Modular floating area

Abstract

A floating area consisting of a semi-rigid floating structure, capable of following the ups and downs of the waves. It can be located close to the shore as well as in high seas, carrying a rigid structure, which acts like a bridge between the waves and provides a substantially stable surface for mounting structures for human activities, which remains above the water level. The floating area can be mechanically fixed in position by propellers that compensate for current and / or wind movements, by underwater weights attached to the rigid structure, or by ground posts attached to the rigid structure, so that the vertical degree of freedom of movement follows the movements of the waves or tides.

Description

Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 867,311, filed Jun. 27, 2019; U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 981,547, filed Feb. 26, 2020; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 011,318, filed Apr. 17, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference and relied upon, and the entire content thereof is understood to contribute to the solution of the technical problems underlying the invention, and the features mentioned in this document are considered to be of particular importance. Copyright and Legal Notice

[0002] Some of the material disclosed in this patent document is subject to copyright protection. The applicant has no objection to third - party facsimile reproduction of the patent documents disclosed as patents in the records of the Patent and Trademark Office, but reserves all copyrights in all other cases. Also, the patents or articles of third parties described in this application should not be considered as an admission that the present invention has no right to precede such material on the grounds of prior art.

Background Art

[0003] The present invention relates to a modular floating structure provided in large lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, etc.

[0004] Due to global warming, the sea level is rising and inhabitable land is disappearing.

[0005] Effective means for replacing or creating additional areas suitable for human habitation or activities are required.

Disclosure of the Invention

[0006] The present invention combines a flexible floating structure that can follow the up - and - down movement of waves and thereby can be provided near the shore as well as in high - sea areas, with a rigid superstructure constructed on the flexible structure to provide a substantially stable surface for human habitation and other human activities.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] The attached drawings illustrate different embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

[0008] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the elements shown in the drawings are disclosed for purposes of simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, in order to enhance the understanding of various embodiments of the present invention, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be emphasized relative to other elements. Further, the terms "first," "second," and the like used herein are used specifically to distinguish similar elements and are not necessarily intended to indicate a sequential or chronological order. Also, terms such as "front," "rear," "plane," "bottom," and the like in the specification and / or claims are used for convenience purposes and do not necessarily comprehensively represent a limiting relative position. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that such terms may be replaced under appropriate circumstances, such as when the various embodiments disclosed herein can be operated in orientations other than those clearly illustrated or described. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0009] The following description is exemplary in nature and is intended to describe the best mode of the invention known to the inventors at the time the application was filed, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. As a result, the arrangement and / or function of all elements in the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein can be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0010] Next, the floating region 10 of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C includes a flexible structure 20 floating in water 100 and carries a rigid upper structure 12. The rigid upper structure 12 consists of a bottom surface 300 and an upper surface 500 and is integrally held by a lightweight structure 400. Usually, the bottom surface 300, the lightweight structure 400, and the upper surface 500 may consist of bamboo poles, an assembly of metal structures, or other suitable materials, recycled materials, materials recovered from water, or a combination thereof. The upper surface 500 is made to provide a substantially continuous floor for facilities 900 for humans or other activities. The bottom surface 300 is not necessarily a continuous floor, but provides sufficient support to transmit the buoyancy force from the flexible structure 20 to the upper structure 12.

[0011] The flexible structure 20 may be an assembly of floating architectural elements, or of buoys 210 made of recycled plastic waste or other suitable materials, the buoys 210 having the shape of a prism with a regular polygonal base, circle, triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or any suitable shape. The flexible structure 20 and the buoys 210 are described in PCT / IB2019 / 056405, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference and relied upon to define the features for which protection is sought. Optionally, the vertical orientation of the buoys 210 is ensured by ballast weights 220 which may be attached below or inside the buoys 210. The ballast weights 220 are made to have a suitable shape and are oriented for the purpose of being able to be used as rudders to ensure the mobility of the area / island 10. Optionally, the buoys 210 are made with sliding dovetail shapes and grooves for sliding attachment to adjacent elements, which attachment enables the buoys 210 to move relatively up and down, enabling the flexible structure 20 to follow the up and down movement of the waves. Optionally, while enabling relative up and down movement of the buoys 210, the buoys 210 are attached to each other using ropes, cables, chains, or other suitable flexible means that together form the flexible structure 20, thereby enabling the flexible structure 20 to follow the up and down movement of the waves.

