Patent Publication Number: US-10308323-B2

Title: Reconfigurable anchor system for watercraft

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATE APPLICATIONS 
     [Not Applicable] 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, this application relates to anchors for watercraft. Existing anchors may be designed for use in one or several specific types of sea bottom types and characteristics. Existing anchors may be either very heavy, causing them to be difficult and cumbersome to handle, or they may be of limited usefulness in one or more types of bottom soil composition and characteristics (e.g., sand, clay, stone, gravel, silt, or the like). In the case that a very heavy anchor is not used, multiple anchors may be required to operate anchor a boat in bodies of water with different types of bottoms. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to certain inventive techniques, an anchor system for watercraft may include: a hub including a receiving contour; a skirt removably securable to the hub along a receiving contour of the hub, wherein: the skirt at least partially surrounds an inner recess and includes a gap such that such that the skirt is not circumferentially continuous; and the skirt is configurable in an open position and a closed position, wherein when the skirt is in the open position the gap is wider than when the skirt is in the closed position; and an adjustment mechanism (e.g., a mating bolt and nut) attached to the skirt, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to selectively place the skirt into the open position or the closed position; and wherein: the inner recess of the skirt includes a radius that is larger than a radius of the receiving contour of the hub when the skirt is in the open position; and the radius of the inner recess of the skirt is substantially the same as the radius of the receiving contour of the hub when the skirt is in the closed position, such that the skirt is secured to the hub when the skirt is in the closed position. The skirt may have a plurality of flukes. The adjustment mechanism further may include two apertures in the skirt sized to receive a bolt, wherein the two apertures are located on opposite sides of the gap in the skirt. The skirt may have a substantially frustoconical shape having a vertical sloping angle, wherein the vertical sloping angle (e.g., 60 degrees) is steeper when the skirt is in the closed position and shallower when the skirt is in the open position. The system may include an additional skirt which has a shape that is different from the skirt. The skirt may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal; and the additional skirt may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The receiving contour of the hub may include a circumferential groove in the hub. The inner recess of the skirt includes may include a radius that is 20 percent larger than the radius of the receiving contour of the hub when the skirt is in the open position. 
     According to certain inventive techniques, a method for forming a portion of an anchor may include: stamping a piece of sheet metal using a first die to form a skirt, wherein: the skirt defines an inner recess; and there is a gap in the skirt such that the skirt is not circumferentially continuous. The method may further include crimping the skirt using a second die. The method may further include: creating a first aperture in the skirt proximate a first edge of the gap; and creating a second aperture in the skirt proximate a second edge of the gap, wherein the second edge of the gap is opposite the first edge of the gap, wherein each of the first aperture and the second aperture is sized to receive a bolt useable to secure the skirt. The method may further include: bending upwardly a portion of the skirt including the first aperture; and bending upwardly a portion of the skirt including the second aperture, wherein, after said bending steps, the first aperture and the second aperture are substantially aligned to receive the bolt. The first die may include a plurality of flanges such that, once stamped, the skirt includes a plurality of flukes. The first die may include only a single flange such that, once stamped, the skirt includes only a single fluke. 
     According to certain inventive techniques, an anchor system for watercraft may include: a hub; and a skirt including at least one fluke and configured to removably attach to the hub, wherein a primary thickness of the at least one fluke is less than 0.25″. The hub may have a primary axial dimension. A tip of the at least one fluke may define an angle with respect to the primary axial dimension when the skirt is attached to the hub; the angle may be approximately 60 degrees. The anchor system may include an additional skirt configured to removably attach to the hub, wherein: the additional skirt comprises an additional at least one fluke; a shape of the additional at least one fluke is different from a shape of the at least one fluke. The skirt may include a plurality of flukes; and the additional skirt may have only one fluke. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an anchor system, according to certain inventive techniques. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a skirt for an anchor system, according to certain inventive techniques. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a hub for an anchor system, according to certain inventive techniques. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an anchor system, according to certain inventive techniques. 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate an elevational view of a skirt for an anchor system in an open and closed position, respectively, according to certain inventive techniques. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flow chart for a method of forming a skirt for an anchor system, according to certain inventive techniques. 
