Patent Application
20250187705
The present invention relates to a dock line handling device, and more specifically to a dock line handling device that facilitates placing the line about a piling or cleat while docking a watercraft.
It is generally known in the prior art to provide devices for assisting with the docking of a watercraft.
US Patent Publication No. 2021/0163102 for Mooring line holder by inventor Jurkiewicz, filed Dec. 2, 2021 and published Jun. 3, 2021, is directed to a mooring line holder for holding a mooring line at a dock in a raised position for ease of access to the mooring line from the deck of a yacht, cruiser or other watercraft, the mooring line holder having a foot by which it is attached to the dock and an upright pole or post rising from the foot and having a pair of support arms extending laterally from the pole or post at or near the upper end of the pole or post, each support arm having a respective detent/cradle for said mooring line, the detents being spaced apart so that a loop of the mooring line is spread open between them, thereby enabling a boat hook or other lengthy tool to be used to reach between the detents and hook the open loop of mooring line.
US Patent Publication No. 2007/0186835 for Dock Line Server by inventor Follmer, filed Feb. 16, 2006 and published Aug. 16, 2007, is directed to a dock line server attachable to a conventional line pole for use in maintaining a loop in a dock line in a horizontal configuration to facilitate placement of the dock line over a mooring piling or cleat when docking a boat. The frame of the server has a pair of prongs which are connected at a proximal end and spaced apart a predetermined distance to form an opening at a distal end. At least one pair of horseshoe-shaped clips on top of each prong holds the dock line in a horizontal, open loop configuration during docking. A pair of spacers on each prong is also used to hold the middle of the loop in a fully open position. The dock line server is preferably hollow and made of lightweight material, such as aluminum.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,804 for a Method and apparatus for controlling a rope by inventors Leyden et al., filed Jul. 24, 2007 and issued May 11, 2010, is directed to a method of directing a rope around a cantilevered support including the steps of: a) providing an apparatus having i) an elongate pole with a proximal region and a distal region spaced from each other in a lengthwise direction, and ii) a rope engaging assembly at the distal region and having at least one surface facing away from the proximal region; b) configuring the rope so that the rope bears against the at least one surface and a portion thereof is thereby formed to be generally U-shaped opening towards the proximal region with the rope in an operative position; c) holding a second portion of the rope and the elongate pole at the proximal region to bear the rope against the at least one surface to maintain the “U” shape; and d) manipulating the elongate pole to cause the U-shaped portion of the rope to be directed around the cantilevered support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,602 for a Docking fork by inventor Trillo, filed Oct. 1, 1997 and issued Sep. 1, 1998, is directed to a docking fork for facilitating the placing of a docking line loop about an object, such as a piling or cleat, to assist in the docking of a marine vessel. The docking fork includes a substantially U-shaped tray member defining upstanding walls and a floor for receiving and maintaining a docking line loop in an open condition in preparation for positioning about the object. The docking fork, supporting the docking line loop, is placed over a piling and is pulled away thus leaving the docking line loop alone about the object in preparation for tightening and subsequent docking of the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,748 for a Docking fork by inventors Linskey et al., filed Feb. 6, 1997 and issued Dec. 23, 1997, is directed to the present invention is a line handling device designed to facilitate positioning and handling of a mooring or docking line during a boat docking operation. The device employs a pair of arc-shaped spreader arms connected to an extendable pole. Each arm has a sleeve shaped to fit the pole. A fastening bolt passes through each sleeve, extending through the pole to secure the spreader arms to the distal end of the pole. A plurality of support tabs extend from an outer wall of each spreader arm and retaining posts extend orthogonally from each tab. While attached to the handle, the spreader arms form a U-shaped frame which is used to shape and hold the looped end of a mooring line so that it may be placed around a piling or dock cleat. Withdrawing the device away from the piling or cleat leaves the looped-end of the mooring line securely in place. Each arm includes a plurality of apertures or receiving holes sized to frictionally engage stacking pins. To store the device, the arms are removed from the pole and stacked so that pins in one arm are aligned with and penetrate corresponding apertures of the other arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,385 for a Mooring device by inventor Wallace, filed Oct. 21, 1974 and issued Nov. 11, 1975, is directed to a mooring device including an elongated pole member, an arm member having an attached end pivotally connected to the pole member near one end thereof and a free end spaced from the attached end wherein the arm member is movable between a stowed position adjacent and generally parallel to the pole member and an extended position wherein the free end is disposed laterally from the pole member, and rope supporting brackets on the arm member and the pole member for temporarily supporting a rope.