Dock segment coupling assembly and method for using

Abstract

A dock coupling assembly that connects multiple dock segments to one another, wherein the dock coupling assembly comprising a female attachment bracket having a base portion and an offset portion that is connected to the base portion and is out of alignment with the base portion. The female attachment bracket further comprises a vertical flange on an inner surface that travels from a top edge to a bottom edge, and wherein the dock coupling assembly also comprises a male attachment bracket comprising a first outwardly extending engagement member and a second outwardly extending engagement member located on the base plate outer surface along the proximal edge, and wherein the male attachment bracket further comprises a base plate vertical flange that travels from a base plate top edge to a base plate bottom edge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dock coupling assembly configured to connect a first dock segment with a second dock segment, the dock coupling assembly comprising;
 a female attachment bracket comprising a base portion having a longitudinal axis and an offset portion connected to the base portion and laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the base portion, and wherein the female attachment bracket has an outer surface, an inner surface, a first edge extending along a length of the base portion and the offset portion, a second edge extending along the length of the base portion and the offset portion, a proximal edge on the offset portion, and a distal edge opposite to the proximal edge on the female attachment bracket, and wherein the offset portion has a first receiving channel and a second receiving channel, and wherein the female attachment bracket further comprises a flange on the inner surface and generally perpendicular to the inner surface;   a male attachment bracket comprising a base plate having a base plate inner surface, a base plate outer surface, a base plate first edge, a base plate second edge, a base plate proximal edge, and a base plate distal edge, and wherein the male attachment bracket further comprises a first engagement member spaced from a second engagement member, the first engagement member and the second engagement member positioned proximate the proximal edge, and wherein the male attachment bracket further comprises a base plate flange extending between the base plate first edge and the base plate second edge, the base plate flange is generally perpendicular to the base plate inner surface; and   wherein the first receiving channel is configured to receive the first engagement member and the second receiving channel is configured to receive the second engagement member.   
     
     
         2 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate flange is proximate the base plate proximal edge and extends between the base plate first edge and the base plate second edge. 
     
     
         3 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the female attachment bracket and the offset portion of the female attachment bracket are connected by an angled connection portion having a first edge and a second edge, and the flange extends between the first edge and the second edge of the angled connection portion. 
     
     
         4 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first receiving channel is an opening in the first edge of the offset portion. 
     
     
         5 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second receiving channel is an arcuate opening in the proximal edge of the offset portion. 
     
     
         6 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a vertical pole grip, the vertical pole grip comprising, a first side, a second side, and a cylindrical channel disposed between the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         7 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange on the female attachment bracket is proximate the offset portion and extends between the first edge and the second edge of the base portion. 
     
     
         8 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male attachment bracket is configured to be attached to a first dock segment, wherein the base plate inner surface and the base plate flange are configured to engaged a corner of the first dock segment, and wherein the female attachment bracket is configured to be attached to a second dock segment, wherein the inner surface and the flange of the female attachment bracket are configured to engage a corner of the second dock segment. 
     
     
         9 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 7  wherein the male attachment bracket has a plurality of openings and the female attachment bracket has a plurality of openings, and wherein the male attachment bracket is configured to engage to a first dock segment with fasteners passing through the plurality of openings and into the first dock segment, and wherein the female attachment bracket is configured to engage to a second dock segment with fasteners passing through the plurality of openings and into the second dock segment. 
     
