Boat Docking Assist Assembly

Abstract

A docking assist assembly for assisting boat docking, the docking assist assembly may include a mounting portion configured to be supported by a top surface of a dock, an arm portion extending transversely relative to the mounting portion, and a bow retaining portion including a first side at least partially facing a second side and a second side at least partially facing the first side, the first side and the second side being configured to receive a bow of a boat at least partially between the first side and the second side, at least one of the arm portion and the bow retaining portion being movable relative to the mounting portion to at least partially absorb docking impact forces of the boat.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (Incorporation by reference to any priority application) This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 377,320, filed September 27, 2022, entitled "BOAT DOCKING ASSIST ASSEMBLY," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 299,328, filed January 13, 2022, entitled "BOAT DOCKING ASSIST ASSEMBLY," the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to the field of boats, boat docks, and methods of mooring boats along docks. [Background technology]

[0003] Current methods for assisting boat docking are limited; new systems are desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for assisting boat docking. The disclosed systems, methods, and devices each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.

[0005] In one aspect, a docking assist assembly is disclosed that may include a mounting portion configured to be supported by an upper surface of a dock, an arm portion extending transversely relative to the mounting portion, and a bow retaining portion including a first side and a second side, the first side defining a first surface at least partially facing the second side, and the second side defining a second surface at least partially facing the first side, the first side and the second side configured to receive a bow of a boat at least partially between the first side and the second side, at least one of the arm portion and the bow retaining portion being movable relative to the mounting portion to at least partially absorb docking impact forces of the boat.

[0006] In one aspect, the attachment portion desirably comprises a first side and a second side, the second side defining an interface configured to be supported by the upper surface of the dock. In one aspect, the first side and the second side of the bow support portion are 8 feet or less in length. In one aspect, the first side and the second side of the bow support portion are 6 feet or less in length. In one aspect, the first side and the second side of the bow support portion are resilient and capable of moving at least 1 inch in response to an impact force of 100 pounds. In one aspect, the first side and the second side of the bow support portion are movable relative to one another to facilitate receiving bows of different shapes therebetween. In one aspect, neither the arm portion nor the bow support portion protrudes more than 10 feet from the side of the attachment portion configured to be supported by the upper surface of the dock. In one aspect, the docking assist assembly weighs 500 pounds or less. In one aspect, the arm portion comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the second arm portion being rotatable relative to the first arm portion, and a maximum rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 45 degrees in a first direction. In one aspect, the second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion, and a maximum rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 90 degrees in a second direction. In one aspect, the first side of the bow retaining portion and the second side of the bow retaining portion are constructed of a single unitary piece. In one aspect, the docking assist assembly further comprises one or more of a light coupled to the bow retaining portion, a skid resistant platform configured to couple with a top surface of the dock, and a resilient dock bumper portion configured to couple with a water-facing side of the dock.

[0007] In one aspect, a docking assist assembly is disclosed that is mountable to a dock having a support area and an elongated edge to which a length of a boat is intended to be docked, the docking assist assembly comprising: a mounting portion defining a support base, an arm portion configured to extend transversely to the edge of the dock to which the length of the boat is intended to be docked, at least a portion of the arm portion being movable relative to the support base, and a bow retaining portion including a first side and a second side, the first side defining a first surface at least partially facing said second side, the second side defining a second surface at least partially facing the first side, the first side and the second side defining a second surface at least partially facing the first side. and a bow retaining portion configured to receive a bow of a boat between the first side and a second side, wherein movement of the arm portion relative to the support base at least partially absorbs forces of boat docking, and when the support base is facing downward, both the arm portion and the bow retaining portion either (1) do not extend below the support base or (2) extend less than 2 feet below the support base, and the first side and the second side at least partially include elastic regions, the elastic regions configured to cushion the bow of a boat hitting the elastic regions.

[0008] In one aspect, a docking assist assembly is disclosed that may include a mounting portion configured to be supported by an upper surface of a dock, an arm portion extending transversely relative to the mounting portion, and a bow retaining portion defining an opening for receiving at least a portion of a bow of a boat, at least one of the arm portion and the bow retaining portion being movable relative to the mounting portion to at least partially absorb docking impact forces of the boat.

[0009] In one aspect, the bow retention portion is rotatable relative to the arm portion. In one aspect, the bow retention portion is resilient and movable at least 1 inch in response to an impact force of 100 pounds. In one aspect, the bow retention portion comprises a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being movable relative to one another to facilitate receiving bows of different shapes therebetween. In one aspect, the docking assist assembly weighs 500 pounds or less. In one aspect, the arm portion comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the second arm portion being rotatable relative to the mounting portion, a maximum rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position being 45 degrees. In one aspect, the second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion, a maximum rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position being 90 degrees in a second direction. In one aspect, the bow retention portion is constructed of a single, integral piece. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are reused to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate embodiments of the subject matter described herein, not to limit the scope thereof. Specific embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings:

[0012] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an L-shaped docking assist assembly. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 illustrates the bow of a boat engaged with an embodiment of a docking assist assembly. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly at maximum deflection. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a reverse docking assist assembly. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a spring shock absorbing assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a built-in vertical spring shock absorbing assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a horizontal spring shock absorbing assembly. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a flexible arm portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a T-shaped docking assist assembly. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly for a floating docking system. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly for a grounded docking system. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a support plate. [Figure 11A] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a docking assist assembly. [Figure 11B] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a rotational docking assist assembly. [Figure 11C] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a docking assist assembly. [Figure 11D] FIG. 2 illustrates a first perspective view of an embodiment of a docking assist assembly. [Figure 11E] FIG. 2 illustrates a second perspective view of an embodiment of a docking assist assembly. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having a single arm bow retaining portion. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly having additional safety components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms used in the description presented herein are not intended to be interpreted as limiting or restrictive, simply because they are utilized in conjunction with the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present disclosure may include some novel features, none of which alone are responsible for its desirable attributes or are essential to practice the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein. For purposes of this disclosure, some aspects, advantages, and novel features of various embodiments are described herein. It should be understood that not all such advantages are necessarily achieved according to any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, a person skilled in the art will recognize that an embodiment may be implemented to achieve one advantage or group of advantages taught herein, without necessarily achieving other advantages that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0014] Parking a boat on a dock is a difficult and often dangerous endeavor. The boat operator must approach the dock at the correct angle and speed, and must maintain the position of the boat along the dock until the boat can be properly secured. There are also additional challenges in adverse weather conditions, such as high wind speeds. There is also a risk of injury to anyone coming between the dock and the boat, or placing the rim, due to the instability of the boat in the water. Parking a boat is made even more difficult when the boat operator is the only occupant in the boat. To park a boat as the only occupant, the boat operator must cruise alongside the dock, maintain the position of the boat, and manage to secure the boat to the dock without colliding with the dock and damaging the boat. This is often difficult to accomplish, resulting in some damage to the boat, the dock, or both. Often, a person may choose not to ride alone in a boat simply because it is difficult to park the boat when returning it to the dock.

[0015] In some embodiments, a docking assist assembly allows a boat operator to park a boat alongside a dock without causing damage to the boat, the dock, or the boat operator. The docking assist assembly is secured to the dock and includes an arm portion and a bow retaining portion that may be suspended above the water. As the boat operator approaches the docking assist assembly, the operator moves the bow of the boat into the bow retaining portion. The bow retaining portion cushions the impact of the boat against the docking assist assembly, slowing and stopping the forward motion of the boat without damage to the boat. The boat operator can then moor the stern of the boat and complete the docking process.