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,597 for a Loop-supporting device by inventor Stipek, filed Mar. 30, 1971 and issued Jul. 18, 1972, is directed to a loop-supporting device is provided by an elongated handle and a resiliently deformable, elongated frame member of generally rectilinear configuration in its open position. A clasp is provided for disengagably securing the frame member in closed position of generally circular configuration, and the frame member has a plurality of line support elements spaced along the length thereof. With the frame member in its closed position, the loop of a line may be supported thereby, after which the loop and frame member may be positioned about a piling, as in a boat mooring operation. Drawing the frame member against the piling releases the engagement by the clasp and allows the frame member to return to its open, generally rectilinear position. This, in turn, permits release of the line and removal of the device with the loop remaining about the piling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,260 for a Line handling device by inventor Upchurch, filed May 29, 1991 and issued May 26, 1992, is directed to an apparatus to assist a user in tying a boat to a cleat or rail. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a line having a loop and a pair of spreaders which are independently, slidably mounted thereon. Each spreader has a connection recess to receive an end portion of one of a pair of spaced-apart spreader arms. The spreader arms are attached to one end of an elongated shaft and the other end of the shaft is for grasping by the user. The spreaders hold the loop in an open position for easy placement around the cleat and when the handle is pulled by the user in a direction away from the cleat with a predetermined separation force, with the loop in place around the cleat, the spreaders separate from the spreader arms and the loop is free to assume a closed position around the cleat for tying the boat to the cleat. In an alternative embodiment, the line has a pair of spliced end portions, each of which is fixedly attached to one of the spreaders. Each spreader has a hook fixedly attached thereto for grasping a mooring rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,986 for a Line handling device by inventor Johns, filed Dec. 2, 1985 and issued Jan. 13, 1987, is directed to a device for holding open and manipulating an end loop of a boat line at an extended distance from the user, especially for positioning the loop over a cleat or the top of a piling to dock a boat. The device attaches to a long pole such as a boat hook. It comprises a wire support and a wire forming a V shape in a first, operational mode. At the free ends of the V, the wire is shaped into releasable ropeholding hooks. In operation, the rope loop is held by these hooks while the operator applies tension to the rope along the pole. The loop forms a triangle, bounded on two sides by the wire, with the third side free. The triangle is slipped over the piling and the pole retracted. The piling passes through the open side of the wire triangle and the rope releases from the wire hooks. In a second mode, the wire is retracted and the ends brought together for convenient storage and to permit use of the pole for other purposes such as a boat hook and the like. The device may be adapted for applying a tail rope to a large fish, or an animal that might be dangerous to handle at close quarters.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,716 for a Mooring device by inventor Bernardi, filed Sep. 13, 1973 and issued Aug. 13, 1974, is directed to a mooring device includes an elongate mooring pole and a spreader assembly having a pair of spreader arms pivotally mounted on the mooring pole movable from an inoperative position lying along the mooring pole to an operative position extending away from the mooring pole, the spreader arms having channels formed in the ends thereof cooperating with a leg extending from a distal end of the mooring pole to define a three-point support for a mooring line forming a loop to be released to drop over a mooring.
US Patent Pub. No. 2015/0075416 for a Rope engaging docking device by inventor Salt, filed Jul. 30, 2013 and published Mar. 19, 2015, is directed to a rope engaging docking device for attaching a dock line to an out of reach dock cleat. The docking device includes an elongated pole with a fork member attached to the elongated pole's distal end. The fork member includes a center hub that attaches to the elongated pole and two diverging spreader arms each with a rope engaging slot formed on its distal end. During use, a large loop is formed on one end of the dock line. The loop is then positioned in the open center located between the two spreader arms so that the side sections of the loop are forced into the two rope engaging slots and the apex of the loop hangs below the fork member. The elongated pole is then extended over the dock cleat so the apex of the loop droops downward and placed behind a dock cleat. The crew member then pulls the dock rope to tighten the loop around the dock cleat. The device is then pulled reward to disconnect it from the dock line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,942 for a Fish lasso device by inventor Fernandez, filed May 21, 1998 and issued May 30, 2000, is directed to the present invention relates to a device for capturing an aquatic animal such as a fish. The device is particularly useful for ensnaring the tail or the body of a fish. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which places a rope around the body or tail of any fish. The device comprises a pole having a circular tube attached at one end of the pole. A rope is removably attached to the inside of the tube such that when the rope is pulled on it is removed from the attachments of the tube and ensnares the body or tail of the fish. The rope has an open end on one end and a noose at the other end.