[0012] The flexible structure 20 may carry a surface larger than the upper structure 12, for example, for providing adjacent surfaces that do not require a rigid upper structure 12 for agricultural use, for providing access to the water surface 100, or for other uses. In this case, the edges of the bottom surface 300 must follow the shape of the buoys 210 and ensure that each buoy is sufficiently covered by the bottom surface 300 or can move up and down completely freely, avoiding interference with additional dovetail shapes or grooves.

[0013] To ensure the horizontal relative positioning between the rigid superstructure 12 and the flexible structure 20, some or all of the buoys 210 are provided with masts 230 that can be fitted into guide holes 310 provided in the bottom surface 300, preventing relative creep between the superstructure 12 and the flexible structure 20. Alternatively, the buoy 210 is provided with a guide hole 232, and the bottom surface 300 is provided with a mast 312. The guide hole 232 may be a non-through hole or may penetrate the buoy 210 completely (Figure 1C). In another case, the buoy 210 has an attachment system that horizontally combines them, such as, for example, a sliding dovetail shape and groove, additional up and down slides, or other attachments that provide freedom of up and down movement, and a small number of buoys 210 need to be connected to the superstructure 12. In another case, the buoys 210 are not attached to each other, all need to be provided with masts 230 or guide holes 232, and the length of the mast 230 needs to be sufficient so as never to be separated from the guide hole 232. In another case, each buoy 210 shown in Figure 1D may be formed as a simple cylinder without a central hole and may be held to move along the vertical axis by at least three masts 313 that capture the buoy 210. And the buoy 210 may be connected by a cable to a pull generator 322' for generating electricity from the regular up and down movement of the buoy. The connection 213 to the buoy allows the rotation of the buoy, and later embodiments have the advantage that the wear of the buoy is dispersed over its entire surface, increasing the service life of the buoy. Also, the combination of masts and guide holes 210, 212, 310, 312 can be connected to an energy harvesting system 322, 322', and the energy provided by the wave movement can be converted into energy available for supplying power to the facilities 900 on the island 10, for example, by converting it into electric power or rotational force. The energy harvesting system 322 may be a series of pull generators 322', for example, the Pull-Cord Power Generator of Potenco (www.youtube.com / watch?v=Fb0iz_WXvYg) connected to the buoy 210, the use of a linear power generation device 322, or a dynamo, etc. The linear power generation device 322 may be attached to the masts and guide holes 230, 232, 310, 312, and their peripheries.For example, in the configuration of FIG. 1C, a series of magnets 234 may be attached to the buoy 210 around the guide hole 232, and the induction coil 314 may be attached to the mast 312 aligned with the vertical axis. In that case, while the buoy moves up and down, the relative movement of the induction coil and the magnet follows the movement of the wave, generating a voltage on the induction coil. This voltage may be used to supply power to the electrical facility 900. Preferably, the induction coil 314 is attached to a portion fixed to the superstructure so as to avoid the movement of the power cable and make the watertightness of the power generation system easier. Thus, in the example of the configuration of FIG. 1A, the induction coil 324 is preferably attached around the guide hole 310, and the magnet 234 is attached within the mast 230. Other systems known in the art, such as a hydraulic system such as a dynamo, a dynamo based on a rack and pinion mechanism, a wave surge converter, a oscillating water column system, etc., may be used to convert the relative linear movement between the buoy 210 and the superstructure 12 into available energy, such as electric power. Wave power converters such as Aqua-Magnetics, Inc (the entire content of US Patent No. 6,791,205 of September 14, 2004 is incorporated by reference) and SINN Power GmbH (Gamering Strasse 9, 82131 Gauting, Germany, website: www.sinnpower.com / waveenergy, the entire content of US Patent No. 9,973,057, German Patent Publication No. DE102008048730A1 is incorporated by reference) may more preferably be used to construct the flexible structure 20 and convert the energy provided by the movement of the wave into available energy for supplying power to the facility 900 on the island 10. In order to avoid the buoy 210 pulling down the superstructure 12 as it follows the downward movement of the wave, during the downward movement of the buoy 210, the buoy 210, which tends to lift the superstructure 12, may harvest a negligible or significantly lower amount of energy compared to the energy harvested during upward movement. The potential energy is harvested only when the buoy moves upward.Some of the energy provided by the relative movement of the mast and the guide holes 230, 232, 310, 312 may be mechanically directly converted into the rotation of the propeller attached to the lower part of the floating structure 20, for example, the floating structure 10 may be assembled to compensate for the ocean current. It may be connected to the amortization function to minimize the noise of the facility.