[0016] It should be noted that the disclosed embodiments of the docking assist assembly may be combined with any embodiment disclosed herein, and individual features of the docking assist assembly may be combined with individual features of any other embodiment. Any other embodiment may also be combined with the disclosed docking assist assembly, and individual features of any embodiment may be combined with individual features of the disclosed docking assist assembly.

[0017] Dock, as the term is used herein, is a broad term that can include, but is not limited to, floating docks, fixed docks, floats, jetties, docks, banks, piers, quays, piers, etc. Boat, as the term is used herein, is a broad term that can include, but is not limited to, fishing boats, dinghy boats, deck boats, bowrider boats, cuddy cabin boats, center console boats, houseboats, trawlers, surf boats, wake boats, speed boats, air boats, inflatable boats, water scooters, and personal watercraft.

[0018] 1A illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 100 mounted on a dock 105. The docking assist assembly 100 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, and a shock absorbing assembly 171. As discussed below, in some embodiments, there is no separate shock absorbing assembly, but rather one or a combination of elements of the docking assist assembly allow the bow retaining portion 151 and / or the arm portion 131 to move relative to the mounting portion 111. The dock mounting portion 111 may comprise an elongated rectangular plate defining a plane having a top side 112 and a bottom side 114 (see, e.g., FIG. 9 ), such as a plane positioned relative to a top surface 107 of the dock 105. The dock mounting portion 111 may include a mounting hole 113 extending through the dock mounting portion 111 and a plurality of dock fasteners 115 extending through the dock mounting portion 111 and into the dock 105 to secure the dock mounting portion 111 in place. The absorber dock mount 117 is disposed on the dock mounting portion 111 and is used to secure one end of a shock absorbing assembly 171 to the dock mounting portion 111. The arm portion 131 may include an arm mount 133 located at one end of the arm portion 131 and attaching the arm portion 131 to the dock mounting portion 111, a bow arm portion mount 135 located near the center of the arm portion 131 and attaching the bow retaining portion 151 to the arm portion 131, and a shock absorbing arm mount 137 located on the arm portion 131 and attaching one end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to the arm portion 131. It will be appreciated that the bow arm section mount may be integrally formed with the bow arm section 131 and / or the bow retention section 151. The bow retention section 151 may include a first bow arm section 153 and a second bow arm section 155. Either or both of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may include a resilient inner portion, such as a bumper portion 157. In one aspect, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may comprise a single, integral piece, as shown in FIG.

[0019] In the docking assist assembly 100, the dock mounting portion 111 may be fixed to the dock 105 at the mounting hole 113 by the dock fastener 115 such that one side of the dock mounting portion 111 is substantially flat on the top surface of the dock. In the illustrated aspect, the arm portion 131 is mechanically coupled at one end to the dock mounting portion 111 at the arm mount 133 such that the arm portion 131 is rotatable relative to the dock mounting portion 111. In one aspect, including the illustrated embodiment, the arm portion 133 may be rotatable relative to the dock mounting portion 111 about a rotation axis A. In this position, the arm portion 131 and the dock mounting portion 111 form an L-shape. In one aspect, the arm mount 133 may include a pivot assembly, such as a shaft and bearing assembly, to allow the arm portion 131 to rotate about the rotation axis A but limit the movement of the arm portion 131 in a direction extending perpendicularly from the dock 105. The shock absorbing assembly 171 is fixed at one end to the dock mounting portion 111 at the dock absorber mount 117 and at the other end to the arm portion 131 at the absorber arm mount 137. In one aspect, the absorber dock mount 117 and / or the absorber arm mount 137 may be a pivoting assembly, such as a shaft and bearing assembly, which may allow the shock absorbing assembly 171 to rotate about its fixed point. In another aspect, the dock absorber mount 117 and / or the absorber arm mount 137 may include a bolt that extends through an opening at one end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to an opening in the dock mounting portion 111 and through an opening at the opposite end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to an opening in the arm portion 131, thereby allowing the shock absorbing assembly 171 to be fixed to the dock mounting portion 111 and / or the arm portion 131. In another aspect, the bolt may extend through the dock mounting portion 111 into the dock 105. The first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may be secured at one end to the arm portion 131 at the bow mounting portion 135. In the illustrated embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are secured to the same bow mounting portion 135.In another aspect, there may be multiple bow section mounts 135 such that the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are fixed adjacent to one another on the arm portion 131. In the illustrated aspect, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are mechanically coupled at one end to the arm portion 131 at the bow section mount 135 such that the bow retaining portion 151 is rotatably movable relative to the arm portion 131. In one aspect, including the illustrated embodiment, the bow retaining portion 151 may be rotatably movable relative to the arm portion 131 about a rotation axis B (see, for example, FIG. 1C). In one aspect, the bow section mount 135 may comprise a pivot assembly, such as a shaft and bearing assembly, that allows the bow retaining portion 151 to rotate about the rotation axis B but limits the movement of the bow retaining portion 151 in a direction extending vertically from the dock 105. In another aspect, the bow section mount 135 may comprise a bolt that extends through the bow arm sections 153 and 155 into the arm section 131 to secure the bow arm sections 153 and 155 to the arm section 131. In another aspect, the arm section 131 may further comprise a bow arm lock, such that rotation of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may be selectively prevented by engaging the bow arm lock. For example, when the bow arm lock is engaged, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 cannot move relative to a fixed point of the arm section 131. In another aspect, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are fixed relative to each other. In another aspect, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 define a V-shape with an angle α therebetween that faces away from the arm section 131. Desirably, the angle α is between 30 and 120 degrees, between 35 and 105 degrees, and / or between 45 and 95 degrees.Bumper portions 157 may desirably be secured to the first and second bow arm sections 153, 155 on the inboard facing sides of each bow arm such that the bumper portion 157 of one arm faces the bumper portion 157 of the other arm during operation. In some embodiments, a resilient inboard portion such as the bumper portion 157 may be integrally formed with the bow arm sections 153 and 155. The length "L" of the bow arm sections 153 and 155 is measured from the center point of the bow section mount 135 to the tip of the bow arm section as shown in FIG. 1A. In one aspect, the first and second bow arm sections 153, 155 are between 2 and 10 feet in length, between 3 and 8 feet in length, or between 3 and 6 feet in length. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are at least 2 feet long, at least 3 feet long, or at least 5 feet long. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are no more than 8 feet long, no more than 6 feet long, no more than 5 feet long, or no more than 4 feet long. For purposes of this application, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are a single, integral piece, and the length of the arm sections shall be considered from the center point 135 of contact between the arm portion 131 and the bow retaining portion 151.

