Claims
- 1. A watercraft lift for raising and lowering a watercraft, comprising:
longitudinally extending floats positioned on either side of a longitudinal axis, the floats having a first cross sectional dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second cross sectional dimension perpendicular to the first cross sectional dimension and to the longitudinal axis, the first cross sectional dimension being different from the second cross sectional dimension; a lifting structure coupled to the floats and extending along the longitudinal axis between the floats, the lifting structure being configured to support the watercraft; and at least one actuator coupled to the lifting structure and operable to position the floats inwardly towards the longitudinal axis, with the first cross sectional dimension of the floats in an approximately horizontal orientation to raise the lifting structure above a water surface, and operable to position the floats outwardly from the longitudinal axis, with the first cross sectional dimension of the floats in an approximately vertical orientation to lower the lifting structure below a water surface.
- 2. The watercraft lift of claim 1 wherein the first cross sectional dimension is greater than the second cross sectional dimension.
- 3. The watercraft lift of claim 1 further comprising lift arm structures extending laterally between the lifting structure and the floats, the lift arm structures having first ends rotatably coupled to the lift structure and second ends rotatably coupled to the floats.
- 4. The watercraft lift of claim 3, wherein the first ends of the lift arm structures are rotatable about axes of rotation on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis, the axes of rotation being approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis.
- 5. The watercraft lift of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator extends between the lifting structure and the floats.
- 6. The watercraft lift of claim 3, wherein the at least one actuator extends between the lifting structure and the lift arm structures.
- 7. The watercraft lift of claim 1, wherein the floats sealably enclose an internal volume.
- 8. The watercraft lift of claim 7, wherein the internal volume of each float is at least partially filled with a material having a specific density less than the specific density of water.
- 9. The watercraft lift of claim 8, wherein the material is a low-density foamed polymeric material.
- 10. The watercraft lift of claim 1, wherein the floats are comprised of a substantially rigid polymeric material that sealably encloses an internal volume.
- 11. The watercraft lift of claim 1, wherein the lift structure further includes a pair of longitudinally extending bunks positioned on the lift structure.
- 12. The watercraft lift of claim 11, wherein the bunks are positioned on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis and extend upwardly from the lift structure and inwardly towards the longitudinal axis as the bunks extend in a longitudinal direction.
- 13. The watercraft lift of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 14. The watercraft lift of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a jackscrew operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 15. The watercraft lift of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a pneumatic cylinder operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 16. The watercraft lift of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system, the system further including a remotely positioned power module capable of receiving wireless signals.
- 17. A watercraft lift for raising and lowering a watercraft into a body of water, comprising:
a lifting structure configured to support a watercraft and extending along a central longitudinal axis; elongated floats coupled to the lifting structure, each float having a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the floats that is approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the central axis; and one or more actuators coupled to the lifting structure and the floats to move the floats from a first position wherein the floats are substantially beside the lifting structure and the lifting structure is at least partially submerged in the body of water, to a second position wherein the floats are substantially below the lifting structure and the lifting structure is elevated above the body of water by rotating the floats about respective longitudinal axes and translating the floats downwardly and inwardly towards the central axis.
- 18. The watercraft lift of claim 17 further comprising lift arm structures extending laterally between the lifting structure and the floats, the structures having first ends rotatably coupled to the lifting structure and second ends rotatably coupled to the floats, and wherein the one or more actuators are connected to the lift arm structures to rotate the lift arm structures about an arc relative to the lifting structure when moving the floats from the first position to the second position, the second position being closer to the central longitudinal axis and below the first position.
- 19. The watercraft lift of claim 17, wherein the lifting structure further comprises longitudinally extending side beams positioned on either side of the central longitudinal axis and approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis and laterally extending cross beams fixedly attached to opposing ends of the side beams to define an approximately rectangular frame for supporting the watercraft.
- 20. The watercraft lift of claim 19, wherein the cross beams further include opposing ends that extend outwardly from the rectangular frame, the opposing ends including rollers rotatably mounted thereon, the rollers translating across an upper surface portion of the floats when the floats are moving from the first position to the second position, the rollers further transferring a force to the floats that is downwardly and inwardly directed when the floats are in the second position to lockably retain the floats in the second position.
