An inflatable boat with an aluminium frame support

Abstract

An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support is disclosed. The hull consists of side air chambers, a cabin, a forward cabin, a rear cabin, and a supporting keel. The supporting keel includes a cabin support frame and forward and rear cabin support frames connected at the front and rear ends. The cabin support frame includes a cabin base frame and side supports. The side supports include side support arms and connecting rods. The connecting rods are connected to the cabin base frame, and the side support arms on both sides are connected to the inner walls of the side air chambers. The forward / rear cabin support frames include forward / rear uprights adapted to the spindle-shaped bow at the ends of the forward / rear cabins. The bottom of the forward / rear uprights is connected to the front / rear ends of the cabin base frame via forward / rear bottom rods, and the top is hinged to forward / rear top rods. The ends of the forward / rear bottom rods and forward / rear top rods away from the forward / rear uprights are connected via forward / rear support rings. This invention can effectively support the interior space of the kayak, enhance the stability of the hull, and better meet the needs of water sports enthusiasts for equipment safety and practicality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of water sports equipment, specifically relating to an inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support. Background Technology

[0002] Inflatable kayaks, as a type of water sports equipment that combines fun and portability, have gained widespread popularity globally in recent years, especially in the domestic market where they have experienced rapid growth. Their core advantage lies in their foldable storage after deflation, significantly reducing storage and transportation costs. This aligns with modern consumers' demand for "lightweight and portable" sports equipment, making them a popular choice for water recreation, adventure, and other similar activities.

[0003] In the structural design of inflatable kayaks, the keel is a key component ensuring the hull's performance, primarily responsible for connecting the bow and stern, reinforcing the bottom structure, and improving overall rigidity. However, while existing wooden keels provide some support, their weight and complex connection structure diminish the kayak's core advantages of simple assembly and lightweight portability. Inflatable keels, although offering some weight reduction, are highly susceptible to external factors due to their structural design: fluctuations in air pressure or uneven load distribution can cause keel deformation, leading to unstable bottom support and consequently affecting the kayak's overall structural rigidity and stability. Furthermore, existing keels only provide bottom support or edge reinforcement, failing to effectively support the kayak's internal cavity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to invent a novel keel support structure that is lightweight, provides stable support, and can simultaneously support the internal cavity. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the above technical issues, this utility model optimizes the keel design to effectively support the interior space of the kayak, while significantly enhancing the stability of the hull. This improves the performance of the inflatable kayak and better meets the needs of water sports enthusiasts for equipment safety and practicality.

[0005] An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support includes a hull, which is composed of side air chambers, a cabin, a front cabin, a rear cabin, and a supporting keel. The side air chambers include a port air chamber and a starboard air chamber. The port and starboard air chambers are symmetrically distributed and enclose each other to form a spindle-shaped hull. The bottoms of the port and starboard air chambers are connected by a bottom fabric to form a bottom cabin. The bow of the hull is covered by a front cabin cover to form a front cabin, and the stern of the hull is covered by a rear cabin cover to form a rear cabin.

[0006] The supporting keel is arranged to run through the interior of the hull, including a cockpit support frame in the middle and a forward and aft cockpit support frames connected at the front and rear ends. The cockpit support frame includes a cockpit base frame and side supports. The cockpit base frame includes two main frames arranged opposite each other. The front and rear ends of the two main frames are both tapered inward to form a stable frame. At least two connecting crossbars are provided between the two main frames. The side supports include side support arms on both sides and a connecting rod in the middle. The connecting rod is connected to the cockpit base frame. The side support arms on both sides are detachably connected upward to the inner wall of the side air tank.

[0007] The fore / aft support frame includes fore / aft vertical plates adapted to the fusiform bow shape of the fore / aft end. The bottom of the fore / aft vertical plates is connected to the front / rear end of the cabin underframe via fore / aft bottom rods to form longitudinal support. The top of the fore / aft vertical plates is hinged vertically to the fore / aft top rods. The ends of the fore / aft bottom rods and the fore / aft top rods away from the fore / aft vertical plates are connected via upright fore / aft support rings. The bottom of the fore / aft support rings is hinged to the fore / aft bottom rods via pins. The fore / aft support rings have a degree of freedom of movement fore and aft. The top of the fore / aft support rings abuts against the fore / aft top rods. The rings of the fore / aft support rings are circumferentially supported at the hatches of the fore / aft compartments.

