Patent Publication Number: US-2022227466-A1

Title: Load conveyance system for modular floating platforms

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This description relates to a load conveyance system that can be incorporated into modular floating platforms. More particularly, the description details landing and launching various types of watercraft on floating vessel platforms while reducing the damage potential to the floating vessel platform and the watercraft&#39;s hull. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Modular floating platforms have been in use for a number of years and are increasing both in popularity and applications. Modular floating platforms are typically constructed with molded plastic float modules that can be interconnected to form a variety of sizes and shaped floating platforms. Many modular floating platforms have been adapted for use as a floating vessel platform that provides a means of storing watercraft out of the water where a watercraft can be driven on top of the floating platform for dry storage. In such applications it is desirable to provide a means for watercraft with different hull sizes and shapes to be easily and safely propelled onto the floating vessel platform without damaging the hull of the watercraft or causing wear and tear on the floating vessel platform float modules. 
     Some floating vessel platforms are constructed with float modules that have different heights, sometimes referred to as tall and short float modules. By utilizing short float modules in the center section of the floating vessel platform it was found that a recessed channel could be formed that can act as a keel guidance system to keep the hull of a watercraft centered on the floating vessel platform. In such floating vessel platforms the short float modules are recessed but have a generally flat surface and as the watercraft is propelled onto the floating platform the hull of the watercraft will typically engage with the flat surface of the short float modules and/or with the top edges of the adjoining tall float modules, thereby causing wear and tear on the float modules. 
     Another problem found with floating vessel platforms is that whereas a recessed center channel provides a means to guide a watercraft onto the floating platform, it also can create friction between the hull of the watercraft and the recessed float modules and the adjoining taller float modules, making it difficult to propel the watercraft on to and off of the floating vessel platform. 
     To remedy wear and tear issues, some modular floating vessel platforms are fitted with tubular members that can be secured adjacent to sides of tall float modules and on top of recessed short float modules that are positioned in between the tall float modules. These tubular members are intended to support the weight of the watercraft and are generally long enough to support the watercraft hull that comes into contact with the floating vessel platform. The tubular members have a diameter that is large enough to elevate the watercraft hull off of the surfaces of the floating vessel platform. Such tubular members, or “bunks” help to reduce wear and tear on the float modules but do not always reduce the friction sufficiently to allow watercraft to easily move on and off of the floating vessel platform. 
     Another way that has been used to facilitate the movement of watercraft on and off of floating vessel platforms, is to incorporate a winch system and pulleys into the floating vessel platform that is used to mechanically pull the watercraft onto the floating vessel platform and to pull it off using a back winch system that includes a combination of the winch and pulleys mounted rearward on one or more sides of the floating vessel platform. 
     The need to add bunks and a winch/back winch system to a floating vessel platform to reduce wear and tear and to facilitate the movement of the watercraft adds to the complexity and cost of installing a floating vessel platform and reduces the convenience of using a floating vessel platform as a simple drive on drive off watercraft storage platform. 
     There are floating vessel platforms that are comprised of single float modules that are large enough to receive the watercraft rather than a plurality of interconnected float modules. Such single “slab” style floating vessel platforms lack flexibility inherent with floating vessel platforms with a plurality of interconnected smaller float modules, which limits the ability of a watercraft to propel itself on to and off of a slab style floating vessel platform. Consequently, many slab style floating vessel platforms are equipped with various styles of wheels and rollers to facilitate travel of a watercraft on such floating vessel platforms. To be effective, a number of wheels and rollers, or a combination thereof, are arranged in-line and spaced apart longitudinally along the length of the floating vessel platform where the hull of the watercraft may come into contact with the surface of the floating vessel platform. In some instances, the wheels and rollers are partially concealed in pockets formed into the floating vessel platform but are nevertheless are prominently displayed which can detract from the aesthetic appearance of the floating vessel platform. 
