Universal trailer having support bracket for controlling boat position

Abstract

The present invention relates to a universal trailer having a support bracket which naturally guides the V-shaped bottom surface and keel of a boat toward the center of the trailer as the boat moves forward when the boat, which is located on seawater or fresh water and is maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy, is being loaded onto a trailer that is tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged. The universal trailer according to the present invention comprises: two main frames diverging from a front towing portion in accordance with the shape of the boat; a plurality of crossbars that connect the main frames and are spaced apart from each other; and wheels that are provided on each of the main frames, wherein some or all of the crossbars are equipped with V-shaped support brackets that conform to the shape of the bottom of the boat.

Description

INVENTION TITLE: UNIVERSAL TRAILER HAVING SUPPORT BRACKET FOR CONTROLLING BOAT POSITION Technical Field [1] The present disclosure relates to a universal trailer for transporting a boat and for launching and loading the boat at a slipway and, [2] more particularly, to a universal trailer having a support bracket that, when a boat located on seawater or fresh water and maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy is loaded onto the universal trailer tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged, naturally guides a V-shaped bottom surface and keel of the boat toward the center of the trailer as the boat moves forward, thereby facilitating boat position control, [3] wherein, due to the support bracket, during launching or unloading of the boat, the trailer may also be moved rearward into the seawater or fresh water at the slipway to an extent sufficient to float the boat, the boat may proceed while being maintained horizontally along the water surface by buoyancy and being separated from the trailer starting from a rear side of the trailer, and a final unlocking operation may be performed while the boat is controlled from a front side of the boat on the slipway, thereby allowing an operator to launch the boat without entering the water and, [4] wherein the support bracket safely protects the delicate keel, particularly a front keel, even during loading and transportation of the boat. Background Art [5] Various boat trailers have been proposed. [6] For example, Korean Patent No. 10-2464413 (November 2, 2022) [TRAILER FOR BOAT] discloses a trailer for a boat, the trailer being configured to [7] allow the boat loaded on the trailer to be easily floated on water at a slipway by submerging or floating a rear portion of the trailer for the boat, [8] thereby not only allowing the boat loaded on the trailer for the boat to be easily floated on water by submerging the rear portion of the trailer, but also allowing the trailer to escape easily by floating the rear portion of the trailer even when an operator passes beyond an end of the slipway and the rear portion of the trailer is excessively submerged while the boat on the water is being loaded onto the trailer. In addition, the trailer for the boat prevents a vehicle from being pulled downward and submerged when the trailer is excessively submerged while the loaded boat is being floated on the water, thereby preventing an accident in advance. [9] Furthermore, Korean Patent No. 10-2362970 (February 10, 2022) [LEISURE BOAT TRAILER] discloses a leisure boat trailer configured to be towed by a vehicle, the leisure boat trailer including:

[10] a frame part having a front end connected to the vehicle; knuckle members respectively hinged to both sides of the frame part along vertical rotation axes and provided with wheel hubs; a dual-rod actuator which is provided in the frame part and which has a front end of each rod directed toward the corresponding knuckle member; and links each connected by ball joints to the corresponding knuckle member and an end portion of the corresponding rod.

[11] The leisure boat trailer allows a travel trajectory of the trailer pulled by the towing vehicle to conform to a trajectory of the vehicle, thereby increasing driving convenience and allowing the trailer to be parked more accurately. Furthermore, even when a rear portion of the trailer is submerged during a boat launching process, flood damage resulting therefrom may be prevented.

[12] Furthermore, Korean Patent No. 10-2422940 (July 15, 2022) [HANGER DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING BOAT] discloses

[13] a hanger device for transporting a boat, the hanger device being configured to prevent a decrease in durability due to corrosion since a portion of the hanger device supporting a lower portion of the boat is not required to remain submerged, and the hanger device being easy to manage since the hanger device detects the bottom and thus automatically supports the boat or places the boat on the bottom.

