Carrying device and operation method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486782-B2
Application number	US-201715850199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Nov 10, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a carrying device and an operation method thereof. The carrying device includes: a floating platform; and at least one flexible unit provided on a bottom side of the floating plate and having a cavity formed therein. The flexible unit is deformed under a stress to reduce the friction force between the flexible unit and the solid in the water, which allows the carrying device to break free from the solid without external help.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carrying device, comprising:
a floating platform configured to float on a surface of a liquid;
at least one flexible unit provided at a bottom side of the floating platform with a cavity formed therein and being immersed in the liquid, wherein the cavity is deformed when being subject to a force; and
at least one pile foot provided at the bottom side of the floating platform, wherein the at least one pile foot is covered by the at least one flexible unit, and
wherein the at least one flexible unit includes an inner-layer portion attached to the pile foot and an outer-layer portion free from being attached to the pile foot.

2. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the outer-layer portion has a greater area than the inner-layer portion.

3. The carrying device of claim 2 , wherein the cavity is formed between the inner-layer portion and the outer-layer portion.

4. The carrying device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one groove formed on a surface of the pile foot and configured for attachment of the inner-layer portion of the at least one flexible unit thereto.

5. The carrying device of claim 4 , wherein the groove is a spiral groove.

6. The carrying device of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to fasten the at least one flexible unit around the pile foot and seal the cavity.

7. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the pile foot has a flat bottom face.

8. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the pile foot has a bottom face with rounded corners.

9. A method of operating a carrying device, comprising:
placing the carrying device of claim 1 on the surface of the liquid;
when a level of the liquid decreases and the carrying device gets stuck in a sediment of the liquid, the at least one flexible unit is deformed by the gravity of the carrying device and a stress from the sediment; and
when the level of the liquid rises, a buoyancy of the carrying device provides another stress for the at least one flexible unit to undergo another deformation for the at least one flexible unit to break free from the sediment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the deformation of the at least one flexible unit caused by the gravity of the carrying device and the stress of the sediment includes lateral expansion.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the another stress provided by the buoyancy of the carrying device concentrates on a junction between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment to create a gap between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gap between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment is configured to be filled with the liquid to reduce friction between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment.

Assignees

• Ind Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Chang Yu-Chi
• Li Yi-Chen
• Hsu Shih-Sheng

Classifications

• B63B2035/4453

  for converting solar energy into electric energy · CPC title

• B63B2231/48

  Synthetic rubber, e.g. silicone rubber, Neoprene, polyurethane · CPC title

• B63B35/44 Primary

  Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} · CPC title

• B63B43/02 Primary

  reducing risk of capsizing or sinking (by means of watertight doors in bulkheads B63B43/24) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title