Portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system

Abstract

A portable, pumpless water ballast system can be constructed of a flexible water-proof membrane molded or formed of welded panels to make a desired shape, such as cube-shaped when filled with water. Along the top side is an opening for filling the container. A water-proof closure is provided in the opening to prevent water leaking out. An air release valve can be installed near the top area of the container's top or side panels. A handle or strap can also be provided on one or more of the adjacent sides of the container. A plastic threaded drain and closure can be provided on one or more sides to allow for emptying of the container or to attach other features like a hose or other accessory.

Claims

1. A portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system, comprising: a container comprising a flexible and waterproof material, and defining an open interior, wherein a pair of opposing side panels of the container are collapsible to permit contraction of the container along the pair of opposing side panels that are collapsible; an openable zipper closure defined along a top side of the container so that the container can be sealed water-tight; a first portion of hook and loop fastener disposed on a first planar portion of the container; and a handle coupled to the container.

2. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising a threaded fitting defined in the container and in communication with the open interior and a threaded closure that seals the threaded fitting.

3. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 2, further comprising a hose that can be coupled to the threaded fitting on a first end and a nozzle that can be coupled to an opposing second end of the hose.

4. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising a stiffener sheet disposed in one or more side panels of the container.

5. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, wherein the container is a rectangular shape.

6. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, wherein the openable closure is an interlocking seal.

7. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising at least one baffle disposed within the open interior of the container.

8. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising a second portion of hook and loop fastener disposed on a second planar portion the container, wherein the second portion of hook and loop fastener is an opposite configuration as compared to that of the first portion of hook and loop fastener.

9. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising a flap that covers over the first portion of hook and loop fastener.

10. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, wherein the container defines an open top side.

11. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 10, further comprising a strap positioned to hold a rolled portion of the container in a position that encloses the open top side.

12. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising a static weight provided to container.

13. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, wherein the container defines a pocket for receiving a removable static weight.

14. A portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system, comprising: a container comprising a flexible and waterproof material, and defining an open interior, wherein a pair of opposing side panels of the container are collapsible to permit contraction of the container along the pair of opposing side panels that are collapsible; an openable zipper closure defined along a top side of the container so that the container can be sealed water-tight; a handle coupled to the container; and a one-way inlet valve defined in the container that is in communication with the open interior.

15. A portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system, comprising: a first container comprising a flexible and waterproof material, and defining an open interior, wherein the first container includes an openable closure defined along a top side of the first container so that the first container can be sealed water-tight, and wherein the first container comprises a first portion of hook and loop fastener disposed on a first planar portion of the first container; and a second container comprising a flexible and waterproof material, and defining an open interior, wherein the second container includes an openable closure defined along a top side of the second container so that the second container can be sealed water-tight, and wherein the second container comprises a second portion of hook and loop fastener disposed on a second planar portion of the second container, wherein the second portion of hook and loop fastener is complimentary to the first portion of hook and loop fastener such that when the first and second portions of hook and loop fastener are aligned and brought into contact with one another, the respective first and second containers are secured together.

16. A method of providing portable ballast to a boat, the method comprising: submerging a container comprising a flexible and waterproof material underwater to fill an open interior thereof with water from a body of water; disposing a static weight in the container before submerging the container underwater; sealing an openable zipper closure of the container to prevent water contained in the open interior from escaping the container; and disposing the container that has been filled with water and sealed in a boat.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising grasping a handle coupled to the container.

18. The portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system of claim 1, further comprising an air release valve provided to a portion of the container that is in communication with the open interior.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(6) FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6B is a diagram of a rigid sheet material for a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(8) FIG. 6C is a front view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(9) FIG. 7 is a front view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(10) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(11) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(12) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(13) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(14) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(15) FIG. 13 is a perspective diagram of a sheet material for a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(16) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(17) FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(18) FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(19) FIG. 17 is a side view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(20) FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(21) FIG. 19 is a perspective view of multiple portable water weights to be joined together in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(22) FIG. 20 is a perspective view of multiple portable water weights joined together in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(23) FIG. 21 is a top view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(24) FIG. 22 is a side view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(25) FIG. 23 is a perspective view of multiple portable water weights joined together in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(26) FIG. 24 is a top view of a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(27) FIG. 25 is a perspective view of multiple portable water weights to be joined together in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(28) FIGS. 26A-26D are a series of diagrams showing a filling procedure for a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(29) FIGS. 27A-27D are a series of diagrams showing a filling procedure for a portable water weight in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

(30) FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a portable water weight in use in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(31) In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various example embodiments; nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention. The invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

(32) The various features or aspects discussed herein can also be combined in additional combinations and embodiments, whether or not explicitly discussed herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.

