Ships – Towing or pushing – Towing by means of cable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-13
2001-07-10
Morano, S Joseph (Department: 3617)
Ships
Towing or pushing
Towing by means of cable
C024S11500R, C024S12900C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257163
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of aquatic devices and, more specifically, to utility tethers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A rising interest in aquatic recreation has led to the increasing demand for devices that enhance the enjoyment of water-related activities. Many people enjoy relaxing and socializing in the water, perhaps lounging on an inflatable raft and drinking a cold beverage from a cooler. A problem with this activity, however, is that inflatable rafts, coolers, and even people tend to float away with the moving water.
People and items may be coupled to a utility tether to prevent them from floating away. For example, a utility tether for use in connection with a life raft is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,167.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Known utility tethers are not completely satisfactory with respect to safety and simplicity. For instance, known utility tethers may have multiple loops spaced along a main tether. The loops are designed to withstand relatively high stress. The loops may be used to secure people to a utility tether attached to a life raft during, for example, conditions of high winds or rough water. Thus, the loops are fixed and designed to be permanent and able to withstand high stresses so that people are fixedly secured to the tether. This type of utility tether, however, is subject to potential misuse. Water skiers may attempt to use this type of utility tether as a ski rope. Towing multiple skiers in a row, one after another, creates a dangerous situation. If one skier falls, a skier behind him could seriously injure him with a ski.
Also, known tethers, while having spaced-apart loops, are not concerned with the orientation of the loops about the main tether. Typically, the loops are all oriented the same with respect to the main tether. That is, while the tether is in a non-twisted, rest state, the loops are all oriented at roughly the same angular relationship to an arbitrary axis of a cross section of the main tether. When such a utility tether is in the water, this orientation tends to result in people or items attached to the tether being positioned on the same side of the main tether relative to a longitudinal axis of the tether. This can ultimately result in undesirable clutter of people and objects or, alternatively, a need to space the loops further apart along the main tether.
Another disadvantage of known tethers is that the loops typically comprise separate pieces of material that must be attached to the main tether. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,167 shows loops that are separate pieces of material attached to the main tether via a knot. This configuration adds complexity to the utility tether. This also adds time, complexity, and expense to the tether assembly process. Moreover, because known utility tethers comprise many parts, each part must be individually manufactured and assembled. Having more parts generally translates to an increased cost of manufacturing. Utility tethers with a simpler design may be less costly to manufacture.
Due to these and other deficiencies in known utility tethers, together with an increase in the demand for better utility tethers with respect to safety and simplicity, a need has arisen for an improved utility tether. In accordance with the present invention, a utility tether apparatus is provided that addresses the disadvantages and problems associated with previously developed tether systems and methods.
Among other things, the present invention provides a tether having one or more links. In one embodiment, a plurality of links are provided. At least one link extends from the tether in a first direction. At least one link extends from the tether in a second direction. The first and second directions are angularly spaced apart with respect to a cross section of the tether.
According to various aspects of the invention, the links may be loops formed from the tether. The links may extend from alternating sides of the tether.
According to another embodiment, a tether has one or more loops formed from the tether and one or more clamps to maintain to loops. The clamps may be operable to fail upon application of a predetermined amount of tension to the tether. The loops may be formed by holding two spaced-apart points of the tether in close proximity.
In another embodiment, a clamp is provided for forming a loop from a tether. The clamp has a tubular body, which includes a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion extending from a side of the first tubular portion. The second tubular portion comprises a loop outlet and the loop protrudes from the loop outlet.
According to various aspects, the clamp may include a first body portion hingedly connected to a second body portion. The first and second body portions may be hingedly moved, relatively, from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the first and second body portion form the first and second tubular portions. A locking mechanism may be provided to secure the first and second body portions in the closed position. One or more protrusions may extend from the interior surface of the tubular body. The protrusions are operable to engage a portion of the tether disposed within the tubular body.
A technical advantage of the present invention is that the links are operable to fail under a predetermined amount of tension, thus preventing misuse of the invention. For example, the tether preferably cannot be used for towing water skiers, because the links will fail under the tension associated with towing water skiers. As a result, serious injury from towing multiple skiers is avoided.
Another technical advantage of the invention is its simplicity. The links of the tether are constructed from the main tether line itself, eliminating the need for constructing separate loops and coupling the loops to the tether, which often requires yet another component to make this connection.
Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the links may be placed in alternating orientations along the longitudinal axis of the tether. This avoids bunching of connected people or objects on one side of the tether or the other when the tether is resting in the water. This allows for a comfortable distance between users and objects connected to the main tether line.
Another technical advantage of the present invention is that floatation devices may be easily coupled and uncoupled from the tether.
Other technical advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
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Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Morano S Joseph
Vasudeva Ajay
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