[0020] 1A, during use, the dock mounting portion 111 of the docking assist assembly 100 may be secured to a dock 105 positioned on and / or adjacent to a body of water 106 such that the docking portion 111 is near an elongated dock edge 109 adjacent a predetermined boat parking area of ​​the body of water. The dock mounting portion 111 may extend parallel to the edge 109 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the arm portion 131 may extend generally perpendicular to the dock mounting portion 111 such that the arm portion 131 and the bow retaining portion 151 are suspended above the water. Suspending the arm portion 131 and the bow retaining portion 151 above the water may provide advantages such as allowing a person to swim near the dock 105 unhindered. A further advantage may be that the docking assist assembly 100 may be used with either a straight dock or an L-shaped dock since only the mounting portion 111 needs to be secured to the dock. The first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 form a triangle or V-shape that corresponds to the bow shape of a particular boat. The width of the bow retaining portion 151, measured from the tip of the second bow arm section 155 by the tip of the first bow arm section 153, may desirably be somewhat larger than the front portion of the bow of the boat, which may allow the boat to be guided into the docking assist assembly 100 by the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155. In one aspect, when the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are movable relative to each other, the docking assist assembly 100 may be used with many different types of vessels having many different shaped bows. In this orientation, the bumper portion 157 on the first bow arm section 153 faces the bumper portion 157 on the second bow arm section 155.When the boat operator approaches the dock 105 to park the boat, the boat operator may drive the boat slowly or coast into the bow retaining portion 151 so that the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the first bow arm section 153 on one side of the boat's bow (e.g., the port side of the bow) and the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the second bow arm section 155 on the other side of the boat's bow (e.g., the starboard side of the bow), as shown in FIG. 1B. The bumper portion 157 absorbs some of the incoming force of the boat and provides a soft impact area to prevent damage to the bow of the boat. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 151, the force is transferred to the arm portion 131, which rotates about the rotation axis A. As the arm portion 131 rotates about rotation axis A, the bow retaining portion 151 can rotate about rotation axis B such that the boat 800 remains approximately perpendicular to the dock edge 109 as the arm portion 131 continues to rotate. As the arm portion 131 rotates further, it engages the shock absorbing assembly 171, which limits further rotation of the arm portion 131, absorbing the incoming boat force and stopping the boat. FIG. 1C illustrates an embodiment of the docking assist assembly 100 with the arm portion 131 in a maximum rotation state after engaging the bow of the boat 800. It is recognized that the angles shown in FIG. 1C are for illustrative purposes only and the maximum rotation state may vary depending on the embodiment implemented. The original or relaxed position of the arm portion 131 and the maximum rotation position of the arm portion 131 define an angle β facing the bow retaining portion 151. The dock edge 109 and the arm portion 131 define an angle θ facing the bow retaining portion 151. In the illustrated embodiment, angle θ is 90 degrees greater than angle β. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 prevents rotation of the arm portion 131 relative to its relaxed position by an angle β greater than 45 degrees, greater than 30 degrees, greater than 25 degrees, greater than 20 degrees, greater than 15 degrees, or greater than 10 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 prevents rotation of the arm portion relative to the mounting portion by an angle θ greater than 135 degrees, greater than 120 degrees, greater than 115 degrees, greater than 110 degrees, greater than 105 degrees, or greater than 100 degrees.In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows rotation of the arm portion relative to its relaxed position by an angle β of at least 10 degrees, at least 15 degrees, at least 20 degrees, at least 25 degrees, at least 30 degrees, or at least 45 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows rotation of the arm portion relative to the mounting portion by an angle θ of at least 100 degrees, at least 105 degrees, at least 110 degrees, at least 115 degrees, at least 120 degrees, or at least 135 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows rotation of the arm portion relative to its relaxed position by an angle β of between 10 and 45 degrees, between 10 and 30 degrees, between 10 and 25 degrees, between 10 and 20 degrees, between 10 and 15 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows the arm portion 131 to rotate relative to the mounting portion 131 by an angle θ between 100 and 135 degrees, between 100 and 120 degrees, between 100 and 115 degrees, between 100 and 110 degrees, between 100 and 105 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows the arm portion 131 to rotate relative to its relaxed position by an angle β between 15 and 45 degrees, between 15 and 30 degrees, between 15 and 25 degrees, or between 15 and 20 degrees. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 allows the arm portion 131 to rotate relative to the mounting portion 131 by an angle θ between 105 and 135 degrees, between 155 and 120 degrees, between 105 and 115 degrees, or between 105 and 110 degrees. With a portion of the boat's bow engaged within the bow retaining portion 151, the boat operator may then moor the boat, such as by tying the stern of the boat to the dock 105 using a stern line.

[0021] In one aspect, docking assist assembly 100, once secured, may be removable from dock 105, which may have the advantage of allowing docking assist assembly 100 to be stored when not in use, such as during the winter in colder climates. To facilitate such removal, the docking assist assembly may desirably weigh less than 500 pounds, 400 pounds, 300 pounds, 200 pounds, 150 pounds, 125 pounds, 100 pounds, 75 pounds, or 50 pounds.

[0022] In one aspect, the docking assist assembly 100 may be reversible, as shown in FIG. 2, so that it may be used on either side of the dock 105. For example, when the docking assist assembly 100 is installed on one side of the dock 105, the right or starboard side of the boat is closest to the dock 105, and when the docking assist assembly 100 is installed on the other side of the dock 105, as in FIG. 1A, the left side of the boat is closest to the dock 105. The docking assist assembly 100 may be reversible, for example, by the mounting portion 111 being reversible, so that the mounting portion 111 may be secured to the dock 105 with either side facing the upper side 107 of the dock 105. In another aspect, the docking assist assembly 100 may be reversible, for example, by the bow retaining portion 151 being able to be secured to the arm portion 131 with the bow retaining portion 151 facing in either direction. Being reversible may have the advantage of allowing the docking assist assembly 100 to be used on any dock, regardless of which side of the dock is adjacent to the water 106. A further advantage may be that two docking assist assemblies 100 can be used on the same dock to allow one or more boats to be parked on either side of the dock 105.

[0023] In one aspect, the mounting portion 111 may be a metal plate. In some aspects, the mounting portion 111 may be made from a galvanized material, anodized material, and / or similar material to prevent water damage. In some aspects, the dock fasteners 115 may be screws, bolts, etc., for example, so that the docking assist assembly 100 can be removed and repeatedly reinstalled to the dock 105.

[0024] In one aspect, the shock absorbing assembly 171 may be a shock absorber, such as an air spring with a damper. The use of a shock absorber may provide the advantage of damping the return rotational force of the arm portion 131 after the boat engages the bow retaining portion 151. In some aspects, the shock absorbing assembly 171 may be a pneumatic or hydraulic shock absorber.

[0025] In one aspect, the bumper portion 157 may be designed to partially deform under pressure, which may provide the benefit of cushioning the forces applied to the bow of the boat. In some aspects, the bumper portion 157 may include a plastic foam made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, etc. In another aspect, the bumper portion 157 may be made of rubber or any other material that can partially deform under the force of an incoming boat and prevent damage to the boat. In one aspect, the docking assist assembly 100 may be waterproof or water resistant to prevent damage or collapse of any components.

[0026] 3 illustrates another embodiment of a docking assist assembly 300 attached to a dock 105. The docking assist assembly 300 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, and a shock absorbing assembly 371. The docking assist assembly 300 includes the same elements and functions as the docking assist assembly 100, except that the shock absorbing assembly 371 includes a spring.

[0027] 4 shows another embodiment of a docking assist assembly 400 mounted on the dock 105. The docking assist assembly 400 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, and a shock absorbing assembly 471. The docking assist assembly 400 includes most of the elements of the docking assist assembly 100 and functions similarly thereto, except that the shock absorbing assembly 471 includes a spring assembly and / or a damper assembly that may be incorporated into the dock mounting portion 111 and coupled at one end to the arm portion 131 such that rotation of the arm portion 131 about a rotation axis A desirably causes the shock absorbing assembly 471 to exert an opposing force movement away from a relaxed position (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 4) and a return force that induces movement to the relaxed position.

