Patent Publication Number: US-8123433-B2

Title: Inflatable lift system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to lifts and more particularly pertains to a new inflatable lift system for lifting and maneuvering a boat lift upon a body of water 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of lifts is known in the prior art. More specifically, lifts heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     The prior art includes first and second fixed-sized tubes being securely attached to opposed horizontal support beams of a boat lift and being capable of receiving volumes of air and or water. Another prior art includes a pair of air bladder enclosures having a definite size and shape being attached to the side of the boat lift. Also, another prior art includes a frame mounted pontoons. Yet, another prior art includes housings being attached about the legs of a boat lift with each housing having an air entrapment member disposed therein. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new inflatable lift system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new inflatable lift system which has many of the advantages of the lifts mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new inflatable lift system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art lifts, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a floatation assembly including a plurality of air inflatable floatation members for lifting a movable structure, and also includes a support assembly for supporting and securing the air inflatable floatation members to the movable structure. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the inflatable lift system in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or 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. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new inflatable lift system which has many of the advantages of the lifts mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new inflatable lift system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art lifts, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new inflatable lift system for lifting and maneuvering a boat lift upon a body of water. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new inflatable lift system that substantially lifts the wheels of the boat lift out of the water so that the user can easily detach and attach the wheels to the boat lift. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new inflatable lift system that lifts the bottom front and back supports of the boat lift above the water so that the user can attach and detach the wheels to the boat lift. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a new inflatable lift system according to the present invention with the lift system being inflated to float the boat lift upon the water. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the present invention with the lift system being deflated and the boat lift resting upon the bottom of a body of water. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 3  thereof, a new inflatable lift system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the inflatable lift system  10  generally comprises a floatation assembly including a plurality of air inflatable floatation members  11 ,  14  for lifting a movable structure  59  above a, and also comprises a support assembly for supporting and securing the air inflatable floatation members  11 ,  14  to the movable structure  59 . The air inflatable floatation members are inflatable bags  11 ,  14  having air-receiving chambers disposed therein. Each inflatable bag  11 ,  14  has a topside and also has one or more air ports  12 ,  13 ,  15 ,  16  being conventionally disposed therein for inflating and deflating the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . The inflatable bags  11 ,  14  are positioned under the movable structure  59  and essentially rest flat on a bottom of a body of water  66  upon the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  being deflated and the movable structure  59  being desirably positioned in the water  66  and stabilized upon the bottom of the water  66 . The inflatable bags  11 ,  14  are generally rectangular shaped and are fastened and disposed longitudinally under bottom support beams  60 - 63  of a boat lift  59  for lifting the bottom support beams  60 - 63  above a surface of the water  66  upon the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  being inflated to expose wheels  64 ,  65  and/or axles of the boat lift  59  at the surface of the water  66  with the wheels  64 ,  65  and axles being mounted on bottom side support beams  62 ,  63  which are disposed perpendicular to bottom front and back support beams  60 ,  61 . Each inflatable bag  11 ,  14  is centered laterally relative to a respective bottom front or back support beam  60 - 63  with at least a portion of an underside of a respective bottom support beam  60 - 63  resting upon the inflatable bag  11 ,  14 . The floatation assembly also includes hose connectors  49 - 52  being conventionally disposed in the air ports  12 ,  13 ,  15 ,  16 , and further includes hoses  53 ,  54  being conventionally connected to the hose connectors  49 - 52 , and also includes valve connectors  39 ,  42  being conventionally connected to the hoses  53 ,  54 , and further includes pressure relief valves  55 ,  56  being conventionally connected to the valve connectors  39 ,  42  to regulate air pressure in the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 , and also includes air valves  57 ,  58  also being conventionally connected to the valve connectors  39 ,  42  and being connectable to an air pressurized source such as an air compressor. 