     In the case of both wheel and roller devices that are used in floating vessel platforms there are edges on each side of the wheel or roller. If the hull of a watercraft comes into contact with the edges of the wheels or rollers, the hull can be damaged or marred. 
     SUMMARY 
     A roller ball device attachable to a floating vessel platform is described. The roller ball device is a rotatable sphere that is mounted in a bracket or housing and adaptable to be installed into a floating vessel platform. A plurality of roller ball devices can be placed in a floating vessel platform assembly to facilitate the travel of a watercraft on or off of a floating vessel platform with no or minimal potential of causing damage to the watercraft&#39;s hull by virtue of the absence of edges on the spherical shaped roller. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of the concept are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements and which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one example of a roller ball assembly attachable to a floating vessel platform. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the roller ball assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one type of floating vessel platform with a recessed center channel comprised of short float modules and adjoining tall float modules. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of one type of floating vessel platform with a recessed center channel comprised of a short float module and adjoining tall float modules with a profile of a hull of a watercraft resting thereon. 
         FIG. 5 a    is a perspective view of a floating vessel platform comprised of center channel float modules that have a contoured “U” shaped upper surface and adjoining flat surfaced float modules. 
         FIG. 5 b    is a close-up view of a connecting tab that is molded into each corner of the float modules used in the floating vessel platform depicted in  FIG. 5   a.    
         FIG. 6 a    is a perspective view of one type of connector used in floating vessel platforms. 
         FIG. 6 b    is a perspective view of a roller ball assembly secured in a floating vessel platform connector. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-section view the floating vessel platform depicted in  FIG. 5 a    illustrating attachment of roller ball assemblies in connectors of the floating vessel platform with a profile of a watercraft hull resting on the floating vessel platform. 
         FIG. 8  is a top close-up view of a roller ball assembly that is installed at a junction point of four float modules. 
         FIG. 9  is a profile view of an alternate embodiment of the roller ball assembly. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another alternate embodiment of the roller ball assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the scope of the description. The present disclosure is considered as an exemplification of the concept and is not intended to limit the concept to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below. 
     Current modular floating vessel platforms have been generally designed with a recessed center channel that provides a keel guidance mechanism to keep a watercraft centered on the floating vessel platform as it travels on and off the platform. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 3  a floating vessel platform assembly  26  is designed with short float modules  28  which are centrally located in the floating vessel platform assembly  26  and are attached to adjoining tall float modules  30 . The short float modules  28  are on a plane lower than the top surface of the tall float module  30 . A profile of a boat hull  32  is shown in  FIG. 4  positioned on a cross section view the floating vessel platform assembly  26 . In this instance, the boat hull  32  is supported on the upper edges of the tall float modules  30  and the keel of the boat is in contact with the top surface of the short float modules  28 . 
     As the watercraft travels on and off the floating vessel platform  26 , the hull  32  of the watercraft repeatedly engages with the upper edges of the tall flat modules  30  and the top surface of the short float modules  28 . Over time, contact between the hull and these surfaces can cause wear and tear on the float modules, eventually causing a breach in one or more of the float modules. A breach in one or more of the float modules can allow water to enter the float modules, causing them to lose buoyancy to the point where the floating vessel platform will no longer be able to support the weight of the watercraft and maintain the hull above the waterline, which is the essential purpose of the floating vessel platform. Additionally, in some instances, the amount of friction between the float modules and the boat hull may make it difficult for the watercraft to efficiently travel on and off of the floating vessel platform. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a roller ball assembly  10  used to minimize wear and tear on a floating vessel platform. Assembly  10  includes a sphere or spherical surface  12 , a bracket  14  with a mounting post  16  attached thereto, and a shaft  18  coupled with the spherical surface  12 . In one embodiment, a series of two or more roller ball assemblies  10  are designed to be mounted into a floating vessel platform to provide a unobtrusive load transfer conveyance system that provides means for a watercraft to smoothly and efficiently travel on and off a floating vessel platform and eliminate the friction and wear and tear on the floating vessel platform float modules and the boat hull. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , assembly  10  includes one or more bearings sleeves  20  inserted into a through hole  22  located in the center of the spherical surface  12 . The spherical surface  12  is then placed into the bracket  14 . The shaft  18  is inserted through the bracket  14  and the spherical surface  12  and a retaining device  24  is attached to the ends of the shaft  18  secure the shaft  18  to the bracket  14 . As discussed herein, one or more assemblies  10  can be positioned in a floating vessel platform. 