[0028] 4, in use, when a boat engages bow retaining portion 151, a force is transmitted to arm portion 131 causing it to rotate about rotation axis A. The rotation of arm portion 131 engages shock absorbing assembly 471 which limits further rotation of arm portion 131 and absorbs the force of the oncoming boat, bringing the boat to a halt.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 500 mounted on the dock 105. The docking assist assembly 500 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, and a shock absorbing assembly 571. In one aspect, the arm portion 131 may include an arm mount 133 disposed at one end of the arm portion 131 to mount the arm portion 131 to the dock mounting portion 111 such that the arm portion 131 cannot rotate or only minimally rotates relative to the arm mount 133. In this position, the arm portion 131 and the dock mounting portion 111 form an L-shape. In one aspect, the arm mount 133 may include a bolt that extends through the arm portion 131 and into the dock mounting portion 111. In another aspect, the bolt may extend through the dock mounting portion 111 and into the dock 105. The bow retaining portion 151 may include a first bow arm section 153 and a second bow arm section 155. Either or both of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may include a resilient inner portion, such as a bumper portion 157. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may comprise a single integral part. The shock absorbing assembly 571 may comprise a spring and / or a damper. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing assembly 571 may include a damping assembly. The shock absorbing assembly 571 is secured to the bow retaining portion 151 at one end and to the arm portion 131 at the other end. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing assembly 571 may be secured to the arm portion 131 and / or the bow retaining portion 151 by a bolt extending through the shock absorbing assembly 571 to each end of the arm portion 131 and / or the bow retaining portion 151, respectively. In another aspect, the shock absorbing assembly 571 may be secured to the arm portion 131 and / or the bow retaining portion 151 by welding. In one aspect, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may comprise a single integral piece.In another embodiment, the shock absorbing assembly 571 may be fixed to each of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155, such that both bow arm sections can rotate relative to a fixed point, such as by a pivot assembly comprising a shaft and a bearing. In another embodiment, the shock absorbing assembly 571 may further comprise a bow arm lock, such that rotation of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may be selectively prevented by engaging the bow arm lock. For example, when the bow arm lock is engaged, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 cannot move relative to the bow mount 135. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are fixed relative to each other. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 define a V-shape with an angle α therebetween. Desirably, the angle α is between 30 and 120 degrees, between 35 and 105 degrees, and / or between 45 and 95 degrees. Bumper portions 157 may desirably be secured to the first and second bow arm sections 153, 155 on the inboard facing sides of each bow arm such that during operation the bumper portion 157 of one arm faces the bumper portion 157 of the other arm.

[0030] 5, in use, when a boat operator approaches the dock 105 to park the boat, the boat operator may drive the boat slowly or coast into the bow retaining portion 151 such that the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the first bow arm section 153 on one side of the boat's bow (e.g., the port side of the bow) and the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the second bow arm section 155 on the other side of the boat's bow (e.g., the starboard side of the bow). The bumper portion 157 absorbs some of the incoming force of the boat and provides a soft impact area to prevent damage to the bow of the boat. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 151, the bow retaining portion 151 moves toward the arm portion 131 and the force is transferred to the shock absorbing assembly 571, which results in the spring being compressed as the boat continues to move through the bow retaining portion 151. As the spring in the shock absorbing assembly 571 is further compressed, the force of the incoming boat is transferred to the shock absorbing assembly 571, stopping the boat. With a portion of the boat's bow engaged in the bow retaining portion 151, the boat operator can then moor the boat, such as by tying the stern of the boat to the dock 105 using a stern line.

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 600 mounted on a dock 105. The docking assist assembly 100 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 631, and a bow retaining portion 151. The arm portion 631 is formed of a resilient material that deforms non-plastically when a force is applied. The arm portion 631 is connected to the dock mounting portion 111 at one end of the dock mounting portion 111. As shown, the arm portion 631 and the dock mounting portion 111 cooperate to form a J-shape. In one aspect, the arm portion 631 and the dock mounting portion 111 comprise two pieces, and the arm portion 631 may be removably secured to the dock mounting portion 111 by a bolt or the like that extends through one end of the arm portion 631 and into the dock mounting portion 111. In another aspect, the bolt extends into the dock 105. In another embodiment, the arm portion 631 may be permanently secured to the dock mounting portion 111, such as by welding. In another embodiment, the dock mounting portion 111 and the arm portion 631 may form one integral part. The first bow arm section 153 may be secured at one end to the arm portion 631 and the second bow arm section 155 may be secured at one end to the arm portion 631, such that both securing points are adjacent on the arm portion 131. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may be secured to the arm portion 631 by a bolt that extends through the bow arm portions 153, 155 and into the arm portion 631, securing the bow arm portions 153, 155 to the arm portion 631. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are rotatably moveable relative to their fixed points on the arm portion 631, such as by a pivot assembly including a shaft and bearings. In another embodiment, the arm portion 631 may further include a bow arm lock, such that rotation of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may be selectively prevented by engaging the bow arm lock. For example, when the bow arm lock is engaged, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 cannot move relative to their fixed points on the arm portion 631.In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 are fixed relative to one another. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 define a V-shape having an angle α therebetween. Desirably, the angle α is between 30 and 120 degrees, between 35 and 105 degrees, and / or between 45 and 95 degrees.

[0032] 6, in use, the dock mounting portion 111 of the docking assist assembly 100 may be secured to a dock 105 positioned on and / or adjacent to a body of water 106 such that the docking portion 111 is near an elongated dock edge 109 adjacent a predetermined boat parking area of ​​the body of water. The dock mounting portion 111 extends parallel to the edge 109 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the arm portion 631 may extend laterally, such as generally perpendicularly, to the dock mounting portion 111 such that the arm portion 631 and the bow retaining portion 151 are suspended above the water. The first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 form a triangular or V-shape that corresponds to the bow shape of a particular boat. In this orientation, the bumper portion 157 on the first bow arm section 153 faces the bumper portion 157 on the second bow arm section 155. When the boat operator approaches the dock 105 to park the boat, the boat operator may drive the boat slowly or coast into the bow retaining portion 151 such that the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the first bow arm section 153 on one side of the boat's bow (e.g., the port side of the bow) and the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 157 of the second bow arm section 155 on the other side of the boat's bow (e.g., the starboard side of the bow). The bumper portion 157 absorbs some of the incoming force of the boat and provides a soft impact area to prevent damage to the bow of the boat. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 151, a force is transferred to the arm portion 631, causing the arm portion 631 to flex, bend, deform, etc. As the boat continues to apply a force to the arm portion 631, the force causes the arm portion 631 to elastically deform, absorbing the incoming boat force and stopping the boat. With a portion of the boat's bow engaged within the bow retaining portion 151, the boat operator can then moor the boat, such as by tying the stern of the boat to the dock 105 using a stern line.

