Dock Assembly Vertical Receiver Tube Connector Key
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for connecting floating dock assemblies are challenging due to limited accessibility, leading to improper connections and maintenance issues, especially in rough water conditions, where metal hardware can cause brinelling and connection failures, and wooden docks are prone to compressibility-related failures.
Innovation Solution
A dock assembly system using vertical receiver tubes and connector keys with lock bolts and nuts, allowing secure connection from above the deck, minimizing compression loads and brinelling, and incorporating a dock connection adapter for customizable configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If connection hardware is installed from below the dock, then the connection can be made, but the installer cannot properly secure the hardware due to limited accessibility and being in the water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional connection approach by moving the connection hardware from below the dock to above the deck. The receiver tube is positioned on top of the dock section, and the connector key is inserted from above, allowing the installer to work from the deck rather than from the water below. This inversion resolves the accessibility problem while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver tube acts as an intermediary component that receives the connector key and transmits the connection force to the dock structure. This intermediary mechanism allows for secure connection installation from above the deck, bridging the gap between the installer's position and the structural connection point.
2Strength
If metal hardware is used to connect metal docks, then the connection can be made, but brinelling occurs at the attachment site under extreme cyclic loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the connection parameters by using a receiver tube with internal dimensions and a connector key with external dimensions that create a fit reducing point contact. This parameter change distributes the load over a larger area, preventing brinelling while maintaining connection strength under extreme cyclic loads.
3Ease of manufacture
If wooden whaler is used to sandwich concrete floatation cells, then the connection can be made, but connection failure occurs due to compressibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the compressible wooden whaler with a rigid receiver tube structure that maintains consistent dimensional parameters. This parameter change eliminates the compressibility issue while preserving the ease of assembly through the standardized receiver tube and connector key interface.
4Productivity
If dock sections are connected with conventional hardware, then the connection can be made, but regular routine maintenance is essential to check tightness
Solution Approach 1:
The connector key is designed with features that preliminarily ensure proper seating and engagement in the receiver tube. This preliminary action of designing the connection geometry to self-align and self-secure reduces the need for routine maintenance checks, as the connection is inherently more stable and less prone to loosening.
Data Source
AI summary
A dock assembly includes a first and a second dock sidewall joined via a first vertical receiver tube positioned between adjacent ends of the first dock sidewall and the second dock sidewall. A third dock sidewall is joined with the second dock sidewall via a second vertical receiver tube positioned between adjacent ends of the second dock sidewall and the third dock sidewall. A fourth and a fifth dock sidewalls are joined via a third vertical receiver tube positioned between adjacent ends of the fourth dock sidewall and the fifth dock sidewall. The second and the fifth dock sidewalls are positioned side by side such that respective sides of the first and third receiver tubes are abutting each other. The first and third receiver tubes are securely joined by inserting respective upper and lower connector keys dimensioned to fit into respective sockets of the first and third receiver tubes.