ANCHOR APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE

This U.S. non-provisional application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 63/707,218, filed Oct. 15, 2024, the subject matter of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a fillable apparatus to provide a weighted anchor for an inflatable pool float or other lightweight item.

BACKGROUND

Currently there are a number of solutions for keeping an inflatable pool float from being blown out of a pool. One of these solutions attempts to a use a rope/string to tie down the float, but this solution fails to meet the needs of the market because not all floats have a place to secure a rope and it requires a user to remember to tie up the float. Another solution attempts to simply remove the inflatable tube from the pool when not in use, but this solution is similarly unable to meet the needs of the market because the user has to have a secure place to store the floats.

It would be advantageous to have an improved apparatus that can keep an inflatable pool float securely in the pool at all times. Furthermore, it would also be advantageous to have an apparatus that can stay attached to the float while the user is using the float. Still further, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus that can be filled with a liquid. The apparatus of the present disclosure can fulfill an unmet need by providing a liquid-fillable anchor for an inflatable pool float.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a liquid-fillable anchor apparatus of the present disclosure can include a body portion having sidewalls, an interior volume, and a locking member. The interior volume a configured to be filled with a liquid. The apparatus configured to be coupled to a pool float for adding weight to the float and prevent the float from blowing away from the pool when not in use.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a fillable anchor apparatus having a body portion, locking member, intake port, and cap portion. The body portion can include a first end and a second end, wherein the body portion has an exterior surface and an interior cavity. The locking member having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is located on the first end of the body portion and the second portion is located on the second end of the body portion. The intake port having an aperture that extends from the exterior surface of the body portion to the interior cavity of the body portion. The cap portion configured to be removably coupled to the intake port.

The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure, when coupled to an inflatable float.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure, when coupled to an inflatable float.

FIG. 2A is a side view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a top view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2C is a front perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a cross-section view along axis A-A of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is an exploded perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3D is an enlarged view of a portion of an apparatus of FIG. 3C.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure in a first configuration.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure in a second configuration.

FIG. 5A is a top view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a cross-section view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present disclosure of FIG. 5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Following are more detailed descriptions of various related concepts related to, and embodiments of, methods and apparatus according to the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that various aspects of the subject matter introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the subject matter is not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

Before the present invention of this disclosure is described in such detail, however, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular variations set forth and may, of course, vary. Various changes may be made to the invention described and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process act(s) or step(s), to the objective(s), spirit, or scope of the present invention. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure made herein.

Unless otherwise indicated, the words and phrases presented in this document have their ordinary meanings to one of skill in the art. Such ordinary meanings can be obtained by reference to their use in the art and by reference to general and scientific dictionaries.

References in the specification to “one embodiment” indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

The following explanations of certain terms are meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive. These terms have their ordinary meanings given by usage in the art and in addition include the following explanations.

As used herein, the term “and/or” refers to any one of the items, any combination of the items, or all of the items with which this term is associated.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein, the terms “include,” “for example,” “such as,” and the like are used illustratively and are not intended to limit the present invention.

As used herein, the terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances.

Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the invention.

As used herein, the terms “front,” “back,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “right,” and “left” in this description are merely used to identify the various elements as they are oriented in the FIGS., with “front,” “back,” and “rear” being relative to the apparatus. These terms are not meant to limit the elements that they describe, as the various elements may be oriented differently in various applications.

As used herein, the term “coupled” means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature or alternatively may be removable or releasable in nature. Similarly, coupled can refer to a two member or elements being in communicatively coupled, wherein the two elements may be electronically, through various means, such as a metallic wire, wireless network, optical fiber, or other medium and methods.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 of one or more exemplary embodiment of a fillable anchor apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure is provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 1 of the present disclosure can generally comprise a body portion 10 having one or more sidewalls 101, 102, an interior volume 20, an intake port 30, and a locking member 40. The sidewalls 101, 102 can define an interior volume 20 or cavity and the interior volume 20 configured to be filled with a liquid or other filling, such as water from the pool, for adding weight to the body portion 10. In other exemplary embodiments, the interior cavity 20 having a volume can be filled with any suitable material including sand or other weighted material. The sidewalls 101, 102 can be formed to have one or more edges 110 that can be formed in certain embodiments. In some exemplary embodiments, the body portion 10 can be completely circular without one or more edge portions 110. In some embodiments, a first sidewall 101 can have a first end and a second end defining a length of the first sidewall. The second sidewall can have a first end and a second end defining the length of the second sidewall. The first sidewall 101 and second sidewall 102 can have a defined wide width. The first sidewall 101 and second sidewall 102 can be coupled along the edges of each of the sidewall to create a waterproof edge portion 110 on each side.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 1 of the present disclosure can be coupled around another item 2 to provide additional weight to the item 2 to limit its ability to be blown away from a gust of wind. In some exemplary embodiments, the other item 2 can be a raft or inflatable that can easily be carried off from a gust of wind. The apparatus 1 provides additional weight that can be easily coupled on and off the item 2 as well as be filled with a weighted material, such as a liquid, to provide additional weight. In some instances where a pool inflatable 2 is in a pool a user can fill the interior cavity 20 of the apparatus 1 with the pool water to provide additional weight to the inflatable 2.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, an intake port 30 may have a removable cap 50, wherein a user may remove the cap 50 for adding water to the interior volume 20, then place the cap 50 back onto the port 30, for closing. The body portion 10 generally configured to be wrapped around a portion of an inflatable pool toy 2 and secured to the pool toy via the locking member 40. The filled body portion 10 configured to act as an anchor to the pool toy 2 for securing the pool toy/float 2 in the pool at all times. The anchor apparatus 1 can stay coupled to the pool toy/float 2 during use. When a user is finished utilizing the apparatus 1, the liquid or material can be emptied from the interior cavity 20 of the apparatus to allow for a user to easily store the apparatus 1 when not in use.

