US-12617495-B2 - Marine cleat with fastener retention

Abstract

A marine cleat with fastener retention is provided. The marine cleat can be a folding cleat and can include a cleat body configured to operably couple to a mounting surface of the watercraft, and a cleat head extending away from the cleat body. The cleat head can have first and second projections configured to receive a portion of a line, e.g., for mooring the watercraft. A bottom side of the cleat body can include first and second fastener retention slots, each having an insertion cavity that is configured to receive a head of a fastener therein, and a retention end that is configured to laterally receive the head of the fastener and fix the fastener in both axial translation and axial rotation with respect to the cleat body. The insertion cavities of the first and second fastener retention slots can be positioned outwardly from the retention ends.

Inventors

• Jed Hawkes
• Paul Masato Furrer
• Paul Olliges

Assignees

• PATRICK INDUSTRIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230823

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A marine cleat for securing a line to a structure, the marine cleat comprising: a cleat body configured to operably couple to a mounting surface of the structure, the cleat body comprising: a top side including a cleat head extending away from the top side and having a first projection and a second projection extending in opposite directions along the mounting surface, the cleat head being configured to receive a portion of the line; and a bottom side having a first fastener retention slot and a second fastener retention slot, the first and second fastener retention slots each having: an insertion cavity that is configured to receive a head of a fastener therein; and a retention end that is configured to laterally receive the head of the fastener and fix the fastener in both axial translation and axial rotation with respect to the cleat body, wherein the insertion cavities of the first and second fastener retention slots are positioned outwardly from the retention ends.
2. 2 . The marine cleat of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retention slots each further comprise opposing first and second inner surfaces spaced apart at a distance configured to interface with the head of the fastener to prevent axial rotation of the fastener.
3. 3 . The marine cleat of claim 2 , wherein first and second fastener retention slots each further comprise an axial retention surface at the retention end, wherein the axial retention surface is configured to interface with the head of the fastener to prevent axial translation of the fastener.
4. 4 . The marine cleat of claim 3 , wherein the first and second fastener retention slots each further comprise an internal ramp configured to interface with the head of the fastener and urge the head of the fastener toward the axial retention surface at the retention end.
5. 5 . The marine cleat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second fastener retention slots each further comprise an orienting ramp positioned between the insertion cavity and the retention end, wherein the orienting ramp is configured to interface the head of the fastener and axially rotate the fastener such that the head aligns with at least one of the first and second inner surfaces.
6. 6 . The marine cleat of claim 1 , wherein the cleat body is elongated and wherein the first and second projections are longitudinally oriented with respect to the cleat body.
7. 7 . The marine cleat of claim 1 , wherein the cleat body is elongated and wherein the cleat head is laterally foldable by rotating with respect to the cleat body.
8. 8 . The marine cleat of claim 7 , wherein the cleat head is operably coupled to the cleat body by a first leg and a second leg, wherein the cleat body further comprises a first clearance trough and a second clearance trough, and wherein the first leg is received within the first clearance trough and the second leg is received within the second clearance trough when the cleat head is in a stowed position with respect to the cleat body.
9. 9 . The marine cleat of claim 7 , wherein the cleat body further comprises: a first detent configured to resist rotation of the cleat head from a stowed position to a deployed position; and a second detent configured to resist rotation of the cleat head from the deployed position to the stowed position.
10. 10 . The marine cleat of claim 7 , wherein the cleat head further comprises an opening relief configured to receive a finger of a user to assist in rotating the cleat head with respect to the cleat body from a stowed position.
11. 11 . The marine cleat of claim 1 , wherein the cleat body further comprises a drain opening to permit water flow away from the bottom side of the cleat body.
12. 12 . A folding marine cleat for securing a line to watercraft, the marine cleat comprising: a cleat body configured to operably couple to a mounting surface of the watercraft, the cleat body having a first fastener retention slot and a second fastener retention slot, the first and second fastener retention slots each having: an insertion cavity that is configured to receive a head of a fastener therein; and a retention end that is configured to laterally receive the head of the fastener and fix the fastener in both axial translation and axial rotation with respect to the cleat body; and a cleat head rotationally coupled to the cleat body and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, the cleat head having a first projection and a second projection extending in opposite directions along the mounting surface and configured to receive a portion of the line.
13. 13 . The folding marine cleat of claim 12 , wherein the insertion cavities of the first and second fastener retention slots are positioned outwardly from the retention ends.
14. 14 . The folding marine cleat of claim 12 , wherein the first fastener retention slot has a first translation path for a first fastener head traveling from the insertion cavity to the retention end, wherein the second fastener retention slot has a second translation path for a second fastener head traveling from the insertion cavity to the retention end, and wherein the first and second translation paths point toward each other.
15. 15 . The folding marine cleat of claim 14 , wherein the first and second translation paths are parallel.
16. 16 . The folding marine cleat of claim 12 , wherein the first and second retention slots each further comprise opposing first and second inner surfaces spaced apart at a distance configured to interface with the head of the fastener to prevent axial rotation of the fastener.
17. 17 . The folding marine cleat of claim 16 , wherein first and second fastener retention slots each further comprise an axial retention surface at the retention end, wherein the axial retention surface is configured to interface with the head of the fastener to prevent axial translation of the fastener.
18. 18 . The folding marine cleat of claim 16 , wherein the first and second fastener retention slots each further comprise an orienting ramp positioned between the insertion cavity and the retention end, wherein the orienting ramp is configured to interface the head of the fastener and axially rotate the fastener such that the head aligns with at least one of the first and second inner surfaces.
19. 19 . The folding marine cleat of claim 12 , wherein the cleat body is elongated and wherein the first and second projections are longitudinally oriented with respect to the cleat body.
20. 20 . The folding marine cleat of claim 12 , wherein the cleat head is operably coupled to the cleat body by a first leg and a second leg, wherein the cleat body further comprises a first clearance trough and a second clearance trough, and wherein the first leg is received within the first clearance trough and the second leg is received within the second clearance trough when the cleat head is in the stowed position.

