Abstract:
A drainage system is provided for a livewell compartment within a fishing boat. A flexible and reinforced hose is coupled on a first end to a pump assembly associated with the livewell and extends through an aperture in the boat hull to a second end. A seal interfaces the hose and the hull in association with the aperture. Fluid is delivered from the livewell through the hose to the exterior of the boat through the second end of the hose. The hose includes a compression or tension spring which applies a first longitudinal force with respect to the second end of the hose. The hose is effective to extract from the hull in response to a second longitudinal force applied to the hose and greater than the first force, and is retractable toward the hull in the absence of the second force.

Description:
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of the following patent application(s) which is/are hereby incorporated by reference: None 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to fishing boats with livewell tanks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for draining livewell tanks. The present invention is particularly relevant for tournament fishing applications where for example the contents of livewell tanks are desirably drained into a bag rather than onto the ground. 
     In fishing applications it is generally desirable to keep the fish that have been caught alive for the duration of the time that an individual wishes to remain fishing. For the fisherman who intends to eat his or her catch, the longer the fish remains alive the better the fish is likely to taste. For the sport fisherman, keeping the fish alive is even more important, as it is generally a requirement to collect any prizes or awards in a tournament situation that the fish are alive when weighed at the end of the tournament and subsequently releasable. 
     When fishing from a boat in a tournament situation it is important to have a degree of mobility and therefore it is desirable to provide a tank within the interior of the boat, or “livewell” which is suitable for storing the fish alive for the duration of the time spent fishing. A livewell as is typically known in the art includes an intake system to pump water into the tank from the adjacent body of water and an overflow drain which discharges water from the tank as it flows over a threshold level. A drainage system is further effective to empty the livewell of all water contained therein when the livewell is no longer required. 
     The livewell may further include systems for aerating the water during movement by the fishing boat, such that a sufficient amount of oxygen remains in the water to keep the fish alive. Chemicals are frequently added such as pH treatments or tranquilizers which medicate the fluid in the livewell and further preserve the ability of the fish to survive the livewell environment for an extended period of time. 
     In various livewell drainage systems as presently known in the art, the drainage system discharges water from the livewell through a hose coupled to a pump including at least a two-way valve to direct the water flow out of an aperture in the hull and above the waterline of the boat. In this way the livewell may be drained of water regardless of whether the boat is itself currently in or out of the water. 
     However, for a tournament fisherman in particular it is generally desirable to preserve some of the water from the livewell rather than draining it entirely onto the ground or into the body of outside water. This is because the tournament fisherman needs to transport the fish that have been caught to a remote area for weighing, and therefore needs the water from the livewell to be maintained in a portable device such as a bag or basket within which the fish may be safely carried to and from the weighing area without dying. As the portable device typically will not include means for sufficiently aerating the water, it is even further desirable that the livewell water be used rather than untreated water, as the medicated or otherwise treated water will preserve the fish for a longer period of time. 
     A tournament fisherman must therefore discharge livewell water through the aperture in the side of the boat and into a bag or equivalent portable device. This presently requires the fisherman to lean over the side of the boat and hold the bag proximate the drainage area, or if the boat is pulled out of the water the fisherman can alternatively catch the livewell water in the bag from outside of the boat. These options are both serviceable but not particularly desirable, as the first option is somewhat awkward and can even be painful, particularly where repeated a sufficient number of times. Further, while the second option is less strenuous where available, it frequently results in the fisherman being soaked with the stream of water that is discharged from the boat. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system is disclosed herein for convenient discharge of fluid from a livewell on a fishing boat. The livewell discharge system of the present invention is convertible in installation and easily attaches to an existing livewell system in a conventional fishing boat. Instead of a standard hose extending from the livewell pump system to a termination point at the boat hull, a flexible reinforced hose assembly is provided which extends from the livewell pump system through a seal and to the exterior of the boat. The hose assembly is extendable and retractable between a first position and a second position for convenience of use. The user can simply grasp an end of an extendable hose which terminates at the exterior of the boat and pull the end of the hose to a position proximate a portable device such as for example a bag. A pumping system then discharges the fluid from the livewell through the extendable hose and into the bag in a more focused and reliable stream. 
