Motorized tow-rope mechanism for watercraft

Abstract

The apparatus includes a housing, a spool assembly, and a motor assembly. The spool assembly is rotatably disposed within the housing, and the spool assembly is configured to receive a tow rope wrapped around the spool assembly about a spool axis, with a fixed end of the tow rope being removably securable to the spool assembly. The motor assembly is configured to drive the spool assembly to retract a free end of the tow rope into the spool assembly. The housing is removably securable to a tow rope mount of a watercraft, in which the tow rope mount has a tubular structure defined by a mounting axis that is perpendicular to the spool axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a spool assembly rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the spool assembly is configured to receive a tow rope wrapped around the spool assembly about a spool axis, with a fixed end of the tow rope being removably securable to the spool assembly; and   a motor assembly configured to drive the spool assembly to retract the tow rope around the spool assembly;   wherein the housing is removably securable to a tow rope mount of a watercraft, the tow rope mount having a tubular structure defined by a mounting axis, and the tow rope extending from the housing toward the mounting axis, with the tow rope being configured to be secured to the tow rope mount.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly is removably secured to the housing such that a driving axis of the motor assembly is coaxial with the spool axis. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a first housing portion;   a second housing portion hingedly connected to the first housing portion; and   a latch configured to selectively secure the first housing portion to the second housing portion.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the housing further comprises:
 a mounting bracket connected to at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to removably secure the housing from the tow rope mount of the watercraft.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the mounting bracket is connected to a first circumferential surface of the first housing portion and a second circumferential surface of the second housing portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the motor assembly is connected to a first planar surface of the first housing portion, and the mounting bracket is connected to a second planar surface of the second housing portion. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an outlet port is defined in the housing, a free end of the tow rope extending out of the outlet port. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the free end of the tow rope extends out of the outlet port at an angle of 0 degrees to 30 degrees relative to the mounting axis. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power wire electrically connected to a power source of the watercraft; and   a control switch electrically connected to the power wire and the motor assembly, wherein the control switch is configured to control the motor assembly to drive the spool assembly to retract the tow rope around the spool assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the control switch is provided on a circumferential surface of the housing and is electrically connected to the power wire and the motor assembly within the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a pressure sensor and an alarm in a normally-closed electrical connection with the power wire, wherein the alarm is configured to produce an alert sound, and the pressure sensor removably insertable between the tow rope and the tow rope mount such that pressure from the tow rope on the pressure sensor opens the electrical connection between the alarm and the power wire to stop producing the alert sound. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the control switch is further configured to open the electrical connection between the alarm and the power wire to stop producing the alert sound. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor having a splined outdrive configured to engage an internal spline of the spool assembly to drive the spool assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spool assembly comprises:
 a shaft rotatably secured to the housing; and   a pair of spool flanges connected to the shaft, with the tow rope being wrapped between the pair of spool flanges;   wherein the motor assembly is configured to drive the shaft to retract the tow rope onto the pair of spool flanges.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a rope fastener is defined in at least one spool flange of the pair of spool flanges, the rope fastener being configured to removably secure the fixed end of the tow rope. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein an internal spline is defined in the shaft, and the internal spline is configured to engage a splined outdrive of the motor assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting axis is perpendicular to the spool axis. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tow rope mount comprises a ski pylon or wake tower having a vertical mounting axis. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tow rope mount comprises a tow bar having a horizontal mounting axis.