Abstract:
A shock absorber for water-skiing  59  provides multiple adjustments to the adjacent cores  14  of the duplex core  15 , and a weave assembly  29  securing a multipurpose assembly  48  in the cavity thereof, and provides attachment means  40,45  for use between the boat and the tow line assembly. In addition, the pneumatic duplex core  15  provides emergency floatation properties.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/174,149 filed Dec. 31, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to tow line shock absorbers, specifically to an adjustable, self-contained travel length mechanism for a towed object including a water-skier. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Presently a person engaged in the sport of water-skiing is subject to excessive human fatigue, and normal human fatigue comprised of inadvertent and erroneous factors. Excessive fatigue is a result of the application and/or combination of technological advances found in the three components of the sport; (a) tow vessel “boat”, (b) water ski(s), (c) rigging assembly “tow line”. Normal fatigue is a limiting, factor for experienced skiers due to the requirements of the spot and inadvertent and erroneous factors increase normal human fatigue of a skier using contemporary equipment and configuration. Slalom style water-skiing utilizes a single ski that is fashioned to provide a decreased planing area, and proportionally increases human fatigue as compared to the use of a double ski configuration. 
     Heretofore, a skier is commonly tethered to the boat with a non-stretch or low-stretch tow line, inturn, the skier is directly linked to the boat, whereby, achieving the desired tow characteristics of direct linkage of all tow force to the skier while under tow. The skier is normally fatigued and must wear gloves to counteract the effects of the applied force. 
     Originally, the three components of water-skiing were the products of limited technology: 
     (a) The boat had reduced performance with large wooden hull construction and handling limitations. This style of boat provided a smooth progression of power to the skier for launching and skiing. 
     (b) The water ski(s) were constructed of large wooden laminates. This style of ski offered a large surface area for ease of skiing and reduced handling performance. 
     (c) The tow line was constructed of woven cotton, and performance was lessened and eased because the cotton weave would tend to stretch under excessive loading. 
     Thereafter, technological advances have refined these components of water-skiing to contemporary/common use: 
     (a) Boats offer increased performance with smaller and lighter fiberglass hull construction and improved handling. This boat provides a quick progression of power to the skier for launching and skiing. 
     (b) The water skis are constructed of materials such as fiberglass laminate and carbon fiber composite. This ski offers a smaller surface area for increased maneuverability and handling. 
     (c) The tow lines are constructed of either low-stretch or non-stretch materials, and provide improved performance. 
     Although technological advances have improved these three components of waterskiing, yet there are disadvantages to each component: 
     (a) Boats embody a V-8 engine with fuel injection and electronic ignition, and allows for excessive force application, and increased maneuverability may not allow the pilot to maintain a accurate tow. 
     (b) Water skis are very quick and responsive, and may permit the skier to surpass the speed of the boat during advanced maneuvers, or the skier may loose control due to the responsiveness of the ski(s). 
     (c) tow lines are constructed of non-stretch or low-stretch materials. Direct linkage to the boat will fatigue the skier during normal activity, and if slack is introduced into the tow line by inadvertant or erroneous factors. Slack removal requires technique of the skier, and technique is required to maintain a taunt tow line during normal use. The skier must absorb the force of the sudden reapplication of force as delivered as a result of slack in the tow line. 
     Furthermore, fatigue is the result of inadvertent and erroneous factors combined with the application of the three contemporary components during normal sport activities, including; (d) ambient condition factors, (e) the “deep-water” launch process, (f) advanced maneuvering by the skier, (g) erroneous maneuvering by the skier or the boat driver. The ramifications of these activities are: 
     (d) Ambient conditions causes inadvertant slack in the tow line. 
     (e) Deep-water launch of the skier from a partially submerged static position causes inadvertant fatigue. 
     (f) Advanced skiing maneuvering causes erroneous slack in the tow line. 
     (g) Erroneous maneuvering by the skier or the boat driver causes slack in the tow line. 
