Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-16
2001-05-15
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230647
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for mounting equipment, such as radar unit, to a sailboat or the like. More particularly, the present invention is adapted to effectively utilizing the existing rigging in a sailboat for mounting such equipment.
2. Background Art
In recent years, boats of various kinds have been equipped with a variety of electronic equipment, and some of this equipment, such as transmitters, those having antennas, reflectors, radar units, etc. have particular requirements with regard to positioning and/or location of the same. Radar units have become less expensive and are now found in fairly large number of boats. Desirably, the radar unit should be mounted at a higher location in order to obtain a good range. Further, it's desirable that the radar unit should maintain a desired orientation regardless of the heeling or rolling motion of the boat.
Accordingly, in recent years, there have become a number of designs available for mounting radar units, antennas, and other equipment to the boat, and a number of these have appeared in patent literature:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,212 (DeSatnick et al.) discloses a device to mount a radar antennae to a sailboat. There is a bracket assembly that comprises a tube 39 which fits around the lower portion of the backstay 17. The lower end of the tube 39 and the bracket assembly 37 are prevented from rotating around the stay 17. Then the mounting assembly for the radar unit is mounted to the tube 39. The patent is directed mainly toward a device by which the radar antennae is mounted so that the radar unit remains level when the sailboat is heeling. The bracket provides a horizontal axis of rotation about which the unit is mounted so that the center of gravity is below the axis of rotation. Also, viscous fluid is provided in the device to dampen oscillations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,044 (Armstrong) shows a bracket secured to a mast or spar for holding a radar antenna in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,482 (Barker) shows a mast for mounting a radar antenna on the upper deck of a ship. This mast 10 is arranged so that it is hinge mounted to the deck. There is a spring mechanism utilizing an elastomeric material which urges the mast 10 toward an upright position. As shown in FIG. 1, in the upright position, it is held in place by a couple of cables 12. When it is desired to take the radar unit down, the mast is lowered so that it lays flat on the deck.
A fourth patent was also developed in this search, U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,385 (Jenkins). This shows an antennae that is used in radio communication. There are three flexible guy wires 24, 25 and 26 that connect to the perimeter of the dish and also connect at the forward end of the elongated hollow metal wave guide 14. This is to provide an example of the general principal of locating a member by plurality of tension members attached to an object and anchored at angularly spaced locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The system, apparatus and method of the present invention was originated to provide an effective, user-friendly and economical way of mounting equipment, and more particularly electronic equipment such as a radar unit, in a boat or the like. More particularly the present invention was designed to be used in a sailboat or the like so that the existing rigging of the sailboat can be effectively utilized in the system.
In this system, there is a line connecting portion comprising first, second and third connecting lines, each having a first end which is connected to a respective one of three base connecting locations which are spaced from one another in a triangular configuration.
Also, there is a mounting assembly comprising a connecting section that comprises first, second and third connecting portions at first, second and third mounting locations, which are spaced from one another in a triangular configuration. The second ends of the first, second and third lines are connected to, respectively, the first, second and third connecting portions, in a manner that the three lines are in tension so as to locate the mounting assembly at a mounting location.
There is an equipment mounting section adapted to have equipment mounted thereto.
In a preferred form, the connecting section comprises an interconnecting portion by which the connecting section connects to the equipment mounting section in a manner to allow at least limited relative rotational movement between the connecting section and the equipment mounting section. Thus, the mounting section can remain in a desired angular position, so that the equipment mounted to the equipment mounting section would be properly positioned.
More specifically, the interconnecting section rotates about an axis having a substantial horizontal alignment component. The equipment mounting portion is located, relative to location of the interconnecting portion, so that equipment on the equipment mounting section is located sufficiently below the axis of rotation so that force of gravity tends to move the equipment mounting section to a location to maintain the desired position.
In the preferred configuration, the system is mounted to a boat, and the first line extends from an upper location on the boat downwardly toward a lower location of the boat. The connecting section connects to a lower end of the first line. The second and third lines are attached by upper ends thereof to the connecting section and connect at laterally spaced locations at the lower location of the boat. In a preferred embodiment shown herein, the first, second and third connecting lines comprise a backstay of a sailboat, and the first line connects to a mast to the sailboat. The first ends of the second and third lines are, in the preferred form, each connected to a tensioning member by which the second and third lines can be tensioned to be made taut.
The interconnecting portion comprises a first positioning member having a fixed angular orientation relative to the connecting section and a second positioning member having a fixed angular orientation relative to the equipment mounting section. The first and second positioning members are in operative engagement to move relative to one another so as to have a fixed angular orientation relative to one another as the equipment mounting section rotates relative to the connecting section. Thus, the proper angular orientation of the equipment mounting section is being maintained. In a preferred form, the first positioning member has a flat planar surface engaging bearing members of the connection portion to maintain the proper angular orientation. Also, there is a tightening device to put relatively rotating parts of the connection section in greater or lesser frictional engagement to control rotational movement of the mounting section.
In the method of the present invention the first, second and third connecting lines are provided, each connected to the base locations. The connecting section is connected to a mounting section to which equipment is mounted. Then the second ends of the first, second and third lines are connected to the connecting section in the manner described above.
The present invention is also directed to the mounting apparatus itself as it is used in being connected to the first, second and third, as described above. The structure for the construction and features of the apparatus are apparent from the above description.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4224890 (1980-09-01), Johnson, Jr.
patent: 4694769 (1987-09-01), Sowers
patent: 5111212 (1992-05-01), DeSatnick et al.
patent: 5154386 (1992-10-01), Heck
patent: 5489911 (1996-02-01), Gordon et al.
patent: 6097344 (2000-08-01), Anderson
Schaefer, Triangle Plates. West Marine Catalog, p. 796, Jan. 1999.*
Waltz, Radar Leveling System. West Marine Catalog, p. 97, Jan. 1999.
Hughes Robert B.
Hughes & Schacht, PLLC
Morano S. Joseph
Vasudeva Ajay
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