# US 2019/0168848 A1 · Float, float assembly, and method for installing float assembly

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- Number: US 2019/0168848 A1
- Document ID: US20190168848A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/313,994
- Filed: 2017-06-30
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30
- Assignees: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takaya NIIMI; Yoshinori MOTOHASHI; Tsutomu SAKAGUCHI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168848A1

## CPC

- 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 35/38: Rigidly-interconnected pontoons
- F24S 20/70: Waterborne solar heat collector modules (for working fluids forming pools or ponds F24S10/10)
- F24S 25/11: using shaped bodies, e.g. concrete elements, foamed elements or moulded box-like elements
- F24S 25/63: for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements
- F24S 25/632: Side connectors; Base connectors
- F24S 25/634: Clamps; Clips
- F24S 25/636: clamping by screw-threaded elements
- F24S 25/65: for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
- H02S 10/40: Mobile PV generator systems
- H02S 20/30: Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
- B63B 2035/4453: {for converting solar energy into electric energy}
- F24S 2025/6001: {by using hook and loop-type fasteners}
- Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- 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)
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A resin float for a solar panel, comprising:
an annular float portion formed to be hollow, and
a concave including a peripheral wall provided in the annular float portion, wherein
the resin float comprising a back wall and a front wall,
the concave is formed by recessing the back wall toward a side of the front wall so that the concave is configured to accommodate air, and
at least a part of the back wall is integrated with the front wall in the concave.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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 concave 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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The resin float of claim 2, wherein
the concave includes
truncated conical concave portions which taper toward the front wall, the truncated conical concave provided at both ends and a center of the concave along the supporting portion respectively, and
a groove-shaped concave portion which narrows toward the side of front wall, the groove-shaped concave connecting the truncated conical concave portions in a direction along the supporting portion,
the back wall and the front wall are integrated in a tip of the truncated conical concave portions, and
the back wall and the front wall are not integrated in the groove-shaped concave portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

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 concave toward a side away from the concave, the sloping portion being configured so that a distance to the back wall gradually decreases toward the side away from the concave,
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 concave, of the sloping portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

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 concave 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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The resin float of claim 1, further, comprising:
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 resin float and having the first side metal fixture attached thereon, wherein
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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The resin float of claim 1, further, comprising:
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 comprising a back wall and a front wall,
the mounting portion includes
a first concave portion including a peripheral wall portion, the first concave 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 concave portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

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 concave portion is partly integrated with the rising wall portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

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 concave portion recessed from a bottom surface of the first concave portion, the second concave 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 concave portion is integrated with the front wall.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The resin float of claim 9, wherein
a plurality of the mounting portions are provided in a direction along the receiving portion.

### Claim at position 13

13-30. (canceled)