Float, float assembly, and method for installing float assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752325-B2
Application number	US-201716313994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

The present invention provides a float capable of suppressing deformation of the synthetic resin body even if internal gas expands and contracts due to environmental temperature change. A float 10 comprises a float body 20 made of a synthetic resin molded in a hollow shape, a projecting portion 202 projecting from the upper surface of the float body 20 and having a vent hole 201 , and a microporous membrane 203 adhered to the outside of the vent hole 201.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A resin float for a solar panel, comprising:
an annular float portion formed to be hollow, and
a recess including a peripheral wall provided in the annular float portion, wherein
the resin float comprises a back wall and a front wall,
the recess is formed by recessing the back wall toward a side of the front wall so that the recess is configured to accommodate air, and
at least a part of the back wall is integrated with the front wall in the recess,
the recess includes a plurality of first recesses and a second recess,
the second recess is arranged between the first recesses,
the second recess is connected to the first recesses in a direction in which the first recesses and the second recess are arranged,
the first recesses respectively include first tips in which the back wall is integrated with the front wall,
the second recess includes a second tip in which the back wall is not integrated with the front wall.

2. The resin float of claim 1 , further comprising,
a supporting portion configured to support the solar panel, the supporting portion formed by combining the back wall and the front wall, wherein
the supporting portion is configured to be raised toward the side of the front wall with a side of the supporting portion as a hinge so as to form an opening of the annular float portion,
the side of the supporting portion being connected to an inner wall of the opening of the annular float portion, and

the recess is provided in a part of the annular float portion,
the part of the annular float portion positioned on a side opposite to the supporting portion in a raised state, the part of the annular float portion sandwiching the opening of the annular float portion with the supporting portion.

3. The resin float of claim 2 , wherein
the recess includes a plurality of second recesses,
each of the first recesses is a truncated conical recess portion which tapers toward the front wall, the first recesses are provided at both ends and a center of the recess along the supporting portion respectively, and
each of the second recesses is a groove-shaped recess portion which narrows toward the side of front wall, each of the second recesses is connected to the first recesses in the direction along the supporting portion.

4. The resin float of claim 1 , wherein
the front wall includes
a sloping portion provided from a position adjacent to an end, opposite to an opening, of the recess toward a side away from the recess, the sloping portion being configured so that a distance to the back wall gradually decreases toward the side away from the recess,
a receiving portion configured to receive an end portion of the solar panel, the receiving portion provided to rise from an end, opposite to the recess, of the sloping portion.

5. The resin float of claim 4 , wherein
the front wall is provided with a groove, the groove formed at least from a position in the recess to the sloping portion, and
a tip, on a side of the sloping portion, of the groove being connected to the sloping portion with substantially no step.

6. A resin float for a solar panel, comprising:
an annular float portion formed to be hollow,
a recess including a peripheral wall provided in the annular float portion,
a first side metal fixture configured to fix a first side of the solar panel, and
a mounting portion provided in a first side of the annular float portion and having the first side metal fixture attached thereon, wherein
the resin float comprises a back wall and a front wall,
the recess is formed by recessing the back wall toward a side of the front wall so that the recess is configured to accommodate air, and
at least a part of the back wall is integrated with the front wall in the recess,
the first side metal fixture includes a lower metal fixture,
a first side of the lower metal fixture is fixed to the mounting portion,
at least a second side of the lower metal fixture is disposed under the solar panel,

the lower metal fixture is engaged with or fixed to the solar panel.

7. The resin float of claim 6 , further comprising:
a screw configured to fix the first side metal fixture to the mounting portion, wherein the first side metal fixture includes an upper metal fixture,
a second side of the upper metal fixture is arranged above the solar panel and a first side of the upper metal fixture is fixed to the mounting portion,

the second side of the upper metal fixture configured to clamp the solar panel between the upper metal fixture and the lower metal fixture so that the second side of the upper metal fixture presses the solar panel toward a side of the lower metal fixture, and
the first side end side of the upper metal fixture and the first side of the lower metal fixture are fixed together to the mounting portion with the screw.

8. The resin float of claim 6 , wherein
the lower metal fixture having a second side provided with a U-shaped hook portion,
the lower metal fixture is engaged with the solar panel by engaging the hook portion with an engaging portion provided in the solar panel.

9. A resin float for a solar panel, comprising:
an annular float portion formed to be hollow,
a recess including a peripheral wall provided in the annular float portion,
a receiving portion configured to receive a first side of the solar panel, the receiving portion provided in a first side of the resin float, and
a mounting portion provided in the first side of the resin float, the mounting portion provided in a vicinity of the receiving portion, the mounting portion having the first side metal fixture attached thereon, wherein
the resin float comprises a back wall and a front wall,
the recess is formed by recessing the back wall toward a side of the front wall so that the recess is configured to accommodate air, and
at least a part of the back wall is integrated with the front wall in the recess,
the mounting portion includes
a first recess portion including a peripheral wall portion, the first recess portion formed by recessing the back wall of the resin float toward a side of the front wall of the resin float, and
a nut accommodating portion configured to accommodate and fix a nut, the nut accommodating portion formed by recessing the back wall toward the side of the front wall,

a bottom portion of the nut accommodating portion is integrated with a bottom portion of the first recess portion.

10. The resin float of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sloping portion provided in a first side of the resin float, the sloping portion being configured so that a distance between the front wall and the back wall gradually decreases in a direction from a second side of the sloping portion to a first side of the sloping portion, wherein
the receiving portion is a rising wall portion rising from a first side of the sloping portion toward a direction in which the front wall is away from the back wall,
the peripheral wall portion of the first recess portion is partly integrated with the rising wall portion.

11. The resin float of claim 9 , wherein
the mounting portion includes
a pair of the nut accommodating portions which are spaced apart in a direction along the receiving portion,
a second recess portion recessed from a bottom surface of the first recess portion, the second recess portion provided in a position between the pair of the nut accommodating portions and closer to the first side of the resin float than a line connecting the pair of the nut accommodating portions,
a bottom portion of the second recess portion is integrated with the front wall.

12. The resin float of claim 9 , wherein
a plurality of the mount

Assignees

• Kyoraku Co Ltd

Inventors

• Niimi Takaya
• Motohashi Yoshinori
• Sakaguchi Tsutomu

Classifications

• H02S30/10

  Frame structures · 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

• H02S20/00

  Supporting structures for PV modules · CPC title

• B63B2035/4453

  for converting solar energy into electric energy · CPC title

• F24S25/11

  using shaped bodies, e.g. concrete elements, foamed elements or moulded box-like elements · CPC title