[14] In addition, the hanger device includes a hanger body, hanger arms provided at both sides of a lower end of the hanger body at predetermined intervals so as to be foldable and configured to support a lower portion of the boat, and an elevation cylinder provided in the hanger body and configured to control rotation of the hanger arms. Accordingly, since a lower portion of the hanger device is not required to remain submerged, corrosion of submerged components may be prevented. Furthermore, since the boat may be supported quickly and stably, the boat may be quickly transported to a storage facility installed adjacent to a river, lake, or sea to store the boat. In addition, the hanger body is provided with a bottom detection part for checking whether the lower portion of the hanger device contacts the bottom. The bottom detection part may check whether the lower portion of the hanger device contacts the bottom both on land and on water, thereby allowing the hanger arms to be automatically controlled at an accurate position and allowing a process of supporting and lifting the boat or placing the supported boat on the bottom to be automatically performed.

[15] In addition, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2022-0096543 (July 7, 2022) [WATER RESCUE BOAT TRAILER FOR MOUNTING SAFETY AIR CUSHION LOADING AND UNLOADING MODULE] discloses

[16] a water rescue boat trailer for mounting a safety air cushion loading and unloading module, the water rescue trailer including a module support on which an uneven rail groove is formed, a boat protector for supporting the module, and a shaft fastener, thereby allowing the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module” to be mounted on and detached from a conventional trailer on which only a water rescue boat can be loaded and assisting 119 rescue personnel in rescuing persons,

[17] wherein the boat protector for supporting the module may support the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module” and may protect a side surface of the water rescue boat, and the module support may additionally support the weight of the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module”, so that loading of the water rescue boat and mounting of the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module” may be alternately performed and costs associated with rescue equipment may be indirectly reduced. Furthermore, the uneven rail groove receives portions of wheels of the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module” thereby preventing problems such as separation of the wheels when a safety air cushion loading or unloading process is performed using the “safety air cushion loading and unloading module”.

[18] However, the related art, including the documents described above, does not provide a technique for loading, onto a trailer tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged, a boat located on seawater or fresh water and maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy, or for universally loading the bottom surface and keel of boats having various shapes and sizes and safely transporting the boats without damage despite vibration and impact caused by various road conditions. Furthermore, the related art does not propose a method that allows an operator to launch a boat at a slipway without entering the water, and thus there is considerable room for improvement. Disclosure Technical Problem

[19] Accordingly, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which, when a boat located on seawater or fresh water and maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy is loaded onto a trailer tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged, a support bracket naturally guides a V-shaped bottom surface and keel of the boat toward the center of the trailer as the boat moves forward, thereby facilitating boat position control.

[20] In addition, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which a pad is provided on a V-shaped upper surface part of a support bracket, thereby cushioning and protecting a bottom surface of a boat and providing sliding characteristics.

[21] In addition, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which a pad includes an unsupported portion that protrudes outward beyond a section of an upper surface part of a support bracket, thereby further increasing center-guiding characteristics during loading of the boat.

[22] Furthermore, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which an upper surface part of a support bracket is spaced apart from an upper surface part of a crossbar, and the upper surface part of the support bracket is deformed downward by elasticity thereof during loading of a boat, thereby allowing the boat to be smoothly loaded without damage.

[23] Meanwhile, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer including a support guard capable of supporting any of variously shaped front keels, thereby maintaining a stable loaded state of a boat and allowing an operator, during launching of the boat at a slipway, to move the trailer rearward into seawater or fresh water to an extent sufficient to float the boat and then perform final unlocking while controlling the boat from a front side of the boat on the slipway, so that the operator may launch the boat without entering the water.

[24] In addition, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which a support guard includes first and second support guards supporting different portions of the front keel, and the angle or length, or both the angle and length, of the first and second support guards are adjustable, thereby maintaining a more stable loaded and fastened state of a boat.

[25] Furthermore, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer in which a fastening ring is provided on a front keel of a boat and a third support guard including a winch reel that fastens the fastening ring is further provided, thereby ensuring the stability and firmness of a loaded and fastened state and allowing an operator to control launching from a front side of the boat without contacting water during launching.

