Patent Publication Number: US-2021179231-A1

Title: Adjustable tether system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The Applicant claims priority to and incorporates by reference the US Provisional patent application entitled ADJUSTABLE TETHER SYSTEM AND METHOD, Ser. No. 62/949,415, filed on Dec. 17, 2019. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention may relate to adjustable tether systems that may be used to removably attach one object like as a vehicle, namely a boat, to another object such a boat fender, dock, boat trailer and alike. More particularity to those tether systems whose tethers that may be adjustable in overall length and may further utilize a quick length adjustment device for such adjustment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     One of the greater challenges to operating a boat, whether sail or motor-powered, is generally to safely bring the boat in and moor the boat to a dock or other mooring device in a manner that does not result to damage to the boat which can be expensive to repair. The dock, generally made of much sturdier construction and materials than most boats, can damage the boat upon rough or repeated boat hull contact. The resulting hull damage could allow water penetration of the boat hull, seriously impairing the boat&#39;s floatation capability. 
     To generally ameliorate such docking damage, a boat could be equipped with one or more boat fenders, generally a cylindrically-shape cushioning device made of substantially resilient material used go between the dock&#39;s boat contacting surface and the boat hull to limit the boat-dock impact upon mooring (or leaving the dock.) The boat fender may be further connected to one end of a tether (e.g., rope, strap, cord or alike) to generally allow the other end of the tether (and hence the boat fender) to be removably connected to a part of the boat structure or fixture like a railing, cleat or alike. This attachment could allow the boat fender to be placed overboard and come to rest against the hull. By adjusting the length of the tether, the boat fender may be appropriately draped alongside the boat hull to a point where the dock could otherwise contact the hull. 
     One possible issue with such docking procedure could arise if only one person is handling the boat. In such a situation, that person could easily find himself or herself doing several mooring tasks things at once. A daunting array of tasks if the boat is under sail coming to the dock. One such combined mooring task could be taking the one or more boat fenders from the on-boat storage area (e.g., cockpit, cabin, boat storage compartment or the like); generally securing the boat fender(s) via associated tether(s) to the boat structure and then substantially place the one or more such boat fenders over the side (e.g., against the boat hull exterior) in anticipation of where the dock may possibly contact the boat hull. The tether lengths may then have to be adjusted at the same time to generally prevent the boat fender from being located too high or too low upon the hull and being unable to prevent dock contact with the boat. This tether length adjustment, when done with several tethered boat fenders, may overwhelm the person attempting to dock the boat. What could be needed is a tether system or method that allows quick, removable and adjustable attachment of a boat fender to the boat structure. This tethering system could be additionally be adapted to removably attach a boat to another other vehicle, such as a boat trailer or to a mooring device such as a dock, floating mooring buoy or the alike. 
     One possible solution could be an adjustable tether system comprising of a long strap having made of suitable material (e.g., rope, cord, strap, and alike) terminating in two ends, one strap end may form a folded loop while the other strap end passes into and through an adjustment device (such as a cam clamp, ratchet and alike) to be used to adjust the tether&#39;s overall operating length. The one strap end can be used to removably attach the adjustable tether to another object such as the boat fender, other like. 
     In at least one version of the invention, the quick length adjustment device could feature a protective coating to prevent the adjustment device from scratching or otherwise damaging surfaces of items in proximity to the adjustable tether. The quick length adjustment device can further feature an attachment device for removably attaching the other end of the adjustable tether to a vehicle like a boat. The attachment device in one embodiment could be a clipped S-hook fixedly connected to the adjustment device by a second strap. 
     In operation, the one looped end may pass into and through a portion of an object (e.g., a securing aperture formed by one end of a boat fender, etc.) while the quick length attachment device be brought to be passed into and through the passed through formed loop to generally tighten the attachment of the strap loop end to the said object. The quick length adjustment device may be then activated by moving a length of the first strap through the quick adjustment device to adjust the overall tether operating length. This tether length adjustment may be done to place the boat fender at the right height along the side of the boat to meet the side of the dock; to bring a boat close to a dock, to tighten a boat down upon a boat trailer, to tighten an object, such a float board, onto an SUV rook rack or the like. The attachment device may then be attached to an appropriate fixture of the vehicle (e.g., boat railing or cleat, SUV roof rack or the like) to connect the remaining portion of the tether to the vehicle. In this manner, the tether length adjustment, attachment of the tether to a vehicle, object or both and alike can be done easily and quickly by one operator as needed. Conversely, once the object is to be removed from the tether, this can also be done quickly by one operator as well. 
