Vehicle Shove-Off Device

Abstract

A self-sufficient launch device mounted to the body of a water vehicle that applies a pressing force to a surface to launch the vehicle into the water, comprising at least two force creating devices adapted to create the pressing motion required to launch the vehicle, an extendable and retractable rod that extends towards the surface upon activation, a contact pad connected to the rod that interacts with, and applies force directly to, the surface on which the vehicle is located, a power supply that enables the movement of the at least two force creating devices, and a control system adapted for remote operation of the device.

Description

(a) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

i. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed toward a boat release mechanism, specifically a vehicle shove-off device mounted to the body of a water vehicle, such as a pontoon or other boat. The shove-off device is a permanent boat attachment that uses an extendable and retractable rod to create the pressing motion necessary to propel the boat in the opposite direction. The vehicle shove-off device is remotely operated and capable of launching a boat into the water without the need for outside mechanical assistance. The invention allows a single person to easily move the vehicle from ground into water with the push of a button.

ii. Problem to be Solved

Moving a beached boat from ground into the water is a difficult task. Boats such as pontoon boats are heavy and almost impossible for one person to move into the water alone. Launching a beached boat can be a straining activity, even with help from others. Often the only solution is to rely on outside vehicle release equipment that utilizes mechanical means, in addition to a separate pull vehicle, to transfer the boat from the ground and into the water. The current invention eliminates the need for outside mechanical assistance by mounting a vehicle shove-off device directly to the body of a boat. This device has an extendable and retractable rod that presses against the ground, propelling the boat in the opposite direction and providing an easy way to launch a boat into the water individually.

iii. Description of Prior Art

It appears there is no prior art showing a machine mounted to the body of a water vehicle that presses against the ground to launch a boat into the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,377 (377 patent) by Weir discloses a boat release apparatus that guides a boat when it is launched in the water and pulls the boat back onto a trailer utilising a tube body, actuation rod, and hook assembly. The '377 patent requires outside mechanical assistance to launch a boat. Unlike the present invention, the '377 patent fails to disclose a self-sufficient device mounted to the boat, remote operation capabilities, and does not include an extendable and retractable rod equipped with a contact pad. The '377 patent additionally fails to disclose the pressing motion utilized by the present invention to move a boat from land to water.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,793 (793 patent) by Braun discloses a launch vehicle for watercrafts that includes a partially submersible frame movably mounted on wheels. Unlike the present invention, the '793 patent discloses an outside mechanical device that assists in lowering watercrafts into the water. The current invention is mounted to a water vehicle and eliminates dependence on outside mechanical devices such as the one described in the '793 patent. Additionally, the patent fails to disclose a remote controllable set of force creating devices and an extendable rod to conveniently launch a boat into the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,058 (058 patent) by Reed claims a self-contained trailer mountable boat launching assembly that makes it possible for one person to remotely launch a boat from a launching ramp attached to a pulling vehicle. The device in the '058 patent is mounted to the front of a trailer adapted to haul and launch a boat. The device has an extendable rod that applies force to the prow of the boat. Unlike the '058 patent, the current invention is self-sufficient and does not rely on a trailer or external vehicle to launch a boat into water. The '058 patent fails to disclose a permanent device attached to a boat that applies force to the ground through a contact pad to propel the boat in the opposite direction toward water without outside assistance.

U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20060017257 by Krause ('257 application”) discloses an apparatus used to launch a boat into, and retrieve the boat from, the water. The '257 application is directed at large boats and discloses an apparatus that attaches to a land vehicle to launch and retrieve a boat. Unlike the '257 application, the present invention eliminates the need for outside vehicles and trailers to launch a boat into the water. The '257 application additionally fails to disclose an extendable and retractable rod, a contact pad, or permanent boat attachment that is remotely operable.