US Patent Pub. No. 2023/0406455 for Dock line system by inventor Ruth, filed Jun. 12, 2023 and published Dec. 21, 2023, is directed to a dock line system for securing a vehicle or vessel to a structure having a secondary release when a first coupling member cannot be released from a main body of the system. The secondary release is selectively attached to the main body. When the secondary release is utilized, a second coupling member is detached from the main body allowing a user control of the vehicle or vessel.
The present invention relates to a dock line handling device, and more specifically to a dock line handling device that facilitates placing the line about a piling or cleat while docking.
It is an object of this invention to facilitate placing the line about a piling or cleat from the boat while docking.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a dock line mooring assistance device that holds open a dock line loop as described herein.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a system for dock line mooring as described herein.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings, as they support the claimed invention.
The present invention is generally directed to a dock line handling device, and more specifically to a dock line handling device that facilitates placing the line about a piling or cleat while docking a watercraft.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a dock line mooring assistance device that holds open a dock line loop as described herein.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a system for dock line mooring as described herein.
None of the prior art discloses a U-shaped docking line hook with a peg and a groove on the end of each tine.
A major issue for people who partake in watercraft activities, such as boating, is the difficulty and safety of docking a watercraft. Attempting dock a boat is a difficult, stressful, and sometimes dangerous undertaking for many people, specifically, in rough and/or windy conditions.
Current methods for docking watercraft without assistance from a person on the dock include a person in the watercraft attaching the dock line loop of a rope to a piling or cleat by hand from the watercraft and a person jumping from the watercraft onto the dock with the rope and attaching the dock line to either a piling or cleat by hand. Both methods are challenging and pose a significant safety risk. These risks are increased when are attempting to dock alone or with children in or on the watercraft. In addition to the safety risks for occupants of the watercraft, there is a risk of damage to the watercraft from collision with the dock and improper docking.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus which provides an easier and safer way to dock a watercraft. The docking line hock of the present invention solves this problem by providing users with the ability to hook and unhook the dock line to a cleat and/or piling safely from distance.
Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto.
Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand, that while the preferred embodiment is directed to accommodating an average-sized dock cleat and/or piling, the docking line hook 100 is modifiable to accommodate any cleat or piling size through sizing adjustments.
The docking line hook 100 including two parallel tines 114 connected by a circular arc on one side, i.e., the U-shaped body component, holds a dock line loop open. This shape allows for easy maneuvering over and around both cleats and pilings while still being compact and strong. In an alternative embodiment, the docking line hook 100 is a V-shaped body, which enables the dock line loop to be opened. In this embodiment, the tines 114 of the docking line hook 100 V-shaped body are angled such that the ends of the tines 114 are configured to fit around a typical piling or dock cleat. In another embodiment, the docking line hook 100 is a rectangular-shaped body with one open side. The rectangular shape allows the dock line loop to be held open and to be placed over a piling or boat cleat. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the docking line hook 100 is operable to be constructed in any shape. Nonlimiting examples of docking line hook 100 shapes include circular, crescent, D-shaped, oval, and square, all of which have one open side to allow for docking line hook 100 removal after attaching the dock line to cleat or piling.
In one embodiment, the cross-section of the U-shaped body of the docking line hook 100 is substantially square or rectangular in shape. In one embodiment that rectangular cross-section has filleted (e.g., beveled, chamfered, rounded, etc.) edges such that the body is smooth and is less likely to snag or damage the dock line. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the cross-section of the U shape is operable to be constructed in any shape. Nonlimiting examples of cross-sectional shapes include circular, ovular, semicircular, rectangular, square, trapezoidal, hexagonal, octahedral, and/or other shapes.
In one embodiment, the docking line hook 100 is comprised of materials such as plastic, metal, and/or fiber reinforced composite. Preferably, the materials used provide a high strength-to-weight ratio for the docking line hook 100. In one embodiment, the material used for the docking line hook 100 includes a marine grade metal, including but not limited to, carbon steel (e.g., AH36, DH36, EH36, etc.), alloy steel (e.g., of grades MD, ME, MF, MG, etc.), stainless steel (e.g., grades 316, 304, etc.), galvanized steel, aluminum (e.g., grades 5052, 5083, etc.), copper (e.g., C70600, C71500, etc.), brass (e.g., C46200, C46400, C48500, etc.), and bronze (e.g., C65500, C95400, C51000, etc.). The use of marine grade metals provides longevity for the docking line hook 100, particularly in regular use in wet outdoor conditions. In one embodiment, the plastic or fiber reinforced composite docking line hook 100 is formed from materials or a coating is applied to achieve IP67 waterproof standards. In one embodiment, the plastic or fiber reinforced composite docking line hook 100 is formed from materials which meet ASTM G154 UV resistance standards, or a coating is applied to achieve ASTM G154 UV resistance standards. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the docking line hook 100 is operable to be constructed of any material known in the art with appropriate strength. In one embodiment, the docking line hook 100 is created with a density less than water so that the device floats if dropped in the water, providing for easy retrieval of the docking line hook 100.