     For example, when a boat is underway away from a dock, the tether system can be easily and quickly removed by one person from the boat structure to allow the adjustable tether and attached object to be otherwise placed onboard in a suitable on boat storage area. The same adjustable tether could be released from the boat fender and be used later to removably secure the boat to a trailer, the looped end being connected to a boat cleat while the attachment device removably connects to a portion of the trailer structure. Similarly, the adjustable tether could also be used to removably secure articles (e.g., surf boards, body boards and alike) to other vehicles like sport utility vehicle (SUV) via a roof rack. 
     Further, another version of the invention could be used to removably secure a boat to a dock. In this version, the attachment device may be a second strap with a second strap loop end with another other second strap end fixedly attach to the quick length adjustment device. The second strap loop end could be removably attached/looped over a vehicle attachment fixture (e.g., a boat cleat or like) while the first strap&#39;s loop end may be looped over an object&#39;s attachment fixture (e.g., a dock cleat.) As the boat is brought proximate to dock, the quick length adjustment device can be used to pull though the first strap to take the slack out of the adjustable tether to generally limit the capacity of the boat to bang into the dock possibly resulting in damage to the boat. 
     SUMMARY OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     Advantages of One or More Embodiments of the Present Invention 
     The various embodiments of the present invention may, but do not necessarily, achieve one or more of the following advantages: 
     to provide a tether system means that may be quickly adjusted and attached by one operator to removably connect a boat fender to a boat, a boat to a boat trailer, a boat to a dock and an article or object to a vehicle; 
     to provide a tether system that can be quickly adjusted by one operator to attach a boat fender to a boat structure and locate the boat fender properly alongside the boat; 
     the ability to adjust and attach a mooring tether system quickly and easily to moor a boat alongside a dock or other mooring device; 
     to provide a tether system that utilizes a coating placed upon quick length adjustment device to reduce possible object damage caused by the quick length adjustment device coming in contact with said object; 
     the ability to thread a portion of tether though a quick length adjustment device to adjust the operating length of the tether; 
     provide a boat fender positioning system that is easily and quickly operated by one person; and 
     the ability to quickly and easily adjust a tether system to secure an object to a vehicle. 
     These and other advantages may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     One possible embodiment of the present invention could comprise an adjustable tether system, an adjustable tether having a definite length of material having two ends, one end removably connected to an attachment point on the boat fender, the other end is passed through an attachment device used to adjust the operating overall length of the adjustable tether, the attachment device could further support a protective coating, the attachment device could further feature an attachment device used to removably attach the tether to a vehicle. 
     Another possible embodiment of the present invention could be an adjustable tether for a boat fender comprising a definite length of material having two ends, the first end is constructed to reversibly attach to a boat fender while the second end is movably threaded through an quick length adjustment device that adjusts the operating length of the tether, the quick length adjustment device further comprising an attachment device that removably attaches the adjustable tether to a structure of a vehicle. 
     Still yet another possible embodiment of the present invention could be a method for using the present invention comprising, providing an adjustable boat tether, the tether comprising first strap and a second strap, each strap terminating in two ends, the one strap end is loop configured to removably connected to boat fixture while the other one strap end is movably threaded through an quick length adjustment device; the adjusting device movably receives a one second strap end to change the overall length of the tether; the other second strap end forms a loop for removably attachment to a dock. 
     Yet another further possible embodiment of the present invention could be a method for using the present invention comprising, providing an adjustable tether, the adjustable tether comprising a definite length of material having two ends, the first end is loop configured to removably connected to a vehicle in a first position while the second end is movably threaded through an quick length adjustment device to change the overall length of the tether; the quick length adjustment device having an attachment device that can removable attach to the vehicle at a second position, activating the quick length adjustment device to bring length of material against an article to removably and securing article to the vehicle. 
     The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of one embodiment of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. 
     Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is substantially a perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is substantially a perspective view of one embodiment of attachment device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is substantially a perspective view of another embodiment of attachment device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is substantially a perspective view of yet another embodiment of attachment device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is substantially a perspective cutaway view of the quick length adjustment device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is substantially a perspective view of the quick length adjustment device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is substantially a perspective view of one embodiment of invention being attached to a boat fender. 
         FIG. 7A  is substantially another perspective view of one embodiment of invention being attached to a boat fender. 