[26] In addition, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a universal trailer including base crossbars on which a boat is seated so that bottom surfaces and keels of various boats may be loaded according to the shapes thereof, thereby ensuring universal applicability for safe and damage-free loading and transportation of boats and allowing an operator, during launching of a boat at a slipway, to move the trailer rearward into seawater or fresh water to an extent sufficient to float the boat and then perform final unlocking from a front side of the boat on the slipway, so that the operator may launch the boat without entering the water. Technical Solution

[27] In order to achieve the above objectives, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a universal trailer having a support bracket for controlling boat position, the universal trailer including:

[28] two main frames diverging from a front towing portion in accordance with a shape of a boat;

[29] a plurality of crossbars which connects the main frames and which is spaced apart from each other; and

[30] wheels provided on the respective main frames,

[31] wherein some or all of the crossbars are each provided with a V-shaped support bracket conforming to a shape of a bottom surface of the boat.

[32] Furthermore, in the universal trailer having the support bracket for controlling boat position according to the present disclosure,

[33] a pad is provided on a V-shaped upper surface part of the support bracket,

[34] the pad includes an unsupported portion that protrudes outward beyond a section of the upper surface part of the support bracket, and

[35] the upper surface part of the support bracket is preferably spaced apart from an upper surface part of the crossbar.

[36] Meanwhile, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a universal trailer including:

[37] two main frames diverging from a front towing portion in accordance with a shape of a boat;

[38] a plurality of crossbars which connects the main frames and which is spaced apart from each other; and

[39] wheels provided on the respective main frames,

[40] wherein a support guard is provided between the towing portion of the main frames and a front crossbar, and the support guard supports a front keel of the boat.

[41] Furthermore, in the universal trailer according to the present disclosure,

[42] the support guard includes first and second support guards supporting different portions of the front keel, and the first and second support guards are adjustable in angle or length, or both the angle and the length,

[43] a fastening ring is provided on the front keel of the boat, and the universal trailer further includes a third support guard including a winch reel configured to fasten the fastening ring, and

[44] some or all of the crossbars preferably include two side bars coupled to the respective main frames and a V-shaped center bar provided between the side bars. Advantageous Effects

[45] In the universal trailer having the support bracket for controlling boat position according to the present disclosure, when the boat located on seawater or fresh water and maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy is loaded onto the trailer tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged, the support bracket naturally guides the V-shaped bottom surface and keel of the boat toward the center of the trailer as the boat moves forward, thereby facilitating boat position control. In addition, the pad provided on the V-shaped upper surface part of the support bracket cushions and protects the bottom surface of the boat and provides sliding characteristics, and the unsupported portion of the pad protrudes outward beyond a section of the upper surface part of the support bracket, thereby further   increasing   center-guiding characteristics during loading of the boat. Furthermore, the upper surface part of the support bracket is spaced apart from the upper surface part of the crossbar and thus is deformed downward by elasticity thereof during loading of the boat, thereby allowing smooth loading of the boat without damage. Consequently, the universal trailer is useful for transportation, launching, and loading of the boat. During launching or unloading, the trailer may be moved rearward into seawater or fresh water at the slipway to an extent sufficient to float the boat, the boat may proceed while being maintained horizontally along the water surface by buoyancy and being separated from the trailer starting from the rear side of the trailer, and a final unlocking operation may be performed while the boat is controlled from the front side of the boat on the slipway, thereby allowing the operator to launch the boat without entering the water. Furthermore, the support bracket safely protects the delicate keel, particularly the front keel, even during loading and transportation of the boat.