In one embodiment, the docking line hook 100 includes a hollow cylindrical receptacle pole connector 104 extending outwardly from the base of the U-shaped body to facilitate easy attachment to a dock pole. In one embodiment, the pole connector 104 is aligned with and substantially parallel to the central axis of the U-shaped body of the docking line hook 100, such that the center line of the connector 104 is substantially parallel to and on approximately the same plane as the centerline of the two tines 114. In one embodiment, the pole connector 104 is at a slight upwards or downwards tilt relative to the central axis of the docking line hook 100. This allows the device to be used more effectively when the dock is either slightly above or below the surface of the watercraft while still being useful to get up and over a piling or cleat at the even level.
In a preferred embodiment, the two substantially parallel tines 114 of the U-shaped component each include a semicylindrical groove 108 on the top side at end of each of the two tines 114, providing for a rope to securely rest within the grooves 108 and minimizing the risk of the rope slipping off the docking line hook 100 easily. In one embodiment, there are no grooves on the top of the tines 114. In this embodiment, the top surface of the tines 114 is substantially even and the dock line rests on the top of the tines 114 and against the posts 106 when pulled. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the grooves 108 are operable to be constructed in any shape. Nonlimiting examples of groove 108 shapes include semicircular, crescent, D-shaped, semi-ovular, and rectangularly prismatic.
In one embodiment, the docking line hook 100 includes a pole connector 104. In one embodiment, the pole connector 100 includes a hole 102 on one side of the connector 104 positioned such that the hole 102 is operable to receive a snap button spring clip of a standard dock pole. This provides a quick, secure connection between the docking line hook 100 and a standard dock pole, a tool that many watercraft owners already own. In one embodiment, the hole 102 is defined through opposite sides of the connector 104, such that a double snap button spring clip of the dock pole locks into both of the holes when the dock pole is inserted into the pole connector 104. This configuration also allows for a single snap button spring clip pole to be used in addition to a pin, nut and bolt, or any similar securing means to go through both sides of the docking line hook 100 and dock pole to make a secure connection. In one embodiment, the pole connector 104 has no hole and instead includes interior threading configured to accept a pole with a threaded end.
In one embodiment, the dock pole 200 is integrally formed with the docking line hook 100 as a single part. In one embodiment, the pole is formed from a single solid piece of material and is able to be a variety of lengths (e.g., 1-20 ft) depending on the watercraft and specific use case. For example, a jet ski application will require a much shorter pole than a large fishing boat application. In one embodiment, the built-in dock pole 200 is a telescoping or extending pole with an adjustable length, allowing the pole to be stored while collapsed to a shorter length, and then to be extended to a longer length depending upon the use case.
In one embodiment, the dock pole 200 is comprised of materials such as plastic, metal, or fiber reinforced composite. These materials provide a dock pole 200 with a high strength-to-weight ratio. In one embodiment, the material used for the dock pole 200 includes a marine grade metal, including but not limited to, carbon steel (e.g., AH36, DH36, EH36, etc.), alloy steel (e.g., of grades MD, ME, MF, MG, etc.), stainless steel (e.g., grades 316, 304, etc.), galvanized steel, aluminum (e.g., grades 5052, 5083, etc.), copper (e.g., C70600, C71500, etc.), brass (e.g., C46200, C46400, C48500, etc.), and bronze (e.g., C65500, C95400, C51000, etc.). The use of marine grade metals allows the dock pole 200 to last even in use in wet outdoor conditions. In one embodiment, the plastic or fiber reinforced composite dock pole 200 is formed from materials which meet IP67 waterproof standards, or a coating is applied to the dock pole 200 to achieve IP67 waterproof standards. In one embodiment, the plastic or fiber reinforced composite dock pole 200 is formed from materials which meet ASTM G154 UV resistance standards, or a coating is applied to the dock pole 200 to achieve ASTM G154 UV resistance standards. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the dock pole 200 is operable to be constructed from any similar materials with appropriate strength. In one embodiment, the dock pole 200 is designed such that the weight-to-volume ratio is less than water, allowing it to float if dropped.
As discussed above and shown in
Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. The above-mentioned examples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects of the invention and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that they do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. All modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the present invention.
This application is related to and claims priority from the following U.S. patents and patent applications. This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/606,881, filed Dec. 6, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63606881 | Dec 2023 | US |