[0008] Through the above technical solution, the keel-supported inflatable boat of this utility model has a main body composed of three parts: a cabin, a forward cabin, and a rear cabin. The core innovation lies in the supporting keel that runs through the entire hull, providing stable support for the cabin, forward cabin, and rear cabin simultaneously. This utility model changes the traditional inflatable boat's reliance on inflatable hulls or wooden keels for support, forming a stable internal support through an integrated, continuous design, creating a continuous rigid support system from bow to stern. Regarding cabin support, unlike ordinary inflatable boats that rely on air cushions to support the bottom of the cabin, the bottom of this utility model connects the left and right air chambers through a bottom fabric that does not require inflation. The support mainly relies on the cabin support frame that works in conjunction with the keel: the bottom has a cabin base frame composed of two main frames, and side supports are installed on both sides. The two side support arms of the side supports can open up the left and right spaces of the cabin; at the same time, the cabin base frame is connected to the front bottom rod and the rear bottom rod at the front and rear ends respectively, thereby achieving support for the entire bottom of the hull in the front and rear directions and ensuring that the cabin is stably supported.

[0009] Regarding the support of the fore and aft cabins, both are supported by their respective support frames. These frames utilize a front and rear upright plate structure adapted to the shape of the bow and stern. The bow and stern are the main stress points for the longitudinal support of the keel. The width and thickness of the upright plates provide stronger support capabilities, while also creating a linear cutting line at the bow, effectively reducing drag during navigation. Furthermore, the fore and aft cabins typically require reserved space for storage and other needs. Therefore, this invention adds a front support ring and a rear support ring at the hatch openings of both cabins. The support rings are connected to the corresponding front and rear upright plates via front and rear push rods, respectively. The push rods and upright plates are hinged, and the support rings are hinged to the bottom rod, allowing for upward rotation. During installation, the push rods can be lowered and inserted into the cabin, then rotated upwards via the hinge mechanism. Once sufficient space is available, the support rings can be pulled up and fixed to the hatch opening. This makes storage and installation more efficient and improves ease of use.

[0010] The keel installation in this technical solution is completed with the basic installation done while the inflatable boat is deflated. As the boat inflates, the support frame is firmly clamped inside the hull, forming a stable support. The main components supporting the keel—the cabin support frame, the front cabin support frame, and the rear cabin support frame—are connected using various methods, including but not limited to plug-in, snap-fit, and clamp-type connections, to achieve a secure connection. Combining these structural features, this technical solution uses a through-type keel instead of an inflatable or wooden keel to form a stable internal cavity support, rather than simple front and rear supports, providing three-dimensional structural support for the hull. Simultaneously, the bottom keel support replaces the air cushion support, significantly reducing the amount of air needed and saving inflation time. The hull bottom does not require inflation, reducing the overall height of the hull, decreasing the possibility of being affected by wind and waves, and enhancing navigational stability. The front and rear uprights are designed to concentrate longitudinal forces at the bow and stern, improving the load-bearing capacity and deformation resistance of key parts. Furthermore, the bow's linear cut-line design reduces drag. In this technical solution, structures such as the inflatable boat's inflation valve and drainage valve are existing technologies in the field and will not be described in detail.

[0011] Preferably, the cockpit support frame is a segmented connection structure, including no less than two segmented frames. The connection points of the two main frames of adjacent front and rear segmented frames respectively form connection mechanisms. The connection mechanisms include plug joints and sleeve joints. Plug joints are respectively provided on the front end connection surfaces of the two main frames of the rear segmented frame, and the ends of the plug joints are downwardly inclined slopes. Sleeve joints are correspondingly provided on the rear end connection surfaces of the two main frames of the front segmented frame. The sleeve joints include axially connected half-sleeves. The half-sleeves are hollow and interconnected inside the main frame, and their inner walls are adapted to the outer diameter of the plug joints.

