Patent Publication Number: US-11027800-B1

Title: Floating hull pad system and method of its use

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. 62/823,086 filed Mar. 25, 2019. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure is in the field of floating lifts and lift system used to raise and lower a watercraft out of and in to a body of water. More particularly, the disclosure is directed toward the lift&#39;s hull pad or bunk system. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of a floating bunk system of this disclosure include a hull pad assembly extending in a longitudinal direction with two hull pads spaced apart from one another and, at each end of the bunk system, an upper (floating) end channel connected to the hull pads, a lower (boat lift) end channel connected to lift floats, and a sliding guide assembly located between the two end channels. The sliding guide assembly may include a pair of guide poles extending in a vertical direction and received by bushings on each of the end channels. In some embodiments, the guide poles may be cylindrical shaped. In other embodiments, the guide poles may be t-shaped (in cross-section). The upper end channel is in a fixed position relative to the guide poles and the lower end channel is slidably displaceable along the guide poles toward and away from the upper end channel. 
     In some embodiments, the two hull pads include flotation. Where a cylindrical-shaped guide pole is used, the upper and lower bushings may include complementary locking means for temporarily securing the upper and lower end channels to one another. The upper end channel may include one or more guide pads configured to receive the lower end channel. At least one of the upper and lower end channels may include a plurality of spaced apart openings configured to receive a fastener. The hull pad assembly may include a bracket having a plurality of spaced apart openings configured to receive a fastener. The system may further include a pair of floats extending in the longitudinal direction between the first and second ends, with the lower end channels connected to the pair of floats F. 
     When in an intended use as part of a boat lift, embodiments of a floating hull pad or bunk system of this disclosure:
         reduce the skill level required by a boater to dock a boat;   hold a boat in a stable position without raising the lift;   provide a boater time to unload and load from water level not from a raised position;   allow a boater to pull in and side dock a boat without lowering the bunks, and it acts as a holding mechanism,   require no effort from the boater to keep the boat secure when pulled on the bunks;   do not put pressure on the dock while the boat is being held in the docked position;   auto corrects (self-aligns) the boat as the boater pulls in the slip, pulling the boat straight and true to center of the system without the boater&#39;s input;   when in a raised position, fully lock into place on the lift and behave as a normal (prior art lift) without the floating bunk system feature.   include positive lock to keep the floating bunk system secure when the lift is in a raised position   have no metal on metal contact on guides to add to the life of the lift; and   can lock the floating bunk system so that it sinks with the lift.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a floating hull pad system of this disclosure mounted on a prior art lift. 
         FIG. 2  is a detail view of the floating hull pad system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  is a front isometric view of an embodiment of the floating assembly. 
         FIG. 3B  is a rear isometric view of the floating assembly of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  is a view of an embodiment of the slide guide assembly when in an unlocked position. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the slide guide assembly of  FIG. 4  when in a locked position. 
         FIG. 6  is a view of an embodiment of the end channel guide assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings, embodiments of a floating hull pad or bunk system  10  of this disclosure include a hull pad float assembly  20  connected to a floating end channel  30 F that rides on a slide guide assembly  40  located at each end E of the system  10 , the slide guide assembly  40  also being connected to a boat lift end channel  30 L (which, in turn, is connected to the lift float Fs). The system  10  makes use of the buoyancy of the hull pad floats  21 , with the hull pads P floating on the surface of the water in any water conditions. As the boat lift L starts to lift, the slide guide assembly  40  aligns the floating end channel  30 F on to the boat lift end channel  30 L. 
     In some embodiments, when the channels  30 L,  30 F make contact with one another, the bunk system locks in place by way of a locking mechanism  48  and the system  10  lifts in a traditional manner. As the boat lift L lowers and the hull pad floats  21  enter the water, the buoyancy of the floats  21  causes the attached hull pad assembly  20  to float as the slide guide assembly  40  allows the boat lift L to continue to sink to its normal lowered position while the floating bunk system  10  stays on top of the water. 
     Embodiments of the hull pad float assembly  20  may be comprised of one or more floating bunks that can be tied together utilizing a tank tie bracket  23  with a slotted bolt pattern to allow adjustability between floats  21  and to span different length bunk systems. In some embodiments, the tie bracket  23  may be formed integral to the hull pad float  21 . The hull pad float  21  may be comprised of a high-density plastic polymer to allow long life, durability, and cause no damage to the boat hull when the float comes in contact with hull. End brackets  22  include a slotted bolt pattern to adjust span and connect floating bunk hull floats  21  to the hull support columns C at each end E of the hull pads P. The end brackets  22  may be adjusted on either end E to allow for hull pad P leveling, with reference to the water line, to customize to a boater&#39;s preference. The adjustability of the hull pad floats  21  allows the adjusted-up pressure to the boat hull to stop the boat in its ideal location every time when the boat is docked at a consistent speed. 
     In some embodiments of the slide guide assembly  40 , the slide guide assembly  40  may include an upper bushing assembly comprised of an upper bushing  45 U and a bushing guide housing  44  bolted to the floating end channel  30 F. The guide pole  49  may be pinned by a keeper pin  46  in the upper guide bushing assembly). A lower bushing assembly may be comprised of another bushing guide housing  44 , a lower bushing  45 L, and a guide assembly lock  48 . The lower bushing  45 L should have adequate clearance to allow the guide pole  49  to have freedom for the floating hull pad system  10  to float freely on the surface of the water without binding on the lower bushing assembly  45 L. A retaining ring  42  may be located below the lower bushing  45 L. 
     In some embodiments, when the floating end channel  30 F comes in contact with the rising lift&#39;s end channel  30 L, the guide assembly lock  48  locks the channels  30 L,  30 F to one another by straddling the upper bushing assembly. This lock  48  is configured such that it will not allow the floating hull pad system  10  to move forward or aft or side to side, thereby avoiding an over stress condition which could cause the guide poles  49  to become deformed. The guide pole  49  may be pinned/locked by a keeper pin  46  so that when the lift L submerges the floating hull pad system  10  will submerge with it for a traditional boat lift experience. The guide poles  49  may have stops  51  on one end  53  so that the floating hull pad system  10  cannot detach from the boat lift. The stop  51  may be a flanged surface, a pin, or a bolt. In embodiments, there is no metal on metal contact in the slide assembly. 
     In embodiments, floating end channel guide pads  31  may be affixed to the floating end channel  30 F avoiding metal on metal contact between it and the boat lift end channel  30 L. The floating end channel guide pads  31  can be replaced as a wear items as normal wear occurs over time. The bunk assembly can be raised and lowered by plumbing the hull pad float system  10  to a pneumatic control unit on the lift L. 
     In other embodiments, the guide pole  49  is a t-shaped guide pole in cross-section Where the guide pole  49  is t-shaped, the upper bushing  45 , the guide assembly lock  48 , and the channel guide pans  31  may be eliminated.