[46] Meanwhile, the universal trailer according to the present disclosure includes the support guard capable of supporting any of variously shaped front keels, thereby maintaining a stable loaded state of the boat. During launching of the boat at a slipway, the trailer may be moved rearward into seawater or fresh water to an extent sufficient to float the boat, and a final unlocking operation may be performed while the boat is controlled from the front side of the boat on the slipway, thereby allowing the operator to launch the boat without entering the water. In addition, the support guard includes first and second support guards supporting different portions of the front keel, and the angle or length, or both the angle and length, of the first and second support guards are adjustable, thereby maintaining a more stable loaded and fastened state of the boat. Furthermore, a fastening ring is provided on the front keel of the boat, and the universal trailer further includes a third support guard including a winch reel configured to fasten the fastening ring, thereby ensuring the stability and firmness of the loaded and fastened state and allowing the operator to control launching from the front side of the boat without contacting the water during launching. In addition, the universal trailer includes the base crossbars on which the boat is seated so that bottom surfaces and keels of various boats may be loaded according to the shapes thereof, thereby ensuring universal applicability for safe and damage-free loading and transportation of boats. During launching of the boat at the slipway, the trailer may be moved rearward into seawater or fresh water to an extent sufficient to float the boat, and the final unlocking operation may be performed from the front side of the boat on the slipway, thereby allowing the operator to launch the boat without entering the water. Consequently, universal applicability and safety in loading and transporting boats and convenience and safety in launching boats may be ensured. Description of Drawings

[47] FIGS. 1[A] to FIG. 1[D] are views and figures showing a universal boat trailer according to the present disclosure.

[48] FIG. 2[A] and FIG. 2[B] are views illustrating support brackets of the universal boat trailer according to the present disclosure.

[49] *DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS OF MAIN PARTS OF DRAWINGS*

[50] T: Trailer B: Boat

[51] B1: Keel B2: Fastening ring

[52] 10: Main frame 11: Towing portion

[53] 20: Crossbar 21: Side bar

[54] 23 : Center bar W, w: Wheel

[55] 30: Supporter 31, 33: Support

[56] 35: Support bar H1, H2: Fastening hole

[57] 40: Support bracket 35a, 41, P, p: Pad

[58] 50, 51, 53, 55: Support guard h1, h2: Adjustment hole

[59] 57: Winch reel 50P: Post Mode for Invention

[60] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[61] The present disclosure may be modified in various ways and may have various forms, and aspects (or embodiments) will be described in detail herein. However, the description is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, and it should be understood that the present disclosure includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions falling within the idea and technical scope of the present disclosure.

[62] In the respective drawings, the same reference numerals, particularly reference numerals having the same tens and ones digits or having the same tens digit, ones digit, and letter, indicate members having the same or similar functions. Unless specifically stated otherwise, a member indicated by each reference numeral in the drawings may be understood as a member conforming to this criterion.

[63] In addition, components in the respective drawings are illustrated as being exaggeratedly large (or thick) or small (or thin), or are illustrated in a simplified manner in consideration of ease of understanding and the like. However, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited thereby.

[64] The terms used herein are merely used to describe particular aspects (or embodiments), and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present application, terms such as “include” or “comprise” specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, and should be understood as not precluding in advance the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[65] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meanings as those generally understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with meanings in the context of the relevant art and should not be interpreted in idealized or overly formal senses unless expressly defined in the present application.

[66] The terms “first”, “second”, and the like used herein are merely used to distinguish different components and the like from each other, regardless of superiority or manufacturing order, and the names thereof may not be identical in the detailed description and the claims.

[67] For convenience in describing a universal trailer T having a support bracket 40 for controlling boat position according to the present disclosure, approximate and nonrigorous directional references are defined with reference to FIG. 1[A] to FIG. 2[B] as follows.

[68] A side on which a towing portion 11 is positioned at a portion where main frames 10 meet is defined as a front side, and the opposite side is defined as a rear side. Upward, downward, leftward, and rightward directions are defined while the towing portion 11 is viewed, and directions in the detailed description and the claims related to the other drawings are also specified and described according to these references.

[69] First, as can be seen from a skeletal view in FIG. 1[A], which mainly illustrates the main frames 10, crossbars 20, and wheels W and w before various accessories are mounted,

[70] figures serving  as  drawings in FIG.  1[B],  which illustrate a state in which a boat B is loaded and so on,

[71] a view in FIG. 1[C], which illustrates the crossbars 20 constituting one of  the  key features of  the present disclosure,

[72] a figure serving as a drawing in FIG.  1[D],  which illustrates supporters 30, and

[73] views in FIG. 2[A] and FIG. 2[B], which mainly illustrate two different types of support brackets,

[74] the universal trailer T having the support bracket for controlling boat position according to the present disclosure includes two main frames 10 diverging from the front towing portion 11 in accordance with the shape of the boat B, the plurality of crossbars 20 which connects the main frames 10 and which is spaced apart from each other, and the wheels W provided on the respective main frames 10.