[0012] This utility model's cockpit support frame adopts a segmented structural design, improving the convenience of installation, disassembly, and storage. In use, simply insert the connector into the sleeve connector; because the end of the connector is a downward-sloping surface, it can be easily inserted into the main frame connected to the sleeve connector. When inflated, the support frame is confined within the inflation chamber, and the connection naturally forms a tight fit. After deflation, the components can be easily separated, making operation convenient and efficient.

[0013] Preferably, the side bracket is connected to the cabin underframe via a connecting rod. The bottom of the connecting rod has two mounting protrusions, each including a neck and an anti-detachment platform. The connecting crossbar has two corresponding mounting holes, each consisting of a large hole and a small hole that are axially connected. The axes of the two mounting holes are perpendicular to each other. The neck of the mounting protrusion can move freely within the mounting hole. The diameter of the large hole is larger than the diameter of the anti-detachment platform, and the diameter of the small hole is between the diameter of the neck and the diameter of the anti-detachment platform.

[0014] Through the above technical solution, in order to facilitate the connection between the side bracket and the cabin base frame, this utility model uses mounting protrusions and mounting holes for connection. During installation, the mounting protrusions are inserted from the large holes at both ends. The neck of the mounting protrusion can move freely in the mounting hole. Since the axes of the mounting holes on both sides are perpendicular, the mounting protrusion on one side can be locked into the corresponding small hole by moving to the left or right under the action of the anti-detachment platform. The mounting hole on the other side can also be locked into the corresponding small hole by moving forward or backward. After installation, front, back, left and right limits are achieved. This installation method does not require the use of third-party tools, is convenient to use, has reliable locking, and low structural cost.

[0015] Preferably, the bow and stern of the hull are respectively provided with wave-breaking heads, each wave-breaking head including a left wave-breaking surface and a right wave-breaking surface. The front ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a first wave-breaking line, which is vertically inclined forward. The lower ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a second wave-breaking line, which is consistent with the extension direction of the front / rear bottom mast.

[0016] Through the above technical solution, the present invention installs wave-breaking heads at the bow and stern to cut and divert the water flow when the bow / stern is moving, thereby increasing the speed of the kayak; at the same time, it can reduce the lateral thrust of the side wind and water flow on the hull, enhance the stability of the kayak in straight-line navigation, and also serve as a buffer barrier to protect the hull and extend its service life.

[0017] Preferably, the front / rear support rings are hexagonal ring structures, and the connection between adjacent sides is an arc-shaped connection.

[0018] Preferably, all components of the supporting keel are made of hollow aluminum.

[0019] Preferably, the side support arms and connecting rods on both sides of the side bracket are connected by a gentle slope or arc transition, and the outer contour of the side support arm is arc-shaped to match the outer contour of the left and right air tanks after inflation.

[0020] Through the aforementioned technical solution, the side support, with its transitional connection design, can better adapt to the contours of the inflatable boat after inflation, effectively increasing the contact area between the support and the outer walls of the air pods on both sides. This design not only reduces localized pressure on the air pod surface, lowering the risk of air pod damage, but also makes the support force more even, significantly improving the overall support stability.

[0021] Preferably, the left and right air compartments are respectively provided with inserts for installing the side brackets, and the upper end of the inserts is provided with a pull strap for easy lifting and installation.

[0022] Preferably, seat hooks are provided opposite to each other on the upper sidewalls of the left and right air compartments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a top view of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the supporting keel of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the cockpit support frame of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the segmented connection structure of the cockpit support frame of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the front cabin support frame of this utility model.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rear cabin support frame of this utility model.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the side support structure of this utility model.

[0031] Figure 9 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the mounting protrusion of the side bracket of this utility model.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a magnified view of a portion of the connecting crossbar of this utility model.

[0033] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of the local structure of region A in the middle.