     Inadvertent or erroneous slack in the tow line fatigues the skier. Tow line slack is a result of removal of the tow force in relation to the skier, and fatigue is encountered during the reapplication of tow force, for a slacked tow line slows a skier in relation to the boat, and the instantaneous reapplication of tow force “hit” must be compensated for by the technique of the skier. The force of the hit is proportional to the speed of the boat and the decreased speed of the skier, and a hit of excessive magnitude can force the towline handle from the grip of the skier. Loss of the tow line handle results in the skier losing all momentum, and the skier becomes a hazard to other boaters until the boat returns to the partially submerged skier. The boat upon returning to the partially submerged skier re-establishes the tow line to the skier and a deep-water launch is attempted. A deep-water launch pulls the skier from a partially submerged position to a planning platform within 4 seconds, and hazards continue to exist to other boat traffic during the attempt(s) to launch the skier. 
     OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, this present invention performs of dispensing exponentially cushioned rigging legnth upon demand from the static position to either or both acting force(s), and then subsequently recoils the rigging legnth to the static position after demand is removed; whereby, several objects and advantages are: 
     a) to provide a duplex shock absorber which retains excessive tow force as applied from the boat; 
     b) to provide a duplex shock absorber which buffers the tow versus drag relationship; 
     c) a to provide a duplex shock absorber which eliminates direct tow line linkage; 
     d) to provide a duplex shock absorber which can compensate for ambient conditions; 
     e) to provide a duplex shock absorber which retains excess tow force; 
     f) to provide a duplex shock absorber which removes excess tow line slack; 
     g) to provide a duplex shock absorber which buffers the tow line. 
     Further objects and advantages are to provide a multi-adjustable shock absorber, permitting user adjustments to compensate for the weight and ability of the skier, and provide separate adjustments to effect the cushioning for the power of the boat and adjust the cushioning as felt by the skier. 
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 shows a side view of the duplex shock absorber as positioned for use between the boat pylon and the tow line assembly. 
     FIG. 2 shows an end view along line  2  of FIG. 1 using a preferred weave style, the view is of limited depth for illustration purposes. 
     FIG. 3 shows a cross section view as positioned in FIG. 1, and illustrates the details of the embodied multipurpose assembly providing opposing gathers. 
     FIG. 4 shows an end view similar to FIG. 2, whereby the main pull link of FIG. 6A has been removed to illustrate the hub assembly retained by the weave therein. 
     FIG. 5 shows a cross section view as positioned in FIG. 3 illustrating the opposing gathers of the partially illustrated multipurpose assembly as detailed in FIG. 3 replaced by an alternate weave style also illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6A shows an end view as positioned in FIG. 2, and details the main pull link and gather as a partial illustration of the multipurpose assembly. 
     FIG. 6B,  6 C details the opposing gathers and fastening assemblies as taken from the multipurpose assembly, yet not tethered. 
