Abstract:
An apparatus designed to be mounted on a surface of a watercraft and including a line guard adapted to provide protection against damage to the painted surface and cosmetic trim of the watercraft from lines, such as one used for anchoring. The apparatus is designed in one embodiment to accept a line-holding member such as a cleat, clamp or the like.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus designed to be mounted on a surface of a watercraft and including a line guard adapted to provide protection against damage to the painted surface and cosmetic trim of the watercraft from lines, such as one used for anchoring. The apparatus is designed in one embodiment to accept a line-holding member such as a cleat, clamp or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various line cleats, line clamps and line roller guides have been designed to mount and receive lines on watercraft. Although effective at securing the vessel when used for anchoring or docking, for example, available cleat and clamp designs provide little if nothing at all towards protecting the outer surface of the vessel that contacts the line and connected items that can cause damage such as an anchor chain and anchor. See for example U.S. Des 291,058; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,233,934; 3,574,900; 3,812,811; 4,361,938; 5,987,711; and 6,260,498. 
     Line roller guides and bowsprits that are designed specifically for anchor line use may provide some protection to the outer cosmetics of the vessel, but oftentimes mount and protrude so far from the vessel&#39;s edge that they prohibit the use of a protective boat cover unless the cover is specifically tailored to fit over them. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,082,730; 3,865,065; 4,248,171; 5,996,524; 6,843,196; 7,299,759 and U.S. Publication No. 2006/0174811; 
     Other extruded strips or rub rails conceived to fit over or near the gunwale of a vessel also provide protection against chaffing damage from lines, but offer limited coverage of all potential surfaces likely to be exposed to connected items that can cause damage such as anchor chain and anchors, for example. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,730,077; 6,202,585; 6,349,662; 6,733,161 and 7,685,956. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a line guard apparatus able to protect a portion of two adjoining surfaces of a watercraft, in one embodiment an upper surface or gunwale and a side surface. 
     Another object is to provide a line guard apparatus adapted to be positioned adjacent a cleat or clamp, or be integrally joined with a cleat, clamp or the like, the apparatus including a top panel and a side panel, the top panel including two or more guide posts protruding upwardly from the top panel and located towards the outer edge of the panel adapted for maintaining a line within a central portion of the line guard apparatus. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide the line guard apparatus with a top panel with a guide ramp tapering downwardly from a guide post, generally towards the center of the top panel in order to guide a line towards a center portion of the apparatus. In a useful embodiment, the ramp has a height that ends below the top of the post. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a line guard apparatus having a top panel and a side panel connected at an angle, the top panel including a guide post having a portion flush with an outer edge of the top panel and a guide ramp extending downwardly from the ramp towards a central portion of the top panel. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a line guard apparatus having a top panel including apertures that allow securement of a cleat, clamp or the like thereto. 
     According to the present invention there is provided a line guard comprising a substantially horizontal top panel that abuts to a substantially vertical side panel at an angle, the top panel length is extended to reach and provide a mounting surface from the edge of the vessel inward to a utility cleat location, the side panel length is extended from the edge of the vessel downward for coverage of a portion of the side hull, the overall width of the panels sufficient for clearance between cover buttons and other items attached to a vessel; and two guide posts protruding upward from the top panel positioned near the apex and flush with the outer side edges to maintain lateral line force, with two apex ramps forward of each post starting flush from top panel center then tapered upward to the outer side edges to maintain axial line force and keep the line within the center portion of the guard. 
     The guard apparatus may mount between the topside surface at the gunwale of a watercraft and an existing utility cleat via use of the utility cleat mounting method and hole locations. Contact rib details protruding from the inside surface of the vertical side panel run flush with each outer side edge to rigidly position the guard against the curve of a boat&#39;s hull. 
     One aspect of the invention is a line guard apparatus, comprising a top panel connected to a side panel, wherein an angle between the top panel and side panel ranges from about 60 to about 120 degrees; a pair of guide posts connected to and extending upwardly from the top panel; and a guide ramp having a first end connected to a portion of each guide post and a second end connected to the top panel, the first end having a greater height than the second end, wherein the second end is located closer to a central portion of the panel than the first end. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a line guard comprising an integral horizontal top panel abutting on an angle to a vertical side panel having a rounded apex, the top panel having a length adapted to receive a utility cleat and side panel having a length adapted for protective coverage; a set of top guide posts protruding from the horizontal top panel and adapted to maintain line contact; a set of guide ramps merging with the guide posts and adapted to further maintain line to a relatively central position; and a set of ribs on an inside surface of the vertical side panel adapted to contact curved contours of a watercraft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An example of a preferred embodiment will now be described in reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the line guard apparatus shown in an upper left side perspective view mounted to the topside portion of a watercraft in use with a utility cleat and anchor line; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the line guard apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the line guard apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is the line guard apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating functionality of integral guide details with lateral line force; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the line guard apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing contact rib details; 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the line guard apparatus of  FIG. 1  illustrating advantages of streamlined guide details. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The drawings show a line guard apparatus  10  comprising a base  11  having a top panel  12  connected to a side panel  14 . In one embodiment the top panel  12  is adapted to be disposed on a substantially horizontal surface of a watercraft and the side panel  14  is adapted to be disposed on a substantially vertical side surface of a watercraft. The top panel  12  and side panel  14  abut at an apex  16 . In one embodiment the apex  16  is rounded or angled or a combination thereof in order to reduce line fray and in some embodiments match a contour of a portion of the watercraft adjacent thereto. The top panel  12  is extended in length to provide mounting area  18  for a utility cleat  20 . In other embodiments the top panel  12  extends a distance up to a utility cleat  20  for a clamp or the like already present on a surface of a boat. In one embodiment the length of the top panel ranges generally from about 8 to about 25 cm, desirably from about 10 to about 20 cm and preferably from about 10 to about 17 cm. The side panel  14  is extended in length to provide a coverage area  22 . In one embodiment the length of the side panel ranges generally from about 2 to about 16 cm, desirably from about 2 to about 10 cm and preferably from about 4 to about 6 cm. In one embodiment the width of the top and side panels, independently, range generally from about 10 to about 18 cm, desirably from about 10 to about 15 cm, and preferably from about 12 to about 15 cm. The line guard  10  may be preferably molded from a resilient plastic such as nylon, but may also be molded or formed from other materials including but not limited to polymers such as acetal, acrylic, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, epoxy, fiberglass resin, and metals such as brass, aluminum, zinc and steel. 
