Water bike with inflatable front deck

Abstract

A water bike has a frame supported on first and second spaced apart pontoons. Pedals are attached to cranks on a front sprocket rotatably supported on the frame. A chain or belt extends around the front sprocket and around a rear sprocket on a gearbox. An outdrive is supported on the gearbox and pivotal about a vertical axis relative to the gearbox. The combined outdrive and gearbox are pivotable about a horizontal axis relative to the frame. A propeller on the outdrive is mechanically linked to a first gear in the gearbox, with the first gear meshing with a second gear attached to the rear sprocket. A steering linkage connects a steering bar to the outdrive, for pivoting the outdrive to steer the water bike. An inflatable deck is attached to the first and second pontoons.

1 . A water bike comprising:
 first and second pontoons;   a frame supported on the pontoons;   a steering bar pivotally attached to the frame;   pedals attached to a front sprocket rotatably supported on the frame;   a chain or belt extending around the front sprocket and around a rear sprocket;   a propeller on an outdrive mechanically linked to a gearbox, the outdrive pivotal relative to the gearbox;   a steering linkage connecting the steering bar to the outdrive, for pivoting the outdrive to steer the water bike; and   an inflatable deck attached to the first and second pontoons.   
     
     
         2 . The water bike of  claim 1  with the inflatable deck between the frame and a front end of the first and second pontoons. 
     
     
         3 . The water bike of  claim 1  with the inflatable deck removably attached to the first and second pontoons via straps. 
     
     
         4 . The water bike of  claim 3  with one or more of the straps comprising an elastic loop attached to a ball. 
     
     
         5 . The water bike of  claim 4  with one or more of the loops extending through a deck D-ring on the deck and a pontoon D-ring on the first or second pontoon. 
     
     
         6 . The water bike of  claim 2  with a long axis of the inflatable deck perpendicular to a long axis of the first pontoon, and with the first pontoon parallel to the second pontoon. 
     
     
         7 . A water bike comprising:
 first and second spaced apart pontoons;   front and rear cross members attached to the first and second pontoons;   a frame supported on the front and rear cross beams, with the frame having a horizontal drive section supported on the front and rear cross beams, a riser joined to the drive section and a horizontal top section joined to the riser;   a steering bar pivotally attached to a front end of the horizontal top section of the frame;   pedals attached to a pedal shaft extending through the riser;   a first sprocket attached to the pedal shaft;   a gearbox at a back end of the horizontal drive section of the frame, with the gearbox including a sprocket gear, a cable gear engaged with the sprocket gear, and a second sprocket attached to the sprocket gear;   a chain or belt extending around the first sprocket and the second sprocket;   a steering pulley pivotally attached to the gearbox;   an outdrive engaged with the steering pulley, with the outdrive including a fin-shaped outdrive housing, a tubular cable housing within the outdrive housing, a flexible propeller cable within the tubular cable housing, a propeller attached to a lower end of the propeller cable and the cable gear attached to an upper end of the propeller cable;   a steering linkage connecting the steering bar to the steering pulley, for pivoting the outdrive to steer the water bike, with the fin-shaped outdrive housing acting as a rudder to assist steering of the water bike; and   an inflatable deck attached to the first and second pontoons.   
     
     
         8 . The water bike of  claim 7  with the inflatable deck between the front cross beam and a front end of the first and second pontoons. 
     
     
         9 . The water bike of  claim 8  with a front end of the inflatable deck removably attached to the first and second pontoons via first and second front straps, and with a back end of the inflatable deck removably attached to the front cross beam via first and second rear straps. 
     
     
         10 . The water bike of  claim 9  with one or more of the straps comprising an elastic loop attached to a ball. 
     
     
         11 . The water bike of  claim 10  with one or more of the loops of the front straps extending through a deck D-ring on the deck and a pontoon D-ring on the first or second pontoon. 
     
     
         12 . The water bike of  claim 8  with a long axis of the inflatable deck perpendicular to a long axis of the first pontoon, and with the first pontoon parallel to the second pontoon.