     The support assembly includes bracket members  17 ,  22 ,  27 ,  32  being fastened with bolts and wing nuts to the bottom support beams  60 - 63  of the boat lift  59  with the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  being suspended from the bracket members  17 ,  22 ,  27 ,  32 . The support assembly includes bag support members  37 ,  40 ,  43 ,  46  being conventionally attached to the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . The bag support members  37 ,  40 ,  43 ,  46  are sheets of material being conventionally attached to the topsides of the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . The sheets of material form pockets  45 ,  48  in cooperation with the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  and have slits  38 ,  41 ,  44 ,  47  being disposed therethrough into the pockets  45 ,  48 . Each bracket member  17 ,  22 ,  27 ,  32  has a U-shaped portion for fastening to a respective bottom support beam  60 - 63  and also has an anti-roll tongue portion  20 ,  21 ,  25 ,  26 ,  30 ,  31 ,  35 ,  36  integrally extending from the U-shaped portion and being securely inserted through the slit  38 ,  41 ,  44 ,  47  of a respective bag support member  37 ,  40 ,  43 ,  46  and into a respective the pocket  45 ,  48  for supporting, engaging and preventing rolling of a respective inflatable bag  11 ,  14  about a respective bottom support beam  60 - 63 . The U-shaped portion includes a bottom portion  67 ,  68 ,  69 ,  70  and side portions  18 ,  19 ,  23 ,  24 ,  28 ,  29 ,  33 ,  34 , being angled relative to the bottom portion  67 ,  68 ,  69 ,  70  with the side portions  18 ,  19 ,  23 ,  24 ,  28 ,  29 ,  33 ,  34  being spaced apart to allow a respective bottom front or back support beam  60 ,  61  to be received therebetween. The anti-roll tongue portion  20 ,  21 ,  25 ,  26 ,  30 ,  31 ,  35 ,  36  is integrally attached to and in planar alignment with the bottom portion  67 ,  68 ,  69 ,  70  of the U-shaped portion and is generally perpendicular to the side portions  18 ,  19 ,  23 ,  24 ,  28 ,  29 ,  33 ,  34  of the U-shaped portion to support a respective inflatable bag  11 ,  14  and to urge and engage the inflatable bag  11 ,  14  substantially under a respective bottom front or back support beam  60 ,  61  upon the inflatable bag  11 ,  14  being inflated to lift the respective bottom or back support beam  60 ,  61  above the surface of the water  66  to expose wheels  64 ,  65  and/or axles of the boat lift  59  at the surface of the water  66 . Each bracket member  17 ,  22 ,  27 ,  32  includes anti-roll tongue portions  20 ,  21 ,  25 ,  26 ,  30 ,  31 ,  35 ,  36  extending in opposite directions from the U-shaped portion and being securely inserted through the slits  38 ,  41 ,  44 ,  47  and into respective the pockets  45 , 48  to prevent rolling of a respective inflatable bag  11 ,  14  about a respective bottom front or back support beam  60 ,  61 . 
     In use, the conventional air pressurized source is conventionally connected to the air valves  57 ,  58  and pressurized air is passed through the hoses  53 ,  54  and into the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . Approximately 1 to 3 pounds of air pressure is sufficient to inflate the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  and raise the boat lift  59  out of the water  66 . Since the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  are positioned under the boat lift  59 , in particular under the bottom front and back support beams  60 ,  61 , the boat lift is generally raised above the surface of the water  66  thus exposing the wheels  64 ,  65  and/or axles on the boat lift  59  at the surface of the water  66 . Since the wheels  64 ,  65  are used to move the boat lift  59  from the shore and into the water  66  and since the wheels  64 ,  65  are typically removed because the boat lift  59  is intended to remain in the water  66  for a period time, it is desirable to stabilize the boat lift  59  and protect the wheels  64 ,  65  from being damaged from the water  66  by removing the wheels  64 ,  65 . If the boat lift  59  was only partially set afloat in the water  66  with much of the frame and wheels  64 ,  65  being disposed under the surface of the water  66 , it would be difficult for the user to remove the wheels  64 ,  65  and then subsequently remount the wheels  64 ,  65  back on the boat lift  59 . Once the boat lift  59  is moved to the desired position in the water  66 , the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  are deflated by air valves  57 ,  58  and the boat lift  59  drops and settles in the water  66  and upon the bottom with the inflatable bags  11 ,  14  being generally flattened and the bottom front and back support beams  60 ,  61  resting not only on the bottom of the water  66  but also on the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . When it is time to remove the boat lift  59  from the water  66 , the pressurized air source is connected to the air valves  57 ,  58  and pressurized air is passed into the inflatable bags  11 ,  14 . The inflatable bags  11 ,  14  need to be positioned under the bottom front and back support beams  60 ,  61  so that the boat lift  59  can be raised and floated above the surface of the water  66  so that the wheels  64 ,  65  and axles are exposed at the surface of the water  66 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the inflatable lift system. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.