Fender

Abstract

To provide a fender capable of improving safety by reducing rocking of a vessel moored to a mooring facility of an offshore facility.SOLUTION: A fender 100 provided on a worker transportation vessel 150 is composed to increase its contact area with a mooring facility 220 of an offshore wing power generation facility by being elastically deformed when pushed against the mooring facility 220.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fender. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ships for transporting workers to offshore facilities have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The offshore facility is provided with a docking facility, and the ship is moored alongside the docking facility. With the ship moored alongside the docking facility, workers can travel between the ship and the offshore facility. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-505471 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is therefore desirable to reduce the rolling of ships moored alongside the docking facilities of an offshore facility, thereby improving stability.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fender that can reduce the rocking of a ship moored at the docking equipment of an offshore facility, thereby improving its stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The fender of the present invention is installed on a ship and is configured so that when pressed against the docking equipment of an offshore facility, it elastically deforms, thereby increasing the contact area with the docking equipment.

[0008] By configuring it in this manner, the fender can be made less likely to slip on the docking equipment of the offshore facility.

[0009] The fender according to the present invention may include a first fender configured to elastically deform when pressed against a docking facility of an offshore facility, thereby increasing the contact area with the docking facility, and a second fender provided in one or more stages on either the top or bottom or both sides of the first fender, and which simply absorbs the impact of a collision when it collides with a marine facility of the offshore facility.

[0010] With this configuration, if the ship collides with marine equipment on the offshore facility, the second fender can absorb the impact that the first fender cannot withstand, so the ship can be protected even in rough weather and high waves, for example. Also, because the second fender absorbs the impact when the ship comes alongside, the shear force acting on the first fender during a collision is reduced, so the first fender can be made of a single material suitable for elastic deformation.

[0011] The fender may be configured to be elastically deformable so as to follow the up and down rocking of the stern side of the ship when pressed against the docking equipment to increase the contact area.

[0012] The above fender may comprise a base material that is attached to the ship and a surface layer material that is in contact with the docking equipment, the base material being softer than the surface layer material and the surface layer material having a higher coefficient of friction than the base material.

[0013] In the fender having the above-mentioned base material and surface material, the docking equipment has a pair of docking posts extending vertically, and the base material may be formed to extend in the width direction of the ship and positioned at the forward end of the ship.

[0014] In the fender comprising the above-mentioned base material and surface layer material, a plurality of surface layer materials may be provided, and the plurality of surface layer materials may be arranged in a lattice pattern.

[0015] The fender comprising the above-mentioned substrate and surface layer material may further comprise an adhesive layer interposed between the substrate and surface layer material.

[0016] In the fender comprising the above-mentioned substrate and surface layer material, the substrate may have a hollow portion, and the hollow portion may be filled with air.

[0017] In this case, the amount of air filled in the hollow portion may be adjustable.

[0018] In the fender comprising the above-mentioned substrate and surface layer material, the substrate may be anisotropic and more easily deformed in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction.

[0019] In the fender material comprising the above-mentioned base material and surface material, the base material includes a base end that is attached to the ship, a tip end that is positioned on the surface material side, and an intermediate portion that is positioned between the base end and the tip end, and the tip end is provided to increase the contact area when pressed against docking equipment, and the intermediate portion may be provided to follow the up and down rocking of the stern side of the ship. Effect of the Invention

[0020] The fender of the present invention can reduce the rocking of a ship moored alongside the docking equipment of an offshore facility, thereby improving stability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a worker transport ship equipped with a fender according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the fender of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of the fender in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the worker transport vessel of FIG. 1 moored alongside a mooring pillar. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the worker transport vessel of FIG. 1 moored to a mooring pillar. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the stern side of the worker transport vessel in FIG. 5 is swung up and down. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a fender according to a modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the first fender and the second fender when the stern side of the worker transport vessel is swung up and down in another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0023] First, the configuration of a worker transport ship 150 equipped with a fender 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that in Figure 1, for ease of viewing, the specific configuration of the fender 100 is omitted.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 1, a crew transfer vessel (CTV) 150 is configured to transport workers to an offshore wind power generation facility 200. The crew transfer vessel 150 is, for example, a catamaran, and is provided with a fender 100 at a forward end 151. The crew transfer vessel 150 is an example of the "ship" of the present invention.