[75] Particularly, some or all of each of the crossbars 20, which constitute one of the key features of the present disclosure, include two side bars 21 coupled to the respective main frames 10 and a V-shaped center bar 23 provided between the side bars 21.

[76] In FIG. 1[A] to FIG. 1[D], only a first crossbar at the front side has a straight shape, and the remaining four crossbars each include the center bar 23 having a shape and dimensions conforming to the shape of a keel B1 of the boat.

[77] In addition to the rear main wheels W, the auxiliary wheel w is provided on the front towing portion 11. Accordingly, the auxiliary wheel w is used to maintain a horizontal state when the towing portion 11 is not fastened to a vehicle and is also used to fasten the towing portion 11 to the vehicle. During transportation after the fastening, the auxiliary wheel w is configured to be spaced apart from the ground by rotating a handle provided next to a vertical shaft.

[78] The main wheels W are preferably provided with appropriate known shock absorbers so as to provide a shock absorption function during travel.

[79] In consideration of mass productivity, robustness, and so on, each main frame 10 is formed by processing an H-beam having a predetermined thickness and strength, and each crossbar 20 is manufactured by processing a rectangular pipe having a predetermined thickness and strength. In addition, a bracket is provided at each end of the crossbar 20 so as to be inserted between upper and lower plates of the corresponding H-beam-type main frame 10 and to be easily coupled thereto by bolting or welding.

[80] Meanwhile, the crossbars 20 are preferably provided with displaceable supporters 30 so that the boats B having various shapes and sizes are capable of being universally loaded.

[81] Each displaceable supporter 30 includes a height-adjustable first support 31 coupled to the corresponding side bar 21 and an angle-adjustable second support 33 connected to an upper end of the first support 31.

[82] The first support 31 includes first fastening holes H1 arranged in multiple stages, and is fixed to the corresponding side bar 21 in a height-adjusted state using U-bolts, D-bolts, or other bolts, and

[83] the second support 33 is provided at the upper end of the first support 31 with a bolt serving as a shaft, and an arcuate elongated second fastening hole H2 is formed below the shaft bolt. Accordingly, after an angle of the second support 33 is adjusted about the shaft bolt in accordance with the angles of both sides of the bottom surface of the boat, a bolt and a nut coupled through the second fastening hole H2 are tightened to each other so as to fix the angle- adjusted state.

[84] In addition, a receiving portion 33a is provided at an upper end of the second support 33, and a longitudinal support bar 35 is provided in the receiving portion 33a, thereby supporting both sides of the keel B1 of the boat B in a balanced manner.

[85] For example, the support bar 35 may be formed of lumber, and a synthetic resin pad 35a may be provided on an upper portion of the support bar 35 so as to provide cushioning and sliding characteristics,

[86] thereby assisting in launching the boat easily from the front side of the boat when the trailer is moved rearward into seawater or fresh water at a slipway so as to float the boat during launching. That is, as a rear portion of the boat is submerged together with the inclination of the slope of the slipway and buoyancy is generated, the boat naturally slides from the pad by the weight of the boat (since the rear portion of the trailer is inclined according to the inclination of the slope and is submerged and the boat is maintained horizontally along the water surface and floats by buoyancy, the rearward thrust of a propeller generated by operation of a motor may also assist the boat), or a pushing force of an operator may act together with the weight of the boat.

[87] The support bar 35 and the pad 35a have elasticity and are deformed by the weight of the boat during loading, thereby naturally coming into close contact with the bottom surface of the boat.

[88] Furthermore, in the universal trailer T according to the present disclosure, some or all of the center bars 23 of the crossbars 20 are preferably coupled to V-shaped support brackets 40 conforming to the shape of the bottom surface of the boat B, and pads 41 are provided on upper ends of the support brackets 40, i.e., V-shaped upper surface parts 40B, so as to provide cushioning and sliding characteristics.

