U.S. patent application number 10/963202 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-28 for boat cover.
Invention is credited to Fox, Robert J..
Application Number | 20050089375 10/963202 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34527081 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050089375 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fox, Robert J. |
April 28, 2005 |
Boat cover
Abstract
A boat docking system having supports, a boat lift and a roof,
the roof covering the dock. A fixed cover disposed over the boat
dock and beneath the roof, the fixed cover attached to the supports
by support brackets. The fixed cover includes a tarp having a roof
and walls defining a covered space into which the boat lift can
raise the boat. The fixed cover reduces the need for hard to handle
traditional boat covers that attach directly to the boat to keep
dust, dirt and insects out of the boat during a period of
storage.
Inventors: |
Fox, Robert J.; (Camdenton,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert J. Fox
740 Sunny Slope Cir.
Camdenton
MO
65020
US
|
Family ID: |
34527081 |
Appl. No.: |
10/963202 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60515085 |
Oct 28, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
405/219 ;
405/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 17/02 20130101;
B63C 3/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/219 ;
405/003 |
International
Class: |
B63C 003/06; E02B
003/20 |
Claims
1. A boat dock system comprising; a boat dock having roof supports
and a rigid roof, said rigid roof covering said dock, a fixed cover
disposed over said boat dock and beneath said rigid roof; said
fixed cover attached to said roof supports.
2. The boat dock system of claim 1 including a boat lift disposed
below said cover such that a boat can be driven on to said lift and
raised out of the water beneath said cover.
3. The boat dock system of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a
wall and roof such that said cover wall and roof forms a covered
space into which a boat is lifted by said lift.
4. The boat dock system of claim 3 wherein said cover includes a
rigid framework attached to said roof supports and said cover
includes a flexible cover tarp draped over said framework.
5. The boat dock system of claim 4 including springs to attach said
cover tarp to said rigid frame.
6. The boat dock system of claim 5 wherein said rigid frame
includes support brackets clamped to said roof supports such that
said rigid frame rests on said support brackets.
7. A fixed boat cover for use in conjunction with a boat dock
having a roof and a boat lift, said fixed boat cover comprising; a
cover tarp disposable over said boat lift and beneath said roof;
said rigid frame attachable to said boat dock, said rigid frame
supporting said cover tarp; said cover tarp including a roof and
walls defining a covered space above water into which the boat can
be raised.
8. The fixed boat cover of claim 7 wherein said rigid frame
includes pipes and pipe connectors.
9. The fixed boat cover of claim 8 wherein ends of said pipes fit
into openings in said pipe connectors and wherein said pipe
connectors include means to lock said pipe and pipe connectors
together.
10. The fixed boat cover of claim 8 wherein said cover tarp is
attached to said rigid frame by springs.
11. The fixed boat cover of claim 10 wherein said tarp cover
includes flap connectors attached to an inside surface of said tarp
cover and wherein said springs are connected to said flaps to
attach said cover tarp to said rigid frame.
12. A boat dock system comprising; a boat dock having supports, a
boat lift and a roof, said roof covering said dock, a fixed cover
disposed over said boat dock and beneath said roof; said fixed
cover attached to said supports and said fixed cover having walls
defining a covered space into which said boat lift can raise said
boat.
13. The boat dock of claim 12 wherein the supports support the
roof
14. The boat dock of claim 12 wherein said fixed cover includes a
pipe frame.
15. The boat dock of claim 14 including support brackets attached
to said supports and wherein said pipe frame is supported from said
support brackets and wherein said pipe frame includes connections
that can be locked to maintain a shape of said frame and that can
be unlocked to allow the shape of said frame to be changed.
16. The boat dock of claim 15 wherein springs attach said cover
tarp to said frame.
17. The boat dock of claim 16 wherein said tarp cover includes
flaps attached to an inside surface of said tarp cover and wherein
said springs are connected to said flaps to attach said cover tarp
to said frame.
18. The boat dock of claim 17 wherein said walls include a vent
adjacent said roof.
19. The boat dock of claim 18 wherein said walls include at least
one zipper.