[0034] In the diagram: 1-Side air compartment; 2-Cockpit; 3-Forward compartment; 4-Aft compartment; 5-Supporting keel; 51-Forward compartment support frame; 511-Forward upright plate; 512-Forward bottom rod; 513-Forward top rod; 514-Forward support ring; 52-Cockpit support frame; 521-Main frame; 522-Connecting crossbar; 5221-Mounting hole; 5222-Mounting hole; 523-Side support arm; 524-Connecting... 525 - Connector; 526 - Socket; 527 - Half sleeve; 528 - Mounting protrusion; 5281 - Neck; 5282 - Anti-detachment platform; 53 - Aft cabin support frame; 531 - Aft upright plate; 532 - Aft bottom rod; 533 - Aft top rod; 534 - Aft support ring; 6 - Bottom fabric; 7 - Fore cabin cover; 8 - Aft cabin cover; 9 - Socket sleeve; 91 - Pull strap; 10 - Wave breaker. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Example 1

[0036] An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support includes a hull, which is composed of side air chambers 1, a cabin 2, a front cabin 3, a rear cabin 4 and a supporting keel 5. The side air chambers 1 include a left air chamber and a right air chamber. The left and right air chambers are symmetrically distributed and enclosed to form a spindle-shaped hull. The bottom of the left and right air chambers is connected by a bottom fabric 6 to form a bottom cabin. The bow of the hull is covered by a front cabin cover 7 to form a front cabin, and the stern of the hull is covered by a rear cabin cover 8 to form a rear cabin.

[0037] The supporting keel 5 is arranged longitudinally along the interior of the hull and includes a cockpit support frame 52 in the middle and a forward cockpit support frame 51 and a rear cockpit support frame 53 connected at the front and rear ends. The cockpit support frame 52 includes a cockpit base frame and a side support frame. The cockpit base frame includes two main frames 521 arranged opposite each other. The front and rear ends of the two main frames are both converged inward to form a stable frame. At least two connecting crossbars 522 are provided between the two main frames. The side support frame includes side support arms 523 on both sides and a connecting rod 524 in the middle. The connecting rod 524 is connected to the cockpit base frame. The side support arms 523 on both sides are detachably connected upward to the inner wall of the side air tank.

[0038] The forward cabin support frame includes a forward upright plate 511 adapted to the shape of the fusiform bow at the end of the forward cabin. The bottom of the forward upright plate is connected to the front end of the cabin underframe via a forward bottom rod 512 to form a longitudinal support. The top of the forward upright plate 511 is hinged vertically to a forward top rod 513. The ends of the forward bottom rod 512 and the forward top rod 513 away from the forward upright plate 511 are connected via an upright forward support ring 514. The bottom of the forward support ring 514 is hinged to the forward bottom rod 512 via a pin. The forward support ring 514 has a degree of freedom of movement back and forth. The top of the forward support ring 514 abuts against the forward top rod 513. The ring body of the forward support ring 514 is circumferentially supported at the hatch of the forward cabin.

[0039] The aft cabin support frame includes an aft upright plate 531 adapted to the shape of the fusiform bow at the end of the aft cabin. The bottom of the aft upright plate is connected to the rear end of the cabin underframe via an aft bottom rod 532 to form a longitudinal support. The top of the aft upright plate 531 is hinged vertically to the aft top rod 533. The ends of the aft bottom rod 532 and the aft top rod 533 away from the aft upright plate 531 are connected via an upright aft support ring 534. The bottom of the aft support ring 534 is hinged to the aft bottom rod 532 via a pin. The aft support ring 534 has a degree of freedom of movement back and forth. The top of the aft support ring 534 abuts against the aft top rod 533. The ring body of the aft support ring 534 is circumferentially supported at the hatch of the aft cabin.

[0040] In this embodiment, the side support arms 523 and connecting rods 524 on both sides of the side support are connected by an arc-shaped transition. The outer contour of the side support arm is arc-shaped and matches the outer contour of the left and right air tanks after inflation. The front support ring 514 and the rear support ring 534 are hexagonal ring structures, and the connection between their adjacent sides is arc-shaped. All components of the supporting keel are made of hollow aluminum.