FIGS. 2A-C illustrate some embodiments wherein the body portion 10 is generally a tubing-like shape. A locking mechanism 40 may be a buckle system or any other suitable locking means. In some exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism can be made of a heavier material such as a metal to provide additional weight. The apparatus can be easily coupled to and from various items 2. A cap portion 50 can be removably coupled into the inlet portion 30 to provide a seal to maintain contents within the cavity 20 of the body portion 10 of the apparatus 1. The cap portion 50 can be any suitable configuration include a screw cap, compression fit cap, or any other suitable coupling means to maintain a sealing relationship between the cap 50 and inlet 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, the apparatus 1 can have a first end 11 and a second end 12 that can define the general length of the body 10. The first sidewall 101 and second sidewall 102 can generally be coupled together along each edge forming a first edge member 110a and a second edge member 110b along at least portion of the body 10. The sidewalls 101, 102 can be coupled together utilizing any suitable method including a water proof stitching, thermo bonding, adhesive, or other means to form a water tight seal between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The cavity 20 formed therein can generally be defined in volume based upon the width of each of the sidewalls. The length and width of the body portion 10 can be any pre-determined size based upon the desired use of a user. For items that are larger and may require additional weight, the wide can be wider and the length can be longer.

The inlet or intake portion 30 can include a first end 32 and a second end 34. The inlet body 30 can extend from the exterior surface 121 of a sidewall member 101 to an interior surface 122 of the sidewall member 101. The aperture 31 can provide a passage from the exterior of the apparatus 1 to the interior cavity 20 of the body portion 1 as shown in FIG. 3B. When the cap 50 is removed, a user can easily compress the exterior surface 121 of the body to remove the interior contents from within the cavity 20 through the inlet 30. The locking member 40 can include a first portion 41 and a second portion 42. The first portion 41 of the locking member 40 can be coupled to the first end 11 of the body portion 10 and the second locking member 42 can be coupled to the second end 12 of the body portion 10. The first end 11 and second end 12 can be mated together to provide a flat portion 15 that can be easily coupled to the respective locking portion. In some exemplary embodiments the locking member 40 can have a buckle end 45 that can interface with the respective end of the body portion 10. In other embodiments, the locking mechanism 40 can be coupled to the end of the body portion using any suitable means.

FIG. 4A-4B illustrate an exemplary apparatus of the present disclosure in a first and second configuration. In the first configuration shown in FIG. 4A, the interior cavity 20 can be empty from any liquid allowing for the body portion to be in a generally flat configuration. This configuration can allow a user to easily roll up and store the apparatus to take up minimal space in a bag or pocket. Alternatively, FIG. 4B illustrates a second configuration wherein the interior cavity 20 of the apparatus is filled with a liquid or fluid resulting in a more rounded or tubular configuration. The apparatus 1 can generally be maintained on an item 2 when in use or not in use. The interior cavity 20 can be unfilled while still being maintained on an item 2. When a user is not using the inflatable or item 2, the apparatus 1 can be filled to provide exterior weight to the item 2 when not in use.

In some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus 1 can be comprised of a singular side wall 101 wherein a singular edge portion 110 is formed along the length of the body portion 1 as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary embodiment having a singular sidewall 101 member with a first edge 106 and a second edge 107. The first edge 106 and second edge 107 can be coupled together to form the edge portion 110. This can provide reduced material needed as will as eliminate a edge portion 110 from the two sidewall embodiment.

The fillable anchor apparatus 1 may be made of various shapes and sizes to fit different types of floats 2. The apparatus 1 of the present disclosure can be made of lightweight and durable materials. In some exemplary embodiment, the body portion 10 can be comprised of lightweight durable materials, such as Teflon, Nylon, woven plastics, waterproof membranes, water impermeable materials, rubber, polymers, thermoplastic elastomer or other suitable materials. The body portion 10 can generally be made of materials the can be used to prevent water from passing through the material. Similarly, the exterior can be made of various colored materials as desired.

While the invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.