Abstract:
A mooring device including a canister, a spool having two side walls with notches around their perimeters, a mooring cable wrapped around the spool, a lid having a first piece and a second piece, and two rows of stops extending from the bottom surface of the lid. The two rows of stops engage the notches of the two side walls of the pool when the first piece of the lid is in the closed position. The stops are disengaged from the notches when the first piece of the lid is in the open position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority to pending Patent Cooperation Treaty application No. PCT/US2014/031575 filed on 24 Mar. 2014 which claims priority to expired provisional application No. 61/806372 filed on 28 Mar. 2013, all of which are owned by the same inventor. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a mooring device and, more specifically, to a mooring device attachable to a dock or pier. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Historically, mooring or docking a boat has involved tying mooring cables, such as ropes, around elongated cleats that are attached to the ends of a dock, pier, or slip. This prior art mooring process and equipment have several drawbacks. First, because the cleats are elevated from the dock, pier, or slip, the cleats pose a tripping hazard to those walking or working on the dock, pier, or slip. Second, the excess cable that extends from the knots tied to the cleats poses a tripping hazard and gives a cluttered appearance on the dock, pier, or slip. Third, since most boats do not have dedicated storage for mooring cables, the cables rest on the seats or on the floor of the boat when the boat is not docked. This also gives a cluttered appearance and can pose a tripping hazard. It, therefore, would be desirable to develop a mooring device that overcomes these drawbacks. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to a mooring device including a canister, a spool having two side walls with notches around their perimeter, a mooring cable wrapped around the spool, a lid having a first piece and a second piece, and two rows of stops extending from the bottom surface of the lid, The two rows of stops engage the notches of the two side walls of the spool when the first piece of the lid is in the closed position. The stops are disengaged from the notches when the first piece of the lid is in the open position. 
         [0005]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
         [0006]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current 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, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0007]    One object of the present invention is to provide a mooring device that readily retracts a mooring line within it. 
         [0008]    Another object is to provide such a mooring device that has a smooth top surface. 
         [0009]    Another object is to provide such a mooring device that blends flush with adjacent decking. 
         [0010]    These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that 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 had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In referring to the drawings, 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the lid of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the lid of the mooring device of the present invention installed in the surface of a dock; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the lid of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the spool of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the spool of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the spool of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the spool and spring assembly of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a front cut-away view of the spool and the stops of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of two embodiments of the mooring device of the present invention attached to a dock; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the lid of the mooring device of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a side cut-away view of the spool and the lid of the mooring device of the present invention; and, 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a side cut-away view of the spool and the lid of the mooring device of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0028]    The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0029]    The present invention overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a mooring device for improving the appearance and operation of a container of lines, ropes, and cables upon a dock, a boat, and the like. 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-16 , the preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereby described. The mooring device  10  includes a cylindrical canister  12 , a lid  14 , and a spool  16  with a mooring cable  1 B (e.g. rope) wrapped around it. As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , the canister  12  preferably has a flat bottom piece  20 , a circular side wall  22  that extends vertically from the bottom piece, and a flange  24  around the opening at the top of the canister  12 . The flange  24  rests on the top surface of a pier, dock, or slip  34  when the mooring device  10  is installed. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  7 ,  14 , the lid  14  includes two pieces hinged together. The second piece  30  of the lid  14  is fixed in place while the first piece  28  opens and closes. Both pieces of the lid  14  are preferably semicircular shaped. Thus, each piece has a curved edge joined to a straight edge, the two pieces  28 ,  30  are connected to one another at their straight edges via complementary notches. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a rod  32  is tethered 5 through the complementary notches, which hinges the two pieces  28 ,  30  together. A series of fasteners  26 , such as tamper-proof screws, are positioned around the curved edge of the second piece of the lid  14 . These fasteners  26  extend through the second piece  30  of the lid  14  and connect the second piece  30  of the lid to the flange  24  of the canister  12 . The fasteners  26  also extend through the flange  24 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  13 , the canister  12  is preferably attached to a dock, pier, or slip  34  such that the lid  14  is substantially flush with the top surface of the dock, pier, or slip  34 . The flange  24  and the lid  14  are the only portions of the mooring device  10  that extend above the top surface of the dock, pier, or slip  34 . The fasteners  26  that extend through the second piece  30  of the lid  14  and the flange  24  fix the mooring device  10  to the dock, pier, or slip  34 . While the fasteners do not extend through the first piece  28  of the lid  14 , the fasteners  26  do extend through the flange  24  under the first piece  28  of the lid and into the dock, pier, or slip  34  to further secure the mooring device  10  to the dock, pier, or slip  34 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the canister  12  is positioned below the surface of the dock, pier, or slip  34 . The bottom piece of the canister  12  preferably includes a drain hole  36  for releasing any water that accumulates in the canister  12 , which prevents corrosion and other damage to the internal components of the mooring device. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the first piece  28  of the lid  14  can be locked using a lock assembly  38  and a key  40 . The lock assembly  38  is a two-piece assembly of a type well-known to those skilled in the art. The lock assembly  38  extends through an opening in the first piece  28  of the lid  14 . The lock assembly  38  prevents tampering with the components of the mooring device  10  when it is not in use. The first piece  28  of the lid  14  also includes an opening  42  for the mooring cable  18  to be pulled from the canister  12 . The end of the mooring cable  18  includes a carabiner  44 . The carabiner  44  serves as an efficient and more secure way to attached the mooring cable  18  to the boat as compared to the prior art method of tying knots. The second piece  30  of the lid  14  preferably includes a solar-powered LED light  68  as shown in  FIG. 14  to aid in finding the mooring device  10  in the dark and to reduce the risk of tripping on the dock. 