     
    
    
     The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain techniques of the present application, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, certain techniques are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the claims are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings. Furthermore, the appearance shown in the drawings is one of many ornamental appearances that can be employed to achieve the stated functions of the system. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, and 4B  illustrate various inventive techniques relating to an anchor system  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the anchor system  100  may include a hub  110  and skirt  120 . Inventive techniques disclosed herein employ interchangeable skirts (e.g., skirt  120  depicted in  FIG. 2A  or skirt  130  depicted in  FIG. 3 ) each removably attachable to a hub  110  (e.g., an anchor barrel). Each skirt may have differently formed flukes, which can effectively engage in different types of bottom surfaces in a body of water. Thus, the inventive anchor system  100  may be usable for different types of bottom surfaces without the need for different anchors. 
     The hub  110 , depicted by itself in  FIG. 2B , may be relatively heavy, for example between 2 and at least 15 pounds (depending on the size of the boat). The hub  110  may be constructed from, for example, cast iron (e.g., vinyl coated). The hub  110  may include a receiving contour  111  and a rod  112 . Furthermore portion(s) of a chain  113  may be attached to the rod  112 . The rod  112  and/or chain portion(s)  113  may facilitate connecting the hub  110  to an anchor line (not shown). 
     The receiving contour  111  in the hub  110  may receive the skirt(s)  120 ,  130  as further described below. The receiving contour  111  may be a circumferential groove, as depicted. The groove may be approximately ⅛″ deep and/or wide. Alternatively, the receiving contour  111  need not be continuously circumferential, and/or need not be circumferentially oriented. For example, the receiving contour  111  may include a plurality of vertical and/or horizontal recesses that complement and receive corresponding protrusions in the skirt(s)  120 ,  130 . 
     The skirt  120 , depicted by itself in  FIG. 2A , has an inner contour that defines an inner recess. The inner contour of the skirt  120  may be complementary to the receiving contour  111  of the hub  110 . The inner recess may not be completely enclosed. Specifically, there may be a gap in the skirt  120 , such that the skirt  120  is not circumferentially continuous. The skirt  120  may include one or a plurality of flukes  121 . As depicted, skirt  120  includes five flukes  121 . The flukes  121  may be configured to engage in a bottom surface of an aquatic environment. Different skirts may have differently shaped or a different number of flukes  121  depending on the type of bottom surface to be expected. 
     The skirt  120  may be formed from a single flat sheet of metal (e.g., 12 gauge stainless steel). According to some inventive techniques, while the skirt  120  may be tapered or crimped at the edges, the primary thickness of the skirt  120  may be less than ¼″ (e.g., approximately 7/64″). The flukes  121  may be bent to form upwardly facing concavities, as depicted. Tough organic plastics may also be employed. Examples are thermoplastic olefins such as polypropylene, or polycarbonates, polyesters, polyurethanes or polyamides. Reinforcing fibers such as fiberglass, carbon, etc. may be added to increase toughness and durability. 
     The skirt  120  may have a gap, the size of which may be adjusted by an adjustment mechanism  122 . Thus, the skirt may not be circumferentially continuous. By adjusting the size of the gap, the skirt  120  may be placed in an open or closed position. The skirt  120  may be placed in a closed position even if the gap is not entirely eliminated. Instead, a suitable reduction in the gap size (as further discussed below) will cause the skirt  120  to be placed into a closed position. 
