Boat Towable Mat Binding Plates for Secure Towing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating foam mats are difficult to securely attach to a motorboat for towing due to their bulky nature, requiring specialized hardware that is costly, heavy, and prone to corrosion, and often result in the mat submerging when tension is applied.
Innovation Solution
A system and kit using specially fabricated binding plates and fasteners that attach to the mat, allowing for secure towing without submerging, featuring aligned through holes for tow ropes and optional embedded plates with cover layers for aesthetics and reinforcement, utilizing materials like HDPE and double-sided tape for durability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specially fabricated attachment hardware is used to securely attach the mat to the motorboat, then the towing security is improved, but the cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate components: binding plates attached to the mat, and corresponding receptacles on the boat. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier attachment and detachment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding plates serve as intermediary components between the mat and the boat. These plates distribute the attachment forces across multiple points on the mat's edge, improving security without requiring heavy single-point attachment hardware.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard ropes are used to attach the mat, then the cost is reduced, but the attachment security and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The binding plates are pre-attached to the mat during mat fabrication or assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the attachment points are properly positioned and secured, allowing standard ropes to be effectively used without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding plates provide localized reinforcement at the attachment points on the mat. This local quality enhancement allows standard ropes to be securely attached at specific locations without requiring heavy-duty ropes throughout the entire attachment system.
3Strength
If the binding plates extend across the entire edge of the mat, then the attachment strength is improved, but the device complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using continuous binding plates across the entire edge, the system uses discrete binding plates positioned at specific locations along the mat edge. This segmentation reduces material usage and simplifies the overall device configuration while maintaining adequate attachment strength through strategic placement.
4Productivity
If the mat is attached with tension during towing, then the towing effectiveness is improved, but the mat submerges into the water
Solution Approach 1:
The binding plates and their attachment geometry are designed to create counterbalancing forces that prevent the mat from submerging. The distribution of attachment points and the rigidity of the binding plates work together to counteract the submerging tendency caused by towing tension.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a kit for attachment to a foam floatation mat for towing of the mat behind a motorboat. The kit includes binding plates for mounting to the flotation mat, the binding plates located proximate the first laterally extending edge and the also further away from the first laterally extending edge. The first binding plate secured to the mat is folded over atop another binding plate at which time fastening hardware is received into the aligned plurality of through holes joining together all the binding plates. Tow ropes are passed through an aligned plurality of tow rope holes such that two tow ropes are secured to the binding plates by at least one of a tow rope knot or fastening hardware.