- 21. The watercraft lift of claim 19, further comprising a laterally extending center beam positioned at an approximate midpoint of the side beams, and further wherein the one or more actuators is coupled to the center beam.
- 22. The watercraft lift of claim 19, further comprising one of more reinforcing members extending diagonally across the approximately rectangular frame.
- 23. The watercraft lift of claim 19, further comprising a first V-beam positioned proximate to a cross beam and fixedly attached to at least the side beams, and a second V-beam positioned proximate to an opposite cross beam and fixedly attached to at least the side beams, the first V-beam and the second V-beam each having a first end and an opposing second end, the first and second ends extending upwardly and outwardly from the rectangular frame and including rotation points for rotatably coupling to the lift arm structures.
- 24. The watercraft lift of claim 17, wherein the lifting structure further includes a pair of longitudinally extending bunks positioned on the lift structure.
- 25. The watercraft lift of claim 23, further including a pair of longitudinally extending bunks positioned on the first V-beam and the second V-beam.
- 26. The watercraft lift of claim 25, wherein the longitudinally extending bunks are positioned on opposing sides of the central longitudinal axis and extend upwardly from the lifting structure and inwardly towards the central longitudinal axis as the bunks extend from the first V-beam to the second V-beam.
- 27. The watercraft lift of claim 17, further comprising floats formed from a rigid polymeric material that sealably enclose an internal volume.
- 28. The watercraft lift of claim 27, wherein the internal volume is at least partially filled with a low-density foamed polymeric material.
- 29. The watercraft lift of claim 17, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 30. The watercraft lift of claim 17, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the one or more actuators further comprise a jackscrew operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 31. The watercraft lift of claim 17, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the one or more actuators further comprise a pneumatic cylinder operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 32. The watercraft lift of claim 17, further comprising a power supply system, the system further including a remotely positioned power module capable of receiving wireless signals for a handheld transmitter.
- 33. A watercraft lift for raising and lowering a watercraft into a body of water, comprising:
a lifting structure configured to support a watercraft and extending along a central longitudinal axis; elongated floats coupled to the lifting structure, each float having a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the floats that is approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the central axis, the floats further including a first cross sectional axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a second cross sectional axis that is perpendicular to the first cross sectional axis and the longitudinal axis, the floats further including a first cross sectional dimension extending along the first axis and a second cross sectional dimension extending along the second axis, the first cross sectional dimension being different from the second cross sectional dimension; and one or more actuators coupled to the lifting structure and the floats to move the floats from a first position wherein the first axis of each float is substantially vertical and the lifting structure is at least partially submerged in the body of water, to a second position wherein the first axis of each float is substantially horizontal and the lifting structure is elevated above the body of water by rotating the floats about the longitudinal axis of each float and translating the longitudinal axis of each float downwardly and inwardly towards the central axis.
- 34. The watercraft lift of claim 33 wherein the first cross sectional dimension is greater than the second cross sectional dimension.
- 35. The watercraft lift of claim 33 further comprising lift arm structures extending laterally between the lifting structure and the floats, the lift arm structures having first ends rotatably coupled to the lift structure are rotatable about axes of rotation on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis, the axes of rotation being approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis, the lift arm structures further having second ends rotatably coupled to the floats.
- 36. The watercraft lift of claim 35 wherein the second ends are rotatably coupled to the floats by a float clevis attached to the float.
- 37. The watercraft lift of claim 33, wherein the one or more actuators extends between the lifting structure and the floats.
- 38. The watercraft lift of claim 35, wherein the one or more actuators extends between the lifting structure and the lift arm structures.
- 39. The watercraft lift of claim 33, wherein the lifting structure further comprises longitudinally extending side beams positioned on either side of the central longitudinal axis and approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis and laterally extending cross beams fixedly attached to opposing ends of the side beams to define an approximately rectangular frame for supporting the watercraft.
- 40. The watercraft lift of claim 39, wherein the cross beams further include opposing ends that extend outwardly from the rectangular frame, the opposing ends having rollers rotatably mounted thereon, the rollers translating across a roller plate positioned on the floats when the floats are moving from the first position to the second position, the rollers further transferring a force to the floats through the roller plate that is downwardly and inwardly directed when the floats are in the second position to lockably retain the floats in the second position.
