BACKGROUND ART Generally, a boat is defined as a relatively small ship without a deck. Boats are classified according to its propulsion power or implement. Particularly, an inflatable boat is one that takes the shape of boat with the use of an inflatable tube. The inflatable boat is not only relatively safe and economical but also convenient for storage and transporting. Hence, the inflatable boat is widely used for the purpose of leisure, rafting, lifesaving etc.

Due to the fact that most inflatable boats use a soft tube, which is made of rubber, synthetic resin or other similar substances, the air is prone to leak out of the tube when punctured due to external impact. As a result, there has been progress toward developing an advanced tubing structure to prevent accidents caused by damaged tubes.

In a conventional inflatable boat, the air filled in

the tube is severally sectioned by a plurality of partitions 6 which are as shown in FIG. 1A provided inside a tube 4 disposed in circumference of a bottom plate 2, or by a plurality of air bags 8 which are as shown in FIG. 1B provided inside the tube 4 disposed in circumference of the bottom plate 2. Therefore, in the conventional inflatable boat, even though the tube 4 is partially damaged, the air leaks out of only the damaged section of the tube 4, thereby preventing accidents due to the damaged tube. Such an inflatable boat having the foregoing structure was disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 20-1996-028543.

However, in the conventional inflatable boat, the tube 4 is made of a soft material such as the rubber, the synthetic resin or the like in consideration of functionality, usability, etc. even though the tube 4 is vulnerable to the external impact. Therefore, the tube 4 is relatively likely to be damaged due to the external impact while the boat runs.

Further, according as the air filled in the tube 4 is severally sectioned, when the tube 4 is partially damaged, the air leaks out of only the damaged section of the tube 4, so that the accidents due to the damaged tube can be somewhat prevented. However, not only it is difficult and complicated to repair the tube 4 but also it takes

relatively long time to repair the tube 4.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a tube replaceable boat in which damage of a tube due to the external impact is minimized and the tube can be rapidly replaced with a new one when the tube is damaged.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a tube replaceable boat comprising: a bottom plate; a tube housing disposed in circumference of the bottom plate and forming a plurality of spaces independently divided by at least one partition; a plurality of tubes respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces formed in the tube housing; and a plurality of tube inlets which are provided in an outside of the tube housing to be opened and closed and through which the tubes are individually inserted in and removed from the spaces formed in the tube housing.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom plate comprises a first plate made of cloth and connected to the tube housing; and a second plate made of a veneer board and disposed on the first plate.

According to an aspect of the invention, the tube replaceable boat further comprises a reinforcing band connected to a circumference of the first plate and

connected to the tube housing, contacting and supporting an outer edge of the second plate.

According to an aspect of the invention, the tube inlet comprises a zipper structure.

According to an aspect of the invention, the tube inlet comprises a Velcro tape structure.

According to an aspect of the invention, the tube is formed with an air injection port, and the tube housing is formed with an hole corresponding to the air injection port, so that the tube can be inflated in a state that the tube is accommodated in the tube housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings of which: FIGS. 1A and 1B are sectional views illustrating a conventional inflatable boat; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a tube replaceable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a combined perspective view of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a coupling structure of the tube replaceable boat according to an

embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating an accommodated position of the tube of the tub replaceable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIGS. 6A and 6B are partial perspective views illustrating structure of a tube inlet of the tube replaceable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a tube replaceable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a combined perspective view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a coupling structure of the inflatable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating an accommodated position of the tube of the inflatable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown therein, a tube replaceable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a bottom plate 20; a tube housing 30 disposed in circumference of the bottom plate 20 and forming a plurality of spaces 32,34, 36 and 38 independently divided by at least one partition 31a-31d ; a plurality

of tubes 40a-40d respectively accommodated in the plurality of spaces 32,34, 46 and 38 formed in the tube housing 30; and a plurality of tube inlets 50a ~50d which are provided in the outside of the tube housing 30 to be opened and closed and through which the tubes 40a-40d are individually inserted in and removed from the spaces 32,34, 36 and 38 formed in the tube housing 30.

The bottom plate 20 comprises a first plate 22 made of cloth and connected to the tube housing 30, and a second plate 24 made of a veneer board and disposed on the first plate 22. Here, the first and second plate 22 and 24 can be made of various material as necessary, wherein the material excellent in durability and waterproof is preferable.

The first plate 22 is employed in forming an outer appearance of the bottom of the boat, and the second plate 24 is employed in distributing a load of passengers over the whole boat and in offering spare buoyancy for emergencies. Particularly, the second plate 24 is divided into plural parts to be easily assembled and carried, and has the same shape as the first plate 22 to shape the bottom of the boat.

Meanwhile, a reinforcing band 60, connected to the circumference of the first plate 22 and connected to the tube housing 30, contacts and supports an outer edge of

the second plate 24 when the tube housing 30 is inflated by blowing air into the tubes 40a-40d. Therefore, the reinforcing band 60 prevents the tube housing 30 from being damaged as the tube housing 30 rubs against the second plate 24, and disperses the load of the second plate 24 into the first plate 22. Here, the reinforcing band 60 can be changed in structure.

The tube housing 30 is employed in protecting the tubes 40a-40d from external impact and takes the shape of the boat only when the tubes 40a-40d is fully filled with the air so as to be easily kept and carried.

Hence, the tube housing 30 is preferably made of cloth which can be easily folded and is excellent in durability and waterproof. Also, the partitions 31a ~3id formed in the tube housing 30 is preferably made of cloth to be easily coupled to the tube housing 30. Here, the size, the shape, the material of the tube housing 30 may vary as necessary.

Each of the tubes 40a-40d forms an air storage to be filled with the air injected through an air injection port 42, and the tube housing 30 is formed with a circular hole 39 through which the air injection port 42 of each of the tubes 40a-4, Od is exposed to the outside, so that the tubes 40a-40d are inflated by an air inflator (not shown) in the state that the tubes 40a-

40d are accommodated in the tube housing 30.

The tubes 40a-40d are made of rubber, synthetic resin or the like, and the size and the shape of the tubes 40a-40d may vary corresponding to the structure of the tube housing 30.

Meanwhile, the tube inlets 50a-50d may have various structures selectively as long as the tubes 40a-40 is inserted in and removed from the tube housing 30 therethrough, and its detailed embodiment is as follows (refer to FIGS. 6A and 6B).

FIGS. 6A and 6B are partial perspective views illustrating structure of a tube inlet of the inflatable boat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown therein, the tube inlet 50c formed in the tube housing 30 can have various structures selectively as long as the tubes 40a-40 is inserted in and removed from the tube housing 30 therethrough, but preferably have a zipper structure or a Velcro tape structure, which is simple and convenient.

Thus, the tube housing 30 is inflated by adjusting an opening size of the tube inlet 50c and then inserting the inflated tube 40 in the tube housing 30 through the tube inlet 50c, or by accommodating the tube 40c in the tube housing 30 and then blowing the air into the tube 40c through the air injection port 42 exposed via the hole 39

formed outside the tube housing 30.

As described above, according to the present invention, the tube housing protects the tube, so that damage of the tube due to the external impact is minimized and the tube can be rapidly replaced with a new one even if the tube is damaged.

Further, the tube can be easily inserted in and removed from the tube housing through the tube inlet formed in the tube housing.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purpose, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.