[89] In the drawings, the support bracket 40 is mounted on the first crossbar at the front side among the crossbars 20 including the center bars 23 (the second crossbar from the front side among all of the crossbars) and,

[90] as required, the support bracket 40 may be provided on all of the crossbars 20 including the center bars 23, or may be provided on one or two front crossbars 20 that include the center bars 23. In addition, the support bracket 40 is fixed by fastening bolts through fastening holes of a vertical side part 40A of the support bracket 40 to the center bar 23 using U-bolts, D-bolts, or other bolts through elongated holes at both sides of the support bracket 40.

[91] A portion of the keel B1 of the boat B, particularly a front portion of the keel B1 to which a relatively small load is applied during loading, is supported by being in contact with the V-shaped support bracket 40 (the pad 41), and

[92] in a middle and rear portion of the keel to which a main load is applied, both bottom sides of the keel are preferably supported by being in overall contact with the support bars 35 (the pads 35a).

[93] The center bars 23 of the rear crossbars 20 on which the support brackets 40 are not provided are preferably not in contact with the keel B1 of the boat, and the boat is preferably loaded while being supported by the support bars 35.

[94] Furthermore, the pad 41 preferably includes an unsupported portion 41e that protrudes outward beyond a section of the upper surface part 40B of the support bracket 40, and

[95] the horizontal upper surface part 40B connected to the vertical side part 40A of the support bracket 40 is preferably spaced apart from an upper surface part of the crossbar 20, particularly the center bar 23, to form a gap g.

[96] The universal trailer T including the support bracket 40 described above is useful during transportation, launching, and loading of the boat as follows.

[97] Specifically, when the boat B located on seawater or fresh water and maintained horizontally according to the water level and buoyancy is loaded onto the trailer T tilted along a slope of a slipway and partially submerged, the V-shaped bottom surface and the keel of the boat B are naturally guided toward the center of the trailer T as the boat B moves forward (by thrust of a propeller).

[98] In a situation in which the front keel B1 of the boat B enters a section of the support bracket 40, even when the keel B1 does not enter precisely into the center of the V-shaped support bracket 40 (that is, the pad 41), the keel B1 contacts and naturally slides on the unsupported portion 41e having relatively larger elasticity or a central section of the unsupported portion 41e, and is thus guided into a central V-shaped groove of the support bracket 40, and

[99] even when the bottom surface of the boat B comes into contact with the support bars 35 (the pads 35a) inclined inward to conform to the shape of the bottom side surface of the boat B, the boat B is likewise naturally guided toward the support bracket 40, and then comes into contact with the unsupported portion 41e or the central section of the unsupported portion 41e and naturally slides along the unsupported portion 41e, thereby being guided into the central V-shaped groove of the support bracket 40.

[100] Here, the horizontal upper surface part 40B (the pad 41) connected to the vertical side part 40A of the support bracket 40 is inclined upward toward an end of the upper surface part 40B in accordance with the slope of the slipway.

[101] Therefore, as illustrated in the side cross-sectional view inside the upper dashed-dotted oval in FIG. 2[A], the end of the upper surface part 40B first contacts the keel B1 of the boat and then is naturally displaced downward as the weight of the entering boat is applied to the upper surface part 40B, thereby assisting the boat in naturally entering without being damaged.

[102] As described above, the support bracket 40 may easily and reliably provide boat position control, i.e., a function of guiding the boat B to a correct position, particularly during loading of the boat B.

[103] A length, material (e.g., a PE material), and elasticity of the unsupported portion 41e of the pad 41, and physical properties such as the dimensions, material, and elasticity of the horizontal upper surface part 40B connected to the vertical side part 40A of the support bracket 40 may be selected as required.

[104] Furthermore, due to the support bracket 40, during launching or unloading of the boat B, the trailer may likewise be moved rearward into seawater or fresh water at the slipway to an extent sufficient to float the boat B, and the boat B may proceed while being maintained horizontally along the water surface by buoyancy and may become separated from the trailer beginning at the rear portion of the trailer, so that a final unlocking operation may be performed while the boat B is controlled from the slipway in front of the boat B,

[105] thereby allowing the operator to launch the boat by using some or all of the weight of the boat, rearward operation of the motor, and a pushing force of the operator without entering the water, and

[106] further safely protecting the delicate keel, particularly the front keel, even during loading and transportation of the boat.