- 41. The watercraft lift of claim 39, further comprising a laterally extending center beam positioned at an approximate midpoint of the side beams, and further comprising one of more reinforcing members extending diagonally across the approximately rectangular frame.
- 42. The watercraft lift of claim 39, further comprising a first V-beam positioned proximate to a cross beam and fixedly attached to at least the side beams, and a second V-beam positioned proximate to an opposite cross beam and fixedly attached to at least the side beams, the first V-beam and the second V-beam each having a first end and an opposing second end, the first and second ends extending upwardly and outwardly from the rectangular frame and including rotation points for pivotally connecting to the lift arm structures.
- 43. The watercraft lift of claim 33, further comprising floats formed from a rigid polymeric material, and having an internal volume that is at least partially filled with a low-density foamed polymeric material.
- 44. The watercraft lift of claim 33, wherein the lifting structure further includes a pair of longitudinally extending bunks positioned on the lift structure.
- 45. The watercraft lift of claim 42, further including a pair of longitudinally extending bunks positioned on the first V-beam and the second V-beam.
- 46. The watercraft lift of claim 45, wherein the longitudinally extending bunks are positioned on opposing sides of the central longitudinal axis and extend upwardly from the lift structure and inwardly towards the central longitudinal axis as the bunks extend from the first V-beam to the second V-beam.
- 47. The watercraft lift of claim 33, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a hydraulic cylinder fluidly coupled to the power supply system.
- 48. The watercraft lift of claim 33, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the one or more actuators further comprise a jackscrew operatively coupled to the power supply system.
- 49. The watercraft lift of claim 33, further comprising a power supply system, and wherein the one or more actuators further comprise a pneumatic cylinder fluidly coupled to the power supply system.
- 50. The watercraft lift of claim 33, further comprising a power supply system, the system further including a remotely positioned power module capable of receiving wireless signals for a handheld transmitter, wherein the remotely positioned power module is enclosed in a substantially sealed enclosure.
- 51. A watercraft lift, comprising:
a lifting structure configured to support a watercraft having outwardly extending engagement arms having ends with engagement elements mounted thereon; floats having a first surface and a second surface transverse to the first surface, the floats being pivotally coupled to the lifting structure at the second surface; one or more actuators coupled to the lifting structure and the floats operable to move the floats from a first position, wherein the second surface is oriented approximately in a horizontal direction, to a second position wherein the second surface is oriented approximately in a vertical direction, the engagement elements contacting the first surface and translating along a portion of the first surface when the floats move from the first position to the second position, the engagement elements transferring a force from the lifting structure to the floats when positioned in the second position that stably retains the floats in the second position.
- 52. The watercraft lift of claim 51, wherein the first surface of the float is angled downwardly in relation to the lifting structure when the float is positioned in the second position.
- 53. The watercraft lift of claim 51 wherein the engagement elements include rollers rotatably mounted on the ends of the engagement arms.
- 54. The watercraft lift of claim 53, further comprising roller tracks positioned on the first surface that receive and guide the rollers.
- 55. The watercraft lift of claim 51, wherein the engagement elements comprise sliding members.
- 56. The watercraft lift of claim 55, further comprising rollers rotatably mounted on the first surface of the floats that engage the sliding members.
- 57. A watercraft lift, comprising:
a lift structure configured to support a watercraft; floats coupled to the lifting structure; engagement elements supported by the lift structure; and one or more actuators coupled to the lifting structure and the floats operable to move the floats from a first position, wherein the lifting structure is in position to receive a watercraft, to a second position wherein the lifting structure is in position to support the watercraft in a raised position, the engagement elements contacting the floats and transferring a force between the lifting structure and the floats to cause the float to be stably maintained in the second position without the participation of the one or more actuators.
- 58. The watercraft lift of claim 57 wherein the engagement elements include rollers.
- 59. The watercraft lift of claim 58, further comprising roller tracks positioned on the floats that receive and guide the rollers.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/276,358 filed Mar. 16, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60276358 |
Mar 2001 |
US |