WO2011061369A2

WO2011061369A2 - Cover for floatation elements.

Info

Publication number: WO2011061369A2
Application number: PCT/ES2010/070481
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nygaard Jon Anders
Original assignee: Expandi Systems Spain S.L.
Priority date: 2009-11-17
Filing date: 2010-07-09
Publication date: 2011-05-26
Also published as: WO2011061369A3

Abstract

The cover is formed by binding together a series of floating elements, each of which is formed around a floating core (1) in the centre of which are placed a plurality of portions of floating material (2), with a laminar envelope (3) and the entire unit placed in a cover (4), made up of a flexible sheet that may be waterproof or otherwise and may be formed by a mesh, the ends of the envelope (4) being closed by sewing (17) or any other suitable closing method, including upper and lower tension elements (11 and 10) and loops (12) and clevises or shackles (13) at the extremities to connect elements with one another to form the barrier. The whole is complemented with a flexible sheet (5) that extends downwards in a skirt (6) with a pocket (7) for ballast (8).

Description

CASE FOR FLOATING ELEMENTS

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cover specially designed for the packing of flotation elements in water.

The object of the invention is to achieve a device capable of packaging floating elements so as to achieve the formation of a barrier that can be used both for the containment of floating substances, as for the signaling, beaconing or limitation of areas within a sheet of water.

The invention thus falls within the scope of systems and devices for the confinement of areas within a water surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, there is a frequent need to limit areas within water surfaces within sewage ponds, swimming pools, beacons to the entrance area of boats on beaches, lakes, etc.

On the other hand, boat accidents are also frequent, with large amounts of oil or its derivatives, different types of garbage or other substances floating in the water and with some discharges into the sea. Very negative effects from the point of view of environmental pollution.

Likewise, industries from different sectors use substances in their production processes that can be discharged into the aquatic environment (sea, rivers, lakes, discharge networks, etc.) and remain floating with the consequent environmental pollution if their expansion is not limited.

There are plenty of solutions to limit areas within a water surface as a barrier or beacon line. All of them present as a common denominator the existence of several united floats.

In some cases the effectiveness of the confinement barrier is limited and in others its structural characteristics are so complex that they entail a high manufacturing cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The cover proposed by the invention constitutes an effective solution to the problems set forth above, so that its remarkable function as a containment, confinement or beaconing element, is joined by a remarkable structural simplicity that has a positive impact on the cost level.

To do this and more specifically, the cover that is recommended is constituted from a tubular sleeve that allows to house inside the floating elements, which can be, of any type, for example, closed cell foam blocks, cork , inflatable or rigid buoys, hydrophobic fibers, etc. The tubular sleeve can be a mesh or a waterproof sheet or not. The tubular sleeve can be manufactured with or incorporate a three-dimensional mesh whose structure has a high content of holes to trap substances or objects that float or are suspended in the water. In order to prevent the flotation elements from escaping through the ends of the tubular sleeve, these ends are closed by sewing or by means of flanges, strapping or the like.

The sheath also incorporates a textile tape, joined by sewing, glue or welding to the mentioned tubular sleeve along its entire length that determines a main tension element responsible for absorbing the internal tensions that occur in the sheath during use. Said main tension element ends in a loop at each end, where a carabiner, shackle or ring is housed to be able to attach it to an adjacent sheath section. Complementarily, at a certain distance from the end of the sheath, a second loop is provided, from the main tension element or sewn in the form of a hairpiece, in which a ring, shackle or carabiner is fixed, to proceed to the overlap joint with an adjacent sheath section, providing a more tight, solid and durable fixation, facilitating the operations of mooring, anchoring or handling of the sheath.

Finally, the sheath also incorporates an auxiliary tension element, located diametrically opposite the main tension element, consisting of a textile tape sewn, glued or welded to the tubular sleeve. The auxiliary tension element can run along the entire length of the sheath or only by a length determined by each end, ending in any case in a loop for each of its ends, where a carabiner or shackle is housed that can be independent or the same that is housed in the external loop of the element of main tension In the event that it is independent, the carabiners, shackles or rings of the end loops of the main and auxiliary tension elements must remain attached by a rope or any mechanical element made of metal, plastic or textile material. In this way, it is possible to distribute the stresses to which the sheath is subjected during its use, towing, lifting, etc., and the resistance to which the tubular sleeve is broken or detached from the main tension elements is remarkably increased. and / or auxiliary. Optionally, the cover also incorporates a flexible waterproof sheet or not, attached to the tubular sleeve mentioned by one of the sides, as a skirt. Said flexible sheet manages to contain the floating substances that have not been retained by the floating elements packed inside the sleeve. This flexible sheet may contain printed figures or texts related to product identification, product components, instructions or forms of use, manufacturer, etc.

The skirt ends, along the entire length, in a pocket that houses the ballast element. This pocket has perforations along its entire length to help dislodge water once the cover is removed from the sea, and thus facilitate such operation.

