Rope Management System for watersports activities

• US 20120132121A1
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eric Patrick Scheper
• Original Assignee: Eric Patrick Scheper
• Inventors: Scheper, Eric Patrick
• Application Number:
  US13/187,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120132121A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/253
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/60 Arrangements for towing, e.g. for use with water-skis or wakeboards

Abstract

On any given powerboat and any given day on the water the activities of different types of riders/watersports enthusiasts may need ski ropes of different lengths to encompass the experience level of the rider and or the type of watersports activity. The type of powerboat, the experience level of the rider, the amount of wake generated at given distances “off” the powerboat can vary. It is beneficial to be able to adjust the “off” distance of the rider from the powerboat to ensure the rider can use the optimal portion of the powerboats wake to perform tricks. This patent will describe a device that will enable the controlled dispensing, retraction and storage of the ski rope, free from tangles and knots while providing a means to measure, adjust and control the “off” distance of the ski rope for all types of watersports activities and rider experience levels.

Claims

1. ) Apparatus for eliminating the tangling and knotting of ski rope due to storage and implementation;

Apparatus comprising a means for mechanically controlling ski rope storage and implementation.

2. ) Apparatus for eliminating non-consecutive interlaced tensile member (rope, wire, string, etcetera) layers on a spool, apparatus comprising of a means that applies continuous opposing tensile forces to tensile member during rotational movement and stationary position of spool.

3. ) Apparatus for enabling repeatable and variable ski rope lengths for various usages and riders from use to use, apparatus comprising a means to measure ski rope length while providing controlled feedback, the fixing of the ski rope at the desired length by means of device causing opposing side friction.

3.1) A method comprising infinitely varying the ski rope “

off”

length by controlling and simultaneously measuring dispensed ski rope with controlled feedback.

4. ) Apparatus for watersports/ski rope storage and implementation comprising;

A ski rope dispensing and retracting spool with means to maintain ski rope free of tangles and knots;

A system to eliminate the non-consecutive interlaced rope layers on the dispensing and retracting spool;

A mechanical and or electronic device to measure ski rope length from said spool with means to display dispensed ski rope length measurement with controlled feedback;

A means to provide fixing of ski rope length at desired location along length of ski rope