U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20130177355 ('355 application) by Bruno discloses a device mounted on a boat to launch and retrieve the boat from and into water and drive it onto solid ground. The device utilizes two sets of wheels mounted to the stern area of the boat. The wheels come in contact with a separate slip on the ground, the interaction between the slip and the device allowing the boat to roll onto solid ground. The current invention differs from the '355 application because it utilizes an extendable rod and contact pad, instead of wheels and a separate slip apparatus, to move the boat from land into the water. Additionally, the '355 application fails to disclose a retractable rod equipped with a flat contact surface that pushes against the ground to propel the boat in the opposite direction toward water. Application '355 also does not disclose a self-sufficient vehicle launch device that utilizes a pressing motion to move a boat from land into water.

iv. Statement of Objects of the Invention

An object of this invention is to enable one person to remotely operate a mountable boat accessory that moves a boat from land to water by mechanical means.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate dependence on outside mechanical vehicle assistance when releasing small and medium watercraft vehicles into water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a boat accessory for recreational use that makes it convenient to release a boat into the water with minimal physical effort.

(b) Summary of the Invention

The vehicle shove-off device is a self-sufficient vehicle launch device mounted directly on the water vehicle and is comprised of at least two force creating devices, an extendable and retractable rod, a flexible contact pad, a power supply, and a control system. The interaction between the power supply, the at least two force creating devices, the rod, and the contact pad produces the pressing motion necessary to propel the boat from the ground and into the water. The disclosed invention is remotely operable and provides an easy alternative to boat launching that does not rely on any kind of outside assistance.

(c) Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pontoon style boat equipped with a version of the vehicle shove-off device, the version of the device having one attachment point at the rear bottom of the boat.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pontoon style boat equipped with an alternative version of the invention with two separate shove-off devices attached to the front end of the boat at two separate, but aligned, attachment points.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the slide-rail linear actuator mounted to the side of the boat.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the approach linear actuator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the slide-rail linear actuator of FIG. 1.

(D) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

i. Structure of the Invention

The device of the present disclosure is permanently mounted directly to the body of a water vehicle or boat 10 and therefore eliminates dependence on external vehicles or other forms of assistance when launching a beached boat from ground into the water. The size of the device 12 in the retracted position can range from twenty-four to forty-six inches long, or more preferably from thirty to forty inches long, or even more preferably at thirty-six inches long. The shove-off device 12 is mounted to the boat 10 by a set of mounting brackets 14, 15. The adjusting linear actuator, such as a slide-rail linear actuator 16, and the approach linear actuator 18 attach to the boat 10 by mounting brackets 14, 15 at separate attachment points as seen in FIG. 1. The mounting bracket 14 is attached to the slide-rail linear actuator 16 by a pivot joint or other device as known in the art. The second mounting bracket 15 is attached to the approach linear actuator 18 by a fixed joint. A mechanical power device 20 is mounted to the slide-rail linear actuator 16, and the mechanical device 20 is connected to a power supply 22. At the ends of linear actuators 16, 18 that are not mounted to the boat 10, the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and the approach linear actuator 18 operatively attach to each other at a common pivot point 24 by way of multiple switch joints or other devices known in the art. One end of extendable and retractable rod 26 is attached where the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and approach linear actuator 18 meet at point 24. At the other end of the rod 26 is a flat, flexible ground contact pad 28. The rod 26 is optionally thirty-six inches upon extension. The length of the rod 26 in the extended position matches the length of the retracted device, less four inches or so. In the device's 12 retracted state, with the rod 26 contracted towards the water vehicle 10, the device 12 itself is preferably thirty-six inches long. For example, a device 12 that is forty inches long when retracted would be equipped with a rod 26 that is thirty-six to forty inches long and upon rod 26 extension the total length of the device 12 would be seventy-two to seventy-six inches long.

In order to power the shove-off device, a control system 30 is provided on the boat 10. The control system 30 includes an on/off switch, a power supply 22, and a processor 32. The control system 30 is preferably located near the captain's chair 34 as seen in FIG. 2. The control system 30 is remotely connected to the power supply 22. The power supply 22, in turn, is connected to the mechanical power device 20 located on one of the force creating devices—the slide-rail linear actuator 16 or the approach linear actuator 18. The power supply 22 can be a 12 VDC power supply already common on most boats, but can include any alternative source of power.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the connection points between the extendable and retractable rod 26, slide-rail linear actuator 16, approach linear actuator 18, and contact pad 28 can be altered. The contact pad 28, for example, could be connected to at least one of the linear actuators 16, 18 by a swivel, ball joint, or fixed attachment point.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the approach angle of the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and the approach linear actuator 18 is fixed.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the vehicle shove-off device 12 can be mounted to the sides of the water vehicle 10 as seen in FIG. 3, or to the top of the water vehicle 10.

