Night-visible dock piling caps
OwnerDouglas J. Buckinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A glow-in-the-dark piling cap is described herein that uses glow-in-the-dark materials on a dock piling cap to make pilings to which the cap is installed visible at night without the maintenance hassles of electrical-based lighting. The cap provides typical protection for the piling from the elements as well as lighting to aid boaters and users of the structure associated with the piling to see the piling at night. The glow-in-the-dark substance can be coated on the piling cap or mixed into the plastic, resin, or other material used to make the cap. The use of glow-in-the-dark materials eliminates any need for maintenance. Thus, the glow-in-the-dark piling cap provides protection for the piling, and maintenance-free lighting to alert boaters and users of the structure associated with the piling to nighttime hazards.
Claims20
A lighted cap for securing to a dock piling that alerts people to a location of the dock piling in low light conditions, comprising:
- an enclosure adapted for securement to the top of the dock piling, the enclosure including an angled top member and sidewall extending downward from the angled top member, wherein the enclosure is constructed of marine-grade materials that can last multiple years in an environment where the dock piling is installed;
- a coating applied to the enclosure, the coating containing a chemical that absorbs light during daylight conditions and radiates light during low light conditions without using electricity, wherein the coating is mixed into a resin used to make the enclosure and provides protection for the piling from the elements including at least ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun;
- and
- one or more fasteners that secure the enclosure to the dock piling;
- wherein during low light conditions when the coating is radiating light, the radiated light serves as a boating navigation marker for the dock piling where the dock piling may not be visible or easily seen, wherein the radiated light has a color selected to convey whether boats should stay to the right or left of the dock piling to be in safe water.
A lighted cap for securing to a dock piling that alerts people to a location of the dock piling in low light conditions, comprising:
- an enclosure adapted for securement to the top of the dock piling, the enclosure including an angled top member and sidewall extending downward from the angled top member, wherein the enclosure is constructed of marine-grade materials that can last multiple years in an environment where the dock piling is installed;
- wherein the enclosure is molded from a substance that contains a chemical that absorbs light during daylight conditions and radiates light during low light conditions without using electricity, wherein the substance is mixed into a resin used to make the enclosure and provides protection. for he pilling from the elements including at least ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun;
- and
- one or more fasteners that secure the enclosure to the dock piling;
- wherein during low light conditions when the enclosure is radiating light, the radiated light serves as a boating navigation marker for the dock piling where the dock piling may not be visible or easily seen, wherein the radiated light has a color selected to convey whether boats should stay to the right or left of the dock piling to be in safe water.
A method for alerting boat traffic of a fixed structure in a waterway during low light conditions, the method comprising:
- securing a lighted cap to a top area of the fixed structure, the lighted cap comprising an enclosure, the enclosure being made from a substance that absorbs light during daylight conditions and radiates light during low light conditions without using electricity, wherein the enclosure is constructed of marine-grade materials that can last multiple years in an environment where a dock piling is installed, wherein the substance is mixed into a resin used to make the enclosure and provides protection for the piling from the elements including at least ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun;
- absorbing light during daylight conditions;
- radiating light during low light conditions;
- and
- providing enough radiated light from the lighted cap during low light conditions such that an operator of a boat is able to see the light from a distance and be alerted to the presence of the fixed structure in the waterway in time to avoid running into the fixed structure, wherein the radiated light has a color selected to convey whether boats should stay to the right or left of the fixed structure to be in safe water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.