     In this manner the user can easily fill the portable device with the fluid, without the awkward positioning required when the operation is performed from within the boat, and further without the spillage and accompanying wet clothing that results from performing the operation outside of the boat. 
     After the portable device has been sufficiently filled with fluid, the user may release the hose, which is further retractable and returns to a retracted position proximate the aperture in the boat hull until the next time it is required by the user. 
     The livewell drainage system of the present invention, in addition to making collection of the fluid from the livewell easier on the user, provides a healthier alternative as the user is not required to use whatever water is most presently available, and which may be potentially contaminated and therefore harmful to the fish. 
     Another benefit of the present invention is that it allows the existing medicated/cool and/or salt water or other liquid that is already in the livewell to be reused by the fisherman. By reusing the fluid in the livewell, the costs of the fuid treatment may be relatively reduced and the life and welfare of the fish stored therein may be even further preserved. 
     Briefly stated, in an embodiment of the present invention a livewell drainage system includes a livewell tank residing within a boat and a retractable hose assembly coupled on a first end to the livewell and extending from the livewell through an aperture in the boat to a second end outside the boat. The second end of the hose assembly further includes an end cap having a diameter greater than an outer diameter of the boat aperture. The second end of the hose assembly during normal operation is urged to a first position against the boat and adjacent the aperture. The second end of the hose assembly during a drainage operation is moveable from the first position to a second position away from the boat in response to a longitudinal force applied by a user with respect to the hose. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a livewell drainage system is provided for a fishing boat having an interior, a hull and a livewell tank residing within the interior. A retractable hose assembly has a first section within the interior of the fishing boat and coupled to the livewell tank, and a second section extending outside of the interior of the fishing boat through an aperture in the boat hull. The hose assembly further includes an outer layer of a braided material and at least a portion of the hose assembly is reinforced by an inner layer with a spring. The spring urges the second end of the hose assembly against an exterior side of the boat adjacent the aperture, and the second end of the hose assembly is extendable from the exterior side of the boat in response to a longitudinal force with respect to the hose assembly. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a drainage system is provided for a livewell compartment within a fishing boat. A mechanical pump assembly coupled to the livewell, and a hose is coupled on a first end to the pump assembly and extends through an aperture in the boat hull to a second end. A seal interfaces the hose and the hull in association with the aperture. The pump delivers fluid from the livewell to the exterior of the boat through the second end of the hose. The hose includes a spring arranged along at least a portion of its length and which applies a first longitudinal force with respect to the second end of the hose. The hose is effective to extract from the hull in response to a second longitudinal force applied to the hose and greater than the first force. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view showing a fishing boat and livewell as conventionally known in the art, with an embodiment of a livewell drainage system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of the livewell drainage system as disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative view showing an embodiment of the system including a tension spring system. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustrative view showing an embodiment of the system including a compression spring system. 
         FIG. 5  is a broken view of an embodiment of the system in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 6  is a broken view of an embodiment of the system in an extended position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” may include plural references, and the meaning of “in” may include “in” and “on.” The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. 
     The term “coupled” means at least either a direct physical connection between the connected items or an indirect connection through one or more passive or active intermediary devices. 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1-6 , various embodiments of a livewell discharge system in accordance with the present invention may be further described herein. Where the various figures may describe embodiments sharing various common elements and features with other embodiments, similar elements and features are given the same reference numerals and redundant description thereof may be omitted below. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-2 , in an embodiment of the present invention a livewell drainage system  10  is coupled to a livewell  20  and a livewell discharge pump assembly  24 . 
     In the configuration as shown the pump is located remotely from the livewell itself and coupled to the livewell by a conduit  22  such as a pipe or hose. Alternatively, various configurations are known to those of skill in the art in which the pump  24  may be coupled directly to the livewell or may even be positioned inside of the livewell. The configuration shown further includes only a discharge pump assembly, but alternative configurations are also known in the art where the pump assembly may include a pump and a three way valve which permits both intake and discharge systems to be coupled to the same pump and directs the water flow into and out of the livewell accordingly. The specific positioning and configuration of the pump assembly  24  is not however of consequence for the present invention, and further description will be omitted as unnecessary. 