     FIG. 7 shows a view along line  7  of FIG. 1, illustrating a means of retaining, spacing and tensioning the weave assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of a type of adjustable duplex shock absorber assembly  59  employed between the existing boat pylon and the tow line as presently used. The shock absorber assembly  59  is affixed to the pylon by means of the embodied main pull loop assembly  40  and provides an opposing main pull link assembly  45  that secures the tow line. These opposing main pull fastening means are embodied in the basic duplex shock absorber assembly  59 . The weave assembly  29 A is held in place by means of an outside diameter spacer  55  about the circumference of the duplex shock absorber  59 , inturn providing a tensioning adjustment  59 A for the weave assembly as detailed in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates an end view of the shock absorber assembly  59  viewed along line  2  of FIG. 1 comprised of a type of meshed weave assembly  29 A fashioned to retain the main pull link assembly  45  as detailed in FIG.  6 C. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the core assembly  15  as detailed in FIG.  5 . The multipurpose assembly  48  is comprised of the main pull loop assembly  40  including a safety tether  47  fashioned by a continued legnth of the employed rigging material  30  and secured to the main pull link assembly  45  by means of the fastener  21 . The main pull loop assembly  40  embodies a gather  35  as detailed in FIG.  6 B. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the opposing hub assemblies comprised of a one-piece gather  34  and an opposing gather  35 . The opposing gathers retain the juxtaposed opposing ogive pull points  25  as produced by the type of weave assembly  29  about the core assembly  15 . 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line  5  of FIG. 4 illustrating the weave assembly  29 B about the said gather  35  and the opposing one-piece gather  34 , inturn producing juxtaposed hub assemblies of opposing ogive pull points  25  as formed by the weave assembly about the common plane  18 . The weave assembly  29 B and the weave assembly  29 A in FIG. 2 are comprised of rigging materials such as kevlar or nylon core rope with nylon cover or 2-ply webbing or the like. Rigging  20  is fashioned to loop  22  and secured by compression fastener  21  to fit about the embodied valve stem  10 A. The pneumatic body  10  is comprised of EPDM rubber inner-tube style with embodied valve stem  10 A. The core assembly  15  produces a common plane  18  between each pneumatic body  14  after being stacked. Each EPDM pneumatic body assembly  14  comprises a pneumatic body  10  with the embodied valve stem  10 A inflated with gaseous means  12  and may contain a type of sealer  11  to retard leakage through the EPDM wall of the pneumatic body  10 . 
     FIG. 6A shows a top view of the main pull link assembly  45  of a one-piece gather  34  positioned in the main pull link  42 . 
     FIG. 6B illustrates the main pull loop assembly  40  with gather  35 . This main pull loop assembly  40  is comprised of rigging material similar to  20 , yet may be of smaller stock diameter, and a compression fastener is employed to terminate the assembly, or secure the assembly to the said safety tether  47  as illustrated in FIG.  3 . The compression assembly  9  is comprised of a metallic fastener  5  as positioned and secured by the appropriate compression tool. 
     FIG. 6C shows a side view of a main pull link assembly  45  comprising of the one piece gather  34  held under the embodied retainer of the main pull link  42 , or a secondary retainer  44  may be employed comprised of hard plastic or metallic alloys, whereby the main pull link assembly  45  provides closure means after application of the tow line as illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the circumference spacer  55  as viewed along line  7  of FIG.  1 . The spacer  55  retains the spacing of the said weave  29  about each core  14 . The spacer  55  is comprised of rigging  50  similar to rigging  20 , yet the employed variety may be of smaller stock diameter. 
     Additional adjustments may be made by altering the P.S.I. of either core  14  as required by the user to obtain custom results. 
     SUMMARY, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly the reader will see that the multi-adjustable duplex shock absorber of this invention can be used to reduce human fatigue, and can be used to cushion the excess force applied to the user. In addition, the shock absorber may be adjusted in three ways, and permits the user to easily modify the responsiveness of the shock absorber. Furthermore, the duplex shock absorber separates and effects each opposing force independently and has additional advantages in that: 
     it permits removal of excess tow force as applied by the boat, and reduces fatigue. 
     it permits additional cushioned rigging or removal of slack in the tow line, and reduces fatigue. 
     it permits a buffered direct linkage to the skier through the pneumatic bodies, and adds cushioned rigging of excess force as applied, and reduces fatigue. 
     it compensates for ambient conditions and permits cushioning of the tow line, and reduces fatigue. 
     it permits advanced maneuvering by adding or removing cushioned rigging to the tow line, and reduces fatigue. 
     it compensates for erroneous maneuvers by adding or removing cushioned rigging to the tow line, and reduces fatigue. 
     it may be used as an emergency floatation devise due to its lightweight pneumatic design. 
     Although the descriptions above contain many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention bit nearly providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, the duplex shock absorber can employ other rigging materials, fasteners, weaving styles of the rigging materials and methods of affixing the weave to the embodied gathers; the means of attaching to the boat may be modified to fit the specific hardware on various boats, and the tow line may be affixed directly to the respective hub assembly of ogive pull points about the gather, inturn, eliminating the main pull link. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.