CA2672456C - Inflatable protection system for docks - Google Patents

Abstract

An inflatable dock protection system includes a plurality of adjacent inflatable tubes mounted to each other in closely adjacent parallel. arrays. The array may be disposed either horizontally, vertically, or inclined therebetween. Each inflatable tube in the array includes at least one inflatable inner tube journalled snugly within an outer flexible fabric sleeve. The outer sleeves of each tube and the entire array may be formed by front and back fabric sheets stitched along substantially parallel and spaced apart stitch lines or otherwise formed as seam-lines so as to define fabric sleeves therebetween into the inner sleeves of which may be inserted the inflatable inner tubes, and the outermost sleeves of which may be used as mounting flanges for mounting the array to a dock so that the array provides a resilient bumper for water-craft mooring along side the dock.

Description

INFLATABLE PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR DOCKS
Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of inflatable dock bumpers and in particular to an inflatable protection system for mounting to docks and the like.
Background of the Invention In the prior art applicant is aware United States Patent No. 4,920,907 for a Boat Dock Bumper which issued to Richter on May I, 1990, wherein Richter states that because of the unstable nature of boats, particularly in rough waters, and the fixed structures to which such boats are normally docked, costly damage to the body or hull of the boat can occur without adequate protection. Even when the boars are securely tied to the docking facility, the wake from passing boats and waves due to weather can cause a docked boat to be repeatedly thrown against the docking facility. Since most docks are securely constructed of steel, concrete and wood to withstand the constant pounding of the water and the boats are subject to the movement of the water, the fiberglass material of most modern boats will be easily damaged by direct contact with the dock. In an attempt to protect the boats, various covering materials are applied to the docking facilities to prevent contact between the boat and fixed structure. Simple and inexpensive materials such as spare tires and carpeting have been utilized although they require frequent replacement and car mar the boat surface. More E2639307.DOCX;1 1 sophisticated cushions have been developed from foam rubber or vinyl which secure directly to the dock structure. Still others may be filled with air or water prior to being mounted to the dock for added cushioning. However, these cushions can lose their resilient medium requiring = removal and/or replacement.
In response Richter teaches a boat dock bumper which includes an elastic body which is configured to conform to a specific portion of the docking facility, the elastic body forming a chamber adapted to be filled with air. The body including a valve formed in the side wall thereof such that the bumper can be reinflated even while secured to the dock. The bumper body includes at least one tubular opening through the chamber and sealing formed with the body to receive the fastening bolts for the bumper.
In the prior art applicant is also aware of United States Patent No. 4,970,980 for a Inflatable Bumper System for Water Craft which issued to Eisner on November 20, 1990, United States Patent no. 5,215,031 for Protect a Boat which issued to Inman et al on June 1, 1993, United States Patent No. 6,161,494 for Bumper Device for Boats, Which is Extremely Simple to Use to Pontevolpe et al on December 19. 2000, United States Patent No. 7,143,714 B1 for a Water Craft Inflatable Fender System to Schmidt on December 5, 2006, and United States Patent No. 7,182,034 B2 for a Offshore Floating Dock to Brine on February 27, 2007.
Summary of the Invention The inflatable dock protection system according to the present invention may be characterized in one aspect as including a plurality of adjacent inflatable tubes mounted to each other in closely adjacent parallel arrays, and where the array may be disposed either horizontally, vertically, or inclined therebetween. Each inflatable tube in the array includes at least one inflatable inner tube journalled snugly within an outer flexible fabric sleeve. The outer sleeves of each tube and the entire array may be formed by front and back fabric sheets stitched along substantially parallel and spaced apart stitch lines or otherwise formed as seam-

2 lines so as to define fabric sleeves therebetween into the inner sleeves of which may be inserted the inflatable inner tubes, and the outermost sleeves of which may be used as mounting flanges for mounting the array to a dock along its edge so that the array provides a resilient bumper for water-craft mooring along side the dock.
In a preferred embodiment a further fabric sleeve is interleaved between the inner tube and corresponding outer flexible fabric sleeve for each inflatable tube in the array.
In the preferred system, each tube in the array is independently pneumatically sealed from other tubes in the array, and each array is independently pneumatically sealed from other arrays protecting other portions of the dock, and an automatic inflation system such as an air-compressor set to for example lOpsi is connected to the arrays via at least one air hose. In one embodiment the air hose from the compressor is split by a splitter such as a manifold into separate air lines feeding separate tubes and separate arrays.
Brief Description of the Drawings In the following figures similar characters of reference to note corresponding parts in each view, wherein:
Figure I is, in perspective view, a conventional dock and prior art dock bumper system.
Figure 2 is, in partially cut-away plan view, a dock having a plurality of fingers.
Figure 3 is, in an elevation view, a boat moored along side a dock equipped with the inflatable bumpers according to the present invention.