[0033] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 700 attached to the dock 105. In this embodiment, the docking assist assembly 700 is a T-shaped design. The docking assist assembly 700 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, and a shock absorbing assembly 171. The docking assist assembly 700 includes the same elements and functions as the docking assist assembly 100, except that the dock mounting portion 111 may extend further up the dock 105 such that a portion of the dock mounting portion 111 is above the arm portion 131. In one aspect, the dock mounting portion 111 may include additional mounting holes 113 and dock fasteners 115. In one aspect, the absorber dock mount 117 is located further up the dock mounting portion 111. In this position, when a boat engages the dock bow retaining portion 151 , the shock absorbing assembly 171 is compressed to absorb the force of the boat rather than extending in tension as in the docking assist assembly 100 .

[0034] Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of a boat 800 parked within a docking assist assembly 100 attached to a dock 105. Although the docking assist assembly 100 is illustrated in Figure 8, it is recognized that any embodiment of the docking assist assembly described herein may be used. Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the docking assist assembly 100 that may be used with a floating dock. With a floating dock, as the water level changes, the level of the dock 105 changes proportionately, and the boat 800 may be parked within the docking assist assembly 100 at all water levels.

[0035] FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 900 that may be used for a grounded or non-floating dock 905. When the dock is not floating, the fluctuating water level may affect the usefulness of the dock. As the water level drops, the height of the boat's bow relative to the dock decreases. The docking assist assembly 900 may be any embodiment of a docking assist assembly described herein, but to accommodate the lowered water level, the bow retaining portion 151 may extend further down toward the water. For example, the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155 may extend further down vertically toward the water. In one aspect, the bow retaining portion 151 may include more bumper portions 157 to cover the front of the first bow arm section 153 and the second bow arm section 155. In one aspect, the bow arms 153 and 155 of the docking assist assembly 900 extend less than 2 feet below the mounting portion in a direction toward the water.

[0036] In use, at high water levels, when the boat operator approaches a dock to park the boat 800, the boat operator may drive the boat 800 slowly or coast into the bow retaining portion 151 so that the bow of the boat 800 engages the bumper portion 157 near the top of the first bow arm section 153 on one side of the bow of the boat 800 (e.g., the port side of the bow) and the bow of the boat 800 engages the bumper portion 157 near the top of the second bow arm section 155 on the other side of the bow of the boat 800 (e.g., the starboard side of the bow). As the water levels drop, when the boat operator parks the boat 800, the bow of the boat 800 engages the bumper portions 157 of each bow arm section 153, 155 at a lower height. The extended bow arm sections 153 and 155 may have the advantage of allowing the boat to be parked in varying water levels.

[0037] 10 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 1000 attached to a dock 105. The docking assist assembly 100 includes a dock mounting portion 111, an arm portion 131, a bow retaining portion 151, a shock absorbing assembly 171, and a fastener plate 1081. The fastener plate 1081 may comprise an elongated rectangular plate defining a plane that is positioned relative to the top surface 107 of the dock 105. The fastener plate 1081 may include one or more mounting holes 1083 extending through the fastener plate 1081 and one or more dock fasteners 1085 extending through the fastener plate 1081 and into the dock 105 to secure the fastener plate 1081 in place. The fastener plate 1081 may be secured to the dock mounting portion 111. In one aspect, the fastener plate 1081 can be secured to the dock mounting portion 111 by one or more bolts that extend through an opening at one end of the fastener plate 1081 and into an opening in the dock mounting portion 111, thereby securing the fastener plate 1081 to the dock mounting portion 111. In another aspect, the bolts can extend through the dock mounting portion 111 and into the dock 105. In another aspect, the fastener plate 1081 can be welded to the dock mounting portion 111. In another aspect, the fastener plate 1081 and the dock mounting portion 111 can form one integral part. The fastener plate 1081 can provide the advantage of offsetting some of the forces on the mounting portion 111, such as the additional forces provided from the increased weight of the bow arm sections 153 and 155 in the docking assist assembly 900 described in FIG. 9 . Although the docking assist assembly 1000 is shown in FIG. 10 as including a fastener plate 1081, it will be appreciated that any embodiment of the docking assist assembly described herein can include the fastener plate 1081.

[0038] 11A-11E show an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 1100 mounted on a dock 105. FIG. 11A shows a top view of the docking assist assembly 1100, FIG. 11B shows a top view in a rotated position, FIG. 11C shows a front view, and FIGS. 11D and 11E show perspective views. The docking assist assembly 1100 includes a dock mounting portion 1127, an arm assembly 1101, a bow retaining portion 1151, and a shock absorbing assembly 171. As discussed above, in some embodiments, there is no separate shock absorbing assembly 171, but rather one or a combination of elements of the docking assist assembly 1100 allows all or a portion of the bow retaining portion 1151 and / or the arm assembly 1101 to move relative to the dock mounting portion 1127. The dock mounting portion 1127 may comprise an elongated rectangular plate defining a plane having a top side 1112 and a bottom side 1114 (see, e.g., FIG. 11D ) and two generally vertical sides 1116 and 1118 extending from the bottom side 1114 towards the dock 105 such that the two sides 1116 and 1118 contact the dock generally vertically. The dock mounting portion 1127 is supported on the top surface 107 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the dock mounting portion 1127 may comprise a bottom plate similar to the top rectangular plate such that the dock mounting portion 1127 comprises a hollow slab. The dock mounting portion 1127 may include a mounting hole 113 extending through the dock mounting portion 1127 and a plurality of dock fasteners 115 extending through the dock mounting portion 1127 into the dock 105 to secure the dock mounting portion 1127 in place. The absorber dock mount 117 is located on the dock mounting portion 1127 and is used to secure one end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to the dock mounting portion 1127. The absorber dock mount 117 may comprise an assembly including a bracket 117A and a first absorber rod 117B (see, for example, FIG. 11C). The bracket 117A may be coupled to the dock mounting portion 1127 (e.g., by welding), and the first absorber rod 117B may extend through the bracket 117A and one end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to connect the shock absorbing assembly 171 to the dock mounting portion 1127.The arrangement of the bracket 117A and the first absorber rod 117B may allow the shock absorbing assembly 171 to rotate about an axis defined by the first absorber rod 117B.