[107] Furthermore, as in the modified example illustrated in FIG. 2[B], a roller 41r may be provided at the center of the support bracket 40, thereby allowing an operation to be performed more smoothly through rolling movement of the roller 41r on the keel B1 of the boat during loading and during launching or unloading of the boat.

[108] The roller 41r has a centrally recessed shape, and an inclination of the roller 41r corresponds to the V-shaped arrangement of the support bracket 40 and the pad 41, thereby allowing the keel B1 of the boat to be smoothly received.

[109] Meanwhile, in the universal trailer T according to the present disclosure, a support guard 50 is preferably provided between the towing portion 11 of the main frames 10 and the front crossbar 20 so as to support the front keel B1 of the boat B.

[110] The support guard 50 is configured to fasten the boat loaded on the trailer, is configured to prevent the boat from shifting forward and being broken or damaged during transportation, and

[111] is also configured to assist in controlling, from the front side, in a situation in which the boat is naturally launched by sliding along the pads 35a and 41 as the rear portion of the boat is submerged together with the inclination of the slope of the slipway and buoyancy is generated when the trailer is moved rearward into seawater or fresh water at the slipway so as to float the boat during launching.

[112] Specifically, the support guard 50 preferably includes first and second support guards 51 and 53 supporting different portions of the front keel B1, and

[113] the angle or length, or both the angle and length, of the first and second support guards 51 and 53 are preferably adjustable.

[114] The first support guard 51 is provided on a post 50P fixed behind the auxiliary wheel w on the towing portion 11 of the main frames 10 and supports a relatively upper portion of the front keel B1 of the boat B as compared with the second support guard 53. In addition, the first support guard 51 includes first and second rearwardly extending members fastened to the post 50P, and

[115] the first rearwardly extending member is a rectangular pipe and the second rearwardly extending member is of a bracket type. Therefore, after the amount of rearward extension of the second rearwardly extending member relative to the first rearwardly extending member is adjusted using a plurality of first adjustment holes h1 provided at multiple positions in the two rearwardly extending members, a bolt is tightened to firmly fix the adjusted state.

[116] A reel-type centrally recessed pad P is provided at a rear end of the second rearwardly extending member to stably support the upper portion of the front keel B1 of the boat B.

[117] In addition, a safety chain 50C is provided on the first support guard 51, particularly on the first rearwardly extending member, and a fastening ring B2 is provided on the front keel B1 of the boat. Therefore, it is preferable that a hook at an end of the safety chain 50C is hooked onto the fastening ring B2 so that the safety chain 50C serves as a double safety device during loading, launching, and transportation of the boat.

[118] A rear end portion of the second rearwardly extending member is bent upward so that the pad P stably comes into close contact with the upwardly streamlined front keel of the boat.

[119] The second support guard 53 is provided between the towing portion 11 of the main frames 10 and the first crossbar 20 at the front side, and

[120] the rectangular pipe constituting the towing portion 11 extends to and is coupled to the first crossbar 20 so that the rectangular pipe is reinforced, and the second support guard 53 is mounted on the reinforced rectangular pipe.

[121] A first rearward adjustment member, particularly one formed using a rectangular pipe, is coupled to one of a plurality of angle-adjustment second adjustment holes h2 formed in an arcuate bracket of the second support guard 53. Accordingly, after an angle of the first rearward adjustment member is adjusted, a bolt is tightened to fix the first rearward adjustment member at a predetermined angle.

[122] In addition, a second rearward adjustment member, particularly a bracket-type second rearward adjustment member, is coupled to the first rearward adjustment member. A shaft-pin bolt and the second adjustment holes h2 arranged in multiple stages for angle adjustment are provided in the second rearward adjustment member. Therefore, after an angle is finely adjusted about the shaft-pin bolt, the bolt coupled to one of the second adjustment holes h2 is tightened to fix the angle-adjusted state.