[0014] The surface of the area 10 is large enough to cover the maximum possible distance between two waves, and the rigid upper structure 12 behaves like a bridge in all directions from crest to crest, so that the upper surface 500 of the island 10 is kept substantially horizontal. Generally, since the waves are about 8 to 10 times their wave height apart, the rigid upper structure 12 needs to be sized by the water used. Usually, the length and width of the floating area 10 are at least 50 meters and generally exceed 100 meters.

[0015] The flexible floating structure 20 and the ballast weight 220 are sized with a sufficient margin so that the flexible floating structure 20 always transports the rigid upper structure 12 above the surface of the water 100. As a result, only a part of the buoy 210, for example 50% of the buoy 210, preferably 30%, is sized to be sufficient to ensure the floating of the entire island 10, and in this way, even in the case of large waves, the upper structure 12 is maintained above the surface of the water 100. In this way, since the rigid upper structure 12 only needs to function as a bridge between the wave crests, it does not need to be constructed as a hull and can be constructed with a lightweight structure.

[0016] The floating area 10 may be movable by a motor disposed on the buoy 210 or below it, or directly attached to the upper structure 12, following the seasons throughout the year to promote agriculture or comfortable living, tracking the sun throughout the day, or for other reasons. Alternatively, the motor disposed on the buoy 210 or below it, or directly attached to the upper structure 12, may be used to move the floating area 10, compensate for ocean currents and / or wind, and ensure permanent geolocation of the floating area 10 with reference to, for example, GPS or a similar localization system. Also, for example, the floating area may be used to form a movable bridge between parts of an island.

[0017] Next, the underwater neutral buoyancy weight 600 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed at a sufficient depth so as not to follow the ocean current, and may be attached to the rigid upper structure 12 via a support 650 and attached to the seabed with an anchor 601 to fix the position of the island 10. Facilities 900 for human or other activities may be located on the upper surface 500 of the island 10, or on the bottom surface 300 if easy access to water is desired.

[0018] Next, the pillar 750 shown in FIG. 3 may be erected on the ground 700, and by mooring the rigid upper structure 12 to the pillar 750, freedom of vertical movement is maintained so that the island 10 can follow waves and tides. The pillar 750 provides a horizontal attachment for the rigid upper structure 12, and the flexible structure 20 determines the height of the island. The vertical movement of the island 10 relative to the ground 700 may be used, for example, by converting it into electricity, to harvest energy for supplying electricity to the facilities 900 of the island 10.

[0019] Next, the rigid superstructure 12 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B may be disassembled into parts, enabling the maintenance of the floating structure 20. The bottom surface 300 is composed of modular sections 320 that correspond to the group of buoys 210. When the modular sections 320 are removed, free access to the buoys 210 is provided. Thereafter, the buoys 210 may be removed for cleaning or repair, replaced with new buoys 210, subjected to antifouling treatment, and the ballast weights 220 may be replaced for a heavier or lighter payload, etc. The elements 420 that constitute the lightweight structure 400 and the plates 520 that constitute the upper surface 500 are designed such that maintenance work is possible by local disassembly. The modular structure described herein may also be used to gradually change the shape and size of the region 10, to combine multiple floating regions, to create or close access to water, to adapt to a heavier or lighter payload, etc. The flexible structure 20 may include divots 21 on the upper surface, and soil can be placed in these divots, and an upper surface including plants can be included, enabling the harvesting of edible fruits or vegetables.

