JP7345164B2 - life raft - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Announced on July 16, 2019 in "Tekko Shimbun Northern Japan Edition". Announced at "Tohoku Grand Fair 2019" on July 19th and 20th, 2019.

The present invention relates to a life raft, and more particularly to a life raft equipped with a function of stabilizing the center of gravity during floating.

Life rafts have been developed to help people evacuate from floods such as tsunamis and river flooding caused by torrential rain.
Conventional life rafts and lifeboats are stored in a specific location such as a disaster prevention warehouse, so if you are suddenly attacked by a tsunami outdoors, for example, you will not be able to reach the storage location and use it within a limited time. There was a problem.
Therefore, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, outdoor equipment-type life rafts have been developed that are used outdoors as outdoor equipment such as benches during normal times, and are floated on water and used as rafts during disasters.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-100247 JP 2019-51902 Publication

<1> Life rafts generally have a large cross-sectional height ratio in order to ensure necessary buoyancy in a small occupied area for convenience of storage. Further, when the life raft is of an outdoor bench type, for convenience of use, it is necessary to ensure a height of approximately 40 cm or more for a depth of about 50 cm to 1 m. For this reason, the center of gravity is high and the distance between the centers of buoyancy and the centers of gravity is large, resulting in low stability (restoring force) when floating.
<2> Since the height ratio of the cross-sectional shape is large and the loading area is small relative to the buoyancy, the number of people and the amount of goods that can be loaded are small. Therefore, rescue efficiency is low.
<3> To increase the restoring force, it is necessary to lower the center of gravity and shorten the distance between the center of buoyancy and the center of gravity. For this reason, placing weights at the bottom lowers the center of gravity, but the overall weight of the life raft increases, reducing portability and impeding quick use in emergencies.

The life raft of the present invention includes a three-dimensional frame, a floating body held within the three-dimensional frame, and a lid body disposed on the top of the floating body, the lid body being hinged to the three-dimensional frame and attached to the top of the floating body. It has a double-fold structure that can be separated and deployed into two deployable lids, and is characterized in that the two deployable lids move downward to both sides when the lid body is deployed.
According to this configuration, the center of gravity can be lowered by unfolding the lid to improve stability during floating, and the loading area can be doubled.

In the life raft of the present invention, the floating body may be held in a three-dimensional frame so that it can slide up and down.
According to this configuration, the center of gravity can be automatically lowered using buoyancy to further improve stability.

In the life raft of the present invention, the three-dimensional frame has a plurality of columns extending in the vertical direction, and the lid body has a hinge arm that extends downward from the side of the floating body when the lid body is closed. However, the deployable lid may be pivotally supported on the column via a hinge arm.
According to this configuration, the length of the hinge arm can be utilized to increase the amount of movement of the deployment lid.

The life raft of the present invention is provided with a sealing means, and the sealing means is a pair of clasps attached to each of the two expandable lids and a horizontally slidable horizontal member, and the lid body is closed. A horizontal member that can communicate with a pair of clasps in the horizontal direction, and a vertical member that can freely slide in the vertical direction, the upper end of which can be locked to the horizontal member to restrict horizontal sliding of the horizontal member. It has a vertical member, and is configured to be able to release the upper end of the vertical member from the horizontal member by sliding the vertical member downward with its own weight with respect to the horizontal member due to the levitation of the life raft. Good too.
According to this configuration, the locking of the clasp can be automatically released due to flooding.

In the life raft of the present invention, the floating body may include a casing and a floating body disposed within the casing.
According to this configuration, the buoyancy can be adjusted depending on the number and size of the floating body bodies accommodated in the cage.

In the life raft of the present invention, the floating body body may have a storage space inside.
According to this configuration, lifesaving supplies, oars, etc. can be stored.

Since the life raft of the present invention has the above configuration, it has at least one of the following effects.
<1> In normal times, it can be stored in a small dedicated area, and in an emergency, the lid can be expanded to act as a stabilizer, lowering the center of gravity and reducing the distance between the centers of buoyancy and the center of gravity, significantly improving stability when floating. be able to.
<2> By expanding the lid, the loading area can be doubled and the loading capacity can be increased. This can significantly increase rescue efficiency.
<3> By expanding the lid, the restoring force can be increased without changing the overall weight.
<4> During normal times, it can be used as an outdoor table or bench, and in an emergency, it can be converted into a raft, so it can be used immediately even if you are outdoors.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the life raft of the present invention. An explanatory diagram of a three-dimensional frame and a floating body. Explanatory diagram (1) of how to use the life raft of the present invention. Explanatory diagram (2) of how to use the life raft of the present invention. Explanatory diagram (3) of how to use the life raft of the present invention. Explanatory diagram (4) of how to use the life raft of the present invention. Explanatory diagram (5) of how to use the life raft of the present invention. Explanatory diagram (1) of Example 2. Explanatory diagram (2) of Example 2. An explanatory diagram of Example 3.

