ITRC20100004A1 - MODULAR FLOATING ISLAND WITH VARIABLE SETTING - Google Patents

Description

MODULAR FLOATING ISLAND WITH VARIABLE TRIM

The invention in question solves technical and practical problems of platforms, islands, or floating structures currently in use by proposing significant innovations.

In the current state of the art, these structures are made up of heavy and / or bulky modules which complicate their transport, their stowage and their handling as well as equipped with very complex and expensive assembly systems that require specialized technical personnel for the their assembly and installation, or from modules equipped with fragile assembly systems and therefore subject to frequent breakage.

In all cases, constant structure structures.

The innovations which form the subject of the present invention have the purpose of eliminating the technical and practical problems of the platforms, islands, piers or floating structures mentioned above.

The modular floating island, thanks to the low weight and the high buoyancy (with variable trim) of the modules that compose it, is in fact not only easy to assemble, disassemble, stow, but easily anchored to any type of seabed with use. of dead bodies or anchors and chains of dimensions, weight and thicknesses proportional to the width of the same, or simply moored, as well as easily towable in water and transportable on land. The easy assembly system of the modules, the assembly of which in fact does not require the support of specialized technical personnel, also allows the creation of "floating islands" of unlimited shapes and sizes for multiple uses both for private and public use (piers, pitches for fishing, protected swimming pools, breeding tanks, restaurants / bars / pubs / floating beaches, playgrounds, tourist piers, life rafts, rafts for transporting goods / vehicles, platforms for practicing water sports, barriers to protect beaches , etc.).

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

The invention in question consists of two types of modules that can be assembled together and can be made both in polyethylene and in resin or other suitable plastic materials (resistant to water, UV rays, etc.).

SQUARE-PLAN MODULE WITH VARIABLE TRIM

The square-plan module (1) basically consists of a hollow parallelepiped with a square plan having sides measuring between 70 and 150 cm and a height between 30 and 70 cm, consisting of six faces with the following characteristics:

The upper face (of treading), slightly rounded (convex) to facilitate the flow of water and equipped with a non-slip relief, near the corners has conical section boxes with holes (1.1) where the heads of the screws (4), when screwed to the joints (3).

The four side faces (walled up) are flat and equipped with notches (1.4) where to insert the hands, useful for facilitating the transport and assembly of the same;

The lower face has a circular hole corresponding to the base of a hemisphere (or portion of it depending on the height of the module) hollow (1.8) which, starting from the bottom, goes to support with its end the walking surface in correspondence with the its center, giving it adequate strength and longevity and forming, when the module is in the water, an air chamber. Corresponding to the corners are the boxes (1.2) where to insert the joints (3) for assembly with other modules.

The module is equipped with a watertight compartment (1.5), obtained in the space between the parallelepiped and the hemisphere or between the walking surface, the four sides and the base, with loading holes (1.6) and drain holes (1.7) with of watertight caps and / or valves, placed the first in the upper part and the second in the lower part of the module. It is useful if necessary to ballast the same in order to give correct stabilization to the structure and at the same time to dose the amount of air inside it, making the walking surface more or less soft, or being able to optimize its comfort. The introduction of the ballast, consisting of liquids (e.g. water), can be done manually by introducing it through the loading holes located in the upper part of the module, or when the structure is in the water, allowing its introduction from the loading / unloading hole placed at the base of the module, also keeping the loading hole open until the operation is completed. To expel the ballast when the structure is on the ground it will be sufficient to open all the loading / unloading holes and let it flow, when it is in the water by introducing air through the loading hole with the aid of a pump, making it flow through the discharge hole equipped with non-return valve.

TRIANGULAR PLAN MODULE

The module with a triangular plan (2) can be placed side by side with the above-described module, useful for completing islands of complex shapes (e.g. octagonal, triangular, 150 cm and a height between 30 and 70 cm, consisting of five faces with the following characteristics: The upper (or tread) face is slightly rounded (convex) to facilitate the flow of water and is equipped with an anti-slip relief. Near the right angle (90 °), the conical section box with hole (2.1) is positioned where the head of the screw (4) will fit solidly, when screwed to the joint (3).

The three side faces (walled) are flat, the two perpendicular between them, are equipped with notches (2.3) where to insert the hands, useful for facilitating the transport and assembly of the modules;

The lower face has a semicircular hole corresponding to the base of a half hollow cylinder (2.4) which, starting from the bottom, supports the walking surface with its end, giving it adequate strength and longevity and forming, when the module is in the water , an inner tube. At the right angle (90 °), the box (2.2) where to insert the assembly joint (3) is located.

This type of module can also be equipped with a watertight compartment.