[0020] The present invention can be summarized as follows. 1. A floating region (10) including a flexible structure (20) and a superstructure (12), wherein the flexible structure (20) is configured to float on water (100), the superstructure (12) is optionally a rigid superstructure (12), and the superstructure (12) is directly or indirectly supported horizontally by buoys (210) of the flexible structure (20) guided to move along a substantially vertical axis by at least one vertical support (230, 312, 314). The buoys floating in the water optionally float on each wave crest of the water waves. The superstructure (12) includes a substantially flat bottom surface (300) and a substantially flat upper surface (500) that are fixedly attached together to a lightweight structure (400). The lightweight structure (400) is between the substantially flat bottom surface (300) and the substantially flat upper surface (500), and the substantially flat bottom surface (300) provides sufficient support to transmit the buoyancy force from the flexible structure (20) to the superstructure (12). 2. The floating area (10) according to feature set 1, combined with a power generation system (322) that supplies power to a dynamo or induction coil that generates electricity from the movement of waves using the movement of the buoy. 3. The floating area (10) according to the above feature set, wherein the power generation system (322) includes one from the group of components consisting of a power dynamo, an induction coil, and a pull generator. 4. The floating area (10) according to any one of the above feature sets, wherein the upper structure (12) includes one or more facilities (900) for humans or other activities, and the facility (900) is located above and / or below the plane (500). 5. The floating area according to any one of the above feature sets, wherein the upper structure (12) includes one or more farming areas such as land where edible plants are cultivated. 6. The floating area (10) according to the above feature set, wherein the farming area is configured to provide access to the surface of the water (100). 7. The buoy (210) is optionally in the shape of a prism and is made of a material selected from the list of materials consisting of bamboo poles, metals, recycled materials, materials recovered from water, or any combination of the above materials. The floating area (10) according to any one of the above feature sets. 8. The floating area (10) according to feature set 7, wherein the buoy (210) is in the shape of a prism and has a base that is a regular polygon, a circle, a triangle, a quadrilateral, a pentagon, or a hexagon. 9. At least one buoy (210) includes a double-tail interface (211), the adjacent buoy includes a groove for sliding the attachment to the adjacent buoy (210) of the double-tail, and the attached buoy (210) is configured to move relatively up and down, enabling the flexible structure (20) to follow the up and down movement of the waves of the water (100). The floating area (10) according to feature set 7. 10. The floating area according to any one of feature sets 7 to 9, further comprising a plurality of said buoys (210) including at least one mast (230), wherein the bottom surface (300) of the upper structure (12) includes at least one guide hole (310), and the at least one mast (230) is adapted to slidably fit into the guide hole (310) to ensure controlled vertical movement and is configured to prevent horizontal displacement of the flexible structure (20) with respect to the rigid upper structure (10). 11. The floating area according to any one of feature sets 7 to 9, wherein at least one buoy (210) includes a guide hole (232), and the bottom surface (300) of the upper structure (12) is configured to slidably fit into the guide hole (232) to ensure controlled vertical movement and prevent horizontal displacement of the flexible structure (20) with respect to the rigid upper structure (12), and includes at least one mast (312). 12. The floating area (10) according to feature set 10 or 11, wherein an energy generation system (322) is connected to the buoy (210) so as to generate energy from the vertical movement of the buoy. 13. The floating area (10) according to feature set 12, wherein the energy supplies power to one or more facilities (900) of the floating area (10), and the energy is electrical energy and / or mechanical energy. 