Hereinafter, the life raft of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In addition, directions such as "top", "bottom", "height", "width", and "depth" of the life raft in the description mean each direction of the life raft in the arrangement of FIG.

[Life raft]
<1> Overall configuration (Figure 1).
The life raft 1 of the present invention is a life-saving raft equipped with an automatic center-of-gravity stabilization function.
The life raft 1 includes at least a three-dimensional frame 10, a floating body 20 held inside the three-dimensional frame 10, and a lid body 30 disposed on the upper part of the floating body 20.
The lid body 30 consists of two deployable lids 31, and by hinge-coupling the two deployable lids 31 to the three-dimensional frame 10, the two deployable lids 31 can be double-opened in the width direction relative to the upper part of the floating body 20. I can do it.
When the lid body 30 is expanded, the expanded lid 31 moves downward and to both sides of the floating body 20 from the closed position via the hinge connection with the three-dimensional frame 10.
In this example, a structure is adopted in which the floating body 20 can slide up and down within the three-dimensional frame 10 along the pillars 12.
The life raft 1 can be used as outdoor equipment such as an outdoor table or an outdoor bench during normal times. When a river floods due to a tsunami or torrential rain, it can be floated on water and used as a life raft.

<2> Three-dimensional frame (Figure 2).
The three-dimensional frame 10 is a component that holds the floating body 20 inside.
In this example, the three-dimensional frame 10 includes two bases 11 arranged parallel to each other in the depth direction, and a total of four columns 12, two each erected upward from near the front and rear ends of the two bases 11. , and two support beams 13 that connect the upper ends of two support columns 12 in the width direction.
The two bases 11 are located below both sides of the floating body 20 in the width direction.
The four pillars 12 are located outside the corners of the floating body 20.
The two support beams 13 are located outside the upper edge of the floating body 20.
Note that the structure of the three-dimensional frame 10 is not limited to the above, and any structure may be used as long as the lid 30 can be placed on the top and the floating body 20 can be held inside.

<2.1> Strut.
The support column 12 is a member that supports the lid body 30.
The support column 12 includes a hinge shaft 12a that pivotally supports the deployable lid 31, and a slide guide 12b that guides the floating body 20 up and down.
The hinge shaft 12a extends in the depth direction from the side surface of the support column 12 with the depth direction of the three-dimensional frame 10 as an axis.
The mounting height of each hinge shaft 12a on the support column 12 is the same. The lower the mounting height of the hinge shaft 12a, the greater the amount of movement of the expansion lid 31 due to expansion of the lid body 30.
The slide guide 12b extends in the vertical direction along the side surface of the support column 12 with the height direction of the three-dimensional frame 10 as an axis.

<3> Floating body (Figure 2).
The floating body 20 is a component that provides buoyancy to the life raft 1.
In this example, the floating body 20 adopts a configuration including a floating body body 21 having buoyancy, a casing 22 that accommodates the floating body body 21 inside, and a plurality of connecting members 23 attached around the casing 22. .
The floating body 20 is connected to the three-dimensional frame 10 by a connecting member 23.
In addition, the structure of the floating body 20 is not limited to the above-mentioned structure. For example, the structure may be such that the connecting member 23 is directly attached to the side surface of the floating body body 21 without having the casing 22.

<3.1> Floating body body.
The floating body body 21 is a member having buoyancy.
In this example, a hexahedron made of styrene foam is used as the floating body body 21.
However, the material is not limited to this, and any material and shape may be used as long as the material and shape can provide the necessary buoyancy to the life raft 1 in consideration of specific gravity and volume. For example, it may be a hollow tank made of synthetic resin or a combination of multiple Styrofoam blocks.
The buoyancy of the floating body 20 can be arbitrarily set by selecting the number and size of the floating body bodies 21 accommodated in the casing 22.

<3.2> Housing.
The housing 22 is a member that protects the floating body body 21.
In this example, the case 22 is a futon-basket-like case made of welded wire mesh.
Welded wire mesh has high rigidity and has excellent durability and shape retention rigidity. Note that the material of the casing 22 is not limited to welded wire mesh, and may be made of, for example, crimp wire mesh or the like.
By employing a wire mesh having meshes for the housing 22, it is possible to use the wire mesh for practical purposes such as grabbing the wire mesh from underwater by putting your fingers on it, or tying a rope to the mesh and mooring the cage.
Furthermore, since the condition of the internal floating body body 21 can be visually observed through the mesh of the casing 22, there is no need to open the lid body 30 and take out the floating body body 21 each time during inspection, making the inspection work easy.