         FIG. 7B  is substantially another perspective view of one embodiment of present invention being attached to a boat fender. 
         FIG. 8  is substantially a perspective view of one embodiment of present invention being attached to a motor vehicle. 
         FIG. 9  is substantially a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention attaching to the boat to a trailer. 
         FIG. 10  is substantially a perspective view of one embodiment of invention being attaching a boat to a dock. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic showing one embodiment of a process or method for operating the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     As substantially shown in  FIGS. 1 and 11 , the present invention  10  could comprise an adjustable tether  20  for attaching an object such a boat fender to a vehicle such as a boat; attaching a vehicle such as a boat to structure such as a dock; attaching a vehicle such as boat to another vehicle such as boat trailer and the like; as well as a method or process  100  for using adjustable tether. As substantially shown in  FIG. 1 , one possible embodiment of the adjustable tether could comprise of two straps, a first strap  22  and a second strap  24 , moveably connect to one another by a quick length adjustment device  26  that is used to adjust the overall operating length of the adjustable tether  20 . The first strap  22  could comprise one first strap end  28  that fixedly attaches to the quick length adjustment device while the other first strap end  30  could be configured to be removably attached to a vehicle fixture (such as boat cleat, railing or alike.) In at least one embodiment, the other first strap end  30  further comprises to an attachment device  32  (e.g., an S-hook with spring clasp, forms a first loop  29 ) The straps  22 ,  24  themselves could be made of wide variety of materials and suitable construction to meet their purpose known in the field. 
     In another version of the invention  10 , the first strap  22  forms a first loop  29  suitable for removable attachment to vehicle (e.g., boat) fixture such a cleat, railing and the like. The second strap  24  terminating in one second strap end  34  and other second strap end  36 . The one second strap end  34  could pass through and could be movably held by the quick length adjustment device  26  while the one second strap end  36  could form a second loop  38  to be used for attachment purposes. 
     In another embodiment, as substantially shown in  FIG. 2 , the other second strap end  36  does not form a second loop  38  and instead supports another attachment device  32  comprising o a securing lock  40  (e.g., eye snap mounts) that removably mount to a securing lock base  42  (e.g., eye snap base) that may be affixed to the boat structure (e.g., via fasteners.) The eye snap could feature an eyelet that removably attaches the eye snap to the other second strap end  36 . The eye snap could further feature a protrusion that removably engages the eye snap base (e.g., that could be mounted to the boat). 
     As substantially shown in  FIG. 3 , the attachment device  32  (e.g., for first strap  22 , second strap  22  or both straps) in another version could be an open hook with eyelet with fixedly connected to respective strap end. 
     As substantially shown in  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of the attachment device  32  could be an eyelet hook with a spring lever to removably enclosed the otherwise open portion of the hook that could clip over a (boat) structure such as a railing or like. With either type of S-hook, the strap can be looped around the eyelet portion of the hook and sewn together to fixedly attach the hook to the respective strap. 
     The quick length adjustment device  26  can be made from a suitable material such metal, plastic or combination of both. The quick length adjustment device  26  could one of variety of clamps  44  that can be removably hold a strap inserted and passed through the clamp  44 . Deactivation of such a clamp  44  to release the inserted strap could occur with moving a lever to rotate a cam out of contact with the inserted second strap  24 ; depressing a button to release engaging clamp surfaces from the inserted second strap  24 ; and the like In one version, as substantially shown in  FIG. 5 , the cam-operated clamp could be could have a U-shaped clamp body  46  having a flat base with raised sides. The cam end  50  of a lever  48  could be pivotally held between the arms so that a spring-biased rotation of the lever  48  would bring the cam end  50  of the lever  48  down into closer proximity with the flat base of the clamp body. The cam end  50  could feature ridged, serrated or other rough surfaces that when in contact with the second strap  24  held between the lever  48  and the clamp body  46  would removably secure the second strap  24  in place within the quick length adjustment device  26 . Lifting the non-cam end of the lever  48  away from the flat base would rotate the cam end  50  out of engagement with the second strap  24  to allow movement of the second strap  24  between the cam end  50  and the flat base of the clamp body  46 . Said lifting of the non-cam end of the lever  48  could allow for adjustment to the overall length of the adjustable tether  20  while lowering of the non-cam end could engage the second strap  24  to the clamp body  46  to establish the desired overall length of the adjustable tether  20 . Generally, a spring bias (not shown) upon the lever  48 /cam  50  could only allow the second strap  24  to be pulled in one direction through the quick length adjustment device  26  when the cam  50  is applied to the second strap  24 . The spring bias otherwise would keep the cam end  50  positioned in a manner that prevents the movement of the second strap  24  in a reverse direction unless the lever  48  is lifted to bring the cam end  50  out of contact with the second strap  24 . 