[0025] The offshore wind power generation facility 200 includes a wind turbine tower (not shown), a monopile (not shown), and a transition piece 210 that connects the monopile and the wind turbine tower. The transition piece 210 is cylindrical and formed to extend in the vertical direction (Z direction). A ship docking facility 220 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the transition piece 210. The offshore wind power generation facility 200 is an example of the "offshore facility" of the present invention.

[0026] The docking facility 220 is disposed on the sea surface and configured to enable the worker transport ship 150 to dock. The docking facility 220 has a pair of docking posts 221 and a ladder (not shown). The pair of docking posts 221 are disposed at a predetermined interval in the Y direction and are formed to extend in the vertical direction. Each docking post 221 is supported by a plurality of support members 221a extending from the outer circumferential surface of the transition piece 210 in the X direction. The plurality of support members 221a are disposed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. The ladder is formed to extend in the vertical direction and is disposed in the space S. That is, the ladder is disposed between the pair of docking posts 221 in the Y direction, and is disposed between the outer circumferential surface of the transition piece 210 and the pair of docking posts 221 in the X direction.

[0027] With the worker transport vessel 150 moored to the pair of mooring posts 221, workers can use a ladder to move between the worker transport vessel 150 and the offshore wind power generation facility 200.

[0028] Here, the worker transport ship 150 is provided with a fender 100, which enables the worker transport ship 150 to be firmly moored to the mooring post 221. The fender 100 is formed to extend in the Y direction, and is disposed at the front end 151. In other words, the fender 100 is provided at the outer edge of the worker transport ship 150 in the traveling direction. The fender 100 is configured to be elastically deformed when pressed against the mooring post 221, thereby increasing the contact area with the mooring post 221.

[0029] In addition, the fender 100 is configured to be elastically deformable so as to follow the up-and-down rocking of the stern side of the worker transport ship 150 when pressed against the mooring pillar 221 to increase the contact area. In other words, the fender 100 is configured so that a deformation allowance remains when pressed against the mooring pillar 221.

[0030] 2, the fender 100 includes a substrate 1, an adhesive layer 2, and a plurality of surface layer materials 3. The substrate 1 is softer than the surface layer materials 3, and the surface layer materials 3 have a higher coefficient of friction than the substrate 1.

[0031] The base material 1 is formed so as to extend in the width direction (Y direction) of the worker transport ship 150, and is attached to the front end portion 151 of the worker transport ship 150. The base material 1 is made of an elastically deformable rubber material or the like. Examples of materials for the base material 1 include elastic bodies such as rubber (natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), etc.) and polymeric materials made of elastic polyurethane, etc. The base material 1 has the function of absorbing shocks when coming alongside, and is configured to deform in accordance with the coming alongside pillar 221 when coming alongside.

[0032] The substrate 1 has a hollow portion 1a extending in the Y direction, and the hollow portion 1a is filled with air. The substrate 1 has an air supply / exhaust hole 1b communicating with the hollow portion 1a, and the air supply / exhaust hole 1b is connected to an air supply / exhaust device 10. The air supply / exhaust device 10 is configured to be able to adjust the amount of air in the hollow portion 1a. That is, the air supply / exhaust device 10 is able to adjust the air pressure inside the substrate 1. Therefore, the substrate 1 can be made hard by increasing the air pressure of the substrate 1, and can be made soft by decreasing the air pressure of the substrate 1. The substrate 1 contains fibers, and the fibers are oriented and have anisotropy. This makes the substrate 1 more easily deformable in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0033] The adhesive layer 2 is interposed between the substrate 1 and the surface material 3, and is provided to bond the surface material 3 to the substrate 1. An example of the material for the adhesive layer 2 is a polyurethane adhesive.