<3.3> Connecting material.
The connecting member 23 is a member for connecting with the three-dimensional frame 10.
In this example, connecting members 23 are attached to four corners of the casing 22.
The connecting member 23 of this example has a cylindrical part that communicates in the vertical direction, and connects to the pillar 12 while holding the slide guide 12b of the pillar 12 slidably in the vertical direction within the cylindrical part.
With the above configuration, it becomes possible to slide the floating body 20 up and down with respect to the three-dimensional frame 10 while holding it within the three-dimensional frame 10.

<4> Lid body.
The lid body 30 is a component that exhibits a stabilizer function when expanded.
The lid body 30 has a substantially flat plate shape and has a double-opening structure with at least two deployable lids 31 hingedly connected to the three-dimensional frame 10.
In this example, two hinge arms 32 are attached to each deployable lid 31 in the front and rear, and the tip of each hinge arm 32 is pivotally supported on the hinge shaft 12a of the support column 12.
When the lid body 30 is closed, the two deployable lids 31 are stretched between the front and rear support beams 13 or rest on the upper surface of the floating body 20 to cover the upper part of the floating body 20.
When the lid body 30 is expanded, the two expansion lids 31 rotate toward both sides in the width direction of the three-dimensional frame 10 and move downward, and are arranged substantially horizontally on both sides of the floating body 20.
In this example, clasps 33 are provided at corresponding positions on the front ends of the two expansion lids 31, respectively. By connecting a lock or a rope to the insertion holes of the two clasps 33, the deployment lid 31 can be locked so that it cannot be opened.

<4.1> Expandable lid.
The deployable lid 31 is a planar member that constitutes the lid body 30.
In this example, a rectangular face material formed by connecting a plurality of thinned materials in the width direction is used as the expandable lid 31.
By using forest thinning material for the expandable lid 31, even if a part of the expandable lid 31 is damaged, it can be partially replaced, which reduces repair costs. It also contributes to the effective use of thinned wood.

<4.2> Hinge arm.
The hinge arm 32 is a member that is hinged to the three-dimensional frame 10.
The hinge arm 32 is provided on one side of the two unfolding lids 31 on the unfolding side. Specifically, the hinge arm 32 extends downward from the outside of the deployable lid 31 along the side surface of the floating body 20 when the deployable lid 31 is closed.
The tip of the hinge arm 32 is pivotally supported on the hinge shaft 12a of the support column 12.

<5> How to use the life raft.
The life raft 1 of the present invention can be used as outdoor equipment such as an outdoor table or an outdoor bench during normal times. When used as outdoor equipment, the upper surface with the lid 30 closed is used as a table surface, a seat surface, etc. (FIG. 3A).
In an emergency, the deployable lid 31 of the lid body 30 is opened on both sides in the width direction (FIG. 3B).
When the deployable lid 31 is deployed via the hinge arm 32, the position of the deployable lid 31 moves downward and to the side, and exhibits a stabilizer function. That is, the center of gravity of the life raft 1 is lowered, and the center of gravity is dispersed laterally.
When the life raft 1 is submerged in water, the floating body 20 slides and floats upward along the slide guide 12b of the support column 12 due to buoyancy, so that the position of the three-dimensional frame 10 and the deployable lid 31 becomes relatively low, and the center of gravity further increases. down (Fig. 3C).
When the water level rises further and the amount of upward sliding of the floating body 20 reaches its limit, the entire life raft 1 floats on the water surface due to the buoyancy of the floating body 20 (FIG. 3D).
At this time, the back side of the deployable lid 31 serves as a foothold for the user or a loading surface for supplies, thereby dramatically increasing the rescue efficiency of the life raft 1 (FIG. 3E).
The life raft 1 of the present invention lowers the center of gravity in two steps: deploying the deployable lid 31 and sliding the floating body 20 to float, thereby reducing the distance between the centers of buoyancy and the center of gravity. can significantly improve the stability (resiliency) of