     As substantially shown in  FIG. 6 , in at least one embodiment, the quick length adjustment device  26  could have a body with a polymer (e.g., rubber, plastic, or the like) protective coating  52  at least partially applied to exterior surface of the metal body to prevent the quick length adjustment device from generally damaging surfaces of objects (e.g., vehicle) to which the adjustable tether  20  may be attached to or otherwise may come in contact. This protective coating may be applied to the edges of the body as well as non-cam portion of the lever. 
     As substantially shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7-7B , another embodiment of the invention  10  could have the other second strap end  36  having a respective attachment device  32  forming a second loop  38  that is placed into and through an attachment aperture  14  formed by an object (e.g., an end of the boat fender  12 ) that is to be removably attached to the second strap  24 . The other first strap end  30  may then be fed through the open second loop  38  to tighten down the other second strap end  36  upon the object (e.g., boat fender  12 .) The other first strap end  30  then can be suitably and removably attached to the vehicle (e.g., a handrail or other boat attachment fixture). In one version, an attachment device  32  of the other first strap end  30  such as a S-hook (with spring lever) may removably engage the vehicle or like. The overall length of the adjustable tether  20  (e.g., the height of the fender/bumper alongside the outside of the boat hull) can be adjusted by moving second strap  24  relative to quick length adjustment device  26  to set the overall adjustable tether length. In this manner, the invention  10  could be a quick means for mounting and adjusting objects (e.g., boat fenders/bumpers) to vehicles (e.g., boats) in that both attachment and adjustment could be accomplished within a few seconds by one person. 
     As substantially shown in  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the adjustable tether  20  may further be used also be used as a securing means or device to reversibly attach objects such as float boards, surfboards, kayaks, paddle boards  19 , and alike to a vehicle like to a boat, a motor vehicle  15 , trailer and alike. In such a configuration, the adjustable tether  20  may be attached to a vehicle (e.g., SUV) roof rack by inserting the other second strap end  36  (e.g., second loop  38 ) into a space in the one side of the roof rack and then passing the other first strap end  30  through the second loop end  38  to removably attach the other second strap end  36 /second loop  38  down upon the one side of the vehicle roof rack. Once the adjustable tether  20  is so anchored to the one side of the vehicle roof rack, the remaining portion of the adjustable tether  20  may be bought over the object (e.g., float board, body board, paddle board, kayak, canoe, surfboard, etc.) placed upon the vehicle roof rack. The attachment device  32  may then brought over to removably attached (e.g., S-Hook is clipped onto) the other side of the vehicle roof rack. The quick length adjustment device  26  can be used (e.g., the second strap  24  is further pulled through the clamp  44 ) to allow adjustable tether&#39;s overall length to be adjusted to desired length (e.g., to be taut in holding the object to the rack). This process may further impart tension upon the object that retains the object upon the SUV roof during transport of the object. 
     As substantially shown in  FIG. 9 , one version of the adjustable tether  20  may be used to removable secure a boat  16  to a trailer  17 . 
     As substantially shown in  FIGS. 1, 5 and 10 , another version of the adjustable tether system could removably connect a boat to dock  18  or to other suitable mooring implement (e.g., docking buoy—not shown). Such a tether system could comprise of first strap  22  and second strap  24  of respective definite lengths of material (e.g., rope, cord, strap, and alike) with each strap having two respective ends and be adjustably connected by the quick length adjustment device to set the overall length of the adjustable tether. The first strap  22  at one first strap end  28  can be fixedly connected to the quick length adjustable device  26  with the other first strap end  30  being folded over and attached to form first loop  29 . The first loop  29  could be configured to removably attach to a boat or dock fixture. In another version, the other first strap end  30  could be fixed attached to an attachment device  32  such as a clipped S-hook with eyelet (e.g., for attaching the adjustable tether  20  to a boat railing, cleat and alike.) 
