# US 10,370,066 B2 · Separable buoy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,066 B2 - Document ID: US10370066B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/379,121 - Filed: 2016-12-14 - Published: 2018-05-31 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-25 - Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Applicants: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Inventors: Shih-Ying Chiang; Shih-Sheng Hsu; Yi-Chieh Huang; Heng-Chu Peng; Tzu-Hung Huang; Yi-Chen Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370066B2 ## CPC - B63B 22/00: Buoys ({floating decoys, e.g. for waterfowl A01M31/06;} means for indicating the location of underwater objects B63C7/26; life-buoys, e.g. rings B63C9/08; {mountings of acoustic transducer in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys G10K11/006; electric cables supported on or from floats H02G9/12}) - B63B 22/08: having means to release or urge to the surface a buoy on submergence thereof, e.g. to mark location of a sunken object - F03B 13/14: using wave energy - B63B 2035/4466: {for converting water energy into electric energy, e.g. from tidal flows, waves or currents} - F05B 2230/50: Building or constructing in particular ways - F05B 2240/93: on a structure floating on a liquid surface - F05B 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position - Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00) - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A separable buoy includes a center float having a top surface that includes an upper peripheral end and an engagement bevel provided on the upper peripheral end that extends below the top surface; a separable float unit detachably disposed at the center float and including a dome wall that is provided in a lower central portion thereof and that has a peripheral edge configured to detachably engage the engagement bevel: and a chamber defined between the dome wall of the separable float unit and the top surface of the center float when the separable float unit engages the center float, wherein the center float has a vertical height that substantially equals or exceeds that of a lower portion of the separable float unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A separable buoy, comprising: a center float having a top surface that includes an upper peripheral end and an engagement bevel provided on the upper peripheral end that extends below the top surface; a separable float unit having a substantially circular circumference and detachably disposed at the center the separable float unit including a dome wall that is provided in a lower central portion thereof and that has a peripheral edge configured to detachably engage the engagement bevel: and a chamber defined between the dome wall of the separable float unit and the top surface of the center float when the separable float unit engages the center float, wherein the center float has a vertical height that substantially equals or exceeds that of a lower portion of the separable float unit, and wherein the circumference of the separable float unit substantially exceeds a circumference of the center float. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber has a pressure that is lower than external pressure and is a low-pressure chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separable float unit comprises: a floating body on whose lower central portion the dome wall is provided and that has at least one air hole that communicates with the dome wall and the chamber to admit external air into the chamber; an actuation module disposed at the floating body; and a sensing module that is provided within the chamber either near a top portion of the chamber or on the top surface of the center float and that is signally connected to the actuation module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensing module is a pressure sensor or an accelerometer, wherein the actuation module is an active bleeding valve, a passive bleeding valve, an actuator, a bleeding valve, an explosive or an electromagnetic valve, and wherein the floating body has a rigid structure and is a rigid floating body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the actuation module is configured to close the at least one air hole to prevent external air from entering the chamber so that the chamber is maintained in a low-pressure state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensing module is a pressure sensor or an accelerometer, and wherein the actuation module is an active bleeding valve, a passive bleeding valve, an actuator, bleeding valve, an explosive or an electromagnetic valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 5, wherein the separable float unit is circumferentially disposed at the center float and is connected to the center float by a connecting body, and wherein the separable float unit includes at least one floating body, and the at least one floating body is connected in series, respectively, by at least one connecting body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connecting body is a cable or a metal chain connecting plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 7, wherein the center float has defined therein a recess and, when the floating body engages the center float, the recess of the center float communicates with the at least one air hole and the recess become the chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center float includes a plurality of air holes which communicate with the chamber, a sensing module, and an actuation module that is coupled with the plurality of air holes, and wherein the sensing module is signally connected to the actuation module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The separable buoy as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuation module is configured to close the plurality of air holes to prevent external air from entering the chamber so that the chamber is maintained in a low-pressure state.