Automatic mooring apparatus for watercraft
AssigneeDockstar Technologies Zrt.
InventorAttila VIRAGH
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mooring apparatus (10) for automatic mooring and parking a 10-70 feet long watercraft that is built from two dock-finger units (20) fixed to the dock (2). The dock-finger units (20) are equipped with flexible tentacle elements (80) for positioning the watercraft (4) by keeping continuous contact with the hull (6). and they are also equipped with automatic-operated locking mechanisms (40) for catching and locking the watercraft (4), The mooring apparatus (10) has a control panel (90) with a built-in programmable processor (98) and a communication unit (98) that can be accessed from anywhere by communication means, and connected to the harbour IT system.
Claims7
A mooring apparatus (10) comprising two dock-finger units (20) fixed to a dock (2) and floating on the water, wherein each dock-finger unit (20) is provided with an automatic locking mechanism (40) for catching and securing a watercraft (4) during mooring and parking,
- characterized in that
- each automatic locking mechanism (40) comprises
- an arm (42) pivotably coupled to a respective dock-finger unit (20),
- a spring (44) for turning the arm (42) towards the hull of the watercraft (4);
- a remotely controlled motor (46) arranged on the dock-finger unit (20) for rotating the arm (42) away from the hull of the watercraft (4), and
- a fixing unit (50) pivotably mounted to one end of said arm (42) with a horizontal axis (B) of rotation,
- wherein the fixing unit (50) has a vertical standby position and comprises a fixing rod (62) secured between a head element (56) and a bottom element (58), said fixing rod (62) being configured to be locked in a catching unit (70) of a watercraft (4).
7-10. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.