Extendible Mast Mooring Ball for Safe Single-Operator Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Moorings for small boats are difficult and hazardous due to the distance and wet conditions of mooring lines, requiring multiple operators and often necessitating line cutting in rough weather.
Innovation Solution
A mooring system with a mooring ball, extendible and retractable mast, hook, chain, and dry mooring line with a loop that can be easily attached and detached, allowing for adjustable height and secure locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mooring ring is positioned several feet beyond the reach of the boat operator, then the buoy can be positioned at a safe distance from the boat, but the operator cannot easily reach and secure the mooring line to the buoy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by deploying a pole from the buoy that extends upward out of the water, allowing the mooring line to be attached at an elevated position rather than requiring horizontal reach to a distant ring. This dimensional change enables operators to attach lines from a safe distance while maintaining easy access to the attachment point.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole acts as an intermediary element between the buoy and the mooring line. Instead of directly reaching for the mooring ring on the buoy, the operator uses the pole as a mediator to attach the line, thereby bridging the gap between safe positioning and easy attachment.
2Reliability
If the mooring line is kept in the water, then the line remains submerged and functional, but the line becomes wet, covered in slime, and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positions the mooring line attached to the pole in an elevated, dry position above water before it is needed. This preliminary placement prevents the line from becoming wet and slimy, allowing operators to handle and attach the line easily without dealing with water-contaminated materials.
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning the mooring line in the vertical dimension above water rather than horizontally in the water, the system eliminates contact between the line and water, preventing the line from becoming wet and difficult to handle while maintaining its functional readiness.
3Reliability
If multiple operators are used to moor the boat, then the mooring task can be completed more reliably, but the complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy system provides self-service functionality by automatically presenting the mooring line at an easily accessible elevated position on the pole. This eliminates the need for one operator to jump onto the dock or for another to reach down to the water, allowing a single operator to complete the mooring task independently without complex coordination.
4Reliability
If the buoy anchor line is in tension in rough weather, then the buoy remains securely anchored, but the buoy cannot be lifted for easy line attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the attachment point from the horizontal plane (requiring buoy lifting) to the vertical dimension (using the elevated pole). The pole extends upward from the buoy, allowing the mooring line to be attached at the top of the pole without needing to lift the buoy, even when the anchor line is under tension in rough weather.
Data Source
AI summary
A mooring ball system comprising: a mooring ball; a collar attached to the top of the mooring ball; an extendible, retractable, and lockable mast attached to the collar, and extending from the top of the mooring ball; a hook attached near or at the top of the mast; a chain attached to the mooring ball; a mooring line attached to the chain; a loop located at one end of the mooring line; and where the loop is configured to removeably attach to the hook, and where the loop is further configured to be removed from the hook and attached to a watercraft. A mooring apparatus comprising: a collar configured to attach to the top of a mooring ball; an extendible, retractable, and lockable mast configured to attach to the collar, and configured to extend from the top of the mooring ball; and a hook attached near or at the top of the mast.