14. The floating area (10) according to any one of feature sets 1 to 13, wherein the bottom surface (300) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of bamboo, metal, recycled materials, materials recovered from water, or any combination of the above materials. 15. The floating area (10) according to any one of feature sets 1 to 13, wherein the upper surface (500) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of bamboo, metal, recycled materials, materials recovered from water, or any combination of the above materials. 16. The floating area (10) according to any one of feature sets 1 to 13, wherein the lightweight structure (400) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of bamboo, metal, recycled materials, materials recovered from water, or any combination of the above materials. 17. The floating area (10) according to any of the above sets of features, wherein the upper surface (500) has a substantially continuous floor suitable for the installation of facilities and / or infrastructure for human or other activities. 18. One or more ballast weights (220) are structurally fixed to at least one of the one or more buoys (210), and the ballast weights (220) are configured to ensure a substantially vertical orientation of the buoys (210), and the one or more ballast weights (220) are structurally fixed to at least one of the one or more buoys (210) at the lower part and / or inside of the current buoy (210). The floating area (10) according to any one of the above sets of features. 19. The floating area (10) according to feature set 18, wherein one or more of the one or more ballast weights (220) are shaped to function as a rudder for maneuvering the floating area. 20. The floating area (10) according to any one of features 1 to 19, wherein the floating area is moved by a motor (555) disposed at the buoy (210) or below it. 21. The floating area according to any one of features 1 to 19, wherein the floating area (10) is moved by a motor (667) directly attached to the upper structure (20). 22. The motors (555, 667) are used to propel the floating area (10), compensate for ocean currents and / or wind, ensure the permanent geolocation of the floating area (10), and refer to GPS or similar location systems. The floating area (10) according to feature set 20 or 21. 23. The floating area (10) according to the above set of features, wherein a GPS system (669) provides an input to a propulsion system (555, 667) that controls the position of the floating area. 24. The floating area includes a weight (600) and a support (650), the weight (600) is attached to the superstructure (12) via the support (650), and the weight (600) is arranged at a sufficient depth so as not to follow the tidal current or ocean current in order to fix the position of the floating area (10). The floating area (10) according to any one of the above feature sets. 25. The floating area (10) includes a pillar (750), and the pillar (750) is attached to the superstructure (12) so as to provide horizontal freedom of limited movement and substantially vertical freedom of movement. Due to the substantially vertical freedom of movement, the superstructure (12) can follow waves and tides. The pillar (750) is fixed to the ground (700) or floats essentially neutrally so that fixing to the ground is not necessarily required. The floating area (10) according to any one of the above feature sets. 26. The energy generation system (322) is connected to the pillar (750) and the superstructure (12) so as to harvest energy from the relative movement between at least one pillar (750) and the superstructure (12). The floating area (10) according to feature set 25. 27. The energy supplies power to one or more facilities (900) in the floating area (10), and the energy is electrical energy and / or mechanical energy. The floating area (10) according to feature set 26. 28. The superstructure (12) consists of modular sections (320) that connect to at least one other modular section (320), and the modular sections (320) are configured to disassemble from one or all of their adjacent modular sections (320), enabling the maintenance of the floating structure (20). The floating area (10) according to any one of the above feature sets. 29. One modular section (320) or a group of modular sections (320) is positioned to align with one buoy (210) or a group of buoys (210), and when the modular section (320) is disassembled or removed, free access to the buoy (210) becomes possible. The floating area (10) according to feature set 28.

