The present invention relates to a submergible water activity platform for use with a dock and the like to provide a platform for getting into and out of the surrounding water. More particularly, the present invention relates to a movable platform integrated into the dock so that the platform can move between a raised position level with the dock, and a lowered partially submerged position to provide access into an out of the water.
Swimming facilities, whether in pools, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans, often provide ladders for people to enter and exit deep water. These ladders may be attached to the end of docks, piers, or even free-floating platforms anchored in the middle of a lake. These ladders are usually slippery and require a person to exert substantial strength to pull their body out of the water and onto the ladder. Persons who have trouble using ladders, including the handicapped, elderly, and even small children are effectively banned from participating in recreational water activities associated with deep-water facilities. The ladder also fails to provide any underwater support on which a person can rest or participate in deep water recreational activities. People, as well as their pets, enjoy jumping and swimming from docks, but often are in danger of drowning when they cannot climb back on the dock or find a place to rest, and are too tired to swim a long distance to shore.
Therefore, a need exists for a device that can facilitate the entry and exit of people and animals from a body of water to an above water structure by allowing the person and animals to swim directly onto a submerged platform and walk up out of the water by way of steps or a ramp. A need also exists to provide a device that gives underwater support to persons engaged in the recreational water activities in deep water on which the person can stand to participate in the water activities.
On many waterways, there are specific rules and regulations relating to the attachment of items that permanently extend off of a dock, some of which entirely prohibit underwater platforms that extend out from the dock. Therefore, there is a further need for a submergible activity platform that is integrated into the dock so as not to extend away from the dock to pose an unnecessary hazard to watercraft, and for a submergible platform that can be withdrawn from the water when not in use.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,762, a safety ladder is secured to a pylon of a dock, pier or other floating structure on a body of water that can be used to move between the water and the above water structure. However, the ladder fails to provide any support that extends under the water to provide a stable support platform on which persons may engage in recreational water activities. Additionally, such a ladder is extremely difficult for handicapped or disabled persons to use in entering or exiting from deeper water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,465 discloses a retractable walk-in swimming pool ladder designed specifically for use with swimming pools. As with the above-noted patent, the retractable ladder fails to provide any support means extending under the water for persons to engaged in recreational water activities, but rather, simply provides an access between the pool deck and the water. The individual must still pull his body up out of the water to climb up the steps of the ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,123 discloses a hydraulically operated pool lift ladder which has a single narrow step that is lowered and raised to help a person enter and exit the water. Because of the narrow step, there is no space for allowing a person to engage in water activities while being supported by the lift step.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,123 discloses a retractable platform for swimming pools. The device extends substantially away from the pool deck and does not disclose any means for integrating the submergible platform into the deck so as to form a usable part of the deck when removed from the water.
Thus, there is a need for a submergible support platform integrated into the dock that may be lowered to provide access the water and raised to form a part of the dock above the water.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water recreation dock with a movable platform that moves between a lowered position that provides convenient access into and out of the water, and a raised position forming a part of the dock above the water to permit use of the movable platform for other activities then entering and exiting from the water.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a submergible activity platform that allows persons to swim directly onto and off of the platform for support in the water while engaged in recreational water activities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a submergible activity platform integrated into the dock so that the platform does not extend out from the dock when submerged.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a water recreation dock extending at least partially over a body of water for access into and out of the water. The dock comprises a main deck platform carried by an upper dock frame of the dock for accommodating a number of persons engaged in recreational activities. A stationary platform forms a first part of the main deck platform carried on the upper dock frame. A movable platform forms a second part of the main deck platform having a raised position and a lowered position. The movable platform includes a landing section and a walkway section for providing access into and out of the water from the stationary platform. The movable platform is located generally in a common horizontal plane with the stationary platform in the raised position so that the landing section and walkway section are positioned above the water with said stationary platform to provide the main deck platform. The movable platform is then at least partially submerged in the water below the stationary platform in the lowered position wherein the landing section is submerged and the walkway section is partially submerged as extending from the stationary platform to the landing section to provide access into and out of the water.
