for engagement with the forward detent recess. 
     
     
         16 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fin box comprises longitudinally opposed forward and rearward detent assemblies for engagement with the forward and rearward detent recesses, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fin box comprises a transverse mounting rod for engagement with one of the forward and rearward detent recesses, and a transversely opposed pair of spring-biased detent assemblies for engagement with the other of the forward and rearward detent recesses. 
     
     
         18 . A detachable fin comprising a mounting tang and an edge that has at least one detent recess. 
     
     
         19 . The detachable fin of  claim 18 , wherein the mounting tang comprises at least one of forward and rearward opposed pairs of outwardly protruding mounting lugs. 
     
     
         20 . The detachable fin of  claim 18 , wherein the mounting tang is a central mounting tang and the edge is a lower edge that defines the at least one detent recess, and wherein the fin further comprises forward and rearward mounting tangs, the central mounting tang positioned between the forward and rearward mounting tangs. 
     
     
         21 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one detent recess is asymmetrically positioned along the lower edge of the central mounting tang to be closer to the forward mounting tang than the rearward mounting tang. 
     
     
         22 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the forward, central, and rearward mounting tangs substantially define an inverted U-shaped space. 
     
     
         23 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the mounting tang has forward and rearward detent recesses in forward and rearward edges, respectively, of the mounting tang. 
     
     
         24 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the forward and rearward detent recesses are vertically off-set relative to each other. 
     
     
         25 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the forward detent recess is at a lower position than the rearward detent recess. 
     
     
         26 . A mounting box for removably mounting a removable accessory, the mounting box comprising:
 a base block defining an elongate mounting channel to receive the removable accessory, the base block having facing sidewalls, a bottom surface, and nonstraight slots formed along the sidewalls of the base block; and   a spring-biased detent assembly extending upwardly from the bottom surface of the base block.   
     
     
         27 . The mounting box of  claim 26 , further comprising at least one threaded aperture for receiving a detent assembly therein. 
     
     
         28 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the slots are substantially L-shaped. 
     
     
         29 . The detachable fin assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fin box comprises a mounting rod positioned in the elongate mounting channel. 
     
     
         30 . The mounting box of  claim 26 , further comprising a mounting rod positioned in the elongate mounting channel. 
     
     
         31 . A box for removably mounting a fin, the fin box comprising:
 a base block defining an elongate mounting channel, the base block having facing sidewalls, a bottom surface, and nonstraight slots formed along the sidewalls of the base block; and   a mounting insert receiver adapted to receive a spring-biased detent assembly such that, when the spring-biased detent assembly is attached to the mounting insert, the spring-biased detent assembly extends upwardly from the bottom surface of the base block.   
     
     
         32 . The box of  claim 31 , wherein the mounting insert receiver comprises a threaded aperture for receiving a threaded detent assembly therein.