     Referring more particularly to  FIG. 2 , in an embodiment the system  10  includes a retractable hose assembly  28 , a converter  26  at a first end  27  of the hose assembly  28  for coupling the hose assembly  28  to the pump assembly  24 , a seal  34  disposed at an aperture  46  in the boat hull  18  and which the hose assembly  28  is shaped to engage and slide through, and a cap  36  at a second end  37  of the hose assembly  28 . The hose assembly  28  is extendable in a first direction such that the cap  36  may be pulled by a user away from the hull  18  of the boat, and is further inherently biased in a second direction opposite from the first direction such that in the absence of a pulling force provided by the user the cap  36  is retracted against the boat hull  18  proximate the aperture  46 . 
     In various embodiments the hose assembly  28  includes a hose  30  having at least an outer layer of a braided material and a reinforced inner layer. In the examples shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , the hose  30  has an outer diameter of about ⅝″ and an inner diameter of about ⅜″, but these dimensions are, if not arbitrary, not intended otherwise to be limiting on the scope of the present invention. The hose assembly  28  further includes a spring assembly  32  which applies the biasing force to the hose  30  as described above. 
     Referring more particularly to  FIG. 3 , in an embodiment the spring assembly  32  includes an extension spring  52  placed in tension to provide a biasing longitudinal force upon the hose assembly  28 , and an additional reinforcing layer  54 . The spring assembly  32  is positioned in a first section of the hose assembly  28  which resides within the interior of the boat hull regardless of how far the hose assembly  28  is extended or otherwise withdrawn from the seal  34  and away from the boat hull outside of the boat. In other words, the tension of the spring assembly  32  is arranged within a first section of the hose assembly  28  which applies the biasing force with respect to a second section of the hose assembly  28  which may extend outside of the boat through the aperture  46  and seal  34 . 
     For descriptive purposes, the term “longitudinal force” may describe a force with respect to the length of the hose  30  in the hose assembly  28 , or more generally describe a force which when applied to the hose assembly  28  tends to pull the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  toward (e.g., a first longitudinal force such as would be applied by the biasing spring assembly) or away from the boat hull (e.g., a second longitudinal force such as would be applied by a user from outside of the boat). 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment the spring assembly  32  includes a compression spring  56  which compresses to provide a biasing (e.g., first) longitudinal force upon the hose assembly  28 . The compression spring  56  as shown may be arranged substantially along the length of a first section of the hose assembly  28  which resides within the interior of the boat regardless of the length to which the hose  30  is extended away from the boat hull and outside of the boat. The compression spring  56  may be arranged along at least a portion of the first section of the hose assembly  28  rather than the entire length which remains within the boat at the maximum extended length  53  of the hose outside of the boat, but will generally be arranged along a sufficient length of the hose assembly to provide a desired biasing effect. Or in other words, the compression of the spring assembly  32  is arranged along or otherwise within a first section of the hose assembly  28  which applies the biasing force with respect to a second section of the hose assembly  28  which may extend outside of the boat through the aperture  46  and seal  34 . 
     In an embodiment the spring assembly  32  may include single or multiple springs having either a single diameter along their length or multiple diameter coils. 
     In various embodiments the hose assembly  28  may be configured such that the cap  36  may only be extended a maximum length  53  such as for example 36″ from the boat hull or otherwise from the seal  34  of the hose assembly  28 . This maximum length  53  may be determined and effected by additional components based upon a safety factor to prevent damage to the system  10  itself, or may be merely a maximum allowable extension based upon the ratings of the spring assembly  32  used. 
     Referring now generally to  FIGS. 2-4 , the seal  34  includes in various embodiments as shown a grommet  42  and a grommet nut  44  and is shaped to permit passage of the hose assembly  28  through the grommet  42  while simultaneously reducing or preventing water from entering the interior of the boat through the aperture  46  while the hose assembly  28  is in place. For this purpose the grommet  42  has a first diameter  43   a  which is greater than the diameter of the aperture  46  in the boat hull and a second diameter  43   b  which is less than the diameter of the aperture  46  in the boat hull and greater than the outer diameter of the hose  30 . Various configurations of grommets  42  and grommet nuts  44  are well known in the art for such applications, and further description may be omitted here as unnecessary. 