[123] The second support guard 53 supports a relatively lower portion of the front keel B1 of the boat B as compared with the first support guard 51. Furthermore, a pad p, particularly a wedge-shaped pad p, is provided at a rear end of the second rearward adjustment member so as to support the front keel B1 in close contact therewith without damage.

[124] As required, an angle adjustment part may be introduced into the first support guard 51, and a length adjustment part may also be introduced into the second support guard 53.

[125] Next, the universal trailer T according to the present disclosure may further include a third support guard 55.

[126] The third support guard 55 includes a winch reel 57 provided on the first rearwardly extending member fastened to the post 50P, and an end of a fastening bar 57a of the winch reel 57 fastens the fastening ring B2 of the front keel B1 of the boat B, thereby firmly fastening the boat B loaded on the trailer.

[127] In addition, during launching of the boat, the trailer enters the slope of the slipway, is inclined according to the inclination angle of the slope, and is submerged to a predetermined extent. In this state, the operator gradually releases the safety chain 50C fastening the boat B according to the inclination angle of the trailer and gradually releases the fastening bar 57a by rotating a handle of the winch reel 57. Accordingly, the operator may gradually and safely launch and unlock the boat from the front of the boat without contacting the water.

[128] When the boat B is loaded onto the trailer T, with the trailer moved rearward onto the slope of the slipway by a towing vehicle,

[129] the boat is pulled by various power sources so that, after the boat passes naturally over the support bars 35, the bottom surfaces on both sides of the keel B1 and the front keel come into close contact with the pads P and p of the first and second support guards 51 and 53,

[130] the hook of the safety chain 50C is hooked onto the fastening ring B2, and then an end hook member or the like of the fastening bar 57a of the winch reel 57 is coupled to the fastening ring B2, thereby completing loading, and

[131] the towing vehicle may be moved forward to leave the slipway and begin transportation.

[132] Although the types of various boats and leisure boats, the towing power of the trailer, and conventional techniques known in the art and used for the respective components of the trailer are omitted from the above description, a person having ordinary skill in the art may easily infer, deduce, and reproduce the omitted matters.

[133] In addition, although the present disclosure has been described above mainly with respect to a trailer having a particular shape and structure with reference to the attached drawings, various modifications, changes, and substitutions may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art, and such modifications, changes, and substitutions should be interpreted as falling within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A universal trailer comprising:two main frames diverging from a front towing portion in accordance with a shape of a boat;a plurality of crossbars which connects the main frames and which is spaced apart from each other; andwheels provided on the respective main frames,wherein some or all of the crossbars are each provided with a V-shaped support bracket conforming to a shape of a bottom surface of the boat, andwherein a pad is provided on a V-shaped upper surface part of the support bracket.

2. The universal trailer of claim 1, wherein the pad is provided with an unsupported portion that protrudes outward beyond a section of the upper surface part of the support bracket, andwherein the upper surface part of the support bracket is spaced apart from an upper surface part of the corresponding crossbar.

3. The universal trailer of claim 1, wherein each side bar of the crossbars is provided with a displaceable supporter including a height-adjustable first support and anangle-adjustable second support that is connected to an upper end of the first support.

4. The universal trailer of claim 3, wherein a receiving portion is provided at an upper end of the second support, and a longitudinal support bar is provided in the receiving portion.

5. The universal trailer of any one of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein a support guard is provided between the towing portion of the main frames and a front crossbar among the plurality of crossbars, and the support guard supports a front keel of the boat, andwherein some or all of the crossbars each further comprise two side bars coupled to the respective main frames and a V-shaped center bar provided between the side bars.

6. The universal trailer of claim 5, wherein the support guard comprises a first support guard and a second support guard that are configured to support different portions of the front keel, andwherein the first and second support guards are adjustable in angle or length, or both the angle and the length.

7. The universal trailer of claim 5, wherein afastening ring is provided on the front keel of the boat, and wherein the universal trailer further comprises a third support guard provided with a winch reel configured to fasten the fastening ring.

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