A drive assembly is carried at least in part by the stationary platform. The drive assembly is operatively connected with the movable platform for raising and lowering the movable platform. The drive assembly includes a vertical displacement mechanism extending downward beneath the stationary platform, and a drive motor carried by the stationary platform above the water. The vertical displacement mechanism carries the movable platform, and the drive motor is operatively connected with the vertical displacement mechanism. The drive motor and the vertical displacement mechanism cooperate to move the platform between the raised and lowered positions.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the walkway includes a set of collapsible steps. The collapsible steps have a collapsed condition when the movable platform is in the raised position wherein each of the steps is folded into lateral alignment in a common horizontal plane with the stationary platform, and the collapsible steps have an expanded condition when the movable platform is in the lowered position wherein each of the steps is staggered in an inclined arrangement to provide steps leading from the stationary platform to the landing section. A step frame is included for carrying the collapsible steps and has a first end pivotally connected to the stationary platform, and a second end pivotally connected to the landing section for moving with the landing section between the raised and lowered positions to collapse and expand the steps.
Preferably, a lock is included which is operatively associated with the stationary platform and the movable platform for locking the movable platform to the stationary platform in the raised position. The lock includes a first locking part carried by the stationary platform, and a second locking part carried by the movable platform. The first locking part engages the second locking part when the movable platform is in the raised position to interlock the stationary platform with the movable platform.
The construction designed to carry out the invention will hereinafter be described, together with other features thereof. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:
With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described in more detail. Referring to
The main deck platform is divided into two parts, which together form main deck platform 10. A stationary platform 14 forms the first part of the main deck platform. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, stationary platform 14 is supported above the water on upper dock frame 12 by floating members 16. The floating members allow the stationary platform to adjust to changes in water level to ensure stationary platform 14 does not become too far removed from the surface of the water. However, various alternative means for supporting a platform on a body of water are commonly known to those skilled in the art and considered within the spirit and scope of this invention.
A movable platform, designated generally as 18, forms the second part of the main deck platform. Movable platform 18 is integrated into stationary platform 14 so that the movable platform does not extend out from the dock and create an obstruction to boats and other water craft operating next to the dock. Movable platform 18 is capable of moving between a raised position, shown in
The movable platform includes a landing section, designated generally as 20, and a walkway section, designated generally as 22, for providing access into and out of the water from stationary platform 14. Advantageously, as shown in
Preferably, stationary platform 14 and movable platform 18 are composed of a series of elongated planks made from treated lumber, composite materials, or other known components resistant to the corrosive effective of water and other elements commonly used to build docks. Additionally, to help people when entering and exiting from the water when movable platform 18 is in the lowered position, handrails 24a-d are provided for support.
Referring to
Referring to
A guide member 42 is carried by said upper dock frame 12 and stationary platform 14 which houses elongated shaft 34. Guide member 42 has an arm slot 44 extending along the length of guide member 42 for allowing lateral support arm 36 to be moved vertically along elongated shaft 34 while extending through arm slot 44. Landing section 20 abuts guide member 42 to restrict lateral movement of movable platform 18. This helps prevent the movable platform from shifting side to side when water or persons apply lateral forces to the assembly. Referring to
Referring to
A step frame 52 disposed beneath steps 50 for carrying the collapsible steps. Step frame 52 has a first end 54 pivotally connected to the stationary platform, and a second end 56 pivotally connected to landing section 20. By pivotally attaching step frame 52 at both ends, the step frame moves with landing section 20 between the raised and lowered positions to collapse and expand the steps. Each of steps 50 carries a support leg 60 that is adapted to slidably engage leg slots 62 of step frame 52. As shown in
Because step frame 52 does not telescope or otherwise adjust its length when being raised and lowered, it is necessary for landing section 20 to shift horizontally to accommodate the change in angle of step frame 52. As shown in
Referring to
Preferably, as shown in
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.
This Continuation-in-Part application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 10/097,661, filed Mar. 13, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,039.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030178252 A1 | Sep 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10097661 | Mar 2002 | US |
Child | 10392135 | US |