Covering System
The present invention concerns apparatus and methods for covering and uncovering a desired object. Particular embodiments include a covering system comprising: a cover operably connected to a plurality of translational members translationally positioned along a track; two or more hangers having a vertically extending portion and an outwardly extending portion, the track being operably attached to the outwardly extending portion; means for mounting hangers in a rotatable arrangement to a structure about a vertical axis. A further embodiment of the present invention includes a method for covering and uncovering a desired object, the steps including: mounting each of two or more hangers to a structure in a rotatable arrangement, the two or more hangers having a vertically extending portion and an outwardly extending portion; suspending a track from the outwardly extending portion of the two or more hangers; suspending a cover from the track, the cover being translatable along the track; rotating the two or more hangers between a covering position and a stored position, the covering position being arranged to position the track above an object to be covered, and the stored position being arranged to position the track to a side of the object to be covered.
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/264,118, filed Nov. 24, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the administration of covers, and more particularly, to an erected structure facilitating retention, application, and removal of a cover to an object to be covered, such as a boat, a recreational vehicle, or a plane, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
It may be desirous to cover any of a variety of objects. For example, covering systems may be used to cover boats. Boat covers are used in the boating industry for many reasons. Boat covers shield the boat from the environment such as rain, dirt and other debris, the sun, etc. Boat covers may also provide an aesthetic improvement to the boat itself.
There is a present need for an improved covering system, for example, a system that is movable and/or more efficiently facilitates the manipulation of a cover between an installed and uninstalled position about an object, such as a boat, for example, with which there is no preexisting overhead structure, such as, but not limited to, a roof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to apparatus and methods for covering and uncovering a desired object. In a particular embodiment the invention includes a covering system comprising: a cover operably connected to a plurality of translational members translationally positioned along a track suspended above the cover; two or more hangers having a vertically extending portion and an outwardly extending portion, the track being operably attached to the outwardly extending portion, the track suspending below the outwardly extending portion of the hanger; and means for mounting hangers in a rotatable arrangement, the means mounting each of the two or more hangers to a structure, each hanger being rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation within the rotational mount.
A further embodiment of the present invention include a method for covering and uncovering a desired object, the steps including: mounting each of two or more hangers to a structure in a rotatable arrangement, the two or more hangers having a vertically extending portion and an outwardly extending portion, whereby the vertically extending portion is the portion of each hanger rotatably mounted to the structure; suspending a track from the outwardly extending portion of the two or more hangers; suspending a cover from the track, the cover being translatable along the track; and, rotating the two or more hangers between a covering position and a stored position, the covering position being arranged to position the track above an object to be covered, and the stored position being arranged to position the track to a side of the object to be covered.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed descriptions of particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention.
The present invention generally concerns a temporary (i.e., removable) or permanent covering system comprising structure for covering a desired object. More specifically, the covering system includes structure comprising a track being suspended from rotatable hangers, the cover being translatable along the track between covering and uncovered arrangements. The hangers are also able to rotate between a covering position and a stored position. The structure may also be disassembled and stored in a disassembled position.
Referring now to a first embodiment,
With reference to
In particular embodiments, hangers 12 are rotatably mounted to any such structure by a means for mounting in a rotatable arrangement, which may comprise any means known to one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, with reference to the embodiments shown in
The lower end 12a of hanger 12 may be free, such as where the brackets 30 maintain hanger bottom 12a above any underlying structure or ground plane. In other embodiments, such as is shown by example in
With continued reference to
In the embodiment shown, suspending members 16 extend downwardly from support 15 to engage cable 18. Cable 18 is tensioned to allow smooth travel of cover 20. Cover suspension members or lines 22 attach to cover 20 at one end, and to cover translation members 24, which engage cable 18 in a manner to allow translation of members 24 along cable 18. Translation members 24 may comprise any known member suitable to achieve its purpose of relative translation, such as, for example, rings, sleeves, or rollers. Cover suspension members 22 may be made of rope, nylon, chain, cable, or any other material that may be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. It can be said that cable 18 forms a track for the translation members 24 to travel. In other embodiments, in lieu of cable 18, a non-cable (i.e., structural or rigid) track may be used to translationally suspend cover 20. Translation members 24 would then travel along the non-cable track. The track may extend from cable support 15, or the support 15 may instead form the track. The track may comprise a C-channel or I-beam, for example, which translation members 24 operably engage to translate along, such as sliding or rolling, for example. An exemplary embodiment utilizing a non-cable track is shown in
With reference now to
Cover assembly may also include a means for translating the cover between covered and uncovered arrangements. In the embodiment shown in
With reference to
With continued reference to
Track holder 118 may comprise any member capable of suspending track in any desired arrangement. For example, in the embodiment of
Track 114 may comprise any known form that is capable of allowing a translation member 124 of any known form to translate longitudinally along track 114. For example, in the embodiment of
As mentioned above, hangers may be attached to any support structure by any known means. With reference to the embodiment of
To facilitate rotation of each hanger, brackets include hanger rotation members. In the embodiments of
To constrain the vertical position of each hanger, a vertical constraint is employed. With reference to
The cover systems described above are only exemplary embodiments used to describe the generally invention. Accordingly, such systems may be used in addition to other embodiments of the cover assembly to practice methods of covering and uncovering a desired object. Particular methods may include mounting each of two or more hangers to a structure in a rotatable arrangement, the two or more hangers having a vertically extending portion and an outwardly extending portion, whereby the vertically extending portion is the portion of each hanger rotatably mounted to the structure; suspending a track from the outwardly extending portion of the two or more hangers; suspending a cover from the track, the cover being translatable along the track; and, rotating the two or more hangers between a covering position and a stored position, the covering position being arranged to position the track above an object to be covered, and the stored position being arranged to position the track to a side of the object to be covered. As discussed above with reference to
While this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it shall be understood that such description is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. Accordingly, the scope and content of the invention are to be defined only by the terms of the appended claims.