     
         10 . A dock coupling assembly configured to connect a first dock segment with a second dock segment, the dock coupling assembly comprising;
 a first bracket configured to be attached to a first dock segment comprising a base portion having a longitudinal axis and an offset second bracket connecting portion that is connected to the base portion at an angled connection portion such that the offset second bracket connecting portion is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the base portion, and wherein the first bracket has an outer surface, an inner surface, first edge that travels and length of the base portion and the offset second bracket connecting portion, a second edge that travels the length of the base portion and the offset second bracket connecting portion, a proximal edge on the offset second bracket connecting portion, and a distal edge opposite to the proximal edge on the first bracket further, and wherein the first bracket comprises a flange on the inner surface extending from the first edge to the second edge and is generally perpendicular to the inner surface, and wherein the offset second bracket connecting portion has a first receiving channel and a second receiving channel, and wherein the first receiving channel extends from the first edge on the offset second bracket connecting downwards parallel to the proximal edge, and the second receiving channel extends from the proximal edge to below the first receiving channel;   a second bracket configured to be attached to a second dock segment comprising a base plate having a base plate inner surface, a base plate outer surface, a base plate top edge, a base plate bottom edge, a base plate proximal edge, and a base plate distal edge, and wherein the second bracket further comprises at least one first bracket engaging member configured to engage with the offset second bracket connecting portion of the first bracket, and wherein the second bracket further comprises a base plate flange extending from the base plate top edge to the base plate bottom edge and that is generally perpendicular to the base plate inner surface; and   a pole grip comprising, a first side, a second side, and a cylindrical channel disposed between the first side and the second side.   
     
     
         11 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first dock segment is rectangular and the inner surface of the first bracket and the flange form a right angle that is form fitted to a corner of the first dock segment. 
     
     
         12 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second dock segment is rectangular and the inner surface of the base plate and the base plate flange form a right angle that is form fitted to a corner of the second dock segment. 
     
     
         13 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second receiving channel is arcuate, and the first receiving channel and the second receiving channel are configured to receive a first bracket engaging member. 
     
     
         14 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the base plate flange is along the base plate proximal edge. 
     
     
         15 . The dock coupling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the flange of the female attachment bracket is along the offset second bracket connecting portion. 
     
     
         16 . A method for assembling a dock by attaching a first dock segment to a second dock segment, each dock segment comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a top surface, and wherein a female attachment bracket is attached to the first dock segment and a male attachment bracket is attached to the second dock segment, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 lowering the second dock segment towards the first dock segment at an angle with the first end lower in height than the first end, wherein the first end of the second dock segment is facing the second end of the first dock segment, and the second end of the first dock segment having one female attachment bracket and the first end of the second dock segment having at least one male attachment bracket, the female attachment bracket comprising:
 a base portion and an offset portion that is connected to the base portion and is out of alignment with the base portion and having a first receiving channel and a second receiving channel, and wherein the female attachment bracket has an outer surface, an inner surface, a first edge extending a length of the base portion and the offset portion, a second edge extending the length of the base portion and the offset portion, a proximal edge on the offset portion, and a distal edge opposite to the proximal edge on the female attachment bracket, and wherein the female attachment bracket further comprises a flange extending from the inner surface; 
 and wherein the second end of the first dock segment has a right corner and a left corner, and wherein the inner surface and the flange of the female attachment bracket engage the right corner or the left corner of the first dock segment; 
   and the at least one male attachment bracket comprising:
 a base plate having a base plate inner surface, a base plate outer surface, a base plate first edge, a base plate second edge, a base plate proximal edge, and a base plate distal edge, and wherein the male attachment bracket further comprises a first engagement member and a second engagement member located on the base plate outer surface proximate the proximal edge, and wherein the male attachment bracket further comprises a base plate flange extending from the base plate inner surface; 
 and wherein the first end of the second dock segment has a right corner and a left corner, and wherein the base plate flange and the base plate inner surface engage the right corner or the left corner; 
   inserting the first engagement member into the first receiving channel;   swinging the second dock segment axially about the first engagement member within the first receiving channel; and   inserting the second engagement member into the second receiving channel until the top surface of the second dock segment is level with the top surface of the first dock segment.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first receiving channel extends downwards from first edge on the offset portion parallel to the proximal edge, and wherein the second receiving channel extends from the proximal edge to a point below the first receiving channel, and wherein the second receiving channel is arcuate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the female attachment bracket further comprises a pole grip, the pole grip comprising, a first side, a second side, and a channel disposed between the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising a step of attaching a vertical pole to the female attachment bracket, wherein the vertical pole is moved horizontally into the channel and then lowered downwards until a bottom end of the vertical pole contacts a surface while the vertical pole still remains disposed within the channel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first dock segment and the second dock segment are at least partially suspended over a body of water, and the surface is either the ground or a bed of the body of water.