     The line guard apparatus  10  further includes at least two guide posts  24  connected to and protruding upwardly from the outer surface of top panel  12 , preferably near the apex  16 . The guide post  24  can be connected to the top panel or integrally molded therewith with the latter being preferred in one embodiment. The line guard apparatus also includes a guide ramp  26  connected to each guide post  24 . In one embodiment the top of the guide ramp is connected to the guide post at a height of about 33% to about 60% of the total height of the guide post. In a further embodiment the top of the guide ramp is connected at a height of about 35% to about 55% of the total height of the guide post. In one embodiment, the guide ramp has a front face  25  that is tangent to a rounded apex  16 . The front face  25  tapers downwardly from the post towards a central portion of the top panel  12 . The utility cleat is fastened to the top panel  12  utilizing fasteners in one embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The line guard apparatus  10  can also be connected in other embodiments to a watercraft using one or more of fasteners and an adhesive. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the line guard apparatus  10  is shown mounted to the topside surface at the gunwale of a watercraft  28  in use with a utility cleat  20  and a utility line  30 . Guide posts  24  extending from the top panel  12  feature a front radius  32  preferably located on an upper portion of the guide post  24  that provides a smooth and sheer surface for the line  30  when under lateral tension, as illustrated best in  FIG. 4  with extreme lateral line positions L shown in phantom. Guide ramps  26  merge into the front radius  32  of the guide post  24  generally at a location between 40 percent and 60 percent of the height of the guide post  24  and preferably at about 50 percent of the height of the guide post  24 . Ramp  26  has an upper edge  34  that extends from the post  24  downwardly towards a central portion of a top panel  12  and merges thereinto. The upper edge  34  provides a smooth and sheer surface for line  30 . At its base, the upper edge  34  merges with apex  16  and serves to maintain downward axial force X on line  30  within a central position  37  on the line guard apparatus  10 . Ramp  26  also includes an inner edge  35  extending downwardly from upper edge  34  to the surface of the top panel  12 . 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  show respective front and side plan views of the line guard  10  not mounted to a watercraft  28  and utility cleat  20 . In one embodiment, one or more clearance apertures  36  are placed through the top panel  12  to accommodate new or existing cleat  20  locations on the watercraft  28 . The top panel  12  and side panel  14  abut at the rounded apex  16  to form an angle  38 . Angle  38  between the planes of the top panel  12  and side panel  14  ranges generally from 60° to about 120°, desirably from about 70° to about 85° or 90° and preferably from about 75° to about 85°. Angle  38  can be varied in order to fit a number of different watercraft surfaces such as in one embodiment through forming apex  16  as a hinge such as a living hinge. 
     The front radius  32  on guide posts  24  merges with the top radii  34  on the guide ramps  26  which further merge with the rounded apex  16  to create smooth and sheer surfaces to interface with the utility line  30 . With further reference to  FIG. 5 , integral contact ribs  40  protrude from the inside surface of the vertical side panel  14  and extend along a length of the side panel  14 . The contact ribs  40  are flush with each outer edge of the line guard  10  and serve to secure the contact of the planar line guard  10  with the curve of a watercraft  28  hull. Pockets  42  are molded into the bottom of the line guard  10  to maintain a constant wall thickness throughout the apparatus in one embodiment. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 6 , the guide posts  24  are located at a distance A from the rounded apex  16  to streamline the side profile and overall height B of the line guard  10  to fit protective boat covers  44 . The overall width C of the line guard  10  is also of minimal span to accommodate fit of covers  44  as well, especially when they are attached by means of snap buttons  46  around the periphery of a watercraft  28 . Distance A ranges generally from about 0 to about 5 cm, desirably from about 1 to about 4 cm, and preferably from about 2 to about 3 cm. Distance B ranges generally from about 2.5 to about 5 cm, desirably from about 2.5 to about 3.8 cm and preferably from about 2.5 to about 3.2 cm. Distance C ranges from generally from about 10 to about 18 cm, desirably from about 10 to 15 cm and preferably from about 12 to about 15 cm. 
     In view of the above, it has been demonstrated that the line guard apparatus is adapted to protect a surface of a watercraft from a line commonly utilized to secure the watercraft to another object, such as dock, etc. Guide post  24  in combination with ramps  26  maintain a line connected to a cleat or the like within the width of the top panel  12  and side panel  14 . The location of the cleat or other mooring device in a back central portion of the top panel  12  aids in achieving the goals of the invention. 
     Finally it should be understood that the prior description refers merely to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with variations and modifications being possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, encompassed by the following claims.