Boat deployment assembly and method
AssigneePaR Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael Gerard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hoist system and a method for lifting and lowering an object such as a boat include a support structure, a support member supported by the support structure and a hoisting assembly. The hoisting assembly includes an attachment assembly and a set of at least three flexible members operably coupled to the support member and the attachment assembly to retract and extend the attachment assembly vertically relative to a reference axis. The hoisting assembly is supported by the support structure and configured with the support member so as to space apart the flexible members from each other, and wherein each flexible member defines an oblique angle with the reference axis parallel to the vertical reference axis.
Claims13
A hoist system comprising:
- a support structure;
- a first support member supported by the support structure;
- a first hoisting assembly comprising:
- a first attachment assembly;
- and
- a first set of at least three flexible members operably coupled to the first support member and the first attachment assembly to retract and extend the first attachment assembly vertically along a first reference axis, the first hoisting assembly being supported by the support structure and configured with the first support member so as to space apart the flexible members of the first set from each other at equal angular intervals in a complete first circle about the first reference axis, the first circle being in a first plane orthogonal to the first reference axis, wherein the first set of at least three flexible members extend from the first support member toward the first attachment assembly in a converging manner, and wherein each flexible member of the first set has a similar oblique angle with the first reference axis parallel to a vertical reference axis;
- a second support member supported by the support structure;
- a second attachment assembly;
- and
- a second hoisting assembly comprising:
- a second set of at least three flexible members spaced apart from the first set of at least three flexible members and operably coupled to the second support member and the second attachment assembly to assemblies comprise a connector providing three degrees of pivotal freedom.
A method of lifting and lowering an object comprising:
- providing a first set of at least three flexible members of a first hoisting assembly and a second set of at least three flexible members of a second hoisting assembly,
- the first set of at least three flexible members being operably coupled to a first support member and a first attachment assembly to retract and extend the first attachment assembly vertically along a first reference axis, the first hoisting assembly being configured with the first support member so as to space apart the flexible members of the first set from each other at equal angular intervals in a complete first circle about the first reference axis, the first circle being in a first plane orthogonal to the first reference axis, wherein the first set of at least three flexible members extend from the first support member toward the first attachment assembly in a converging manner, and wherein each flexible member of the first set defines a similar retract and extend the second attachment assembly vertically along a second reference axis, the second hoisting assembly being supported by the support structure and configured with the second support member so as to space apart the flexible members of the second set from each other at equal angular intervals in a complete second circle about the second reference axis, the second circle being in a second plane orthogonal to the second reference axis, wherein the second set of at least three flexible members extend from the second support member toward the second attachment assembly in a converging manner, and wherein each flexible member of the second set has a similar oblique angle with the second reference axis parallel to the vertical reference axis, the second set of flexible members operably coupled to the second support member such that the second reference axis is spaced apart from the first reference axis of the first set of at least three flexible members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.