[Example of providing a blocking means]
An embodiment in which the life raft 1 has a blocking means 40 with an automatic release function due to flooding will be described.
The sealing means 40 includes at least a pair of clasps 41 attached to the two expansion lids, a cross member 42, and a vertical member 43.
In this example, a sealing means 40 is attached to the front side of the life raft 1.
Clasps 41 are respectively attached to the lower surfaces of the front end portions of the two deployable lids 31 so as to be close to each other.
A cross member 42 is installed on the lower surface of the front end of the deployable lid 31 on one side so as to be slidable in the width direction of the deployable lid 31.
One end of the cross member 42 can communicate with (lock) the insertion holes of the two clasps 41 or exit (release) from the communication hole by sliding in the width direction.
The other end of the cross member 42 is configured with a stopper 42a having a vertical communication hole.
A vertical member 43 is installed on the front surface of the column 12 on the side of the stopper 42a so as to be slidable in the height direction.
The lower end of the vertical member 43 penetrates the base 11 and is supported on the installation surface.
The upper end of the vertical member 43 is located within the communication hole of the stopper 42a in a state where one end of the cross member 42 communicates the insertion holes of the two clasps 41.
With the above configuration, when the life raft 1 is placed on the installation surface, the lower end of the vertical member 43 is supported by the installation surface, and the upper end is inserted into the stopper 42a of the cross member 42. The horizontal sliding of the lid 31 is restricted, and opening of the deployment lid 31 is restricted by the horizontal member 42 communicating with the insertion hole of the clasp 41, resulting in a locked state (FIG. 4A).
On the other hand, when the life raft 1 is flooded and floats during a disaster, the vertical members 43 slide downward under their own weight and their upper ends fall out from within the stoppers 42a, allowing the horizontal members 42 to slide horizontally. This results in a released state in which the user can pull out the cross member 42 from the clasp 41 and deploy the deployment lid 31 (FIG. 4B).
In this example, the clasp 41 of the lid body 30 is locked during normal times to prevent unnecessary opening/closing and mischief, but in the event of a disaster, the lock is automatically released so that anyone can deploy the deployable lid 31 and set up the life raft 1. It can be made ready for use.
Note that the specific configuration of each member of the blocking means 40 is not limited to the above. For example, a configuration in which a planar portion is provided on the upper part of the vertical member 43 to restrict movement of the horizontal member 42 outward in the width direction, or a configuration in which the horizontal member 42 is restricted from moving outward in the width direction, A configuration in which the tip is bent into a hook shape to form the stopper 42a may be adopted.

[Example with storage space]
The life raft 1 of the present invention may include a storage space 21a within the floating body 20 (FIG. 5).
In this example, the upper surface of the floating body body 21 is partially cut out to form the storage space 21a. In this case, it is desirable that the upper surface of the casing 22 be configured to be removable.
In the storage space 21a, for example, navigation oars, an SOS flag, a rope, drinking water, a first aid kit, etc. can be stored and used for rescue work.
In addition, a lid may be provided above the accommodation space 21a.

1 Life raft 10 Three-dimensional frame 11 Base 12 Support column 12a Hinge frame 12b Slide guide 13 Support beam 20 Floating body 21 Floating body body 21a Storage space 22 Casing body 23 Connecting part 30 Lid body 31 Deployment lid 32 Hinge arm 33 Clasp 40 Closing means 41 Clasp 42 Horizontal member 42a Stopper 43 Vertical member

Claims (6)

three-dimensional frame,
a floating body held within the three-dimensional frame;
a lid disposed on the top of the floating body,
The lid body is hinged to the three-dimensional frame and has a double-opening structure that can be deployed separately into two deployable lids with respect to the upper part of the floating body,
The two deployable lids move downward to both sides when the lid body is deployed.
Life raft. The life raft according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is held in the three-dimensional frame so as to be slidable up and down. The three-dimensional frame has a plurality of columns extending in the vertical direction, the lid has a hinge arm extending downward from a side of the floating body when the lid is closed, and 3. The life raft according to claim 1, wherein the deployable lid is pivotally supported on the support column via the hinge arm. A sealing means is provided, and the sealing means includes a pair of clasps attached to each of the two expandable lids and a horizontally slidable horizontal member, and the closing means includes a pair of clasps attached to each of the two expandable lids, and a horizontally slidable horizontal member, and when the lid body is closed, the pair of clasps are attached to the lids. A horizontal member that can communicate with the clasp in the horizontal direction, and a vertical member that can freely slide in the vertical direction, the upper end of which can be locked to the horizontal member to restrict horizontal sliding of the horizontal member. When the life raft floats, the vertical member slides downward with respect to the horizontal member under its own weight, thereby making it possible to release the upper end of the vertical member from the horizontal member. The life raft according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The life raft according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the floating body includes a casing and a floating body disposed within the casing. The life raft according to claim 5, wherein the floating body has a storage space inside.