(33) Referring generally to FIGS. 1-28, the portable, pumpless liquid water weight ballast system 100 can comprise a flexible water-proof membrane molded or welded from multiple panels to form a desired hollow shaped container or body 102. Nylon, PVC or Tarpaulin are examples of materials that are flexible, durable and effective for molding or welding the panels together to form the body 101.

(34) In a first embodiment, the ballast system 100 is generally a hollow cube-shaped container 102 that can be filled with water. However, the length, width and depth do not have to be the same dimensions. An openable closure 104 is defined along the top side in the panel that extends longitudinally across the width of the top side. The openable closure 104 can also further span partially or entirely down one or both vertical sides as well. The openable closure 104 includes a water-proof seal, such as a zipper or an interlocking seal (e.g., ZIP-LOCK) type mechanism or a rolled top, which closes the openable closure in a water-tight manner when the container 102 is full of water so that there is no leaking.

(35) An air release valve 106 can be installed near the top area of the top or side panels. This valve can aid in evacuating air from the container 102 during a filling procedure, or after sealing.

(36) A handle or strap 108 can be attached (or removably attached) to one or more of the adjacent sides of the container 102 for easy handling of the container 102.

(37) A threaded fitting 110 can be defined in the container and in communication with the open interior. The threaded fitting includes a threaded closure that seals the threaded fitting. For example, a plastic threaded plug 110 can be disposed in one or more of the container sides, and preferably adjacent to the bottom side, to allow for easily emptying the water in the container. The plug can also be used to attach various accessories, such as a hose 111a and nozzle 111b (FIG. 16), shower wand, etc. The valve 106 or openable closure 104 can be opened when the plug 110 is removed to aid in efficient draining of the water.

(38) One or more of the side panels forming the container 102 can include a stiffener sheet of material 112 embedded therein. The stiffener sheet 112 makes the otherwise flexible material of the panel stiffer. A side cross-section of a side panel showing the embedded sheet 112 is shown in FIG. 6B. The stiffener sheet 112 can be provided if and where desired to add further rigidity to one or more portions of the container, or can be omitted entirely.

(39) The container 102 can also be provided with one or more interior baffles 113 (FIG. 11) or a manufacturing process called drop-stitching 123 (FIGS. 12-13). These features help the container 102 to hold its intended shape even with the forces of the water's outward pressure in all directions. The baffles 113 also minimize side-to-side sloshing of the water in the container.

(40) The stiffening means mentioned above allow for a flatter and larger contact area of the container 102 so that two or more containers can be joined together.

(41) FIGS. 14-15 show two example alternative shapes of the container 102. The container 102 in FIG. 14 is a tear drop shape. The openable closure 104 in this example is a rolled top. The container 102 in FIG. 15 is an oval cylinder shape. The openable closure 104 is a zipper defined in the circumferential sidewall adjacent to the top surface. The stiffener sheet 112 is indicated in the sidewall. Both embodiments comprise a handle 108 and drain plug 110 as well. Of course other regular and irregular shapes of the container can be provided in further alternative embodiments, including for example pyramid, multi-sided prism, spherical and partially spherical (or any combination of shapes).

(42) As illustrated in FIGS. 17-25, hook and loop-type fastener 114 such as VELCRO can be provided to adjacent respective side panels of the container 102 to releasably join or secure two or more containers 102 together in a monolithic assembly that has enhanced stability as the containers sit on a boat's floor or another surface. These same flat exterior surfaces comprising the hook and loop fasteners 114 can be used to temporarily attach the container to corresponding hook and loop fasteners mounted on portions of the boat to keep the container(s) stable and in place. Other types of fastening means can be used to attach one or more containers together (or to a boat structure), including buckles, straps 117 and temporary adhesives.

(43) A cover 115 comprising a hinged flap or other piece of material can be provided can be provided to cover the section of hook and loop fastener 114 when not employed.

(44) In a further embodiment, such as shown in FIGS. 4-6C, the container 102 of the ballast system 100 can be generally cube-shaped when filled with water, but the length, width and depth do not have to be the same. The top has no panel of its own, or just a partial panel, when void of liquid. The adjacent front, back, left side and right side panels extend vertically from a bottom panel to define an open or partially open top side. Water is filled using the top opening to a desired or marked height of the container. Then starting at the top of the top opening, the front and back sides of the flexible body material are brought together to touch in such a way that they can be rolled downward and together via multiple revolutions so that an air tight seal is formed. This forms the openable closure 104. A strap 105, hook and loop fastener 107 and buckle 109 can be used to hold the rolled top portion of the container in place so that the container remains water-tight.