     In various embodiments as shown the converter  26  is coupled to the pump assembly  24  as described above. The pump assembly  24  may include more specifically for example a ¾″ conduit such as a pipe or hose to which the converter  26  is coupled. Alternatively, the converter  26  may be coupled to the pump directly, or may be coupled directly to for example a threaded aperture in the livewell where the pump is positioned inside of the livewell. The particular configuration is unnecessary to the scope of the present invention, and various forms of converters  27  may be provided to couple for example a hose  30  having a ⅝″ outer diameter to whatever portion of the pump assembly  24  is available in a given application. 
     In various embodiments the cap  36  at the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  may further include one or more of a stop cap  38  and a grip cap  40 . The stop cap  38  may be configured with a diameter at least as great as the second diameter of the grommet  42 , or in other words at least as great as the aperture  46  in the boat hull, such that the stop cap  38  and subsequently the hose assembly  28  is prevented from being pulled into the interior of the boat in response to the biasing force of the spring assembly  32 . The grip cap  40 , when provided, may be configured with a diameter greater than that of the stop cap  38  and positioned on the outside of the stop cap  38  with respect to the boat hull. In this manner a user may more conveniently grip the cap  36  and apply the second longitudinal force to (e.g., pull) the hose assembly  28 . 
     Having described the structure of the livewell drainage system  10  of the present invention, operation of the system  10  may be further described. 
     In a first (e.g., standard) mode of operation for the system  10 , the hose assembly  28  is not in use and the biasing force of the spring assembly  32  operates on the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  and thereby urges the cap  36  against the grommet  42  and into a first position  48  as shown for example in  FIG. 5 . The biasing force of the spring assembly  32  may in various embodiments be small or negligible in the first position  48 , but some tension or compression depending on the type of spring assembly  32  may generally be desirable to continuously urge the cap  36  against the grommet  42  and more generally against the boat hull so as to prevent the hose assembly  28  from vibrating or rattling in place. 
     In a second (e.g., draining) mode of operation for the system  10 , a user positioned either within the boat or outside of the boat may grasp the hose assembly  28  using for example the grip cap  40  where available and pull the hose  30  from the grommet  42  to a second position  50 , as shown for example in  FIG. 6 , by applying a second longitudinal force along the length of the hose  30  which is greater than the first longitudinal force applied by the spring assembly  32  generally. The hose  30  may be pulled up to a maximum length  52  for the system  10  and directed to a portable device, such as for example a bag sized to receive the captured fish and an appropriate amount of fluid from the livewell  20 . The pump  24  may then be enabled, and in various embodiments a multiway valve in the pump rotated or otherwise configured to direct water flow from the livewell through the hose  30  and into the bag. 
     Upon discharging the desired amount of fluid from the livewell  20 , the user may disable the pump  24  or otherwise configure the valve to prevent water flow from the livewell  20  and through the hose  30 . The hose  30  may then be released and the biasing longitudinal force applied by the spring assembly  32  used to retract the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  against the grommet  42  or otherwise against the boat hull. 
     In certain embodiments the hose assembly  28  may further include a locking mechanism (not shown) which maintains the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  in a second position  50  between the first position  48  and the maximum length  52  for the hose assembly  28  with respect to the first position  48 . The locking mechanism may automatically be enabled when a pulling motion applied by a user has concluded, or may be manually applied by the user when a desired length of the second end  37  of the hose assembly  28  with respect to the boat hull has been achieved. The locking mechanism may then be disabled by the user when the desired amount of fluid has been discharged from the livewell, such as for example by applying a brief pulling motion to the hose assembly  28 , which permits the biasing force of the spring assembly  32  to take effect and retract the hose assembly  28  to the first position  48  again. 
     The previous detailed description has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful “Livewell Drainage System with Integrated Retractable Hose Assembly,” it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.