     The second strap at the other second strap end could also be folded over to form a second loop  38  while the one second strap end  34  remains open to allow easy insertion into the quick length adjustment device  26  (e.g., the one second strap open end is placed into and through a space formed between the lever cam  50  and the clamp body  46 .) Lever cam end can be pivotally attached to the clamp body  46  in a manner to be bias the lever cam end closed upon the clamp body  46  so that the serrated or rough port of the cam end engages a portion of the second strap  24  to removably and adjustably hold the second strap  24  in contact against both the clamp body  50  and cam end  50 . The second loop  38  can be placed over a fixture of either a vehicle (e.g., boat) or dock  18  to complete the securing. 
     Method of Use 
     As substantially shown in  FIG. 11 , one possible embodiment of the invention could be a method or process  100  of using the invention  10 . The process  100  could start with step  102  providing the invention. In this step, a suitable object (e.g., boat fender) to which the adjustable tether could be attached could be obtained. In one version, the object could be a davit of a dock to which a boat is being brought to dock. The adjustable tether could comprise a two straps movable connected by a quick length adjustment device. Each strap could terminate at two respective two ends. One first strap end may be fed into a quick length adjustment device while the other first strap end may be fixedly attached to the attachment device or otherwise form a first loop. The attachment device or first loop could removably attach the adjustable tether to a structure or fixture (e.g., a cleat, railing attachment or alike) of a vehicle such as a boat. One second strap end could be formed into a loop or be attached to second attachment device. The other second strap end engages the quick length adjustment device. 
     The second loop/second attachment device could be removably attached to a boat fender. In one instance, the second loop could pass through an attachment aperture formed by one end of the boat fender. The other first end adjustment device could be passed through second loop to removably secure the other second strap end to the boat fender. 
     In one possible embodiment, the attachment device could be a push button clamp or cam clamp that may be spring-biased to a closed or locked position. In another possible embodiment, the attachment device loop formed form the end of the first strap that is not attached to the adjustment mechanism. 
     As this step is substantially completed, the process could proceed to step  104 , attaching the adjustable tether to the vehicle. 
     In step  104 , attaching the adjustable tether to the vehicle, which in one embodiment could be a boat to which the boat fender is being attached (or to which the davit of a dock or pier is being attached). In one version the boat could be underway and approaching a dock. The operator can then removably affix the adjustable tether (e.g., an attachment device or formed loop) to boat structure to prepare the boat for docking. In one embodiment, the attachment device could be an eye snap that is removably attached to the respective eye snap base permanently affixed to a boat structure. In another embodiment, a plain hook or clipped S-hook may be the attaching device, wherein the hook may removably applied to suitable boat structure such as a railing or cleat. In yet another embodiment, one end of the adjustable tether (e.g., the other first strap end could form a first loop, wherein the first loop may removably applied to suitable boat structure such as a railing or cleat. 
     In the version of the invention for attaching the boat fender to the boat, the boat fender could be attached to the other second strap end prior to the removable attachment of the adjustable tether to the boat. For this version, the other second strap end could be inserted through aperture formed by one end of the boat fender. The other first end strap could then be inserted and pulled through the second loop to bring the second loop tant and secured upon the boat fender end. In other versions, attachment device connected to other second strap end or formed second loop could be used to removably attach the other second strap end to the boat fender or other desired object. 
     In the version of the invention for attaching the boat to a mooring device, such as a pier or docking buoy or other vehicle, the other second strap end, generally as the second loop, could be removably secured to the mooring device as the boat comes proximate to said device. This could include applying the second formed loop to a davit, cleat of alike of the pier. 
     As this step is substantially completed, the process could proceed to step  106 , adjusting and positioning the adjustable tether. 
     In step  106 , adjusting and positioning the adjustable tether, the operator could activate the attachment device, moving the lever or button to allow for a free movement of the second strap in one direction relative to the attachment device (e.g., increasing the overall length of the adjustable tether.) Otherwise, the operator could pull more second strap through the quick length adjustment device to either lengthen or shorten the overall length of the adjustable tether. Generally, this adjustment could be done very quickly and possibly one-handed by a single operator. Once the length is adjusted, the boat fender can be placed over the boat side along the desired position on the hull. 
     Similarly, for tethering the boat to a dock, this same kind of length adjustment could be preformed to take slack out of the adjustable tether so to hold the boat securing against the dock to generally prevent the boat from banging against the dock due to wave, wind or other action. 
     To remove the adjustable tether, the above steps could be done in reverse order. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Although the description above contains many specifications, these specifications should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.