Personal Watercraft Dock Line Management System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Personal watercraft have limited surface area and storage compartments for docking lines, leading to issues with wet lines prone to odor and mildew, and potential contamination of other objects.

Innovation Solution

A dock line management system featuring a pair of holders mounted to the gunwale, with a fixed-length dock line threaded through a loop holder and affixed to clips in another holder, providing a non-deployed state that prevents tangles and contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If docking lines are stored in limited storage compartments on personal watercraft, then storage space is utilized, but the wet lines become prone to odor and mildew growth and may contaminate other objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacity for docking linesVSAvoidodor and mildew from wet lines

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the docking line storage function from enclosed storage compartments and relocates it to an open-air environment using holders mounted on the gunwale. This allows the docking line to be stored in a well-ventilated area exposed to sunlight, preventing the accumulation of moisture that causes odor and mildew while eliminating the risk of contaminating other objects in closed storage spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If docking lines are stored in open-air holders on the gunwale, then odor and mildew issues are reduced, but the lines may become tangled or deployed unintentionally

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveodor and mildew preventionVSAvoidline organization and deployment control

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the docking line management into distinct functional components: a first holder for securing the coiled docking line and a second holder with clips for securing the line ends. This segmentation allows the line to be organized in a controlled manner that prevents tangling while maintaining open-air storage benefits, and enables deliberate deployment only when users intentionally release the clips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-coiling the docking line in an organized manner before storage and using clips to pre-secure the line ends in the second holder. This preliminary organization prevents tangling during storage and ensures that deployment occurs only when users deliberately release the clips, eliminating unintentional deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If docking lines are kept coiled and secured in holders, then deployment speed is improved, but quick retrieval may be hindered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidretrieval convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the docking line into a main coiled portion stored in the first holder and separate end portions secured in the second holder with clips. This segmentation allows users to quickly retrieve the main coiled portion for deployment while the clips can be independently released to free the line ends, optimizing both deployment speed and retrieval convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250050977A1Personal watercraft with dock line management system

Publication Date: 2025.02.13 YAMAHA MOTOR CORP USA

AI summary

A dock line management system for attachment to watercraft is disclosed. The dock line management system includes a loop holder with a loophole and a clip holder both positioned apart on one side of a gunwale of the watercraft. The clip holder is configured to hold both ends of a dock line at the clip holder and the dock line is folded back at the loophole.