[0034] The surface layer material 3 is arranged on the outside of the base material 1 (the side opposite the worker transport ship 150 with respect to the base material 1) and is configured to come into contact with the mooring pillar 221 when coming alongside. The surface layer material 3 is provided to prevent the fender 100 from slipping on the mooring pillar 221 when coming alongside. Butyl rubber is an example of a material for the surface layer material 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the multiple surface layer materials 3 are arranged in a lattice pattern (matrix pattern) when viewed from the front. For this reason, gaps (grooves) are formed between the surface layer materials 3.

[0035] - Operation when docking - Next, the operation of the worker transport ship 150 of this embodiment when it is docked at the ship docking facility 220 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.

[0036] First, from the state shown in FIG. 1, the worker transport ship 150 proceeds toward the docking facility 220. Then, the worker transport ship 150 abuts the fender 100 against the pair of mooring posts 221, and the fender 100 is pressed against the pair of mooring posts 221. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the fender 100 is elastically deformed so that the mooring posts 221 bite into the fender 100. That is, the fender 100 is elastically deformed so as to grip the mooring posts 221. That is, the angle range in which the fender 100 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the mooring posts 221 becomes wider. At this time, the surface layer 3 (see FIG. 3) is in contact with the mooring posts 221, and the base material 1 (see FIG. 2) is elastically deformed. Therefore, the fenders 100 are less likely to slip on the pair of mooring posts 221, and the worker transport vessel 150 is firmly moored to the pair of mooring posts 221.

[0037] Here, when the fender 100 is elastically deformed so as to grip the mooring post 221, the deflection (contraction) amount of the base material 1 in the front-rear direction (X direction) is set to be, for example, 40% to 50% of the length of the base material 1 in the front-rear direction. The deflection amount of the base material 1 in the front-rear direction can be adjusted by the thrust of the worker transport ship 150, etc. As a result, in the base material 1 of the fender 100, a deformation margin remains in the state where the mooring post 221 is gripped. Therefore, when the stern side of the worker transport ship 150 is rocked in the vertical direction due to the sea surface becoming choppy, as shown in FIG. 6, the base material 1 is elastically deformed so as to follow the worker transport ship 150. In FIG. 6, the worker transport ship 150 in the horizontal state is shown by a solid line, and the worker transport ship 150 in the vertically rocked state is shown by a two-dot chain line. In other words, when the fender 100 is pressed against the mooring pillar 221 with a predetermined thrust, the mooring pillar 221 bites into and is held in place at the tip end of the base material 1, and the base end side of the base material 1 (the side facing the worker transport ship 150) is allowed to elastically deform up and down with the tip end of the base material 1 as a fulcrum.

[0038] -effect- In this embodiment, as described above, the fender 100 is elastically deformed when pressed against the mooring post 221, and the contact area between the fender 100 and the mooring post 221 is increased, making it possible to make the fender 100 less likely to slip on the mooring post 221. This makes it possible to reduce the rolling of the worker transport ship 150 moored to the docking facility 220 of the offshore wind power facility 200, thereby improving stability. As a result, it is possible to improve safety when workers travel between the worker transport ship 150 and the offshore wind power facility 200.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, the fender 100 is configured to be elastically deformable so as to follow the vertical swing of the stern side of the worker transport ship 150 when the fender 100 is pressed against the mooring post 221 and the contact area is increased. This configuration makes it easier for the fender 100 to maintain a grip on the mooring post 221 even when the stern side of the worker transport ship 150 swings up and down. In other words, if there is no deformation allowance remaining in the fender and the fender cannot elastically deform when the stern side of the worker transport ship swings up and down, there is a risk that the contact area between the fender and the mooring post will be reduced, but the fender 100 of this embodiment makes it less likely that such a problem will occur.

[0040] In addition, in this embodiment, by providing the base material 1 and the surface layer material 3, it is possible to make the ship less likely to slip on the coming-to-side pillar 221 while allowing it to deform in accordance with the coming-to-side pillar 221 when coming alongside.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the adhesive layer 2 is provided, so that the surface material 3 can be easily bonded to the base material 1.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, by arranging multiple surface materials 3 in a lattice pattern, distortion of the joints when the base material 1 elastically deforms is suppressed, making it possible to make the surface materials 3 less likely to peel off from the base material 1.

