Cleat adapter configured for connecting to a u-shaped tow eye

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025128789-A1
Application number	US-202318493493-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2023
Priority date	Oct 24, 2023
Publication date	Apr 24, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cleat adapter connectable to a U-shaped tow eye includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion that define an adapter body. The adapter body defines a passage to receive and capture a portion of the U-shaped tow eye. The adapter body includes: a first member, a second member, and an arm extending therebetween. The first member, the second member and the arm together defining a generally U shape and a space for receiving a tow cord. The adapter body further includes a first protrusion for retaining a first portion of the tow cord and a second protrusion for retaining a second portion of the tow cord. The first protrusion extending laterally outward from the first member and the second protrusion extending laterally outward from the second member. A watercraft having a cleat adapter and a method for attaching the cleat adapter are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cleat adapter configured for connecting to a U-shaped tow eye, the cleat adapter comprising:
a first portion; and a second portion connected to the first portion, the first portion and the second portion together defining an adapter body, the adapter body defining a passage configured to receive a portion of the U-shaped tow eye and to capture the portion of the U-shaped tow eye in the adapter body, the adapter body comprising:
a first member;
a second member;
an arm extending between the first member and the second member,
the first member, the second member and the arm together defining a generally U shape,
the first member, the second member and the arm together defining a space for receiving a tow cord;
a first protrusion for retaining a first portion of the tow cord, the first protrusion extending laterally outward from the first member; and
a second protrusion for retaining a second portion of the tow cord, the second protrusion extending laterally outward from the second member.

2 . The cleat adapter of claim 1 , wherein the passage has:
a first passage portion defined in the first member for receiving a first straight portion of the U-shaped tow eye; a second passage portion defined in the second member for receiving a second straight portion of the U-shaped tow eye; and a curved passage portion defined by the arm for receiving a curved portion of the U-shaped tow eye, the curved passage portion extending between the first passage portion and the second passage portion, the curved portion of the U-shaped tow eye extending between the first straight portion of the U-shaped tow eye and the second straight portion of the U-shaped tow eye.

3 . The cleat adapter of claim 2 , wherein:
the first portion is an upper portion having:
an upper first member;
an upper second member;
an upper arm;
an upper first protrusion; and
an upper second protrusion;
the second portion is a lower portion having:
a lower first member;
a lower second member;
a lower arm;
a lower first protrusion; and
a lower second protrusion;
the first member being defined by the upper first member and the lower first member; the second member being defined by the upper second member and the lower second member; the arm being defined by the upper arm and the lower arm; the first protrusion being defined by the upper first protrusion and lower first protrusion; the second protrusion being defined by the upper second protrusion and the lower second protrusion; and the upper portion and the lower portion being connected to each other for sandwiching the U-shaped tow eye.

4 . The cleat adapter of claim 3 , wherein:
the arm is a first arm; the upper arm is an upper first arm; the lower arm is a lower first arm; the adapter body further comprises a second arm spaced apart from the first arm and extending between the first member and the second member; the upper portion further comprises an upper second arm; the lower portion further comprises a lower second arm; the second arm being defined by the upper second arm and the lower second arm; and the space is further defined by the second arm.

5 . The cleat adapter of claim 4 , wherein:
the upper second arm comprises a projection defining a notch; the lower second arm comprises an extension; and the notch receives the extension.

6 . The cleat adapter of claim 5 , wherein:
the projection is a first projection; the notch is a first notch; the extension is a first extension; the upper second arm further comprises a second projection defining a second notch; the lower second arm further comprises a second extension; the first projection is disposed at a first end of the upper second arm and the second projection is disposed at a second end of the upper second arm; the first extension is disposed at a first end of the lower second arm and the second extension is disposed at a second end of the lower second arm; the first notch receives the first extension; and the second notch receives the second extension.

7 . The cleat adapter of claim 3 , wherein:
the upper first member comprises:
an inner first member surface; and
a first inner projection extending from the inner first member surface, the first inner projection defining a first channel;
the lower first member defines a first opening aligned with the first channel; and the cleat adapter further comprises a first connector received in the first opening and the first channel for connecting the first portion to the second portion.

8 . The cleat adapter of claim 7 , wherein:
the upper second member comprises:
an inner second member surface; and
a second inner projection extending from the inner second member surface, the second inner projection defining a second channel;
the lower second member defines a second opening aligned with the second channel; and the cleat adapter further comprises a second connector received in the second opening and the second channel for connecting the first portion to the second portion.

9 . The cleat adapter of claim 8 , wherein:
the lower first member comprises a first recessed portion; the first opening is defined by the first recessed portion; the lower second member comprises a second recessed portion; and the second opening is defined by the second recessed portion.

10 . The cleat adapter of claim 1 , wherein:
the arm is a first arm; the adapter body further comprises a second arm spaced apart from the first arm and extending between the first member and the second member; and the space is further defined by the second arm.

11 . The cleat adapter of claim 1 , wherein:
the first protrusion is disposed at an end portion of the first member; the first protrusion has a first outer face flush with an outer side of the arm; the second protrusion is disposed at an end portion of the second member; and the second protrusion has a second outer face flush with the outer side of the arm.

12 . The cleat adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is formed as a first unitary piece and the second portion is formed as a second unitary piece.

13 . A watercraft comprising:
a watercraft body; a U-shaped tow eye connected to and extending rearward from a surface of the watercraft body; a cleat adapter connected to the U-shaped tow eye, the cleat adapter having:
a first portion; and
a second portion connected to the first portion,
the first portion and the second portion together defining an adapter body,
the adapter body defining a passage receiving a portion of the U-shaped tow eye and capturing the portion of the U-shaped tow eye in the adapter body;
the adapter body comprising:
a first member;
a second member;
an arm extending between the first member and the second member,
the first member, the second member, and the arm together defining a generally U shape,
the first member, the second member, and the arm together defining a space for receiving a tow cord;
a first protrusion for retaining a first portion of the tow cord, the first protrusion extending laterally outward from the first member; and
a second protrusion for retaining a second portion of the tow cord, the second protrusion extending laterally outward from the second member.

14 . The watercraft of claim 13 , wherein:
the first portion is an upper portion, the upper portion having:
an upper first member;
an upper second member; and
an upper arm;
an upper first protrusion; and
an upper second protrusion;
the second portion is a lower portion having:
a lower first membe

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• L'Heureux Marc-Andre
• Meskine Abdelkarim
• Van Den Bogaard Bart
• Anton Austin

Classifications

• B63B21/04 Primary

  Fastening or guiding equipment for chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like {(means for fastening cables or ropes in general F16G11/00)} · CPC title