[0039] The arm assembly 1101 may include a first arm portion 1103 and a second arm portion 1105. The first arm portion 1103 may comprise a rectangular plate coupled to a dock mounting portion 1127 at one end and coupled to the second arm portion 1105 at the other end. For example, the first arm portion 1103 may be welded, bolted, screwed, etc. to the dock mounting portion 1127 at one end. The first arm portion 1103 may be further supported by a first dock arm support 1107 on one side and a second dock arm support 1109 on the opposite side. The first dock arm support 1107 may be coupled to the dock mounting portion 1127 at one end and coupled to the first arm portion 1103 at the other end. Similarly, the second dog arm support 1109 may be coupled at one end to the dock mounting portion 1127 and at the other end to the first arm portion 1103, with the first dog arm support 1107 and the second dog arm support 1109 providing a generally triangular support structure for the arm assembly 1101. The second arm portion 1105 may provide a cylindrical or tubular structure with a plate extending from one side of the cylindrical portion. A first end of the second arm portion 1105 may provide an arm connector 1129 that may be used to couple the second arm portion 1105 to the pivot assembly 1119. The arm connector 1129 may provide a vertical hollow tube configured to receive a rod. The second arm portion 1105 may be configured to rotate about an axis A defined by the pivot assembly 1119. Through the pivot assembly 1119, the second arm portion 1105 may be coupled to the first arm portion 1103. The pivot assembly 1119 may comprise a vertical rod. The pivot assembly 1119 may be connected to the dock mounting portion 1127 by a third dog arm support 1111. The third dog arm support 1111 may be coupled to the top of the pivot assembly 1119 at one end and to the first dog rod 1125 at the other end. The top of the first dog rod 1125 may be coupled to the third dog arm support 1111 and the bottom of the first dog rod 1125 may be coupled to the dock mounting portion 1127.The first arm portion 1103 may further be coupled to the pivot assembly 1119 by a top arm plate 1113 and a bottom arm plate 1115. The top arm plate 1113 and the bottom arm plate 1115 may comprise triangular plates with rounded corners and may be coupled to various portions of the docking assist assembly 1100 at or near each corner. The top and bottom arm plates 1113 and 1115 may include holes at first corners configured to receive the pivot assembly 1119 such that the top and bottom arm plates 1113 and 1115 can rotate about an axis A defined by the pivot assembly 1119. The top arm plate 1113 may be coupled to the bottom arm plate 1115 by a first plate rod 1117 that may extend through the top arm plate 1113 and the bottom arm plate 1115. The top and bottom arm plates 1113 and 1115 may be coupled to the second arm portion 1105 by a second plate rod 1121 that may extend through the top arm plate 1113, the second arm portion 1105, and the bottom arm plate 1115. In the illustrated embodiment, the top arm plate 1113, the bottom arm plate 1115, and the second arm portion 1105 may be configured to rotate about an axis A defined by a pivot assembly 1119. The pivot assembly 1119 may be coupled to the shock absorber assembly 171 by an absorber arm mount 137. The absorber arm mount 137 may comprise an assembly including a bracket 137A and a second absorber rod 137B (see FIG. 11B). The bracket 137A may be coupled (e.g., by welding) to the arm connector 1129 such that rotation of the second arm portion 1105 about axis A causes an equivalent rotation of the bracket 137A. The second absorber rod 137B may extend through the bracket 137A and one end of the shock absorbing assembly 171 to connect the shock absorbing assembly 171 to the pivot assembly 1119 and the second arm portion 1105.The arrangement of the bracket 137A and the second absorber rod 137B may allow the shock absorbing assembly 171 to rotate about an axis defined by the second absorber rod 137B.

[0040] The second arm portion 1105 may be connected to the bow retaining portion 1151 by a bow arm mount 1123. The bow arm mount 1123 may comprise a cylindrical or tubular structure having a plate extending out from one side of the cylindrical portion. The bow arm mount 1123 may extend through the second arm portion 1105 and may be approximately perpendicular to the second arm portion 1105. The bow retaining portion 1151 may include a first bow arm section 1153 and a second bow arm section 1155. Either or both of the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 may include a resilient inner portion, such as a bumper portion 1157. In one aspect, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 may comprise a single integral part. As shown in FIGS. 11C-11E, bumper portion 1157 may include multiple rows and columns of smaller bumpers to optimize absorption and traction.

[0041] In the docking assist assembly 1100, the dock mounting portion 1127 may be secured to the dock 105 at the mounting hole 113 by the dock fastener 115 such that the side of the dock mounting portion 1127 is approximately perpendicular to the top surface of the dock. In the illustrated aspect, the second arm portion 1105 is mechanically coupled at one end to the first arm portion 1103 at a pivot assembly 1119 such that the second arm portion 1105 is rotatably movable relative to the first arm portion 1103. In one aspect, including the illustrated embodiment, the second arm portion 1105 may be rotatably movable relative to the first arm portion 1103 about a rotation axis A. In the position shown in FIG. 11A, the arm assembly 1101 and the dock mounting portion 1127 form a T-shape, which may be considered a relaxed position. In one aspect, the second arm portion 1105 may be configured to rotate in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise in FIG. 11A ) about a rotation axis A relative to the first arm portion 1103. In some embodiments, the shock absorbing assembly 171 prevents rotation of the second arm portion 1105 relative to the first arm portion 1103 in its relaxed position by an angle of more than 45 degrees, more than 30 degrees, more than 25 degrees, more than 20 degrees, more than 15 degrees, or more than 10 degrees in the first direction. In one aspect, the second arm portion 1105 may be rotatably movable in a second direction (e.g., clockwise in FIG. 11A ) about the rotation axis A relative to the first arm portion 1103. As shown in FIG. 11B , the second arm portion 1105 may rotate inwardly toward the dock 105 to minimize the amount of space that the docking assist assembly 1100 occupies while not in use. In some embodiments, the docking assist assembly 1100 may prevent rotation of the second arm portion 1105 relative to the first arm portion 1103 in its relaxed position by more than 90 degrees in the second direction. In one aspect, the pivot assembly 1119 may comprise any type of pivot assembly, such as a shaft and bearing assembly, to allow the second arm portion 1105 to rotate about the rotation axis A but limit movement of the second arm portion 1105 in a direction extending perpendicularly from the dock 105.As described above, the shock absorber assembly 171 is fixed at one end to the dock mounting portion 1127 at the dock absorber mount 117 and at the other end to the arm assembly 1101 at the absorber arm mount 137. In one embodiment, the absorber dock mount 117 and / or the absorber arm mount 137 may be a pivot assembly, such as a shaft (e.g., the first absorber rod 117B and the second absorber rod 137B) and a bearing assembly, that may allow the shock absorber assembly 171 to rotate about its fixed point. The first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 may be fixed at one end to the arm assembly 1101 at the bow arm mount 1123. In the embodiment shown, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are fixed to the same bow arm mount 1123. In another embodiment, there may be multiple bow arm mounts 1123 such that the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are fixed adjacent to one another on the second arm section 1105. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 may be mechanically coupled at one end to the second arm section 1105 at the bow arm mount 1123 such that the bow retaining section 1151 is rotatably movable relative to the second arm section 1105. In one embodiment, the bow retaining section 1151 may be rotatably movable relative to the second arm section 1105 about a rotation axis B. In one embodiment, the bow arm mount 1123 may comprise a pivot assembly, such as a shaft and bearing assembly, that allows the bow retaining section 1151 to rotate about the rotation axis B but may restrict the movement of the bow retaining section 1151 in a direction extending vertically from the dock 105. In another aspect, the arm assembly 1101 may further comprise a bow arm lock, such that rotation of the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 may be selectively prevented by engaging the bow arm lock.For example, when the bow arm lock is engaged, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 cannot move relative to their fixed points on the arm assembly 1101. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are fixed relative to one another. In another embodiment, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 define a V-shape with an angle α therebetween that faces away from the second arm portion 1105. Desirably, the angle α is between 30 and 120 degrees, between 35 and 105 degrees, and / or between 45 and 95 degrees. Bumper portions 1157 may desirably be secured to the first and second bow arm sections 1153, 1155 on the inboard facing sides of each bow arm such that the bumper portion 1157 on one arm faces the bumper portion 1157 on the other arm during operation. In some embodiments, a resilient inboard portion such as the bumper portion 1157 may be integrally formed with the bow arm sections 1153 and 1155. The length "L" of the bow arm sections 1153 and 1155 is measured from the center point of the bow arm mount 1123 to the tip of the bow arm section as shown in FIG. 11A. In one aspect, the first and second bow arm sections 1153, 1155 are between 2 and 10 feet in length, between 3 and 8 feet in length, or between 3 and 6 feet in length. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are at least 2 feet long, at least 3 feet long, or at least 5 feet long. In one embodiment, the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are 8 feet long or less, 6 feet long or less, 5 feet long or less, or 4 feet long or less. For purposes of this application, if the first arm section 1153 and the second arm section 1155 are a single, integral piece, the length of the arm sections is considered to be the center point 1123 of contact between the bow arm section and the arm assembly 1101.