20. The boat dock of claim 18 wherein the fixed cover is attached
to an existing dock.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Applicant claims priority under 35 USC 119e to provisional
application No. 60/357,312 filed Oct. 28, 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In boating there is a need to store a boat when the boat is
not in use. Specifically, with small boats used for pleasure there
can be long periods of time when the boat is not in use and must be
stored. In some climates a boat may be stored for several months
during the winter season.
[0003] It is common practice to store a boat under a covered dock
and for the boat to be raised out of the water on a lift. The
covered dock generally protects the boat from the elements during
periods of storage. However, most boat owners find that the roof of
the dock is usually not enough protection for the boat. Sunlight
can still reach the boat causing UV damage to some materials. Rain
and snow can still blow into the boat, and dust and dirt will
quickly cover the interior of the boat stored under just a roof
Thus it has also become common practice to also cover a boat stored
under a dock roof The boat is typically covered with a fitted tarp
that attaches directly to the boat by tying for example. While the
combination of the dock roof and cover provides fairly good
protection for the boat the large covers are difficult to handle.
Pleasure boats can commonly be found in the 14-50 foot range, to
cover such a boat with a tarp can be difficult and time consuming
and with the larger boats may require several people to handle the
tarp.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,212 to Downer shows one prior art
approach to handle the need to cover a boat when not in use. Downer
provides a cover assembly 31 that includes a tarp that is supported
by a frame. With this arrangement a boat can be pulled in under the
raised cover assembly 31 and the cover assembly can be lowered on
to the boat while the boat can be raised out of the water. The lift
of Downer requires two winches 19 and 58 one to raise the boat out
of the water and the other to control the position of the cover
assembly. The device of Downer also provides only the tarp cover as
the sole cover. Experience has shown that a tarp cover alone can
weather very quickly and require frequent replacement. The single
cover will tend to form pools of ice, snow and water that within a
few seasons will begin to leak into the boat. Springs 52 are
provided in an attempt to prevent this pooling but typically can
not provide enough tension, particularly on a large boat in icing
conditions and as aging promotes sag.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,901 to Mitchell discloses a boat dock
with a pole frame and roof. In this patent the roof is a canvas or
tarp material tied on to cover a pole frame. FIG. 2 of the patent
discloses that the device can include sides to enclose a boat. Such
an arrangement attempts to reduce the exposure of the boat to the
elements. This device again requires a substantial amount of work
to operate each time a boat is taken in or out. The large sides
must be raised and lowered. Also the arrangement is expensive as it
requires a large amount of material that is still subject to UV
damage in sunlight. Again the arrangement will sag over time unless
the ropes are continually tightened and if the ropes are tightened
on a regular basis the UV damage and exposure will lead to tearing
around the points where the ropes are attached.
[0006] As can be seen there is a need for a boat dock that is easy
to use and requires a minimum of time to launch and store a boat.
There is a need for a docking system that is low cost and that will
protect a boat from damage from the elements without itself being
damaged. There is a need for a boat docking system that one person
can easily operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to a boat docking system.
[0008] The present invention provides a docking system that covers
a boat first with a rigid roof and then with a soft cover. The
cover can be of any material and is supported from the dock
structure.
[0009] The present invention provides a dual boat cover that will
provide economical protection from the elements. The device can be
retrofit onto an existing dock. The present invention provides a
dual fixed roof dock system into which the boat is raised by the
dock boat lift. The boat can by raised by any conventional boat
lift device.
[0010] These and other advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a view of the dock system with a boat in a
lower position;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows the boat in the raised protected position;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the frame with the cover
removed;
[0014] FIG. 4 shows details of the frame;
[0015] FIG. 5 shows additional details of the frame;
[0016] FIG. 6 shows details of an alternate embodiment frame;
and
[0017] FIG. 7 shows details of the alternate embodiment dock system
of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a view of the dock system 10 with a boat B. The
boat B is pulled under the dock system 10 such that it is covered
by dock roof 12. A cover 14 is also provided under the dock roof
12. The cover 14 can include a vent 16 in one or both ends of the
cover 14, the vent 16 will allow trapped moisture, fuel and exhaust
fumes to escape. The cover 14 can include a frame 40 (see FIG. 3)
supporting a cover tarp 100. The cover tarp 100 can include roof
sections 102, end walls 104 and side walls 106. The side wall 106
can include an opening 108 to assist a user in getting in and out,
the opening could be operated by a zipper or Velcro for example.
