Dock systems and dock fenders

摘要

A flange free, semi-rigid resilient, hollow, dock fender having a skeletal triangular shape with a set of radiused edges and end fasteners to support the dock fender as the dock fender longitudinally and transversely distorts and flexes to distribute an impact force to protect objects proximate either side of an impact area on the dock fender with the skeletal triangular shape enabling use of low cost manufacturing techniques to form the dock fender from semi-rigid materials where the shape of the dock fender rather than the compressibility of the material of the dock fender enables the dock fender to absorb repeated impacts without damage to the dock fender and the securement of a hanger to end caps to a dock fender allows the dock fender to be used as a hanging dock fender, which inhibits rotation of the dock fender during an impact or the dock fender where the dock fender may or may not be in kit form.

主权项

1. A dock and boat protection system comprising:
a dock having a top surface and a side rail having a side face; a semi-rigid, resilient dock fender located above a body of water with the dock fender having a first open end and a second open end with a set of three elongated flat panels having the same thickness extending therebetween, each of said three elongated flat panels lacking elastomeric compressibility, each of said three elongated panels having opposing elongated edges that are integrally joined to the elongated edge of an adjacent elongated flat panel by an impact absorbing radiused edge to form a triangular shaped dock fender having an elongated skeletal triangular shape with a uniform thickness and uniform impact absorption, said one of said three elongated flat panels having a fastener hole proximate the first open end of said dock fender for dock fender securement to the side rail of the dock and to an exterior panel face that abuts the side face of said side rail in a face-to-face condition with the other two of said three elongated flat panels extending outwardly to form a V shape so that the other two of said three elongated flat panels transversely and longitudinally distort and flex when absorbing a normal impact to the dock fender; and a mounting member comprising a fastener securing the dock fender to the dock rail, through a lateral insertion of the fastener into the first open end of the dock fender and into an interior space of said dock fender and through the first hole proximate the first end so that the fastener engages both the elongated flat panel abutting the side rail and the side rail to secure the dock fender to the side rail in a condition wherein the fastener is shielded from direct contact with an object impacting an exterior surface of the dock fender and the fastener hole.