Title: Structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender
Abstract: There is disclosed a structure for fastening a shipboard-protecting fender comprising: a plurality of reinforcing rib layers securely provided on the inner and outer faces of a shipboard; a fixed base horizontally fastened on the reinforcing rib layers of the shipboard by means of a plurality of bolts, an accommodating space being formed at the outside of the fixed base; a core layer, one end of which is accommodated in the accommodating space of the fixed base; a bump-preventing layer covering the outer surface of the core layer and the fixed base; a pair of fixed plates supported at the outside of the two ends of the bump-preventing layer; and a plurality of bolts vertically passing through the fixed plates, the bump-preventing layer, the fixed base, and the core layer for fastening them, in which the bump-preventing layer is made from polyurethane (P. U.) material, while the core layer is made from the close cell of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer (E. V. A) material, whereby the shipboard-protecting fender thus constructed may be especially suitable for the light weight requirement for fast ships, owing to features including not only wear resistance, light weight, but also durable firmness.
Patent Number: 6,988,457 Issued on 01/24/2006 to Tsai
| Inventors:
|
Tsai; Cheng Fung (11th Fl., No. 168, Sung Chiang Road, Taipei, TW)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
828886 |
| Filed:
|
April 21, 2004 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
114/219; 405/212 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
B63B 59/02 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
114/219,364
293/120,126,142
405/212,215
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wright; Andrew D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bucknam and Archer, Orlando; Joseph J.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A structure for fastening a shipboard-protecting fender, comprising:
a plurality of reinforcing rib layers securely provided on the inner and outer
faces of a shipboard;
a fixed base horizontally fastened on said reinforcing rib layers of said shipboard
by means of a plurality of bolts, an accommodating space being formed at the outside
of said fixed base;
a core layer, one end of which is accommodated in said accommodating space of
said fixed base;
a bump-preventing layer covering the outer surface of said core layer and said
fixed base;
a pair of fixed plates supported at the outside of the two ends of said bump-preventing
layer; and
a plurality of bolts vertically passing through said fixed plates, said bump-preventing
layer, said fixed base, and said core layer for fastening them.
2. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said shipboard-protecting fender is composed of a plurality of small units.
3. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said bump-preventing layer is made from polyurethane material.
4. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
3, wherein the cross section of said bump-preventing layer is formed as a U-shaped structure.
5. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said core layer is the close cell of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer material.
6. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said reinforcing rib layers are wood stacked layers.
7. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
6, wherein said shipboard is formed with an accommodating space inside thereof
by means of metal sheets for accommodating said wood stacked layers.
8. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said reinforcing rib layers are metal sheet stacked layers.
9. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein said fixed base includes a horizontal extending portion at the lower
end thereof, such that said base is formed as a U-shaped structure.
10. The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to claim
1, wherein the outer surface of said core layer is formed as a half-circle.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure for fastening a shipboard-protecting
fender, particularly to a ship-protecting fender with wear resistance, light weight,
and durable firmness constructed by the enclosure of polyurethane (P. U.) material
over the peripheral surface of a central core layer of the close cell of ethylene-vinylacetate
copolymer (E. V. A) material, especially suitable for the light weight requirement
for fast ships.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, traditional ships may heave with the tide, so as to waver
permanently. As such, larger or small bumps frequently occur, provided that ships
approach one with another, or the shore. For avoiding the damage to the hull owing
to the bump, a shipboard-protecting fender surrounding the perimeter of the shipboard
is designed; and/or waste tires may be hanged around the periphery of the hull
as a whole directly in most fishing boats, for example, such that the effect of
cushioning the impact force may be developed.