[0041] To facilitate installation, disassembly, and storage, the cockpit support frame in this embodiment is a segmented connection structure, including at least two segmented frames. The connection points of the two main frames of adjacent front and rear segmented frames respectively form connection mechanisms. The connection mechanisms include plug joints 525 and sleeve joints 526. Plug joints 525 are respectively provided on the front end connection surfaces of the two main frames of the rear segmented frame, and the ends of the plug joints are downwardly inclined slopes. Sleeve joints 526 are correspondingly provided on the rear end connection surfaces of the two main frames of the front segmented frame. The sleeve joints include axially connected half-sleeves 527. The interior of the half-sleeves is hollow and interconnected, and its inner wall is adapted to the outer diameter of the plug joint.

[0042] In this embodiment, the side bracket is connected to the connecting crossbar of the cabin underframe via a connecting rod. The bottom of the connecting rod 524 is provided with two mounting protrusions 528. Each mounting protrusion includes a neck 5281 and an anti-detachment platform 5282. The connecting crossbar 522 is provided with two mounting holes 5221 and 5222. Each mounting hole consists of a large hole and a small hole that are axially connected. The axes of the two mounting holes are perpendicular to each other. The neck of the mounting protrusion can move freely within the mounting hole. The diameter of the large hole is larger than the diameter of the anti-detachment platform, and the diameter of the small hole is between the diameter of the neck and the diameter of the anti-detachment platform.

[0043] In this embodiment, wave-breaking heads 8 are respectively provided at the bow and stern of the hull. Each wave-breaking head 8 includes a left wave-breaking surface and a right wave-breaking surface. The front ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a first wave-breaking line 101, which is vertically inclined forward. The lower ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a second wave-breaking line 102, which is consistent with the extension direction of the front bottom rod 512 or the rear bottom rod 532.

[0044] To facilitate installation, in this embodiment, the left and right air compartments are respectively provided with inserts 9 for installing the side brackets, and the upper end of the inserts is provided with a pull strap 91 for easy lifting and installation.

[0045] The installation process is as follows: With the hull not inflated, connect the supporting keel 5. First, connect the cockpit underframe 521. Then, assemble the various sections of the cockpit underframe according to their corresponding interfaces. Next, locate the connecting crossbar 522 on the cockpit underframe and accurately install the connecting rod 524 of the side bracket on the connecting crossbar 522. At this time, it is not necessary to completely fix the side bracket, leaving some room for movement to prepare for subsequent adjustments. After the cabin underframe is assembled, begin inflating the hull, but do not inflate it completely; inflate it only to the point where the supports can provide sufficient support while still allowing for some movement. Then, connect the forward cabin support frame 51 and the aft cabin support frame 53 to the cabin underframe 52, ensuring that the front upright plate 511 of the forward cabin support frame 51 fits tightly against the bow profile and the aft upright plate 531 of the aft cabin support frame 53 fits tightly against the stern profile. Since the tops of the forward and aft upright plates 511 and 531 are hinged to the forward and aft push rods 513 and 533, the forward and aft push rods 513 and 533 can be gently lifted. While lifting the push rods, simultaneously pull the forward and aft support rings 514 and 534 upwards, so that the ring of the forward support ring 514 is supported at the forward hatch and the ring of the aft support ring 534 is supported at the aft hatch. Finally, secure the components by pulling up the strap 91 and aligning the side support arms 523 at both ends of the side bracket with the corresponding inserts 9. Insert the arms into the inserts 9 and confirm that they are securely fixed. After all bracket components are in place, inflate the hull again until it is fully inflated. During inflation, observe whether the aluminum frame has shifted. If there is a slight shift, make minor adjustments before completing the final inflation.

[0046] The above description provides a detailed account of one embodiment of the present invention. However, this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. All equivalent variations and improvements made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should still fall within the patent coverage of the present invention.