         [0034]    The spool  16  includes two side walls  46  connected by a shaft  48  as shown in  FIGS. 8-10 . The mooring cable  18  is wrapped around the shaft  48  of the spool  16  and can be wound mechanically or unwound manually from the spool  16 . A carabiner  44  is attached to the mooring cable  1 B on one end. The opposite end of the mooring cable  1 B is attached to an attachment loop  66  on one of the side walls  46  of the spool  16 . The outside surface of each of the side walls has an opening  50  for mounting the spool  16  in a c-bracket  52 . The spool  16  rotates within the c-bracket  52 . The c-bracket  52  also includes two openings. An arbor  54  is received through the two openings in the c-bracket  52  and the two openings  50  in the side walls  46  of the spool  16 . Bearings preferably receive the arbor  54  on opposite sides of the c-bracket  52 . The spool  16  is preferably spring loaded for automatic retraction of the mooring cable  18  when the locking mechanism is released. Arbor  54  is attached on one end through the center of a spring  56 . A front spring plate  58  and a back spring plate  60  are positioned on either side of the spring  56 . The arbor  54 , front spring plate  58 , and back spring plate  60  are secured by a bolt or similar fastening means. The c-bracket  52  is mounted to the bottom piece of the canister  12  by fasteners  26  as shown in  FIG. 6 . These fasteners preferably are nuts, bolts, and washers, but they may alternatively be any fasteners well-known to those skilled in art. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the locking mechanism of the mooring device  10  utilizes the spool  16  and stops  62  that extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the lid  14 . The perimeter of each of the side walls  46  of the spool  16  includes notches  64 . There are preferably four stops  62 : two stops aligned to engage the notches  64  on the first side wall  46  of the spool and two stops aligned to engage the notches  64  on the second side wall  46  of the spool. The spool is locked, and thus the length of mooring cable  10  is set, when the notches of the spool  16  and the stops  62  are engaged. As shown in  FIG. 16 , when the first piece  28  of the lid  14  is opened or raised, the stops  62  become disengaged with the notches  64  in the spool  16 . The disengagement allows the length of the mooring cable  1 B outside the canister  12  either to extend by a user pulling on the mooring cable  18  or to retract automatically as a result of the action of the spring  56 . Once the mooring cable  18  is pulled or retracted to the appropriate length, the first piece  28  of the lid  14  can be closed. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the closing of the first piece  28  of the lid  14  causes the engagement of the stops  62  on the lid  14  and the closest notch  64  on the spool  16 . Because the length of the mooring cable  18  can be controlled and the mooring cable  18  is attached to the boat via the carabiner  44 , there is no excess mooring cable  18  to clutter either the boat or the dock. The carabiner  44  at the end of the mooring cable  18  can be clipped directly to the boat. As shown in  FIG. 13 , in an alternative embodiment, instead of being installed in the floor of a deck, pier, or slip, the mooring device  10  is attached to a post or elevated structure attached to the deck, pier, or slip via a bracket that is attached to the side wall  22  of the canister  12 . While the side walls  46  of the spool extend perpendicular to the water surface in the first preferred embodiment, the side walls  46  of the spool extend parallel to the water surface in the second preferred embodiment. 
         [0036]    From the aforementioned description, a mooring device has been described. The mooring device is uniquely capable of containing a line or cable in a compact space with a top surface flush to an adjacent dock or boat deck. Further, the mooring device may also have drainage holes therein. The mooring decorative cover device and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, vinyl, polymers, such as nylon, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ferrous and non-ferrous metal foils, their alloys, and composites. 
         [0037]    Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments have been described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments. 
         [0038]    Various operations have been described as multiple discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation. 
         [0039]    Moreover, in the specification and the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third” and the like—when they appear—are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. 
         [0040]    The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
         [0041]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.