The conventional technology shown in FIGS. 1
a and 1
b is
disclosed in Taiwan Utility Model Patent No. 389218, entitled "ASSEMBLED BUMP FENDER
FOR SHIPS", comprising a continuous block (20′) constituted by three
to five rubber-made buffer units (13′), vertically through buffer
holes (11′) and fixing holes (12′) which, spaced one
with another, are formed inside each of the buffer units (13′), and
buffer spaces (14′), each formed between any two of the adjacent
buffer units (13′). The buffer effect may be developed by the buffer
units (13′), the buffer holes (11′), and the buffer
spaces (14′), if several blocks (20′) are securely
provided around the perimeter of the ship. In the above publication, there is disclosed
a bump fender with rectangular cross section securely provided on the shipboard
in a vertical direction by means of threaded fixtures. The bump fender is made
from rubber, however, for achieving sufficient hardness required for resisting
the impact, such that this bump fender should be extremely heavy resulting in unsuitable
for fast ships. Moreover, the most protruding corner is liable to be created in
this type of surface of the bump fender, such that the impact force may be born
at a single point, rather than uniformly dispersed over an arc surface. Thus, it
is liable to damage the bump fender in part resulting in a poor firmness and durability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the fact that there is still room to be improved in the traditional
or conventional shipboard-protecting fender, it is the primary object of the present
invention to provide a structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender with
light weight, wear resistance, impact resistance, superior resistance to stress
damage, and durable firmness.
For achieving the aforementioned object, a structure for fastening shipboard-protecting
fender is provided, comprising a plurality of reinforcing rib layers securely provided
on the inner face and the outer face of the shipboard; a fixed base horizontally
fastened on the reinforcing rib layer of the shipboard by means of a plurality
of bolts, an accommodating space being formed at the outside of the fixed base;
a core layer, one end of which is accommodated in the accommodating space of the
fixed base; a bump-preventing layer covering the outer surface of the core layer
and fixed base; a pair of fixed plates supported at the outside of the two ends
of the bump-preventing layer; a plurality of bolts vertically passing through the
fixed plates, the bump-preventing layer, the fixed base, and the core layer for
fastening them.
According to the present invention, the bump-preventing layer on the surface
of the shipboard-protecting fender is made from polyurethane material, featuring
excellent wear resistance; the central core layer is the close cell of ethylene-vinylacetate
copolymer material, physically featuring non-water absorbability, light weight,
and excellent elasticity. Combining these two features, the characteristics of
impact resistance and stress damage-resistance are established, and superior weather
resistance, impermeability for water, and corrosion resistance are also included.
Additionally, the bump-preventing layer with wear resistance is filled with the
aforementioned central core layer with superior elasticity, in such a way that
not only light weight, but also small reaction force in response to the bump may
be obtained, sufficient for the light weight requirement for fast ships.
The shipboard-protecting fender according to the present invention is composed
of a plurality of small units such that the damage may be limited locally. Moreover,
this fastening structure is fixed on the perimeter of the shipboard horizontally
and vertically by means of the threaded fixtures. Not only firmness and durability,
but also facilitation for installation or replacement may be achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
a is a perspective view of the conventional technology, redrawn
from the Taiwan Utility Model Patent No. 389218, entitled "ASSEMBLED BUMP FENDER
FOR SHIPS";
FIG. 1
b is a cross section view of the one shown in FIG. 1
a when
in use;
FIG. 2 is a disassembled diagram of a structure for fastening shipboard-protecting
fender according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a plane diagram of a fixed plate according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a front diagram of a fixed base according to the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a cross section of the one shown in FIG. 2 when in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Firstly, referring to FIG. 2 in connection with FIGS. 3 to 5, a structure
for fastening a shipboard-protecting fender
1 according to the present invention
comprises a plurality of reinforcing rib layers
10 securely provided on
the inner and outer faces of a shipboard
2, respectively, each reinforcing
rib layer
10 including a plurality of metal sheet stacked layers
10a
disposed on the outer face of the shipboard
2 and a plurality of wood
stacked layers
10b disposed on the inner face of the shipboard
2.