Claims

1. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support, comprising a hull, characterized in that: The hull is composed of side air cells, a cabin, a forward cabin, a rear cabin, and a supporting keel. The side air cells include a port air cell and a starboard air cell. The port and starboard air cells are symmetrically distributed and enclose each other to form a spindle-shaped hull. The bottom of the port and starboard air cells is connected by a bottom tarpaulin to form a bottom cabin. The bow of the hull is covered by a forward cabin tarpaulin to form a forward cabin, and the stern of the hull is covered by a rear cabin tarpaulin to form a rear cabin. The supporting keel is arranged to run through the interior of the hull, including a cockpit support frame in the middle and a forward and aft cockpit support frames connected at the front and rear ends. The cockpit support frame includes a cockpit base frame and side supports. The cockpit base frame includes two main frames arranged opposite each other. The front and rear ends of the two main frames are both tapered inward to form a stable frame. At least two connecting crossbars are provided between the two main frames. The side supports include side support arms on both sides and a connecting rod in the middle. The connecting rod is connected to the cockpit base frame. The side support arms on both sides are detachably connected upward to the inner wall of the side air tank. The fore / aft support frame includes fore / aft vertical plates adapted to the fusiform bow shape of the fore / aft end. The bottom of the fore / aft vertical plates is connected to the front / rear end of the cabin underframe via fore / aft bottom rods to form longitudinal support. The top of the fore / aft vertical plates is hinged vertically to the fore / aft top rods. The ends of the fore / aft bottom rods and the fore / aft top rods away from the fore / aft vertical plates are connected via upright fore / aft support rings. The bottom of the fore / aft support rings is hinged to the fore / aft bottom rods via pins. The fore / aft support rings have a degree of freedom of movement fore and aft. The top of the fore / aft support rings abuts against the fore / aft top rods. The rings of the fore / aft support rings are circumferentially supported at the hatches of the fore / aft compartments.

2. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cockpit support frame is a segmented connection structure, including no less than two segmented frames. The connection points of the two main frames of the adjacent front and rear segmented frames respectively form connection mechanisms. The connection mechanisms include plug joints and sleeve joints. The end of the plug joint is a downwardly inclined slope. Sleeve joints are correspondingly provided on the rear end connection surfaces of the two main frames of the front segmented frame. The sleeve joint includes an axially connected half-sleeve. The half-sleeve communicates with the hollow interior of the main frame. The inner wall of the main frame is adapted to the outer diameter of the plug joint.

3. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side support is connected to the cabin underframe via a connecting rod. The bottom of the connecting rod has two mounting protrusions, each including a neck and an anti-detachment platform. The connecting crossbar has two corresponding mounting holes, each consisting of a large hole and a small hole that are axially connected. The axes of the two mounting holes are perpendicular to each other. The neck of the mounting protrusion can move freely within the mounting hole. The diameter of the large hole is larger than the diameter of the anti-detachment platform, and the diameter of the small hole is between the diameter of the neck and the diameter of the anti-detachment platform.

4. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bow and stern of the hull are respectively equipped with wave-breaking heads, each wave-breaking head including a left wave-breaking surface and a right wave-breaking surface. The front ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a first wave-breaking line, which is vertically inclined forward. The lower ends of the left and right wave-breaking surfaces converge at a second wave-breaking line, which is consistent with the extension direction of the front / rear bottom mast.

5. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front / rear support rings are hexagonal ring structures, and the connection between adjacent sides is an arc-shaped connection.

6. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting keel is made of hollow aluminum.

7. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side support arms and connecting rods on both sides of the side support are connected by an arc-shaped transition. The outer contour of the side support arm is arc-shaped and matches the outer contour of the left and right air tanks after inflation.

8. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The left and right air cells are each provided with a sleeve for installing the side bracket, and the upper end of the sleeve is provided with a pull strap for easy lifting and installation.

9. An inflatable boat with an aluminum frame support according to claim 1, characterized in that: Seat hooks are installed opposite each other on the upper sidewalls of the left and right air compartments.

Images