3 Figure 4 is the view of figure 1 wherein the dock is equipped with the inflatable bumpers according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a sectional view along line 5-5 in figure 4.
Figure 6 is, in plan view, the stitched sleeves when laid flat, according to the embodiment of figure 5.
Figure 7 is the sectional view of figure 8 in partially cut-away exploded view.
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view along line 8-8 in figure 4.
Figure 9 is, in partially cut-away plan view, the tapered ends of the tube sleeves when laid flat and before the ends are folded over.
Figure 10 is, in partially cut-away perspective view, the interior corner of a dock equipped with the inflatable bumpers according to the present invention.
Figure 11 is, in plan view, the interior corner of figure 10 with the addition of pressurized pneumatic hoses for maintaining air pressure in the inflatable bumpers.
Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention As seen in figure I, a dock 10 which may also include the fingers 12 of a dock 10 as seen in figure 2, extend outwardly over the surface 14 of a body of water so as to moor a boat 16 against the dock such as seen by way of example in figure 3.

4 As seen by the several examples given above, conventionally many systems exist to buffer a boat from rubbing against the edge of the dock. For example, as seen in figure 1, rubber tire sections 8 may be mounted along the dock edge 10a to fend off the sides 16a or gunwales 16b of boat 16.
In the present invention at least one inflatable tube is provided for mounting to dock edge 10a or finger edge 12a so as to provide a pneumatic bumper disposed between dock and boat 16. In the illustrated embodiment which is not intended to be limiting as vertically or diagonally etc disposed tubes will work, a pair of horizontally disposed inflatable tubes 18 10 and 20 are mounted in closely adjacent array along the length of dock edge 10a. In the illustrated embodiment, tube 18 is the upper tube mounted with its upper edge 18a to the upper edge of dock edge 10a, where dock edge 10a intersects along the upper surface 10b of dock 10. The upper edge 20a of tube 20 abuts along the lower edge 18b of tube 18.
Separate inflatable bumpers 21, which are made from the same inflatable tubing as tubes 18 and 20 but in shorter lengths for example three or four feet, may be provided for suspension in the conventional manner from the gunwales 16b of boatl 6. Bumpers 21 may also be used when tying one boat to another in open water. When used in the docking system of the present invention they may be pneumatically connected by capillary hoses to the pressurized air supply system described below which maintains air pressure in the dock-mounted inflatable bumpers As seen in figure 4, the upper edge 18a of tube 18 may be affixed to the outer edge of the upper surface 10b of dock 10 by a flange 22 running the length of upper edge I 8a of tube 18. Flange 22 is secured to the dock by means of a row of fasteners 24 as better described below.
As better seen in the cross section of figure 5, tubes 18 and 20 may be mounted to a facing board 10c, where facing board 10c may be for example a 2 inch by 12 inch cross

5 sectional dimension length of finished lumber mounted to the side of dock 10.
In such an embodiment, dock edge 10a is the outer surface of facing board 10c.
Tubes 18 and 20 may each include an inflatable rubber inner tube 26 having for example a nominal 6 inch diameter when inflated to an operational pressure of approximately lOpsi and extending for example 24 feet in length. Within tubes 18 and 20, rubber inner tube 26 may be contained with in a flexible non-elastic inner skin 28, for example constructed of marine grade polyester fabric, which constrains rubber inner tube 26 when inflated to its approximately 6 inch diameter.
Inner skins 28, containing their corresponding rubber inner tubes 26, are mounted within outer skins 30. As seen in figure 6, outer skin 30 may include a back sheet 34a of marine grade polyester stitched along stitch lines 32 to a front sheet 34b of similar or identical marine grade polyester. The front and back sheets of marine grade polyester and stitch lines 32 define flange 22, wall envelope 36, an upper tube sleeve 30a, a lower tube sleeve 30b, a lower wall 38, and a lower flange 40.
Air hoses 42, as better described below, may be inserted so as to run along, and be contained within, wall envelope 36. Tube 18 may be contained within upper tube sleeve 30a. Tube 20 may be contained within lower tube sleeve 30b. Lower wall 38 attaches tube 20 to lower flange 40, which its self is folded upwardly for mounting flush against a lower edge of facing board 10c. A further backing sheet 44 of marine grade polyester may extend between the stitch lines 32 adjacent to flanges 22 and 40 so as to further protect the tubes where they lie flush against dock edge 10a.
Fasteners 24 mount flanges 22 and 40 to the upper and lower edges of facing board 10c, in one embodiment oriented as seen in figure 5, by means of fasteners 24 bearing against wane washers 46 and passing through apertures 22a and 40a in flanges 22 and 40 respectively. Stiffening bars 48, which may be for example % inch wide flat bar aluminum,