It is also worth mentioning the existence of a hook and loop closure system (Velero® or similar) for joining the flexible sheets of different sheath sections. At each end said sheath is provided with a hook and / or loop system attached along the entire width of the flexible sheet, so as to allow its attachment to the aforementioned flexible sheet of the adjacent sheath section and preserve continuity in the joint and improve the tightness in case the flexible sheet is waterproof. The ballast element may consist of a chain or cable that runs along the longitudinal pocket located at the bottom of the skirt, the ballast being properly fixed to prevent its sliding. Said ballast serves to maintain the verticality of the skirt when it is submerged in the water and also to absorb the internal tensions of the sheath that occur during its use, due to external agents such as wind, currents, etc. The ballast ends at each of its ends in a carabiner or shackle to be able to attach it to the ballast element of the adjacent sheath section, the total length of the ballast element, plus the shackles or carabiners, being less than the total length of the sheet flexible, so that when the ballast elements of two adjacent sections of sheath are connected, the tension supported by the hook / loop joint of the flexible sheet is largely discharged.

The cover also incorporates a reinforcement element for the pocket of the skirt that houses the ballast element, reinforcement that can be attached to the pocket in its outer or inner part. This reinforcing element serves to increase wear resistance due to friction of the sheath with rocks or with the bottom in shallow areas, as well as its dragging along the ground.

The upper tension element that runs along the sheath consists of a textile tape sewn, welded or glued to both the tubular sleeve and the flexible sheet. This tension element serves to absorb internal tensions that occur in the sheath during use. The upper tension element ends in a loop at each end where a carabiner or shackle is housed to be able to attach it to the upper tension element of the adjacent sheath section. The total length of the upper tension element plus the shackles or carabiners must be less than the total length of the flexible sheet for the reasons stated above. In addition, a ring is installed inside the loop to facilitate the operations of mooring, anchoring or handling of the sheath.

Finally, the sheath also incorporates an intermediate tension element, located at the bottom of the tubular sleeve, consisting of a textile tape sewn, welded or glued to both the tubular sleeve and the flexible sheet. The tension element can run along the entire length of the sheath or only a certain length for each end, ending in any case in a loop for each of its ends, where a carabiner or shackle is housed to be able to join it to the intermediate tension element of the adjacent sheath section. The total length of the intermediate tension element plus the shackles or carabiners must be less than the total length of the flexible sheet. The vertical reinforcement elements that the sheath incorporates must join the intermediate tension element and the skirt pocket that houses the ballast element, said vertical reinforcements consisting of a textile tape sewn, welded or glued to the intermediate area of the skirt, such vertical reinforcing elements being located at least at the two ends of the sheath.

Optionally, the sheath can incorporate reflective elements to increase its visibility, in particular at night, elements that can be fixed to the tension elements or to the tubular sleeve, being able to run partially or totally along the length of the sheath.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that will follow to carry out and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical realization thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, where illustrative and non-limiting, The following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a cross-sectional detail of a cover for flotation elements not provided with a flexible outer leaf extended in the form of a skirt, all carried out in accordance with the object of the invention.

Figure 2.- Shows a cross-sectional view like that of the previous figure, in which the cover for flotation elements incorporates the extended flexible sheet in a lower skirt with its corresponding ballast.

Figure 3.- Shows a partial detail, in side elevation and in section, of one of the ends of the cover for flotation elements of the previous figure, both being symmetrical.

Figure 4.- Shows a partial longitudinal detail of one of the ends that participates in the constitution of figure 1 object of the invention, in the variant in which in addition to the loops, rings and end shackles loops are provided , rings and shackles in the area near those ends.

Figure 5.- Shows the connection between two covers for flotation elements of the previous figure, being perfectly partially attached based on the unions that establish the loops, rings and shackles near the ends of the covers. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION As can be seen in the aforementioned figures, and in particular in relation to figure 1, each element involved in the constitution of a cover for floating elements, made in accordance with the object of the invention, comprises a floating core (1) in which, if it is made from hydrophobic fibers, granules or chunks (2) obtained from high buoyancy materials, such as closed cell foam, cork or the like, core on which it is it can additionally and perimetrically establish an auxiliary flotation element in the form of a sheet (3) that wraps it, so that said assembly is housed within a sheath (4).

In Figure 2 it can be seen how the cover that the invention proposes is constituted from a tubular sleeve (4) for the packing of flotation elements (1, 2, 3). Approximately half of the floating core (1, 2, 3) packaged by the tubular sleeve (4) is affected by a flexible or non-impermeable flexible sheet (5), which covers this section of the tubular sleeve (4) and consequently half of the flotation elements (1, 2, 3). The flexible sheet (5) extends below the flotation core as a skirt or skirt (6).

The skirt (6) ends in its lower part in a pocket or bucket (7) that serves to accommodate the ballast element (8) in the form of a chain or cable. Said housing of the ballast element has a reinforcement (9) that can be inside the pocket, as in the figure, or Exterior.

The described structure is complemented by two tension elements, one intermediate (10) and one upper (11).