[0042] 11A , in use, the dock mounting portion 1127 of the docking assist assembly 1100 may be secured to a dock 105 positioned on and / or adjacent to a body of water 106 such that the dock mounting portion 1127 is near an elongated dock edge 109 adjacent a predetermined boat parking area of ​​the body of water. The dock mounting portion 1127 may extend parallel to the edge 109 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the first arm portion 1103 may extend substantially perpendicular to the dock mounting portion 1127 such that the arm assembly 1101 and bow retaining portion 1151 are suspended above the water. Suspending the arm assembly 1101 and bow retaining portion 1151 above the water may provide benefits such as allowing a person to swim near the dock 105 unhindered. A further advantage may be that the docking assist assembly 1100 may be used on either straight docks or L-shaped docks since only the dock mounting portion 1127 needs to be fixed to the dock. The first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 form a triangle or V-shape that corresponds to the bow shape of a particular boat. The width of the bow retaining portion 1151 measured from the tip of the second bow arm section 1155 by the tip of the first bow arm section 1153 may desirably be somewhat larger than the front portion of the bow of the boat, which may allow the boat to be guided into the docking assist assembly 1100 by the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155. In one aspect, when the first bow arm section 1153 and the second bow arm section 1155 are movable relative to each other, the docking assist assembly 1100 may be used on many different types of vessels having bows of many different shapes. In this orientation, the bumper portion 1157 on the first bow arm section 1153 faces the bumper portion 1157 on the second bow arm section 1155 .When the boat operator approaches the dock 105 to park the boat, the boat operator may drive the boat slowly or coast into the bow retaining portion 1151 so that the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 1157 of the first bow arm section 1153 on one side of the bow to port (e.g., the port side of the bow) and the bow of the boat engages the bumper portion 1157 of the second bow arm section 1155 on the other side of the bow to port (e.g., the starboard side of the bow), as shown in FIG. 1B. The bumper portion 1157 absorbs some of the incoming force of the boat and provides a soft impact area to prevent damage to the bow of the boat. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 1151, the force is transferred to the second arm portion 1105, causing the second arm portion 1105 to rotate about the axis of rotation A. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 1151, the force is transferred to the second arm portion 1105, causing the second arm portion 1105 to rotate about the axis of rotation A. When the boat engages the bow retaining portion 1151, the force is transferred to the second arm portion 1105, causing the second arm portion 1105 to rotate about the axis of rotation A. As the second arm portion 1105 rotates about rotation axis A, the bow retaining portion 1151 can rotate about rotation axis B such that the boat 800 remains approximately perpendicular to the dock edge 109 as the second arm portion 1105 continues to rotate. Further rotation of the second arm portion 1105 engages the shock absorbing assembly 171, which limits further rotation of the second arm portion 1105, absorbing the incoming boat force and stopping the boat. With a portion of the boat's bow engaged within the bow retaining portion 1151, the boat operator can then moor the boat, such as by tying the stern of the boat to the dock 105 using a stern line.

[0043] In one aspect, the docking assist assembly 1100, once secured, may be removable from the dock 105, which may have the advantage of allowing the docking assist assembly 1100 to be stored when not in use, such as during the winter months in colder climates. To facilitate such removal, the docking assist assembly may desirably weigh less than 500 pounds, 400 pounds, 300 pounds, 200 pounds, 150 pounds, 125 pounds, 100 pounds, 75 pounds, or 50 pounds. In one aspect, the first and second bow arm sections 1153 and 1155 and / or bumper portion 1157 are resilient and capable of moving at least 1 inch in response to an impact force of 100 pounds.

[0044] In one aspect, the distance that the docking assist assembly 1100 extends away from the elongated dock edge 109 of the dock 105 may be limited to prevent interference with other people and objects in the water. For example, in some embodiments, the length of extension of the arm assembly 1101 and bow retaining portion 1151 away from the elongated dock edge 109 may be less than 10 feet, less than 8 feet, less than 6 feet, less than 4 feet, less than 2 feet, and / or the like.

[0045] Figure 13 illustrates an embodiment of a docking assist assembly 100 attached to a dock 105 that includes additional safety components. Although docking assist assembly 100 is illustrated in Figure 13, it will be recognized that the safety components can be combined with any of the docking assist assemblies described herein (e.g., docking assist assembly 100, docking assist assembly 300, docking assist assembly 400, docking assist assembly 500, docking assist assembly 600, docking assist assembly 900, docking assist assembly 1000, docking assist assembly 1100, and / or the like).

[0046] In one aspect, the additional safety components may include lights 181, grip strips 183, and dock bumpers 187. The lights 181 may include any suitable light source, such as, for example, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, halogen lamps, light emitting diodes, and / or the like. The number of lights 181 included in the system may vary depending on the intensity of the lights and the size of the dock 105 and docking assist assembly 100. For example, the docking assist assembly 100 may include 1, 5, 10, 25, and / or the like number of lights 181. In general, the lights 181 may be positioned anywhere on the docking assist assembly 100 and / or dock 105. In one aspect, it may be preferable to include lights 181 on the bow support portion 151 (e.g., on a top, side, bottom, front, and / or similar surface of the bow support portion 151) to illuminate the docking area of ​​the boat 800. For example, as shown in FIG. 13 , lights 181 are positioned on the top surface of the bow retaining portion 151 to illuminate an area along the dock 105 where the boat is parked. When the lights 181 are positioned in this manner, the lights 181 can assist the boat operator in safely parking the boat 800. The lights 181 may also be positioned on the dock 105 and / or the grip strip 183. These lights 181 may be used to illuminate all or a portion of the dock 105 and / or to further illuminate the boat parking area. Generally, the lights 181 may be configured to be waterproof to prevent damage while being used with the docking assist assembly 100. In some embodiments, the lights 181 may be solar powered.

[0047] In one aspect, the grip strip 183 may be positioned on the dock 105 and adjacent to the docking assist assembly 100. For example, the grip strip 183 may be disposed along the elongated dock edge 109 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the grip strip 183 may be approximately flush with the dock mounting portion 111 of the docking assist assembly 100. In some embodiments, the grip strip 183 may be configured to couple to the dock mounting portion 111. The grip strip 183 may include any suitable material to reduce the risk of a person on the dock 105 slipping. For example, the grip strip 183 may increase traction between a person (e.g., a boat operator) and the dock 105. The grip strip 183 may be configured to removably or permanently couple to the dock 105. For example, the grip strip 183 may include an adhesive strip on one side configured to interface with the top surface 107 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the grip strip 183 may comprise a material having sufficient roughness to reduce the likelihood of a person slipping. For example, the grip strip 183 may have a minimum surface roughness (Rz) of between 10 μm and 70 μm (e.g., between 10 μm and 70 μm, between 20 μm and 60 μm, between 30 μm and 50 μm, between 35 μm and 45 μm, values ​​therebetween, etc.). In some embodiments, it may be preferred for the grip strip 182 to have a minimum surface roughness of 20 μm or greater to reduce the risk of slipping when there is water on the grip strip 183. In some embodiments, the grip strip 183 may comprise a rubber material (e.g., vulcanized rubber), a plastic material (e.g., polyurethane), a vinyl material (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC)), and / or the like.