       FIG. 5 a    depicts a floating vessel platform assembly  34  comprised of contoured center float modules  36  and adjoining flat surfaced float modules  38 . In this floating vessel platform assembly, the sides of the contoured center floats  36  are the same height as the adjoining flat surfaced float modules  38 . The float modules have connecting tabs  40  located on the corners of the float modules  36  and  38 , which can be secured together using a connector  42  with an internal hollow chamber, such as one illustrated in  FIG. 6 a   . As shown in  FIG. 6 b    the roller ball assembly  10  can be readily mounted into the connector  42  by inserting the mounting post  16  into the connector  42 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross section view of the floating vessel platform in  FIG. 5 a    showing the connecting tabs  40  secured together with connectors  42 . Roller ball assemblies  10  are mounted into connectors  42  using the mounting post  16  attached to the bottom of the bracket  14  shown in  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, when the roller ball assembly is installed into the floating vessel platform, the roller ball bracket  14  is completely below the top surfaces of the float modules  36  and  38  with only the top section of the spherical surface  12  exposed above the top surfaces of the float modules  36  and  38 . To further illustrate,  FIG. 8  is a top view of the roller ball assembly mounted into the intersection of four assembled float modules. Pairs of roller ball assemblies  10  can be mounted longitudinally in floating vessel platforms in whatever number is necessary for various lengths and styles of watercraft. As a watercraft is propelled onto the floating vessel platform the watercraft&#39;s hull  34  rides on top of the roller ball assemblies  10  and does not come into direct contact with the float modules. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the concepts presented herein where the roller ball assembly  46  is comprised of a spherical surface  48  housed in a bracket  50  that allows the spherical surface to rotate in any direction within the housing thereby eliminating the need to rotate the spherical surface on a shaft. In one embodiment, the bracket  50  includes a top retaining element that includes a minimum dimension that is less than a diameter of the spherical surface. Additionally, a top portion of the spherical surface is exposed relative to the top retaining element to engage a watercraft. In this embodiment, the spherical surface  48  can freely rotate while the top retaining element maintains the spherical surface  48  within the bracket  50 . To insert spherical surface  48  within the bracket  50 , in one embodiment, the spherical surface  48  can deflect with respect to the top retaining element of vice versa. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another alternate embodiment of my concept where the spherical surface  54  that is used in the roller ball assembly is segmented thereby allowing the bracket  56  to be contained within the segments of the spherical surface. 
     A floating vessel platform equipped with roller ball assemblies as described herein provides a safe, efficient, unobtrusive and easy to install load conveyance system to facilitate the travel of a watercraft on or off of a floating vessel platform with no or minimal potential of causing damage to the watercraft&#39;s hull or to the float modules. Floating vessel platforms of various sizes and shapes can be equipped with as many roller ball assemblies as is necessary to accommodate watercraft of various types and lengths. The roller ball assemblies eliminate the need to secure bunks and, in many cases, eliminates the need to use winch systems on floating vessel platforms. Thus, it can be seen that users of my load conveyance system will find it to be a valued addition to floating vessel platforms that will make the drive on docking experience easier and extend the useful life of the floating vessel platform while virtually eliminating the potential of damage the hull of their watercraft. 
     Various embodiments of the invention have been described above for purposes of illustrating the details thereof and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. The details and features of the disclosed embodiment[s] are not intended to be limiting, as many variations and modifications will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to be interpreted broadly and to include all variations and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.