The cover tarp 100 can be made from a thin flexible material such
as canvas, plastic sheet, cloth, net, vinyl or multi-layer sheet
for example.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a boat lift 20 in its lower position where most
of the lift 20 is submerged in the water W. A variety of boat lifts
are currently on the market including lifts that work mechanically
and lifts that work by displacing water from a submerged tank to
float the lift, the dock system 10 could work with any type of lift
20. FIG. 1 also shows the dock deck 22 that has upright roof
supports 24 and the roof 12 on the roof supports 24. Boat dock deck
22 is shown as a floating deck but the dock system 10 would also
work with a fixed boat dock deck
[0020] FIG. 2 shows the dock system 10 with the boat B in the
raised position on the lift 20. In this case tanks 32 are filled
with air to raise the boat B. Boat lifts 20 will typically have
some type of guide such as guide rail 26 that position the boat B
so that it will always be in the same position relative to the dock
system 10 as it is raised.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows details of a frame structure 40 that supports
the cover tarp 100. For purposes of illustrating the frame 40 it is
shown with the cover tarp 100 removed. Support brackets 44 are
attached to the roof supports 24. The frame 40 is typically
assembled on the ground and then raised as a unit into place on the
support brackets 44. It would also be possible to assemble the
frame 40 piece by piece onto the support brackets 44 and in some
cases it may be necessary to at least partially assemble the frame
40 after it is raised onto the support brackets 44. The support
brackets 44 include a hooks 46 over which the horizontal pipes 50
of the frame 40 are placed. The frame 40 can consist of pipe
sections 50, 52, 56 and 58 connected by Joint elements 90, 92, 94,
96, and 98. Typically the pipe sections 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 will
have the same outside diameter but can be of different lengths
depending upon position on the frame 40. The joint elements 90, 92,
94, 96, and 98 are each configured to receive and join the pipes at
connecting points. Though shown as pipe and connector any
structural element could be used to form the frame 40 such as
channel, I beam, solid or angle cross sectional elements for
example. The best mode contemplated is for the frame 40 to be made
from galvanized metal elements though other materials such as other
metals, plastic or wood could be used for the frame for example.
The frame 40 can be built using similar construction to that used
for building outdoor awnings or greenhouses for example. The frame
40 could also be a welded assembly. Springs 76 can be used to
attach the cover tarp 100 as shown in FIG. 4. The frame 40 is shown
made attached to three roof supports 24. It will be understood that
the frame 40 can be made to fit docks of any length and with any
number of roof supports 24 by simply adding more length to pipes 50
and more associated connectors to extend the length of the frame.
Length and width of the frame 40 can also be controlled by cutting
pipes 50, 52 and 56 to desired lengths. By cutting pipe length and
adding pipes the dock system 10 can be retrofit to any existing
dock width or length.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows the details associated with joint element 94 of
which there can be 4, one on each corner of the frame 40. The joint
element 94 connects a horizontal side wall pipe 50 (shown in cross
section) to a horizontal end pipe 56 and to a roof pipe 52. The
joints can be a slip fit with a pipe end and can include a threaded
set screw thumb lock 200 for each pipe opening to lock each pipe
50, 52, 56 to the connector 94. The horizontal side wall pipe 50 is
supported by hook 46 on support bracket 44 which in turn is
attached to roof support 24. Bracket brace 48 strengthens the
support bracket 44. The hook 46 passes through a hole (60) in the
cover tarp 100. The cover tarp 100 can include a flap 72 of
material attached to the inside of cover tarp 100 at attachment
point 74. The flap 72 is used to attach the cover tarp 100 to the
frame 40. Springs 76 attach to a hole 73 in the flap 72 and then
the spring 76 can be stretched and attached to hole 80 in roof pipe
52. The flap 72 can run the entire length of the cover tarp 100 on
each side wall 106 and can include a metal bar (not shown) running
the length of the cover tarp 100 such that the holes 73 are
reinforced by the bar so that the springs 76 will not rip out over
time or in a strong wind. The connections at joint 90 along the
side walls 106 look similar to that for joint 94 except that the
pipe 56 may not be needed and there would be ends of two pipes 50
present at connectors 90. The cover 100 can also include slits or
openings 60 that allow the hooks 46 to pass through the cover
100
[0023] FIG. 5 shows details of connections 92 and 98. Connector 98
accepts two pipes 52 and one horizontal pipe 50 and one end of
vertical end pipe 58. Connector 92 accepts two horizontal end pipes
56 and the other end of vertical end pipe 58. Thumb locks 200 can
be used to lock each pipe end to each connector. Tarp cover 100 is
attached to the frame 40 as shown in FIG. 4 and so no connection is
required at the top of the frame 40.