[0043] In addition, in this embodiment, by forming gaps between the surface layer materials 3, when the surface layer material 3 comes into contact with the mooring post 221, seawater located between the surface layer material 3 and the mooring post 221 can escape through the gaps. In other words, seawater is prevented from being caught between the surface layer material 3 and the mooring post 221, and the surface layer material 3 can be appropriately brought into contact with the mooring post 221.

[0044] Moreover, in this embodiment, the air pressure of the substrate 1 is made adjustable, so that the hardness of the substrate 1 can be adjusted.

[0045] In addition, in this embodiment, since the base material 1 has anisotropy, when the fender 100 is pressed against the mooring post 221, the mooring post 221 can easily bite into the fender 100. In other words, the angle range in which the fender 100 comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the mooring post 221 can easily be made wider.

[0046] -Other embodiments- Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Note that the same elements as those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described below.

[0047] In this embodiment, the fender 100 is composed of a first fender 100A which is configured to elastically deform when pressed against the mooring post 221, thereby increasing the contact area with the mooring post 221, and a second fender 100B which is provided below the first fender 100A with a specified gap between it and the first fender 100A and which only absorbs the impact of a collision when it collides with the mooring post 221.

[0048] The first fender 100A exerts the same function as the fender 100 of the above embodiment. However, since the impact during mooring is borne solely by the second fender 100B, the first fender 100A does not need to have high impact absorption performance. Therefore, the first fender 100A does not need to be configured by bonding or fusing different materials together as shown in Fig. 2, and a single material with excellent grip performance for the mooring pillar 221 can be selected.

[0049] The second fender 100B is solely responsible for absorbing shocks during mooring, and unlike the first fender 100A, is not required to grip the mooring pillar 221. Therefore, a material having a harderness than that of the first fender 100A is suitable. The second fender 100B is not limited to being provided only on the underside of the first fender 100A as shown in FIG. 8, but may also be provided on both the upper and lower sides of the first fender 100A, although this is not shown. Alternatively, the second fender 100B may be provided in two or more stages on the upper or lower side of the first fender 100A.

[0050] -effect- In this embodiment, when the ship collides with the mooring pillar 221, the second fender 100B can absorb the impact that the first fender 100A cannot fully absorb, so that the ship can be reliably protected even in rough weather and high waves, for example. In addition, since the second fender 100B absorbs the impact when the ship comes alongside, the shear force acting on the first fender 100A during a collision is reduced, so that the first fender 100A can be made of a single material suitable for elastic deformation. Therefore, the structure of the first fender 100A can be simplified compared to that of the above embodiment.

[0051] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but is defined by the claims. The technical scope of the present invention includes all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims.

[0052] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the present invention is applied to the personnel transport ship 150, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to ships other than personnel transport ships.

[0053] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the present invention is applied to a worker transport ship 150 that is moored alongside an offshore wind power generation facility 200, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may also be applied to a worker transport ship that is moored alongside an offshore facility other than an offshore wind power generation facility.

[0054] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the offshore wind power generation facility 200 was of a monopile type, but this is not limited thereto, and the offshore wind power generation facility may be of a fixed-bottom type other than a monopile type, or the offshore wind power generation facility may be of a floating type.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the fender 100 has a three-layer structure, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the surface layer can be directly bonded to the base material, the fender may have a two-layer structure. In other words, an adhesive layer does not have to be provided. Furthermore, the fender may have a single-layer structure as long as the material is non-slip and can be deformed to conform to the mooring post.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the hollow portion 1a is formed in the base material 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the base material does not necessarily have to have a hollow portion.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the air pressure of the substrate 1 is adjustable, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the air pressure of the substrate does not necessarily have to be adjustable.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the base material 1 has anisotropy, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the base material may have isotropy.