6 may be inserted into flanges 22 and 40 in the envelope created between back sheet 34a and front sheet 34b so as to extend substantially the length of flanges 22 and 40.
Where stiffening bars 48 are employed, they also have apertures corresponding to apertures 22a and 40a so that fasteners 24, for example 1 1/4 inch number 6 wood screws, may be inserted therethrough.
As seen in figures 7 and 8, the ends of tubes 18 and 20 may be folded over and fastened, for example using hook and loop strip fasteners such as Velcro TM
fasteners to make a tidy end of the tubes when mounted to dock 10. Thus as seen in the exploded partially cutaway view of figure 7, each rubber inner tube 26 is folded over at its ends onto itself and sealed, for example by means of vulcanizing, as would be known to one skilled in the art. The rubber inner tubes 26 are sealed at their ends by such means and inserted into the sleeves 30a and 30b, and the ends of the sleeves folded over. Hook and loop strips 50 are mounted between front sheet 34b and inner skin 28, and between inner skin 28 and back sheet 34a, and between the end of back sheet 34a where it folds back onto itself. The ends of inner skins 28 are stitched together by stitching 52.
In the view of figure 8, the front and back sheets 34b and 34a, and the inner skins 28, and the rubber inner tubes 26 are given finite thicknesses and shown, although not to scale, compressed together at the folded over ends of tubes 18 and 20. The folded over ends of tubes 18 and 20 may be secured to the end surface 10d of dock 10 for example by means of a flap 54.
Where back sheet 34a and front sheet 34b are formed from a single folded over sheet, the single sheet is folded along a fold line corresponding to the upper most edge 22b of flange 22. Backing sheet 44 may be secured to sheets 34a and 34b by means of stitching 44a.
In a preferred embodiment, the folded over sealed ends of rubber inner tubes 26 continue into the portion of the inner skins 28 which are folded over so as to extend into the fold for example by approximately 2 inches where the folded over portion of inner skin 28 and

7 corresponding folded over portions sheets 34a and 34b extend from the fold line approximately 4 inches back along the tubes as better seen in figure 9.
As seen in figures 10 and 11, the ends up tubes 18 and 20 may abut in an interior corner of a boat slip, for example, between fingers 12 as seen in figure 2. Thus for example in an interior corner 12b the tapered ends 18a and 20a of tubes 18 and 20 respectively form a wedge mounted into the vertical seam 12c in interior corner 12b so that separate tubes 18 and 20 may extend outwardly from the corner 12b and yet dovetail into the corner by abutting corresponding ends 18a and corresponding ends 20a adjacent to one another.
In a preferred embodiment, each tube section is approximately 24 feet long, although longer or shorter sections may be made to accommodate the different dimensions of docks.
Further, in the preferred embodiment, a compressor 56 may be provided on the dock or in the vicinity of the dock so as to feed pressurized air via trunk line 58 to feeder lines 60 which feed individual sections of tubes 18 and 20. Individual sections of tubes 18 and 20 may be fed for example by the use of a manifold such as bar manifold 62 which splits pressurized air from feeder lines 60 into capillary lines 64 via one-way check valves 66. Thus pressurized air for example at I- psi is maintained in each individual section of tubes 18 and 20. One-way check valves 66 are adapted so as to cut off air flow upon massive pressure loss in a particular section of tube for example upon a rupture or tear 68. Thus the pressurized air feeding the corresponding capillary tube and the corresponding inlets 70 is cut off.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
E2639307 DOCX,1 8

Claims (4)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An inflatable dock protection system comprising a plurality of adjacent inflatable tubes mounted to each other in closely adjacent parallel arrays, wherein said array includes inflatable inner tubes contained within one or more outer flexible fabric sleeves, and wherein said outer sleeves of said array are formed by front and back fabric sheets stitched along substantially parallel and spaced apart stitch lines to form seam-lines defining said outer sleeves therebetween, and wherein said inflatable inner tubes are inserted into said outer sleeves and wherein said outer sleeves provide mounting flanges for mounting said array to an edge of a dock whereby said array provides a resilient bumper for water-crafting mooring alongside the dock.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more inner fabric sleeves interleaved between said inner tubes and corresponding said outer fabric sleeves for each said inflatable tube in said array.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each said tube in said array is independently pneumatically sealed from other said tubes in said array, and each said array is independently pneumatically sealed from other said arrays protecting other portions of the dock, and further comprising an automatic inflation system include air-compressor connected to said arrays.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising of air hoses and a splitter, wherein said splitter includes a manifold separating air feeding into separate said hoses and corresponding said arrays.