Rotational Molded Dock With Rub-Rail Post

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floating docks for personal watercraft are often complex, cumbersome, and prone to causing damage to the watercraft or piers due to overshooting, as they require electric power or complex mechanical systems for supporting watercraft out of the water.

Innovation Solution

A unitary, molded floating dock with a recessed platform and a rub-rail post that matches the shape of personal watercraft hulls, featuring rollers and a winch for easy loading and unloading, and internal structural features like 'kiss-offs' for rigidity, secured with threaded inserts to prevent overshooting and enhance stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex mechanical systems with electric power are used to support watercraft, then the watercraft can be reliably supported out of the water, but the device becomes cumbersome and requires electric power

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of watercraft supportVSAvoidcomplexity of mechanical system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The floating dock utilizes buoyancy to automatically support the watercraft without requiring external power sources or complex mechanical systems. The dock rises and falls with water levels, providing reliable support through passive physical principles rather than active mechanical control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical support systems with a buoyant floating platform that uses water displacement and buoyant force to support the watercraft. This substitution eliminates the need for motors, hydraulics, or electrical systems while maintaining reliable support functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If users ride the personal watercraft directly onto the device, then loading is simple and quick, but the watercraft may overshoot and cause damage to the watercraft and/or pier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of loading watercraftVSAvoiddamage from overshooting

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rub-rail post is positioned to engage the watercraft's rub rail before the watercraft can overshoot and strike the pier or dock structure. This preliminary engagement prevents the harmful action of overshooting by providing a physical stop at the appropriate position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The rub-rail post serves as an intermediary element between the watercraft and the dock structure. It provides a controlled engagement point that guides the watercraft to the correct position and prevents direct contact between the watercraft and potentially damaging surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If the dock structure is made rigid and sturdy to prevent damage, then the dock can withstand watercraft loading, but the dock becomes heavier and more difficult to deploy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of dock structureVSAvoidweight of dock

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The dock utilizes a hollow buoyant structure with thin walls that provides sufficient strength through its geometric form and material distribution. The hollow chambers provide structural rigidity and strength while minimizing material usage and weight, allowing the dock to be easily deployed and relocated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The dock effectively supports personal watercraft above water without electric power, preventing damage by engaging the watercraft's rub-rail and providing structural integrity, facilitating easy access and reducing the risk of overshooting.

Implementation Method 1

The internal cavity may be filled with air or, alternatively, a buoyant material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS7481175B2Floating dock

Publication Date: 2009.01.27 ELKHART PLASTICS LLC

AI summary

A floating dock for supporting a personal watercraft out of the water when not in use. The floating dock comprises an elongate platform having a recess on its upper surface. The recess is shaped to receive the hull of the personal watercraft and has a forward wall portion for engaging the bow of the hull. A rub-rail post extends upwardly from the upper surface of the platform, forward of the recess, to engage the rub-rail of the personal watercraft in the event that the personal watercraft is moved too far into the recess, thereby preventing the personal watercraft from riding up and over the floating dock. In one embodiment, the platform is a unitary structure formed in a rotational molding process and includes inserts molded therewith to facilitate securing accessories to the platform.