Figure 3 shows again the intermediate tension element (10) and the upper tension element (11), the loop (12) and the carabiner (13), which ends the ends of the intermediate tension element (10) , the loop (12) of the upper tension element (11), with its carabiner (12), a driving ring (14), a vertical reinforcement element (15) with its corresponding loops (12) attached to the carabiner (13) ) of the ballast element (8), a hook and loop closure Velero ® (16) for the end of the flexible sheet (5) and a closure (17) for the tubular sleeve (4). In addition, the fixing element (18) of ballast element (8) to the pocket (7) of the skirt (6) is shown.

In Figures 4 and 5, partially shown are covers for flotation elements, in the variant embodiment not provided with an outer sheet finished in the form of a skirt or skirt. In this variant, in view of the detailed figures and in particular of figure 4, it can be seen how the cover that the invention proposes is constituted from a tubular sleeve (4) for the packing of flotation elements (1), sleeve that will be closed with a clip (17) or similar element.

Affecting the sleeve longitudinally (4) a textile tape (10) is fixed, which constitutes the main tension element, topped by its ends in a loop (12), to which a carabiner (13), shackle or ring is associated for fixing each module that constitutes the cover with the adjacent module, as shown in figure 5, counting said main tension element with a second loop (12 '), located at a certain distance from the loop (12), which is also associated with a shackle (13'), carabiner or ring for fixing the adjacent sheath modules. In order to give greater resistance to the described assembly, and as previously mentioned, a second strip, determining a secondary tension element (11) fixed to the sleeve (4), can be established diametrically opposite the main tension element. and which can affect it only in the area near its ends, an element that will be finished off in a third loop (12) to which a ring (13), shackle or carabiner will also be associated, for a better fixation between the modules that constitute the sheath .

Finally, say that the covers can be complemented with reflective elements (19) that can also be seen in these figures 2,3, 4 and 5, to allow a perfect visibility of the barrier on the surface of the water.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

I ^a .- Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, characterized in that the flotation elements (1, 2, 3) are packaged within a tubular sleeve ( 4)

Case 2 .- buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that the envelope (3) of the core (1) with floating portions (2) , is a perforated sheet.

3 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 1, wherein the laminar wrapping (3) of the core (1) with floating portions (2 ), is an unperforated sheet.

Case 4 .- buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 1, wherein the tubular sheath (4) is a flexible, waterproof sheet or not.

5 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 4, wherein the tubular sheath (4) is an open mesh. The tubular sleeve can be manufactured with or incorporate a three-dimensional mesh whose structure has a high content of holes to trap substances or objects that float or are suspended in the water. 6 ^a .- Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the tubular cover (4) has extreme closures (17) based of seams, welds, flanges or metallic or plastic straps.

7 ^a .- Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to claim 1, characterized in that partially covering the tubular cover (4), a flexible sheet (5) is located which extends inferiorly in a skirt (6) capable of containing the floating substances.

8 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 7, wherein the lower edge of the skirt (6) terminates in a pocket (7) for accommodation of a ballast (8), the pocket (7) being provided with perforations that facilitate the evacuation of the water once it is extracted from the water.

9 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 8, characterized in that the pocket (7) of the ballast (8) has an internal reinforcement (9) or outside.

10 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 9, wherein the total length of the ballast (8) more shackles or karabiners (13 ) is less than the total length of the flexible sheet (5) corresponding to the skirt (6). 11 ^a. - Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to previous claims, characterized in that the union of the flexible sheets (5) of different sections of the cover is carried carried out by means of hook and loop fasteners (16) located at the ends of each sheath module.

12 ^a. - Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to previous claims, characterized in that both the upper and the lower part of the flotation element are provided tension elements (11 and 10), respectively, constituted by two textile tapes fixed by sewing, glued or welded, both to the tubular sheath (4) and to the lower skirt (6).

13 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claim 12, characterized in that the tension elements (10 and 11) have in their respective end loops (12 ) and carabiners (13), shackles or the like, for hitching with another adjacent floating element.

14 ^a .- Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to claims 8 to 13, characterized in that vertically, in correspondence with the skirt (6), reinforcements are provided (15), in proximity to the ends, provided with the corresponding loops (12) and carabiner (13), shackle or the like, coupled to the ballast element (8) for engagement with the adjacent floating element. 15 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claims 10 to 14, wherein the length of the tension members (10 and 11), including loops (12) and shackles or carabiners (13), is less than the total length of the flexible sheet corresponding to the skirt (6).

16 .- Case buoyancy elements, of the type used for confinement or restriction of areas within water surfaces according to claims 8 to 14, characterized in that at points distant from the ends of each floating element, are provided loops (12 ') and carabiners or shackles (13') for the partially overlapping connection of adjacent floating elements.

17 ^a .- Cover for flotation elements, of the type used for confinement or limitation of areas within water surfaces, according to previous claims, characterized in that it includes reflective elements (19) for the night visualization of each floating element and therefore both of the corresponding containment barrier.