[0048] In one aspect, the docking assist assembly 100 may include a dock bumper 187. The dock bumper 187 may extend along the elongated dock edge 109 of the dock 105. In one aspect, the dock bumper 187 may be coupled to the docking assist assembly 100, for example, to the dock mounting portion 111. The dock bumper 187 may be similar or identical to the bumper portion 157 and configured to allow the boat 800 to contact the dock bumper 187 while reducing the risk of damage to the boat 800. For example, the dock bumper 187 may be configured to elastically deform upon contact from the boat 800. The dock bumper 187 may extend from the side of the dock 105 in a direction toward the water. The weight and length of the dock bumper 187 may vary based on the size of the docking assist assembly 100 and the boat 800.

[0049] In some embodiments, some or all of the components of the docking assist assembly 100 may be colored to match the color of the user's boat 800. For example, a user may be able to customize the color of the docking assist assembly 100 to match the color of the boat 800.

[0050] Additional Embodiments Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in various other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and modifications in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Thus, the scope of the present invention is defined solely by reference to the appended claims.

[0051] It is to be understood that features, materials, properties, or groups described in connection with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example may be applied to any other aspect, embodiment, or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification, unless inconsistent. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), and / or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations in which at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. Protection is not limited to the details of any of the foregoing embodiments. Protection extends to any novel or any novel combination of features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel or any novel combination of steps of any method or process so disclosed.

[0052] Moreover, certain features that are described in the present disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, although features may be described above as working in a particular combination, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be deleted from that combination, and the combination can be claimed as a subcombination or a variation of the subcombination.

[0053] Furthermore, although operations may be shown in the figures or described herein in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown, or in sequential order, or all operations need not be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations not shown or described may be incorporated into the exemplary methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations may be performed before, after, simultaneously with, or between any of the described operations. Furthermore, operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the described and / or disclosed processes may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, some of the steps described above may be omitted and other steps may be added. Furthermore, features and attributes of certain embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, it should be understood that the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and that the components and systems described may generally be incorporated together in a single product or packaged in multiple products.

[0054] For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages are achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or group of advantages taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0055] Conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless expressly stated otherwise or otherwise understood within the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that some embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, but not others. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that the features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether those features, elements, and / or steps are included in or should be performed in any particular embodiment, with or without user input or prompting.

[0056] Conjunction phrases such as "at least one of X, Y, Z," unless otherwise indicated, are understood differently from the context in which they are commonly used to convey that an item, term, etc., can be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive phrases are not intended to imply that a particular embodiment requires the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0057] As used herein, words of degree, such as the terms "approximately," "about," "generally," and "substantially," as used herein, refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that is close to a stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," "generally," and "substantially" can refer to an amount that is less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 1%, less than 0.1%, and less than 0.01% of a stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms "generally parallel" and "substantially parallel" refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that is less than 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degrees away from exactly parallel.

[0058] The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosure of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere herein, but may be defined by the claims presented in this section or elsewhere herein or presented in the future. The claim language is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and is not limited to the examples described herein or during the prosecution process of this application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.

Claims

1. 1. A docking assist assembly comprising: a mounting portion configured to be supported by a top surface of the dock; an arm portion extending laterally relative to the mounting portion; a bow retaining portion including a first side and a second side, the first side defining a first surface at least partially facing the second side, the second side defining a second surface at least partially facing the first side, the first side and the second side configured to receive a bow of a boat at least partially between the first side and the second side; Equipped with At least one of the arm portion and the bow retaining portion is movable relative to the mounting portion to at least partially absorb boat docking impact forces.

2. The docking assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side and the second side of the bow retention portion are less than or equal to 8 feet in length.

3. The docking assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side and the second side of the bow retention portion are no longer than six feet in length.

4. 2. The docking assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the first side and the second side of the bow retaining portion are resilient and capable of moving at least 1 inch in response to an impact force of 100 pounds.

5. 2. The docking assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the first side and the second side of the bow retaining portion are movable relative to one another to facilitate receiving bows of different shapes therebetween.

6. 2. The docking assist assembly of claim 1, wherein neither the arm portion nor the bow retaining portion protrudes more than 10 feet from a side of a mounting portion configured to be supported by a top surface of a dock.

7. The docking assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the docking assist assembly weighs less than or equal to 500 pounds.

8. 2. The docking assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the arm portion comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the second arm portion being rotatable relative to the first arm portion, and a maximum amount of rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 45 degrees in a first direction.

9. 9. The docking assist assembly of claim 8, wherein the second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion, and a maximum amount of rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 90 degrees in a second direction.

10. The docking assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side of the bow support portion and the second side of the bow support portion are constructed of a single, integral piece.

11. 13. The docking assist assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more of a light coupled to the bow retaining portion, a skid resistant platform configured to couple with the top surface of the dock, and a resilient dock bumper portion configured to couple to a water facing side of the dock.

12. 1. A docking assist assembly mountable to a dock having a support area and an elongated edge along which a boat is docked, said docking assist assembly comprising: a mounting portion defining a support base; an arm portion configured to extend a length of the boat laterally relative to the edge of the dock to which it is intended to be docked, at least a portion of the arm portion being movable relative to the support base; a bow retaining portion including a first side and a second side, the first side defining a first surface at least partially facing the second side, the second side defining a second surface at least partially facing the first side, the first side and the second side configured to receive a bow of a boat at least partially between the first side and the second side; Equipped with movement of the arm portion relative to the support base at least partially absorbs boat docking forces; when the support base is facing downward, both the arm portion and the bow retaining portion either (1) do not extend below the support base, or (2) extend less than 2 feet below the support base; The docking assist assembly, wherein the first side and the second side at least partially include a resilient region, the resilient region configured to cushion the bow of a boat impacting against the resilient region.

13. 1. A docking assist assembly comprising: a mounting portion configured to be supported by a top surface of the dock; an arm portion extending laterally relative to the mounting portion; a bow retention portion defining an opening for receiving at least a portion of the bow of the boat; Equipped with At least one of the arm portion and the bow retaining portion is movable relative to the mounting portion to at least partially absorb boat docking impact forces.

14. The docking assist assembly of claim 13 , wherein the bow retaining portion is rotatable relative to the arm portion.

15. 14. The docking assist assembly of claim 13, wherein the bow retaining portion is resilient and capable of moving at least 1 inch in response to an impact force of 100 pounds.

16. 14. The docking assist assembly of claim 13, wherein the bow retaining portion comprises a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being movable relative to one another to facilitate receiving bows of different shapes therebetween.

17. The docking assist assembly of claim 13 , wherein the docking assist assembly weighs less than or equal to 500 pounds.

18. 14. The docking assist assembly of claim 13, wherein the arm portion comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the second arm portion being rotatable relative to the mounting portion, and a maximum amount of rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 45 degrees.

19. 20. The docking assist assembly of claim 18, wherein the second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion, and a maximum amount of rotation of the second arm portion from a relaxed position is 90 degrees in a second direction.

20. The docking assist assembly of claim 13 , wherein the bow retaining portion is constructed of a single, integral piece.

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