# US 2013/0152840 A1 · Working system for floating structure, floating structure, working ship, and working method for floating structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152840 A1 - Document ID: US20130152840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/811,158 - Filed: 2011-07-25 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-23 - Assignees: Japan Marine United Corporation - Inventors: Yuji Awashima; Haruki Yoshimoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152840A1 ## CPC - B63B 1/048: {with hull extending principally vertically} - B63B 35/003: {for transporting very large loads, e.g. offshore structure modules (construction methods for artificial islands mounted on piles E02B17/00; for transporting marine vessels B63B35/40; docks B63C1/00)} - B63B 35/44: Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} - B63B 77/10: specially adapted for electric power plants, e.g. wind turbines or tidal turbine generators - F03D 13/10: Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors - F03D 13/25: specially adapted for offshore installation - F03D 80/50: Maintenance or repair - B63B 2001/044: {with a small waterline area compared to total displacement, e.g. of semi-submersible type} - B63B 2035/442: {Spar-type semi-submersible structures, i.e. shaped as single slender, e.g. substantially cylindrical or trussed vertical bodies} - B63B 2035/446: {for converting wind energy into electric energy} - F05B 2240/95: offshore - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - Y02E 10/727: Offshore wind turbines - 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) - F03D: WIND MOTORS - 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 working system includes a floating type floating structure, and a working ship configured to perform at least installation or maintenance of the floating structure. The floating structure has a column section whose peripheral surface is located at a waterline when the floating structure is floating, a ballast section arranged below the column section and a flange section arranged at an intermediate portion of the column section. The working ship has a gripping section capable of engaging with the flange section, and a raising/lowering device configured to raise and lower the floating structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A working system comprising: a floating type floating structure; and a working ship configured to perform at least installation or maintenance of the floating structure, wherein: the floating structure includes a column section whose peripheral surface is located at a waterline when the floating structure is floating, a ballast section arranged below the column section, and a flange section arranged at an intermediate portion of the column section, the working ship includes a gripping section capable of engaging with the flange section, the floating structure or the working ship includes a raising/lowering device configured to raise and lower the floating structure or the working ship, and with the gripping section of the working ship engaged with the flange section of the floating structure in a floating state, the floating structure or the working ship is raised or lowered to secure the floating structure to the working ship. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the raising/lowering device is a ballast adjusting device provided in the ballast section of the floating structure, or a ballast adjusting device provided in the working ship, or a jack capable of raising and lowering the gripping section together with the working ship. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the column section is slenderer than the ballast section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the ballast section has a ballast tank to and from which water can be supplied and discharged, and water is supplied to and discharged from the ballast tank in accordance with lowering and raising by the raising/lowering device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The working system according to claim 4, wherein the working ship includes a controller configured to control the supply and discharge of water to and from the ballast tank, and a monitor configured to monitor posture of the floating structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the gripping section has a pronged unit with a recess corresponding in shape to a circumferential half of the peripheral surface of the column section and is arranged at a bow of the working ship. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the gripping section has an elastic member arranged at a portion thereof where the gripping section comes into contact with the floating structure, or a supporting member configured to restrict horizontal movement of the flange section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the flange section is configured so as to be attachable and detachable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the floating structure is a spar type floating body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The working system according to claim 1, wherein the floating structure has a wind power generation device, wind conditions observation equipment, a solar power generation device, lighting equipment, or radio communication equipment arranged above the column section. ### Claim 11 A floating type floating structure comprising: a column section whose peripheral surface is located at a waterline when the floating structure is floating; a ballast section arranged below the column section; and a flange section arranged at an intermediate portion of the column section, wherein the flange section constitutes an engagement section for securing the floating structure in a floating state to a working ship. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the column section is slenderer than the ballast section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the ballast section has a ballast tank to and from which water can be supplied and discharged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the flange section is configured so as to be attachable and detachable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the floating structure is a spar type floating body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the floating structure has a wind power generation device, wind conditions observation equipment, a solar power generation device, lighting equipment, or radio communication equipment arranged above the column section. ### Claim 17 A working ship for performing at least installation or maintenance of a floating type floating structure, comprising: a gripping section capable of engaging with the floating structure; and a raising/lowering device capable of adjusting height of the gripping section from a water surface, wherein the gripping section is raised relative to the water surface by the raising/lowering device to secure the floating structure in a floating state to the gripping section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The working ship according to claim 17, wherein the raising/lowering device is a ballast adjusting device or jack capable of raising and lowering the gripping section together with the working ship. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The working ship according to claim 17, wherein: the floating structure has a ballast tank to and from which water can be supplied and discharged, and the working ship includes a controller configured to control the supply and discharge of water to and from the ballast tank, and a monitor configured to monitor posture of the floating structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The working ship according to claim 17, wherein the floating structure includes a column section whose peripheral surface is located at a waterline when the floating structure is floating, and the gripping section has a pronged unit with a recess corresponding in shape to a circumferential half of the peripheral surface of the column section and is arranged at a bow of the working ship. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The working ship according to claim 17, wherein the gripping section has an elastic member arranged at a portion thereof where the gripping section comes into contact with the floating structure, or a supporting member configured to restrict horizontal movement of the floating structure. ### Claim 22 A working method for performing work including at least installation or maintenance of a floating type floating structure on water, comprising: an engaging process of engaging a working ship with part of the floating structure; a securing process of securing the floating structure to the working ship by raising or lowering the floating structure or the working ship; and a working process of carrying out the work with respect to the floating structure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The working method according to claim 22, further comprising: a releasing process of releasing linkage between the floating structure and the working ship by raising or lowering the floating structure or the working ship; and a retreat process of releasing engagement between the floating structure and the working ship by detaching the working ship from the floating structure.