These wood stacked layers
10b are accommodated within an accommodating
space which, constructed by a metal sheet layer
10c, further includes
a reinforcing metal sheet layer
10d at the outer face thereof. The
aforementioned reinforcing rib layers
10 are securely provided on the inner
and outer faces of the shipboard
2 by means of a plurality of threaded fixtures
11, by welding or the like.
The structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender according to the present
invention further comprise a fixed base
12 unit including a horizontally
extending portion
12a at the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively,
for constituting an accommodating space having a cross section presented as "U"-shape.
A plurality of thread holes
121 are formed on the vertical plane and the
horizontally extending portion
12a, respectively, of the fixed base
12. Moreover, a plurality of horizontal bolts
13 are used with these
thread holes to threadedly fastening the vertical plane of the fixed base
12
unit onto the outer face of the reinforcing rib layer
10 of the shipboard
2.
Additionally, a core layer
14 is provided, one end of which
is accommodated in the accommodating space of the fixed base, and formed with a
plurality of vertical through-holes
141 in correspondence with the thread
holes
121 on the extending portion
12a, while the other end
thereof is formed as a surface of half-circle. A bump-protecting layer
15
having a structure with a "U"-shaped cross section, covering over the outer face
of the core layer
14 and the extending portion
12a of the
fixed base to construct the shipboard-protecting fender
1 having a surface
of half-circle, may be further provided. The pump-protecting layer
15 is
formed, at two ends thereof, with a plurality of thread holes
151 in correspondence
with the thread holes
121 on the extending portion
12a of
the fixed base
12. Moreover, a pair of fixed plates
16 may be included.
These two fixed plates are supported on the outer face at two ends of the bump-protecting
layer
15, respectively; while formed with a plurality of thread holes
161,
correspondingly. A plurality of vertical bolts
17 are provided through these
fixed plates
16, the bump-protecting layer
15, the extending portion
12a of the fixed base
12, and the core layer
14, in
order to fasten them.
In accordance with the present invention, the bump-protecting layer
15
on the surface of the shipboard-protecting fender
1 is made from polyurethane
material having superior wear resistance; while the central core layer
14
is the close cell of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer material physically featuring
non-water absorbability, light weight, and superior elasticity. Not only superior
impact resistance and stress damage-resistance, but also excellent weather resistance,
impermeability for water, and corrosion resistance may be found in the ideal combination
of these two materials. Additionally, the surface bump-preventing layer
15
with wear resistance is filled with the aforementioned central core layer
14
with superior elasticity, in such a way that not only light weight, but also small
reaction force in response to the bump may be obtained, sufficient for the light
weight requirement for fast ships.
The shipboard-protecting fender
1 according to the present invention is
composed of a plurality of small units such that the damage may be limited locally.
Moreover, the shipboard-protecting fender
1 is securely locked on the reinforcing
rib layer
10, which provides a strong support, around the perimeter of the
shipboard by mean of the horizontal bolts
13 and the vertical bolts
17.
Not only firmness and durability, but also facilitation for installation or replacement
may be achieved.
The foregoing description is merely one embodiment of present invention and not
considered as restrictive. Namely, all equivalent variations and modifications
without in any way departing from the ambit of the invention should be intended
to be within the scope of the present invention.
To sum up, the structure for fastening shipboard-protecting fender of the present
invention may provide moderate toughness and stiffness, as well as superior impact
resistance. This structure is firm and durable, being truly an invention with novelty,
advancement or non-obviousness, and availability by the industry.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERALS
- 1 shipboard-protecting fender of the present invention
- 10 reinforcing rib layer
- 10a metal sheet stacked layer
- 10b wood stacked layer
- 10c metal sheet layer
- 10d metal sheet layer
- 11 threaded fixture
- 12 fixed base
- 12a extending portion
- 121, 151, 161 thread hole
- 13, 17 bolt
- 14 core layer
- 141 through-hole
- 15 bump-protecting layer
- 16 fixed plate
- 2 shipboard-protecting fender
*