[0024] In operation, and referring to FIGS. 1-5, the frame 40 is
assembled. Mounting brackets 44 are attached to roof supports 24
and the frame 40 can be lifted into place with sidewall horizontal
pipes 50 resting on hooks 46. The cover 100 may be placed over the
frame 40, each hook 46 may need to be aligned and placed through
each hole 60. Thumb locks 200 can be loosened at some or all
connections so that the frame 40 can be adjusted to fit the
position of the hooks 46. In this process the shape of the frame 40
is changed so that it matches the required shape of an existing
dock. Specifically, it may be desirable to loosen the thumb locks
200 and push the side wall horizontal pipes 50 in tight against the
hooks 46 to help lock the entire cover 14 to the dock system 10.
Once the frame 40 is positioned then the loose thumb locks 200 can
be tightened to maintain the frame 40 position and shape.
[0025] Once the dock system 10 is fully assembled with the cover 14
in place under the roof 12 a boat B can be brought under the cover
14 as shown in FIG. 1 and raised into place as shown in FIG. 2.
Though not shown, accessories such as zippered openings, interior
lights, security items such as locks or alarms, interior storage
and windows can be added to the cover 14. The vent 16 allows some
air to circulate and allows exhaust and fuel vapors from the boat
to exit the cover 14. Alternatively the cover 14 could be made of a
mesh material that would allow some air and light to pass through
the walls 104,106 and/or roof 102 of the cover 14 while preventing
the passage of most dirt and rain from outside. The cover tarp 100
can be made in one piece without seams to reduce any risk of
leaking and to extend the product life. Also double layers of
material can be attached to wear points on the tarp cover 100 such
as points where wind may cause the tarp cover 100 to wear on a
connector. The roof 102 and walls 104, 106 form a covered space
into which the boat can be lifted. The side walls 104, 106 can be
made longer to more completely cover of hide the boat B as
desired.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a portion of an alternate embodiment, with like
structure numbered the same as the embodiment of FIG. 1. The frame
140 includes mounting sleeves 146. In this embodiment, mounting
sleeves 146 slide on to the pipes 50. Each mounting sleeve 146
includes a threaded fastener 156 that attaches the mounting sleeve
146 to the horizontal arm 152. The horizontal arm 152 can be
attached to the support bracket 144 and bracket brace 148. The
flaps 172 loop under the pipe 50 and are anchored to the roof
section 202 of the cover 204. Springs 76 pull the flaps 172 tight
to hold the cover 204 in place. A plurality of flaps 172 can be
used with each cover 204 to hold the pipe along the length of each
pipe 50.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows details of the support bracket 144 embodiment
of FIG. 6. The mounting sleeve 146 includes a threaded fastener 156
that passes through a slot 160 in horizontal arm 152. The threaded
fastener can be attached to the horizontal arm by nut 162. In use
the support brackets 144 and mounting sleeves 146 can be assembled
to the frame with the mounting sleeves 146 over the pipes 50. With
the support brackets 144 in place on the roof supports 24 the frame
140 can be lifted onto the support arms 144 with the pipes 50 or
mounting sleeves 146 on the horizontal arms 152. Then, with the
weight of the frame 140 supported, the mounting sleeves can be slid
along pipes 50 until fasteners 156 line up with slots 160. The
frame 140 can be made to fit closely to a specific boat that may
use the dock 10.
[0028] Though not shown, the bottom of walls 106 could include a
cable or rope running through the bottom edge of all 4 walls that
could be synched tight with the boat B in the raised position. This
rope would hold the cover 100 tight to the boat further limiting
the ability of dirt or insects to get into the boat B while stored.
The rope or cable would still be easy for one person to tighten and
loosen with the boat in the raised position. Although the invention
has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that adaptations may be
made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as
set forth in the following claims:
* * * * *