[0021] As an effect, the present invention provides a new floating area suitable for the residence and activities of animals and / or humans.

[0022] As an effect, the present invention provides a new floating area that includes an energy source based on wave and / or tidal movement and is independent of weather and the day-night cycle period.

[0023] As a further effect, the present invention provides a new floating area that includes an energy source sufficient to be energetically independent of waves for permanent animal and / or human residence and activities, clean water, and all other comforts.

[0024] As a further effect, the present invention provides a new floating area that is modular and permanently adaptable to the evolution of needs with respect to shape, surface, effective load, energy production, etc.

[0025] As a further effect, the present invention provides a new floating area that can move to compensate for ocean currents and / or wind and ensure its permanent geolocation, for example, to promote agriculture or comfortable residence according to seasons throughout the year, to track the sun throughout the day, or for other reasons, or, in contrast.

[0026] As a further effect, the greater the mass of the superstructure (when a house or other structure is built thereon), the smaller the movement of the superstructure when the buoy moves, and a greater buoy movement is provided, whereby energy is extracted.

[0027] It should be understood that the specific embodiments disclosed and described in this application are representative and optimal aspects of the present invention and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0028] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention can be embodied as a system, apparatus, or method.

[0029] In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, it is described in this application with reference to block diagrams, devices, components, and modules. Each functional block of the block diagram and combinations of the functional blocks of the block diagram can be used to manufacture a machine by means of instructions executed on a computer or other programmable data processing device so as to enable the functions specified in the block diagram. It is understood that the machine is mounted on a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device.

[0030] Therefore, the description of the block diagram supports a combination of methods for performing a specific function, a combination of steps for performing a specific function, and a program instruction method for performing a specific function. Each functional block of the block diagram and flowchart illustration, and combinations of the functional blocks of the block diagram, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based computer system for performing a specific function or step, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0031] Also, the system of this application is intended for the use, sale, and / or distribution of all articles, services, or information having functions similar to those of this application.

[0032] The specification and drawings of this application are to be understood as illustrative rather than limiting, and all improvements described in this application are intended to be included within the scope of the invention claimed in this application, even if not explicitly claimed at the time of filing. Accordingly, the scope of the invention of this application should be determined not from the mere examples given above, but by the appended claims, or claims corrected or added later, or things legally equivalent thereto. All steps described in the claims of any method or process are executable in any order, unless otherwise specified, and are not limited to the specific order described in the claims. Further, the elements and / or components described in the claims of the apparatus can also be assembled or operatively configured with various substitutions that produce substantially the same results as this application. Generally, the invention of this application is not limited to the specific configurations described in the claims.

[0033] The benefits, advantages, and solutions described in this application should not be considered essential, necessary, or indispensable features or elements of any or all of the claims.

[0034] The expressions "consisting of", "composed of", and other similar expressions used in this application are used to represent a non-limiting list of elements, and the apparatus, process, method, article, or composition of the present invention composed of that list of elements does not only include the described elements, but may also include other elements described in this specification. Also, expressions such as "including", "comprising", or "essentially including" are not used with the intention of limiting the scope of the invention to only the recited elements, unless otherwise specified. Combinations and / or improvements of the above-described elements, materials, or structures used in the implementation of the present invention can also be changed or adapted to other designs by those skilled in the art without departing from the general principles of the present invention.

[0035] The patents and documents cited above are incorporated herein by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present disclosure, unless otherwise stated.

[0036] Other features and embodiments of the present invention are described in the appended claims.

[0037] Furthermore, it should be considered that the present invention is composed of all possible combinations of all the features described in this specification, the appended feature set and / or the drawings, which are considered to have novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability.

[0038] Copyright may be owned by the applicant or the assignee. Regarding third parties of the rights defined in one or more claims of this application from express Licensees, no implied license shall be granted to this application for using the present invention defined in the remaining claims. Also, no public or third party shall be granted an express or implied license to prepare derivative works based on this patent specification, including those appended to and incorporated in this application and any computer programs included in this application.

[0039] Additional features and functionality of the present invention are described in the appended claims and / or the abstract. Those claims and / or the abstract are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this specification and considered to be part of the filed application.

[0040] In the embodiments of the invention described above, various changes and improvements can be made. Although specific specific embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed and described, extensive improvements, changes and substitutions are contemplated in the above disclosure. The above description includes many specific matters, but is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one or other preferred embodiments. In some cases, some features of the present invention may be used without using the corresponding other features. Therefore, the above description should be construed broadly and understood only as an example or illustration, and the spirit and scope of the present invention should be limited only by the claims finally issued in this application.

