Personal Watercraft Docking Pole to Prevent Dock Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal watercraft docking methods cause damage due to movement against docks and require cumbersome manual attachment processes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible clamp and elongated pole system with a structure attaching mechanism that prevents lateral movement and allows secure docking without direct contact, enabling easy attachment from the dock side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If simple tying is used to attach personal watercraft to a dock, then the attachment process is simple, but the watercraft moves and strikes the dock causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pole as an intermediary element between the watercraft and the dock. The pole is attached to the watercraft via a clamp and extends to the dock, creating a buffer zone that prevents direct contact and movement-induced damage while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole serves as a pre-positioned cushioning element that absorbs movement and prevents direct impact between the watercraft and the dock. By having this protective element in place before any movement occurs, the system prevents damage proactively rather than reactively.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sufficient padding is used to absorb bumps and prevent movement, then damage from movement is reduced, but the watercraft hull still suffers damage, scratches, and dents
Solution Approach 1:
The pole acts as a mediator that keeps the watercraft at a distance from the dock, eliminating the need for padding that contacts the hull. The clamp attaches to the watercraft without requiring hull contact, thus preserving hull integrity while still preventing movement damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the protective function from the hull-contacting padding and relocates it to the pole-clamp assembly. This separation allows the watercraft hull to remain untouched while still achieving the protective function of preventing movement and impact.
3Reliability
If a person gets into the watercraft to attach one end of the rope and then gets out to attach the other end to the dock, then the attachment can be made, but the process is extremely time consuming and burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional docking approach by having the attachment mechanism (clamp) attach to the watercraft first while the person remains on the dock or shore. The pole then extends to the dock for the second attachment point, eliminating the need for the person to enter and exit the watercraft multiple times.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism is designed to be self-attaching to the watercraft using simple operations that can be performed from the dock side. The cable and band mechanism allows for easy attachment and release without requiring complex maneuvers or multiple person interventions.
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
Prevents damage to watercraft by eliminating contact with the dock and simplifies the docking process, making it convenient and efficient.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible clamp is moved to the engaged position by a cable and to the disengaged position by an elastomeric band
Data Source
AI summary
Watercraft docking apparatus including a flexible clamp attachable to a watercraft to be docked, an elongated pole attached at one end to the flexible clamp, and structure attaching mechanism attached to an opposite end of the elongated pole. The flexible clamp and the structure attaching mechanism are both designed to prevent lateral horizontal movement of the elongated pole.