Buoyant board having a propulsion system

Abstract

A buoyant board has: a board body; a propulsion system connected to the board body and including a propulsion unit for providing thrust to the buoyant board; and a handlebar assembly pivotably connected to the board body, the handlebar assembly being pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position. The handlebar assembly includes: a central handle configured to be grasped by a rider of the buoyant board, the central handle defining a distal end portion of the handlebar assembly.

1 . A buoyant board comprising:
 a board body;   a propulsion system connected to the board body, the propulsion system including a propulsion unit for providing thrust to the buoyant board; and   a handlebar assembly pivotably connected to the board body, the handlebar assembly being pivotable about a pivot axis between a lowered position and a raised position, the pivot axis extending through a proximal end portion of the handlebar assembly, the handlebar assembly comprising:
 a central handle configured to be grasped by a rider of the buoyant board, the central handle defining a distal end portion of the handlebar assembly; and 
 a telescoping subassembly for adjusting a length of the handlebar assembly defined between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the handlebar assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein the telescoping subassembly comprises an actuating handle operable by the rider of the buoyant body, the actuating handle being movable to selectively lock and unlock the telescoping subassembly to set the length of the handlebar assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The buoyant board of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the handlebar assembly comprises a base housing; and   the telescoping subassembly further comprises:
 at least one telescoping pole at least partly received in the base housing and slidable relative to the base housing, the actuating handle being connected to the at least one telescoping pole for sliding the at least one telescoping pole relative to the base housing; and 
 at least one slider received in the base housing and operatively connected to the actuating handle, the at least one slider being connected to the at least one telescoping pole to move together with the at least one telescoping pole, the at least one slider being slidable between a plurality of slider positions corresponding to different lengths of the handlebar assembly, the at least one slider selectively engaging the base housing at the plurality of slider positions to set the length of the handlebar assembly. 
   
     
     
         4 . The buoyant board of  claim 3 , wherein:
 at least part of the at least one slider is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the actuating handle being operable to selectively move the at least part of the at least one slider between the engaged and disengaged positions;   in the disengaged position of the at least part of the at least one slider, the at least one slider being slidable between the plurality of slider positions; and   in the engaged position of the at least part of the at least one slider, the at least part of the at least one slider engaging the base housing in response to the at least one slider being moved to any of the plurality of slider positions to fix the at least one slider relative to the base housing at a given one of the slider positions corresponding to a given length of the handlebar assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein an aperture is defined between the actuating handle and the central handle to allow the rider to grasp the central handle. 
     
     
         6 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein the board body defines a recess for at least partially receiving the handlebar assembly in the lowered position thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The buoyant board of  claim 6 , wherein, in the lowered position of the handlebar assembly, the handlebar assembly is generally flush with an upper surface of the board body. 
     
     
         8 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the handlebar assembly further comprises a latch movable between a latched position and an unlatched position; and   in the lowered position of the handlebar assembly:
 the handlebar assembly is retained in the lowered position by the latch being in the latched position; and 
 the handlebar assembly is movable from the lowered position in response to the latch being moved to the unlatched position. 
   
     
     
         9 . The buoyant board of  claim 8 , wherein the latch is biased toward the latched position. 
     
     
         10 . The buoyant board of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the board body defines a recess for at least partially receiving the handlebar assembly in the lowered position thereof; and   in the latched position of the latch and with the handlebar assembly being in a position other than the lowered position thereof, the latch prevents the handlebar assembly from entering the recess.   
     
     
         11 . The buoyant board of  claim 8 , wherein the handlebar assembly further comprises an actuating handle connected to the latch for moving the latch between the latched and unlatched positions. 
     
     
         12 . The buoyant board of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the handlebar assembly further comprises a telescoping subassembly for adjusting a length of the handlebar assembly defined between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the handlebar assembly; and   the actuating handle is configured to selectively lock and unlock the telescoping subassembly to set the length of the handlebar assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the handlebar assembly comprises a hinge defining the pivot axis; and   friction forces at the hinge prevent the handlebar assembly from falling freely from the raised position to the lowered position.   
     
     
         14 . The buoyant board of  claim 13 , wherein the friction forces at the hinge slow movement of the handlebar assembly from the raised position to the lowered position caused by gravity. 
     
     
         15 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion unit is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. 
     
     
         16 . The buoyant board of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 first and second handlebars movably connected to the central handle, the first and second handlebars being movable between respective retracted and deployed positions, the first and second handlebars being configured to be grasped by the rider of the buoyant board; and   wherein, in the deployed positions of the first and second handlebars, the first and second handlebars are positioned on opposite sides of the central handle.   
     
     
         17 . The buoyant board of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second handlebars are pivotable between the retracted and deployed positions thereof. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The buoyant board of  claim 16 , wherein the handlebar assembly further comprises a locking handle that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position for selectively locking the first and second handlebars in the retracted and deployed positions thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The buoyant board of  claim 20 , wherein the telescoping subassembly comprises an actuating handle operable by the rider of the buoyant body, the actuating handle being movable to selectively lock and unlock the telescoping subassembly to set the length of the handlebar assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The buoyant board of  claim 21 , wherein the actuating handle and the locking handle are disposed atop each other. 
     
     
         23 - 28 . (canceled)