Claims

Claim 1 A floating area (10) including a flexible structure (20) and an upper structure (12), wherein the flexible structure (20) is configured to float on water (100), the flexible structure (20) includes a plurality of elements, the elements include at least one buoy (210), at least one mast (230, 312, 314), and at least one ballast weight (220), and the at least one mast (230, 312, 314) is arranged to be in a substantially vertical orientation by the at least one ballast weight (220) interacting with the at least one buoy (210), so that the at least one buoy (210), the at least one mast (230, 312, 314), and the at least one ballast weight (220) are arranged to define a substantially vertical axis, and the elements are configured to follow the movement of waves by vertical degrees of freedom when arranged on the water surface, wherein the upper structure (12) is a rigid upper structure (12), the upper structure (12) is supported directly or indirectly on a horizontal plane by the buoy (210) of the flexible structure (20), the buoy (210) is guided to move along the substantially vertical axis by the at least one mast (230, 312, 314), and the buoy (210) is adapted to float on the respective wave crests of the waves above the water so that the buoy (210) does not normally submerge in the water. The upper structure (12) includes a substantially flat bottom surface (300), a substantially flat upper surface (500), and a structure (400) disposed between the bottom surface (300) and the upper surface (500) and being lighter than the bottom surface (300) and the upper surface (500). The substantially flat upper surface (500) is suitable for the installation of infrastructure enabling human activities. The substantially flat bottom surface (300) is configured to rest on the flexible structure (20). The substantially flat upper surface (500) and the substantially flat bottom surface (300) are fixed together by the structure (400) so as to rigidify the upper structure (12) and form a bridge from one wave crest to another. The substantially flat bottom surface (300) transmits lift force from the flexible structure (20) to the upper structure (12). The upper structure (12) includes a guide hole (310), and the guide hole (310) is configured to slidably accommodate at least one mast (230, 312, 314), and the at least one mast (230, 312, 314) is guided through the substantially flat bottom surface (300) to access the guide hole (310). At least one of the buoys (210) includes a double-tail interface (211). Adjacent buoys include grooves for sliding and attaching the double-tail to an adjacent buoy (210), and the attached buoys (210) are configured to move relatively up and down. A floating area is provided where the flexible structure (20) can follow the vertical movement of the waves of the water (100). Claim 2 A floating area (10) including a flexible structure (20) and an upper structure (12), wherein the flexible structure (20) is configured to float on water (100), and the flexible structure (20) includes at least one buoy (210) and at least one ballast weight (220). The upper structure (12) includes a substantially flat bottom surface (300), a substantially flat upper surface (500), and a structure (400) disposed between the bottom surface (300) and the upper surface (500) and being lighter than the bottom surface (300) and the upper surface (500). At least one buoy (210) includes a guide hole (232), and the bottom surface (300) of the upper structure (12) is slidably fitted into the guide hole (232) to ensure controlled vertical movement and prevent horizontal displacement of the flexible structure (20), and includes at least one mast (312) configured as such, The at least one buoy (210), the at least one mast (312), and the at least one ballast weight (220) are arranged such that the at least one ballast weight (220) interacting with the at least one buoy (210) causes the at least one buoy (210) to be in a substantially vertical orientation, thereby defining a substantially vertical axis. The flexible structure (20) is configured to follow the movement of waves with vertical degrees of freedom when disposed on the water surface. The upper structure (12) is a rigid upper structure (12), and the upper structure (12) is supported directly or indirectly in the horizontal plane by the buoy (210) of the flexible structure (20). The buoy (210) is guided to move along the substantially vertical axis by the at least one mast (312), and the buoy (210) is adapted to float on each wave crest above the water so that the buoy (210) does not normally submerge in the water. The substantially flat upper surface (500) is suitable for the installation of infrastructure enabling human activities, and the substantially flat bottom surface (300) is configured to rest on the flexible structure (20). The substantially flat upper surface (500) and the substantially flat bottom surface (300) are fixed together by the structure (400) to rigidify the upper structure (12) and form a bridge from one wave crest to another. The substantially flat bottom surface (300) is a floating region that transmits lift force from the flexible structure (20) to the upper structure (12).

3. A floating region (10) according to claim 1 or 2, combined with a power generation system (322) that uses the movement of the buoy to generate power from the movement of waves, the power generation system (322) including one from the group of components consisting of a power dynamo, an induction coil, and a pull generator.

4. The upper structure (12) includes one or more facilities (900) for humans or other activities, the facilities (900) being located above the upper surface (500) and / or below the upper surface (500), and the upper structure (12) including one or more farming areas such as land on which edible plants are cultivated. The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The buoy (210) has a prism shape, and its base has a shape that is a regular polygon, a circle, a triangle, a quadrilateral, a pentagon, or a hexagon. The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The floating area according to claim 1, further having a plurality of the buoys (210) including at least one mast (230), wherein an energy generation system (322) is connected to the buoy (210) so as to generate energy from the vertical movement of the buoy, and the energy supplies power to one or more facilities (900) in the floating area (10), and the energy is electrical energy and / or mechanical energy.

