JP5679810B2 - Levitating offshore structures - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides a modular levitation assembly capable of modular scaling of interconnected buoyant platform modules that can support a variety of commercial, industrial and entertainment activities.

  Increasing urban population has made land more and more valuable and has reduced the space available for public parks, arenas and entertainment areas. This is particularly noticeable when commercial, industrial and residential developers compete for limited coastal use. In some cases, this suppression may be mitigated by landfill. Using fillers from the sea floor, hills, excavations, and construction debris, engineers can create land proportionally from the sea. Countries such as the Netherlands, Singapore, and Japan all have aggressive landfill programs.

  However, reclamation is not cost effective and technically unfeasible in the deep sea or where the seabed is very soft. In addition, landfills can destroy marine habitats and lead to harmful sediment disturbances. When faced with such natural conditions and environmental impacts, huge floating structures may provide an attractive alternative solution to increase living, commercial and entertainment spaces.

  The floating structure has the following advantages over landfill.

-Floating structures are cost-effective for deep seas or for certain seabed conditions that make landfill impossible,
・ Floating structures are environmentally friendly because they do not damage marine ecosystems, do not disturb pollutants at the bottom of the bay, or disrupt tides.
・ Floating structures are standard offshore construction technologies that enable rapid construction of offshore structures and rapid development of water spaces.
-Floating structures can be easily relocated or expanded as required by future activities.
• The location of floating structures in coastal waters provides water access throughout the surroundings that make the floating structures suitable for leisure and water sports activities.

  The present invention relates to a prefabricated pontoon or floating structure that can be used for a wide variety of functions. More particularly, the present invention is intended to form a levitation platform with sufficient rigidity, strength and buoyancy to support commercial, industrial and entertainment applications such as sporting events, public exhibitions and presentations. The present invention relates to a levitation device (structure) having a number of assembly-type units that can be interconnected.

  It is common to interconnect a certain number of relatively small floating structures or floats to form a larger size. One problem with connecting a certain number of floats together is that the connection between the floats tends to be unstable and the floating structure shrinks over the length and width of the structure. Is to make it possible.

  In order to achieve sufficient rigidity, conventional designs have used large structural strength members at the top of the float. Large structural strength members can maintain structural rigidity, but have prevented the float from being easily reconfigured for other applications or moved from place to place. In many cases, the structures had to be completely decomposed on land before being moved.

  The present invention makes it possible to construct a rigid structure that is easily reconstructed on the water without using heavy lifting equipment.

  Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following disclosure and description.

[0011]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single pontoon or prefabricated member that includes a corner cut into a corner, a tongue connector, and parts of a side wall lock assembly.
FIG. 2 illustrates a plurality of pontoons that are coupled together to form a platform.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of an alternative arrangement of pontoons to support other activities.
FIG. 4 is an example of an alternative arrangement of pontoons to support other activities.
FIG. 5 is a partial view of a sidewall lock assembly showing a lock bar and engagement plate.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a lock key adapted to engage a pair of adjacent assembled pontoon lock bars .
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a side wall lock assembly illustrating the position of the lock key relative to the pontoon lock bar adjacent to the dashed line.
FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view of a corner lock assembly.
FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the engagement of the tongue-shaped connector with a corner lock member.
FIG. 10 is a diagram of a method for mating and locking pontoons together to form an embodiment of a floating structure.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

  For the convenience of understanding the present invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the details of a single pontoon including a fixed arrangement on the side of the pontoon, a corner cut (crown) cropped corner, and a corner tongue connector.

  The pontoon can be made of a variety of materials that have the strength to withstand the forces applied to the connection and the forces applied by the anticipated application as well.

  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show how the pontoons are arranged to form a large floating platform and how the pontoons can be repositioned to accommodate other applications such as canoe polo pools or floating piers. Is shown. These arrangements are not comprehensive and the actual application is limited only by the strength of the platform and the imagination of the designer.

  FIG. 5 shows the locking arrangement in the pontoon hull. Of particular note is the side wall lock assembly with lock bar and engagement plate that holds the lock key (FIG. 6) in place. The lock key is held in place using a suitable fastening device such as a bolt or stud attached to the pontoon hull.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a pontoon side wall lock assembly and adjacent assemblies of prefabricated members to form an adjacent abutment between adjacent pontoons and a modular member that is substantially free of clearance. The schematic arrangement | positioning with the lock key engaged with formula members is shown.

  8, 9 and 10 show a corner lock assembly. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the corner locking member has a square shape, but in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the corner locking member is generally triangular. The corner locking member is shaped to receive the tongue connector and is locked to the pontoon using a suitable securing device such as a pin or bolt. If smooth sides for certain applications are required, the square connecting float may be replaced with a triangular design as shown in FIG.

  The pontoon, coupling float, and fixed arrangement design allows for the separation and reconnection of elements without the use of additional equipment. The only tools needed are the tools needed to connect and disconnect the fastening device and, if needed for size and weight, the lock bar lifting aid.

The levitation platform is assembled by securing one pontoon in the appropriate area. Two or more connected floats are connected to the pontoon by pressing or pulling manually or mechanically depending on the size of the float. Once the corner locking member is in place, one or more pontoons are secured by first coupling to the corner locking member and then locking the sidewall locking assembly. Once the lock key is in place and fixedly connected to the lock bar , the upper end engaging plate of the side wall lock assembly and the top plate of the lock key are fastened in place, and the pontoon is moved to the rigid platform. Connected.

Although the foregoing description and accompanying drawings relate to particular preferred embodiments presently contemplated by the inventor, it is understood that the invention in its broader aspects includes mechanical and functional equivalents of the elements described and illustrated. It will be.

Claims (10)

Each modular member includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls interconnecting the top surface and the bottom surface, at adjacent positions substantially free of gaps along at least a portion of each sidewall. A plurality of levitable assembling members rigidly and releasably secured together to form a levitation structure, wherein the levitating assembling members are secured to at least one adjacent assembling member of the assembling members. Prepared,
The connecting means includes at least one side wall lock assembly for engaging an upper end portion and a lower end portion of an adjacent assembly-type member of the plurality of assembly-type members, and at least one pair of adjacent assembly-type members. At least one corner lock assembly adapted to engage a corner of the member;
The at least one side wall lock assembly includes a lock bar attached to a lower end portion of the side wall of each of the assembly-type members, and an engagement plate fixed to the upper end portion of the side wall of each of the assembly-type members. And a lock key adapted to be fixed by fixing to the lock bar and the engagement plate,
The at least one corner lock assembly can engage a tongue connector extending outward from a corner of the assembly member and a tongue connector of at least one pair of adjacent assembly members of the assembly member. A corner lock member made of
The corner locking member includes a slot for matingly engaging a tongue connector of an adjacent prefabricated member of the prefabricated members .   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each prefabricated member has a generally parallelepiped shape.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the floating offshore structure is a floating jetty.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the levitated offshore structure is a canoe polo pool.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each prefabricated member is a floating pontoon. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the corner lock member comprises a float having a generally rectangular cross section. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the corner locking member comprises a float having a generally triangular cross section.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top surfaces of the prefabricated members are oriented in a substantially coplanar relationship when the prefabricated members are secured in abutting relationship with each other.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the assembly-type members includes a floating body.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prefabricated members are interchangeable with each other.