US 12,679,507 B2Granted

Floating body without separate connection device and connection method thereof

AssigneeKorea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology

InventorsKang Su Lee, Byoung Jae Park, Byoung Wan Kim, Min Suk Ki, Hyun Suk Kim, Hyun Sung Kim

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Abstract

A floating body to which an aquatic or marine facility is installed or which is connected to a lower part of the aquatic or marine facility to hold the aquatic or marine facility on water or the sea is proposed. The floating body may include a main floating body which floats on water or the sea by using buoyancy, and a magnet provided on a first vertical side of the main floating body. The floating body may also include a coupling member provided on an opposite vertical side of the main floating body by corresponding to a magnet of another floating body such that the coupling member is coupled thereto, and a mooring line installed on a part of the main floating body to moor and hold the main floating body on water or the sea.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A floating body configured to be moored on water or sea to install or provide space for aquatic or marine facilities, the floating body being connectable to an adjacent floating body without a separate connection device, the floating body comprising:

a main floating body configured to float on water or sea by using buoyancy, the main floating body comprising top and bottom surfaces opposing each other;
a magnet provided on a first vertical side of the main floating body, the magnet extending along the first vertical side from the top surface to the bottom surface of the main floating body;
a coupling member provided on an opposite vertical side of the main floating body, the coupling member extending along the opposite vertical side from the top surface to the bottom surface of the main floating body, the coupling member being configured to engage with a magnet of an adjacent floating body such that the main floating body is connectable to the adjacent floating body along the first vertical side and the opposite vertical side of the main floating body;
and
a mooring line mechanically installed on a portion of the main floating body and configured to physically moor and hold the main floating body on water or sea independently of the coupling member,
wherein the magnet comprises an electromagnet,
wherein the electromagnet is configured to be magnetized or has an adjustable magnetic pole, and
wherein the coupling member comprises steel with magnetic properties.

5 more elements

A floating body connection method for connecting a first floating body and a second floating body configured to be moored on water or sea to install or provide space for aquatic or marine facilities, the first and second floating bodies being connectable to each other without a separate connection device, the method comprising:

installing a first magnet on a first vertical side of the first floating body, the first magnet extending along the first vertical side from a top surface to a bottom surface of the first floating body;
installing a first coupling member coupled to an opposite vertical side of the first floating body, the first coupling member extending along the opposite vertical side from the top surface to the bottom surface of the first floating body, the first coupling member being configured to engage with a second magnet of the second floating body such that the first coupling member is connectable to the second floating body along the first vertical side and the opposite vertical side of the first floating body;
arranging the first and second floating bodies by matching the first magnet and the first coupling member of the first floating body and the second magnet and the second coupling member of the second floating body so that the first magnet and the first coupling member magnetically engage respectively with the second coupling member and the second magnet along the first vertical side and the opposite vertical side of the first floating body;
and
holding the first and second floating bodies on water or sea using a mooring line, the mooring line mechanically installed on a portion of the first floating body and configured to physically moor and hold the first floating body on water or sea independently of the first coupling member, after the first and second floating bodies are magnetically connected to each other,
wherein each of the first and second magnets comprises an electromagnet which is magnetized or has an adjustable magnetic pole.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/060,453Filed 30 Nov 2022 · continuation
Priority: KR 10-2020-007920729 Jun 2020
Published: US 2023/0115884 A113 Apr 2023
Granted: 14 Jul 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B63B 21/02
Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring: magnetic mooring equipment
B63B 21/20
Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring: adaptations of chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like, or of parts thereof
B63B 2021/203
Adaptations of chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like, or of parts thereof: mooring cables or ropes, hawsers, or the like; Adaptations thereof
B63B
Ships or other waterborne vessels