[0059] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which gaps are provided between multiple surface layer materials 3, but this is not limited to the above, and the surface layer material may be formed to completely cover the base material, so that no gaps are provided.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the base material 1 is composed of one part, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the base material may be composed of a plurality of parts. For example, the base material 11 according to the modified example shown in FIG. 7 includes a base end 11a, an intermediate part 11b, and a tip part 11c, and the base end 11a and the intermediate part 11b are joined, and the intermediate part 11b and the tip part 11c are joined. The base end 11a, the intermediate part 11b, and the tip part 11c are made of an elastically deformable rubber material or the like. The base end 11a is attached to the worker transport ship 150. The intermediate part 11b is disposed between the base end 11a and the tip part 11c, and is provided to follow the vertical rocking of the stern side of the worker transport ship 150. The tip part 11c is provided to increase the contact area when the surface layer 3 is attached via the adhesive layer 2 and pressed against the ship-mounting pillar 221. For example, the tip portion 11c may be made softer than the intermediate portion 11b, and the intermediate portion 11b may be made softer than the base portion 11a. Alternatively, the base portion 11a, the intermediate portion 11b, and the tip portion 11c may contain fibers, and the fibers may be oriented such that the longitudinal direction of the fibers is oriented in the vertical direction (Z direction) in the tip portion 11c, the longitudinal direction of the fibers is oriented in the width direction (Y direction) in the intermediate portion 11b, and the fibers may be unoriented in the base portion 11a.

[0061] The above-described modified examples may be combined or rearranged as appropriate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] The present invention can be used for a fender provided on a ship. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1, 11 Base material 1a Hollow part 2 Adhesive layer 3 Surface material 11a Proximal end 11b Middle part 11c Tip 100 Fender 100A First Fender 100B 2nd fender 150 Worker transport vessel (vessel) 151 Front end 200 Offshore wind power generation facilities (offshore facilities) 220 Arrival Equipment 221 Column for joining

Claims

1. A fender provided on a ship, A fender characterized in that it is configured to elastically deform when pressed against a docking facility of an offshore facility, thereby increasing the contact area with the docking facility.

2. A fender provided on a ship, The fender comprises: a first fender configured to be elastically deformed when pressed against a docking facility of the offshore facility, thereby increasing a contact area with the docking facility; A second fender is provided in one or more stages on either the top or bottom side of the first fender, and serves to absorb the impact of a collision when the first fender collides with marine equipment of the offshore facility; and A fender comprising:

3. The fender according to claim 1, A fender characterized in that it is configured to be elastically deformable so as to follow the up and down rocking of the stern side of the ship when pressed against the dockage equipment to increase the contact area.

4. The fender according to claim 2, The first fender comprises: A fender characterized in that it is configured to be elastically deformable so as to follow the up and down rocking of the stern side of the ship when pressed against the dockage equipment to increase the contact area.

5. The fender according to claim 1 or 3, A substrate to be attached to the vessel; and a surface layer material that is in contact with the dock facility; A fender characterized in that the base material is softer than the surface layer material, and the surface layer material has a higher coefficient of friction than the base material.

6. The fender according to claim 5, The docking facility has a pair of docking posts extending vertically, A fender characterized in that the base material is formed to extend in the width direction of the ship and is positioned at the front end of the ship.

7. The fender according to claim 5, A fender characterized in that a plurality of the surface layers are provided, and the plurality of surface layers are arranged in a lattice pattern.

8. The fender according to claim 5, A fender comprising an adhesive layer interposed between the base material and the surface material.

9. The fender according to claim 5, A fender characterized in that the base material has a hollow portion, and the hollow portion is filled with air.

10. The fender according to claim 9, A fender characterized in that the amount of air filled in the hollow portion is adjustable.

11. The fender according to claim 5, The fender is characterized in that the substrate has anisotropy and is more easily deformed in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction.

12. The fender according to claim 5, The base material includes a base end portion that is attached to the ship, a tip end portion that is disposed on the surface layer material side, and an intermediate portion that is disposed between the base end portion and the tip end portion, the tip portion is provided to increase a contact area when pressed against the ship dock facility, A fender characterized in that the intermediate portion is provided to follow the up and down rocking of the stern side of the ship.

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