(45) An air release valve 106 can be installed near the top area of the container in a non-rolled portion. A handle or strap 108 on one or more of the side panels of the container 102 can be provided for easy handling. A plastic threaded plug 110 can be disposed in one or more of the vertical sides to allow for ease of emptying or to attach accessories as described for previous embodiments.

(46) One or more of the side panels can include a sheet of stiffener material 112 as described above. Baffles and/or drop-stitching can also be provided as previously described.

(47) An attachment means 114 for joining together two or more adjacent containers, or to secure containers to the boat structure, can again be provided. The attachment means can be hook and loop fastener, buckles, straps, etc.

(48) As shown in FIG. 4, markings 119 can be provided on the container to indicate fill lines to achieve a particular weight. For example, fill line markings 119 for 25 and 50 pounds are indicated in the container 102 in FIG. 4.

(49) Referring specifically to FIG. 7, a static weight 116 can be disposed in the lower portions of the sidewalls and/or in the bottom of the container 102 to assist in sinking the container during the filling process.

(50) Also referring to FIG. 7, an inlet can also be defined in the bottom of the container using a check valve or one-way valve 118 to allow water into the container 102 for filling but not allow the water out of the container through the valve 118. This embodiment can include the closures discussed previously, or there may be no opening in the top portion at all since it would not be necessary with the use of a bottom filling inlet valve 118.

(51) Referring to FIGS. 8-9, in certain embodiments, the container 102, when empty or partially filled, can be collapsed or folded to make it more compact for storage or to take up less space when less than the full water volume is needed. Two opposing side panels can be accordioned 121 to facilitate the collapsing feature. The top and bottom sides can be accordioned as well. Retention bands 120 can be secured across the contracted sides to keep the container 102 from expanding more than desired when empty or partially filled.

(52) The water ballast system 100 is portable, compact and storable, requires no external pumps, is net neutral buoyant even while in use, and can be used individually or as a system with attachment features that are all independent. The water ballast system 100 is independent from the boat. Water in the container 102 can even be deployed for other uses, including rinsing, washing, cleaning the boat and decks, bathing, cooking and other domestic tasks.

(53) Referring to FIGS. 26A-27D, in use, the container 102 of the water ballast system 100 can be filled by several manual techniques from in or on the boat, or from in the body of water, without the need for a separate pump.

(54) The container 102 can even be filled, for example, through its top opening or drain plug in an automated fashion by pulling behind a boat with a rope while the boat is operated at a slow speed (FIG. 27B).

(55) In a further example, as shown in FIG. 27B, when the boat moves forward under its own power, water is forced through the inlet 122 of a fill conduit 124 coupled to an inlet valve of the container 102 to fill the container with water. The inlet 122 can be secured to the side of the boat for the filling operation so that water is forced through the conduit 124 and into the container 102.

(56) As described previously regarding FIG. 7 and referring additionally to the bottom diagram of FIG. 27C, a static weight 116 can be used to submerge the container 102 under the water line of the body of water to allow water to enter the container 102 through an opening in the bottom via a check valve 118 or in through a top opening described herein.

(57) The filled ballast container 100 can be placed in the desired location inside of the boat such as shown in FIG. 28, wherein the container 102 is set on the floor of the boar adjacent to the boat's seats.

(58) The ability to fill and empty the ballast container as needed saves fuel otherwise wasted hauling static weight around when not needed.

(59) Since the container's walls are still malleable when filled with water, the container will not hurt someone if a toe or foot should hit the container, which is unlike a lead or sand-filled bag.

(60) The water ballast system 100 described herein can also be used as a weight outside of the marine industry. For example, the container 102 can be used to weight down a tent or other lightweight temporary structure.

(61) Further regarding embodiments can utilizes both liquid weight and some static weight like sand lead or other granular or solid material. The static weight can be located in or adjacent to the bottom portion of the device. The static weight can be in a separate compartment that is user-accessible, or can be permanently embedded into the container.

(62) An accessible compartment for static weight allows standard, readily-available compact weight plates designed for sliding onto weight lifting bars to be used. Plus, the user can remove the static weight when not desired for use. With an accessible area defined in the bottom area of the container 102 such as shown in FIG. 7, it would not be necessary to manufacture, transport and sell the container with the weight included, which saves production and shipping cost. The user can then set the device up with no or any weight they desire.

(63) While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred example embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed example embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products.

(64) For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms means for or step for are recited in a claim.