Claims
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21. A boat covering system for covering and uncovering a boat adjacent a dock comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart hangers extending upwardly from the dock with each hanger comprised of a generally vertically extending base and an outward extension extending from the base at an angle relative to the base;
- a plurality of spaced apart mounting arrangements that each receives and rotatively supports a corresponding one of the hangers, each mounting arrangement holding the vertically extending base in a fixed relationship relative to the dock allowing rotation of the hanger relative to the dock; and
- wherein the hangers rotate relative to the dock between a boat covering position where a boat cover carried by the outward extension of each hanger overlies a boat next to the dock and a boat uncovering position where the boat cover carried by the outward extension of each hanger does not overlie the boat.
22. The boat covering system of claim 21 wherein each mounting arrangement comprises an immovably fixed first bracket that rotatively supports a corresponding one of the hangers.
23. The boat covering system of claim 22 wherein a bottom end of each hanger is rotatively supported by the first bracket of a corresponding mounting arrangement.
24. The boat covering system of claim 23 wherein the first bracket of each mounting arrangement is immovably fixed to part of the dock.
25. The boat covering system of claim 24 wherein the first bracket of each mounting arrangement is immovably fixed to a pylon of the dock.
26. The boat covering system of claim 23 wherein each mounting arrangement further comprises a second bracket spaced above the first bracket that encircles and rotatively supports the base of a corresponding hanger.
27. The boat covering system of claim 26 wherein the first bracket and second bracket of each mounting arrangement comprises a bearing.
28. The boat covering system of claim 21 further comprising an elongate generally horizontally extending track carrying a boat cover.
29. The boat covering system of claim 28 wherein the track further comprises a plurality of wheels movable relative to the track carrying the boat cover enabling the boat cover to translate relative to the track.
30. The boat covering system of claim 29 wherein the boat cover is suspended from the wheels of the track by a plurality of downwardly extending cover lines.
31. A boat covering system for covering and uncovering a boat adjacent a dock comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart hangers extending upwardly alongside the dock with each hanger comprised of a generally vertically extending base and an outward extension extending generally horizontally outwardly from the base at an angle relative to the base;
- an elongate generally horizontally extending track pivotally connected to the hangers;
- a boat cover suspended from the track; and
- a plurality of spaced apart hanger mounting bracket arrangements rotatively supporting the generally vertically extending base of a corresponding hanger permitting rotation of the hanger relative to the dock; and
- wherein rotation of the hangers relative to the dock moves the boat cover between a boat covering position removably covering the boat adjacent the dock and a boat uncovering position where the cover is removed from the boat and disposed adjacent the dock.
32. The boat covering system of claim 31 wherein each mounting bracket arrangement comprises an immovably fixed first bracket that rotatively supports a corresponding one of the hangers.
33. The boat covering system of claim 32 wherein a bottom end of each hanger is rotatively supported by the first bracket of a corresponding mounting arrangement.
34. The boat covering system of claim 33 wherein each mounting arrangement further comprises a second bracket spaced above the first bracket that encircles and rotatively supports the base of a corresponding hanger.
35. The boat covering system of claim 34 wherein the first bracket and second bracket of each mounting arrangement comprises a bearing.
36. The boat covering system of claim 34 wherein the first and second brackets of each mounting bracket arrangement is immovably fixed to part of the dock.
37. The boat covering system of claim 36 wherein the first and second brackets of each mounting bracket arrangement is immovably fixed to a pylon of the dock.
38. A boat covering system for covering and uncovering a boat adjacent a dock comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart hangers extending upwardly alongside the dock with each hanger comprised of a generally vertically extending base and an outward extension extending generally horizontally outwardly from the base at an angle relative to the base;
- an elongate generally horizontally extending track pivotally connected to the hangers, the track comprised of a plurality of wheels movable relative to the track and having a plurality of downwardly extending cover lines;
- a boat cover suspended from the track by the cover lines; and
- a plurality of spaced apart hanger mounting bracket arrangements immovably fixed to part of the dock with each hanger mounting bracket arrangement comprising a lower bracket rotatively supporting a bottom end of the generally vertically extending base of a corresponding hanger and an upper bracket spaced from the lower bracket rotatively support part of the vertically extending base above the bottom end rotatively permitting rotation of each hanger relative to the dock; and
- wherein rotation of the hangers relative to the dock moves the boat cover between a boat covering position removably covering the boat adjacent the dock and a boat uncovering position where the cover is removed from the boat and disposed adjacent the dock.
39. The boat covering system of claim 38 wherein the first and second brackets of each mounting bracket arrangement is immovably fixed to a pylon of the dock.
40. The boat covering system of claim 38 wherein the first and second brackets of each mounting bracket arrangement comprises a bearing.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Aug 15, 2013
Inventor: Randy Kent (Osage Beach, MO)
Application Number: 13/833,935
International Classification: B63B 17/02 (20060101);