7. The bottom surface (300) or the upper surface (500) or the structure (400) is made of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of bamboo poles, metals, recycled materials, or any combination of the above materials. The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 6.

8. One or more ballast weights (220) are structurally fixed to at least one of the one or more buoys (210), the ballast weights (220) being configured to ensure a substantially vertical orientation of the buoy (210), and the one or more ballast weights (220) being structurally fixed to the at least one of the one or more buoys (210) at the lower part and / or inside of the buoy (210), and one or more of the one or more ballast weights (220) being shaped to function as a rudder for maneuvering the floating area. The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The floating area moves by a motor (555) disposed on the buoy (210) or a motor (667) directly attached to the upper structure (20). The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 or 6.

10. The motors (555, 667) are used to propel the floating area (10), compensate for the movement of the floating area (10) due to ocean currents and / or wind, ensure the permanent geolocation of the floating area (10), and refer to a GPS or similar localization system, where the GPS system (669) provides an input to the propulsion system (555, 667) that controls the position of the floating area, for the floating area (10) according to claim 9.

11. The floating area includes a weight (600) and a support (650), the weight (600) is attached to the superstructure (12) via the support (650), and the weight (600) is fixed to the seabed by an anchor (601) to fix the position so that the floating area (10) does not follow the tidal or ocean current, for the floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The floating area (10) includes a column (750), the column (750) is attached to the superstructure (12) to provide limited horizontal freedom of movement and substantially vertical freedom of movement, and due to the substantially vertical freedom of movement, the superstructure (12) can follow waves and tides. The column (750) is fixed to the ground (700) or essentially neutrally floats so that fixing to the ground is not necessarily required. The energy generation system (322) is connected to the column (750) and the superstructure (12) to harvest energy from the relative movement between at least one column (750) and the superstructure (12), and the energy supplies power to one or more facilities (900) in the floating area (10), and the energy is electrical energy and / or mechanical energy, for the floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The upper structure (12) consists of a modular section (320) that connects to at least one other modular section (320). The modular section (320) is configured to disassemble from one or all of its adjacent modular sections (320), enabling the maintenance of the flexible structure (20). One modular section (320), or a group of modular sections (320), is positioned to align with one buoy (210), or a group of buoys (210). When the modular section (320) is disassembled or removed, free access to the buoy (210) is possible. The floating area (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A floating area (10) comprising a flexible structure (20) and an upper structure (12), wherein the flexible structure (20) is configured to float on water (100). The flexible structure (20) includes a plurality of elements, which include at least one buoy (210). The elements are adjacent to adjacent elements and are gently coupled to each other, enabling them to follow the movement of waves due to vertical degrees of freedom when arranged on the water surface. The upper structure (12) is directly or indirectly supported in the horizontal plane by the buoy (210) of the flexible structure (20), and the buoy (210) is adapted to float on each wave crest of the waves above the water. The upper structure (12) includes a substantially flat bottom surface (300), a substantially flat top surface (500), and a structure (400) disposed between the bottom surface (300) and the top surface (500) and lighter than the bottom surface (300) and the top surface (500). The substantially flat top surface (500) is suitable for the installation of infrastructure enabling human activities. The substantially flat bottom surface (300) is configured to rest on the flexible structure (20). The substantially flat top surface (500) and the substantially flat bottom surface (300) are fixed together by the structure (400) to rigidify the upper structure (12) and form a bridge from one wave crest to another. The substantially flat bottom surface (300) transmits lift from the flexible structure (20) to the upper structure (12). One or more ballast weights (220) are structurally fixed to at least one of the one or more buoys (210), the ballast weight (220) being configured to ensure a substantially vertical orientation of the buoy (210), the one or more ballast weights (220) being structurally fixed to the at least one of the one or more buoys (210) at the lower part and / or inside of the buoy (210), and a floating region in which one or more of the one or more ballast weights (220) are shaped to function as a rudder for maneuvering the floating region.

Images