     When the skirt  120  is in the open position, the inner contour of the skirt  120  around the interior recess may be relatively large, thereby allowing a user to remove or orient the skirt  120  with respect to the hub  110 . In the open position, a radius of the inner recess may be larger than a complementary radius of the receiving contour  111  of the hub  110  (e.g., approximately 20% larger). Once suitably positioned on the hub  110 , the skirt  120  may be placed in the closed position. In the closed position, the inner contour of the skirt  120  around the interior recess may be smaller than when the skirt is in the open position. For example, a radius of the inner recess may be larger when the skirt  120  is in the open position than when it is in the closed position. As the contour around the interior recess of the skirt  120  reduces, it abuts the complementary receiving contour  111  on the hub  110 . In this arrangement, the radius of the inner recess of the skirt may be substantially the same as a corresponding complementary radius in the hub  110 . Eventually, sufficient pressure is formed between the complementary contours and the skirt  120  becomes removably attached to the hub  110 . 
     The adjustment mechanism  122  may be (removably) attached to the skirt  120 . The adjustment mechanism may be configured to adjust the size of the gap in the skirt  120 , thereby selectively placing the skirt  120  in the open or closed position. The adjustment mechanism  122  may include a nut and bolt, as shown. The bolt may be arranged to go through two apertures on opposite sides of the gap. In this arrangement, portions of the skirt  120  on the opposite side of the gap that include the holes may be bent upwardly (e.g., approximately perpendicular to the remainder of the skirt  120 ). The holes may substantially align such that each hole can receive the bolt at the same time. By tightening the nut, the two sides of the gap may be drawn towards each other. Similarly, by loosening the nut, the gap may expand due to the material memory of the skirt (e.g., stainless steel). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the skirt  120  may be basically flat when it is in the open position ( FIG. 4A ), and in a frustoconical shape when it is in the closed position ( FIG. 4B ). When in the closed position, the skirt  120  may have a steeper vertical sloping angle than when in the open position. Such an angle may be approximately 60 degrees when the skirt  120  is in the closed position. 
       FIG. 3  depicts an additional skirt  130  that may be used with the anchor system  100 . The additional skirt  130  may be materially similar to the skirt  120 , and the same teachings apply. However, the additional skirt  130  may include a shape different from that of the skirt  120 . As depicted, the additional skirt  130  may have only one fluke. Various additional skirts may be usable with the anchor system  100 . Each skirt may be adapted to engage with a different type of bottom surface in a marine environment. For example, skirt  120  may be useful for engaging a variety of bottom surfaces, while skirt  130  may be useful for engaging marl or relatively soft bottom surfaces. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart  500  for a method of forming a portion of an anchor—specifically, a skirt such as skirt  120  or  130 . The steps may be performed in a different order, as may be the case, or overlapping in time. At step  510 , a piece of sheet metal (e.g., 12-gauge stainless steel) may be stamped using a first die to form a skirt. A gap may be formed in the skirt. The skirt may be basically flat at this stage. The first die may include a plurality of flanges such that, once stamped, the skirt includes a plurality of flukes. Alternatively, the first die may have only a single flange, such that, once stamped, the skirt has only a single fluke. At step  520 , the skirt may be crimped using a second die. This may give each of the fluke(s) of the skirt concav(ities) as depicted in  FIGS. 1, 2A, 4A, and 4B , and discussed above. At step  530 , first and second apertures in the skirt are created proximate first and opposite second edges of the gap, respectively. Apertures may be formed as part of the stamping and/or crimping process, or they may be drilled at some time during the manufacturing process. At step  540 , the portions of the skirts that include (or will include) the first and second apertures may be bent upwardly, such that the apertures are substantially aligned. 
     The inventive techniques resolve various problems through the use of interchangeable skirts for an anchor hub. Each attachment may have differently formed flukes, which may effectively engage in a wide variety of seabed substrate. The inventive techniques allow for anchors that are less costly and smaller, because there is no need to have multiple anchors—e.g., the same hub is used with each different skirt. 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the novel techniques disclosed in this application. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the novel techniques without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the novel techniques not be limited to the particular techniques disclosed, but that they will include all techniques falling within the scope of the appended claims.