Attachment Device For Interconnecting Canopy to Modular Floating Platform

Abstract

An attachment device for interconnecting a canopy to a modular floating platform includes an elongate first mounting plate defining a distal opening for receiving a first fastener for attaching the first mounting plate to the modular floating platform and an attachment opening for receiving a second fastener for attaching a leg of the canopy to the first mounting plate and a second mounting plate attached to the first mounting plate such that the second mounting plate extends substantially perpendicular to the first mounting plate. A system includes such an attachment device, a modular floating platform, and a canopy, with the attachment device interconnecting the canopy to the modular floating platform.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An attachment device configured to interconnect an associated canopy to an associated modular floating platform, the attachment device comprising:
 an elongate first mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the first mounting plate defining:
 a distal opening adjacent the distal end thereof and configured to receive a first fastener for attaching the first mounting plate to the associated modular floating platform; and 
 an attachment opening adjacent the proximal end thereof and configured to receive a second fastener for attaching a leg of the associated canopy to the first mounting plate; and 
   an elongate second mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the proximal end of the second mounting plate configured to be attached to the first mounting plate such that the second mounting plate extends substantially perpendicular to the first mounting plate.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting plate further defines a plurality of proximal openings adjacent the proximal end thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment device of  claim 2 , wherein the proximal end of the second mounting plate is configured to be attached to the first mounting plate by a plurality of third fasteners passing through respective ones of the proximal openings of the first mounting plate. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , wherein the second mounting plate defines a notched portion along an outer edge at the proximal end thereof, the notched portion configured to be aligned with the attachment opening of the first mounting plate when the first and second mounting plates are attached to one another such that the second fastener is at least partially received within the notched portion. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket attached to an upper surface of the first mounting plate and configured to further operatively attach the associated canopy to the first mounting plate. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment device of  claim 5 , wherein the bracket is a C-shaped bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment device of  claim 5 , further comprising a carabiner between the bracket and the associated canopy. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment device of  claim 5 , wherein the first mounting plate further defines a plurality of bracket openings configured to receive respective ones of a plurality of fourth fasteners for attaching the bracket to the upper surface of the first mounting plate. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , further comprising a strap attached to at least one of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate and configured to operatively connect the associated modular floating platform to the attachment device. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second mounting plates are made of marine-grade high-density polyethylene, metal, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener is a wing screw. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment device of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting plate has a length of about 17″ as measured in a first direction along the first mounting plate from the proximal end to the distal end thereof and the second mounting plate has a length of about 7″ as measured in a first direction along the second mounting plate from the proximal end to the distal end thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment device of  claim 12 , wherein the first mounting plate has a width of about 6″ as measured in a second direction across the first mounting plate perpendicular to the first direction and the second mounting plate has a width of about 6″ as measured in a second direction across the second mounting plate perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a modular floating platform; and   a canopy including a plurality of legs;   the attachment device of  claim 1 ,   wherein the modular floating platform is attached to the first mounting plate by a first fastener passing through the distal opening of the first mounting plate and one of the plurality of legs of the canopy is attached the first mounting plate by a second fastener passing through the attachment opening of the first mounting plate, such that the attachment device interconnects the modular floating platform and the canopy.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the canopy is a 10′×10′ foldable pop-up canopy. 
     
     
         16 . A method of interconnecting a canopy to a modular floating platform, the method comprising:
 providing a modular floating platform, a canopy including a plurality of legs, and the attachment device of  claim 1 ;   attaching the modular floating platform to the first mounting plate by a first fastener passing through the distal opening of the first mounting plate; and   attaching one of the plurality of legs of the canopy to the first mounting plate by a second fastener passing through the attachment opening of the first mounting plate.   
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a modular floating platform; and   a canopy including a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth legs are spaced apart from one another about the modular floating platform;   a first attachment device, a second attachment device, a third attachment device, and a fourth attachment device, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth attachment devices are spaced apart from one another about the modular floating platform and each of the first, second, third, and fourth attachment devices comprises:
 an elongate first mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the first mounting plate defining:
 a distal opening adjacent the distal end thereof and configured to receive a first fastener for attaching the first mounting plate to the modular floating platform; and 
 an attachment opening adjacent the proximal end thereof and configured to receive a second fastener for attaching a leg of the canopy to the first mounting plate; and 
 
   an elongate second mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the proximal end of the second mounting plate configured to be attached to the first mounting plate such that the second mounting plate extends substantially perpendicular to the first mounting plate,   wherein the modular floating platform is attached to each of the first, second, third, and fourth attachment devices, the first leg of the canopy is attached to the first attachment device, the second leg of the canopy is attached to the second attachment device, the third leg of the canopy is attached to the third attachment device, and the fourth leg of the canopy is attached to the fourth attachment device, such that each of the first, second, third, and fourth attachment devices interconnects the modular floating platform and the canopy.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the canopy is a 10′×10′ pop-up canopy. 
     
     
         19 . An attachment device configured to interconnect an associated canopy to an associated modular floating platform, the attachment device comprising:
 an elongate first mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the first mounting plate defining:
 a plurality of proximal openings adjacent the proximal end thereof; 
 a distal opening adjacent the distal end thereof and configured to receive a first fastener for attaching the first mounting plate to the associated modular floating platform; and 
 an attachment opening adjacent the proximal end thereof and configured to receive a second fastener for attaching a leg of the associated canopy to the first mounting plate; 
   an elongate second mounting plate extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the proximal end of the second mounting plate configured to be attached to the first mounting plate by a plurality of third fasteners passing through respective ones of the proximal openings of the first mounting plate such that the second mounting plate extends substantially perpendicular to the first mounting plate;   a bracket attached to an upper surface of the first mounting plate;   a carabiner between the bracket and the associated canopy and configured to further operatively attach the associated canopy to the first mounting plate via the bracket; and   a strap attached to at least one of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate and configured to further operatively connect the associated modular floating platform to the attachment device.   
     
     
         20 . The attachment device of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the second mounting plate defines a notched portion along an outer edge at the proximal end thereof, the notched portion configured to be aligned with the attachment opening of the first mounting plate when the first and second mounting plates are attached to one another such that the second fastener is at least partially received within the notched portion; and   the first mounting plate defines a notched portion along an outer edge at the proximal end thereof.