In an alternative version of the invention, the operable length of the vehicle shove-off device when in the retracted position ranges from twenty four to forty six inches long, or more preferably thirty to forty inches long.

ii. One Cycle of Operation

Typically when the boat is released or launched into the water, the operator of the boat must attach the boat to an external vehicle or rely on multiple people to push the boat into the water. But with the presently disclosed device 12, outside assistance is not needed—the operator can launch a boat with the push of a button.

A remotely operable control system 30 near the captain's chair 34 activates the power supply 22 of the shove-off device 12 and initiates the pressing motion required to launch the beached boat from land into the water. Activation of the control system 30 connects the power supply 22 to the mechanical power device 20. The mechanical power device 20 enables the subsequent movement of the force creating devices—the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and the approach linear actuator 18—as well as extension of the retractable rod 26. During operation, the mechanical power device 20 drives the relative movement between the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and the approach linear actuator 18 to assist in creating pressing motion through contact pad or pads 28, which motion is required to propel the boat in the opposite direction and into the water.

The pivot joint of mounting bracket 14 is adapted to allow the slide-rail linear actuator to rotate around a z-axis. The fixed joint of the second mounting bracket 15 is adapted to allow the approach linear actuator 18 to adjust the position of the mechanical device 20 and slide-rail linear actuator 16 to move in accordance with the desired approach angle.

The slide-rail linear actuator 16 is configured to adjust the approach angle of the water vehicle. The angle between the slide-rail linear actuator 16 and the approach linear actuator 18 is within a range of three to six inches, the approach linear actuator adjusting the angle of the rod 26 to the ground surface. During this movement, the slide-rail linear actuator 16, the approach linear actuator 18, and the extension of rod 26 apply force to contact pad 28. To accomplish this motion, the rod 26 of the device shifts from a compact, retracted position on its corresponding slide-rail linear actuator 16 to an extended position. The retracted position of the rod 26 allows

Claims

1. A self-sufficient vehicle launch device mounted to a water vehicle, the device applying a pressing force to a surface to propel the vehicle in the opposite direction, the vehicle launch device comprising: a) at least two force creating devices, each force creating device adapted to be mounted directly to the water vehicle, each force creating device adapted to provide a pressing motion against the surface that propels the vehicle in the opposite direction of the movement of each force creating device;b) an extendable and retractable rod operatively attached to the at least two force creating devices, the rod extending toward the surface upon activation of the force creating devices, the rod retracting while not in use;c) a flexible contact pad connected to a free end of the rod, the contact pad adapted to interact with, and apply force directly to, the surface upon which the water vehicle is located to propel the vehicle upon the extension of the rod;d) a power supply source operatively connected to at least one of said two force creating devices; ande) a control system operatively connected to the power supply source, the control system being remotely operable to power the at least two force creating devices.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said at least two force creating devices comprise, at least one adjusting linear actuator configured to adjust an approach angle of the water vehicle; andat least one approach linear actuator.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein said adjusting linear actuator is equipped with a mechanical device connected to the power source, the mechanical device adapted to drive the motion of the adjusting linear actuator.

4. The device as in claim 2, wherein said adjusting linear actuator connects to the water vehicle by a mounting bracket with a pivot joint, the pivot joint adapted to allow the adjusting linear actuator to rotate around a z-axis.

5. The device as in claim 2, wherein said approach linear actuator is adapted to adjust an approach angle of the water vehicle to the surface.

6. The device as in claim 5, wherein said approach linear actuator connects to the water vehicle by a fixed joint allowing adjustment of the approach angle.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein said power supply comprises a 12 VDC power supply.

8. The device as in claim 1, wherein said power supply operatively connects to a mechanical device that drives the interaction between the at least two force creating devices.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein said device is mounted to one of the side, top, and bottom of the water vehicle.

10. The device as in claim 1, wherein said contact pad is connected to the rod by one of a fixed, swivel, and ball and joint attachment.

11. The device as in claim 1, the rod adapted to retract while not in operation and extend upon device activation, the length of the rod being one of less than or equal to an overall length of the device in the retracted position.

12. The device as in claim 1, wherein said control system comprises, a processor;a power supply operatively connected to the processor; andan activation switch operatively connected to the power supply, the activation switch allowing remote operation of the device.