Description

BACKGROUND A marine cleat is an accessory typically used on watercraft to provide a point to tie-down mooring, rigging, anchor, fender, and other lines to the watercraft. For example, when mooring the watercraft, a line is tied from a structure, such as a dock, other boat, pilon, etc., to the marine cleat on the watercraft to secure the watercraft to the structure. Cleats can also be used for leverage during watercraft maneuvers, such as with spring lines, or when a user partially wraps the line around the cleat to pull the line in or pay the line out in a controlled manner. A cleat typically includes two projections parallel to the mounting surface and arranged such that a cleat hitch (a knot that secures the line portion but can be readily undone) can be tied around the projections, or such that the line can be wrapped around either of the projections during use of the cleat as leverage. The portion of the cleat with the projections (e.g., the cleat head) can be fixed or foldable. A fixed cleat does not include any moving parts, while a foldable cleat (or “folding cleat”) allows the projections to be stowed when not in use for a flush and sleek folded position. Fixed cleats can be preferable in high strength applications, or in situations where the projections of the cleat need to be accessible at all times. In other applications, folding cleats can be preferable, such as with cleats mounted near walkways, cleats on smaller watercraft, and/or cleats on modern watercraft, where a sleeker look is preferred. The marine cleat can be mounted to the deck, hull, or other structure of the watercraft where lines are tied down. Typically, the marine cleat includes holes for fasteners to pass through and be secured to the mounting surface. For example, the cleat can have two to four holes where bolts pass through and into complementary holes in the watercraft. These bolts are typically secured with nuts or other fastening features on the other end (e.g., under the hull surface, under the deck surface, etc.). This type of arrangement makes the fastener heads visible from the upper surface of the cleat. In folding cleats, these fastener heads are either visible with the cleat in a closed, stowed position, or the heads are positioned under the folding portion of the cleat such that they are only visible when the cleat is in the open, deployed position. In most of these configurations, the head of the fastener must be held stationary while the nut or other fastening feature is tightened. This installation limitation can make some installations more labor intensive (e.g., by requiring multiple installation personnel). Embodiments of a marine cleat in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure provide improved installation, aesthetic, and performance as compared to known marine cleats. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claimed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of one example of a marine cleat shown in a deployed position, in which technologies and/or methodologies of the present disclosure may be employed; FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the marine cleat of FIG. 1A, with the marine cleat shown in a stowed position; FIGS. 2-5 are bottom perspective, front, side, and bottom views, respectively, of the marine cleat of FIG. 1A; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional bottom view of the marine cleat of FIG. 1A, taken along the plane 6-6 shown in FIG. 3, showing a fastener being inserted into a retention slot; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional front view of the marine cleat of FIG. 1A, taken along the plane 7-7 shown in FIG. 5, showing the fastener being inserted into the retention slot; and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the marine cleat of FIG. 1A, taken along the plane 8-8 shown in FIG. 5, showing the fastener in the retention slot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, are intended as a description of various embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to represent the only embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. As will be described in more detail below, the present disclosure provides examples of a marine cleat having fastener retention features that are expected to aid in installation of the marine cleat to the watercraft and to improve the aesthetic appearance of the cleat by concealing the fasteners once installed. Although the illustrated embodiments