Composite fender

A composite fender panel for protecting a harbor structure, comprising:

• (a) a resilient body member having a front surface and a rear mounting surface;
• and
• (b) a frame comprising front and rear grids of rod members and a spacer structure connecting portions of the grids in rigidly spaced relation, the frame being encapsulated within the body member and including an attachment structure connected to plural spaced apart locations of the frame, the attachment structure defining a spaced plurality of attachment elements, the frame being spaced from the front surface by not less than 10 percent of a panel thickness of the body member between the front surface and the rear mounting surface, the frame including a spaced array of elements in plural planes.

A composite fender panel for protecting a harbor structure, comprising:

• (a) a resilient body member having a front surface and a rear mounting surface;
• and
• (b) a frame encapsulated within the body member and including an attachment structure connected to plural spaced apart locations of the frame, the attachment structure defining a spaced plurality of attachment elements, the frame being spaced from the front surface by not less than 10 percent of a panel thickness of the body member between the front surface and the rear mounting surface, the frame including a spaced array of elements in plural planes, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of first beams and a plurality of second beams rigidly connected to the first beams in orthogonal relation thereto.

A method for forming a composite fender panel, the method comprising:

• (a) forming a frame including a spaced array of frame elements in plural planes and a spaced plurality of attachment elements rigidly connected to at least some of the frame elements;
• (b) encapsulating the frame in a resilient material to provide a resilient body having a front surface and a rear mounting surface, the resilient material being formed for accessing the attachment elements,
• wherein the frame includes a grid of reinforcing rods extending over a front face of the frame, the grid including first rods being connected to the frame at the front face of the frame and second rods connected to front edge portions of the first rods.

A method for forming a composite fender panel, the method comprising:

• (a) forming a frame including a spaced array of frame elements in plural planes and a spaced plurality of attachment elements rigidly connected to at least some of the frame elements;
• (b) encapsulating the frame in a resilient material to provide a resilient body having a front surface and a rear mounting surface, the resilient material being formed for accessing the attachment elements,
• wherein the attachment elements include respective fastener openings and the encapsulating includes forming respective passages extending from the mounting surface to the fastener openings.

A method for forming a composite fender panel, the method comprising:

• (a) forming a frame including a spaced array of frame elements in plural planes and a spaced plurality of attachment elements rigidly connected to at least some of the frame elements;
• (b) encapsulating the frame in a resilient material to provide a resilient body having a front surface and a rear mounting surface, the resilient material being formed for accessing the attachment elements,
• wherein the attachment elements include respective fastener openings and the encapsulating further includes forming respective head cavities in the body between the front surface and the fastener openings for accessing the fastener openings.