All the types of modules, in order to avoid the danger of injury during assembly or to users who use them, have rounded external edges.

ASSEMBLY SYSTEM

The assembly system is located in correspondence with the corners of the modules, which consists of joints (3) equipped with holes with female thread, to be inserted, from the bottom upwards, into the recesses (1.3, 2.3) placed in correspondence with the corners of the face lower part of the modules, adequately secured to them by means of screws (4) to be inserted in the holes in the conical section boxes near the corners of the walking surface which will screw into the female thread of the joints.

In correspondence with the corners of a floating structure, since there is no need to connect other modules, the anchoring screws (4.1) can be placed, however they can be placed anywhere in place of the normal screws.

The screw (4), with a diameter such as to prevent it from breaking, is equipped with a head of a size appropriate to the box where it will fit together when screwed and is equipped with two holes for inserting the screwdriver spouts to facilitate screwing. The stem is equipped with a male thread.

Compared to the screws, the anchor screw (4.1) has a longer shank equipped at its end with an eyelet to which chains, ropes or other can be connected.

Types of joints.

The joint for connecting (assembling) four modules (3.1) consists of four cylinders, equipped with female threaded holes for screwing the screws, placed at the ends of a central cross body.

The joint for connecting three modules (3.2) consists of three cylinders, equipped with female threaded holes for screwing the screws, placed at the ends of a T-shaped body.

The joint to connect two modules with a square plan (3.3) on one perimeter side, consists of two cylinders, equipped with female threaded holes for screwing the screws, placed at the ends of the "arms" of a V-shaped body.

The joint for connecting two triangular modules to a square-plan module (3.4) on one perimeter side, consists of a cylinder, equipped with a female thread hole for screwing the screw, placed at the end of the "leg" of a T-shaped body .

The joint to connect a square-plan module and a triangular-plan module (3.5) on one perimeter side, consists of a T-shaped body with a cylinder, equipped with a hole with female thread where to screw the screw, placed at the end of the " leg ”and one side of the“ hat ”bent downwards by 45 °, an angle congruent with the oblique side of the triangular module.

MODULES ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE

As already specified, the assembly of the modules is an easy operation within the reach of anyone who uses them and can take place both on land and in water.

It simply consists of inserting the joints within the recesses placed in the corners of the lower sides (bases) of the modules and securing them to them by inserting the screws through the holes located near the corners of the walking surface and screwing them to the joints themselves. Depending on the shape you want to give to the floating structure, specific modules and joints will be used.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

Variations (5 and 6) can be made to the above-described modules regarding the points of junction with other modules, that is the angles and vertical edges of the same, while keeping all the rest unchanged. More precisely, the notches (5.1 and 6.1) into which to insert the assembly joints (7.1, 7.2 and 7.3) can be positioned on the upper (tread) face instead of on the lower (base) face. In this case both the joints and the screws (8) will be inserted from the same face and secured to the module by inserting the screws into the hole in the joint cylinders and screwing them to the female thread with which the boxes will be equipped. These variants will simplify the assembly and disassembly of the modules while maintaining the conceptual principles expressed previously.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS 1. Modular floating island, platforms, piers, floating structures and the like, consisting of parallelepiped modules with a square plan made of polyethylene, resin or other plastic materials, characterized by: a) being made up of six faces of congruous thickness whose lower face (base) has a central circular hole corresponding to the base of a hollow hemisphere (or portion of it) and the corners of which are equipped with recesses; b) an assembly system with other modules that consists of joints consisting of one to four cylinders (with threaded holes) connected to a body, to be inserted into the recesses placed in correspondence with the angles of the lower face of the modules (base); screws to be inserted into the holes located near the corners of the upper face (walking surface) of the modules to be screwed to the joints. 2. Modular floating island, platforms, piers, floating structures and the like, according to claim 1, the modules of which are characterized by being equipped with a watertight ballast compartment obtained in the space between the upper face, the side faces and the lower face, with loading and unloading holes. 3. Modular floating island, platforms, piers, floating structures and the like, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by being able to be composed in complex shapes through the contextual use of triangular modules. 4. Modular floating island, platforms, piers, floating structures and the like, according to claims 1 and 2, whose modules can be characterized by the following variants: a) the notches into which the joints are to be inserted can be positioned at the corners of the upper face (walking surface) instead of the lower face (base) and will be equipped with female threads; b) the assembly system will consist of the same joints consisting of one up to four cylinders (with holes) connected to a body to be inserted into the recesses placed in the upper face of the modules (treading) and the screws to be inserted into the holes of the joints and screw to the boxes. 5. Modular floating island, platforms, piers, floating structures and the like, according to the previous claims, whose modules are characterized by having the upper (walking) face slightly convex (rounded).