float

Abstract

To provide a float with higher freedom in installation spot of an air vent in order to suppress deformation of a float body arising from expansion or shrinkage of gas inside due to environmental temperature change.SOLUTION: A float comprises a float body having a hollow unit inside. The float body is provided with a through hole on a surface. The through hole is exposed outside the float or at least a portion of a ventilation member is inserted in the through hole. The hollow unit communicates with outside atmosphere of the float through the through hole when the through hole is exposed outside the float, and the hollow unit communicates with the atmosphere through the ventilation member when at least a portion of the ventilation member is inserted in the through hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Floats that are used by floating on water are used for various purposes such as installing solar panels for photovoltaic power generation in ponds, lakes, and the sea, and installing scaffolding. As such floats, those made of synthetic resin and having a hollow part inside are preferably used in terms of ease of construction and maintenance associated with installation, light weight, durability, and cost. On the other hand, floats having a hollow part may be deformed when used on water due to the internal gas expanding or contracting with temperature changes in the external environment. If deformation occurs, problems such as the falling of solar panels installed on the float and damage to the scaffolding may occur.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a float that has a hollow synthetic resin float body, a protrusion with an air hole on the top surface, and a microporous membrane body attached to the outside of the air hole, thereby preventing deformation of the float body even when the internal gas expands or contracts due to changes in environmental temperature. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP2017-65354 Public Relations Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In Patent Document 1, the vent hole is provided on the top surface of the protruding part, so the location of the vent hole is limited to a place where the protruding part can be formed, such as the top surface of the float body or a side surface with a relatively large area, etc. Therefore, it may be difficult to select a location where water is unlikely to splash or pool when the float is floated on the water, or a location where it is difficult for an operator to step on when moving on the float, and install the vent hole therein.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a float that allows greater freedom in the location of air vents to suppress deformation of the float body due to expansion or contraction of the internal gas caused by changes in environmental temperature. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a float comprising a float body having a hollow portion therein, the float body having a through hole on its surface, the through hole being exposed to the outside of the float or having at least a portion of a ventilation member inserted into the through hole, and when the through hole is exposed to the outside of the float, the hollow portion communicates with the atmosphere outside the float via the through hole, and when at least a portion of the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, the hollow portion communicates with the atmosphere via the ventilation member. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The float according to the present invention is configured such that a through hole is provided on the surface of the float body, and the hollow part of the float body communicates with the atmosphere outside the float via the through hole exposed to the outside of the float or via a ventilation member at least partially inserted into the through hole. With such a configuration, since it is not necessary to provide a protrusion to form the ventilation hole, it is possible to provide the ventilation hole on an inclined surface or a side surface with a small area of ​​the float body where it is difficult to form a protrusion, and this improves the freedom of the location of the ventilation hole.

[0009] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The embodiments described below can be combined with each other. Preferably, in a case where the through hole is exposed to the outside of the float, an opening surface of the opening of the through hole that opens to the atmosphere is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. Preferably, when the part of the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, the ventilation member has a first part arranged on the atmospheric side of the through hole and a second part arranged on the hollow portion side of the through hole, a first opening that opens to the atmospheric side is formed in the first part, a second opening that opens to the hollow portion side is formed in the second part, and a communicating passage is formed inside the ventilation member connecting the first opening and the second opening. Preferably, the second portion is male threaded. Preferably, the second portion is a protruding portion formed to protrude from the first portion, the protruding portion having a tapered portion on the tip side, the tapered portion having a shape that tapers toward the tip. Preferably, the communication passage is bent midway. Preferably, the opening surface of the first opening is perpendicular to the horizontal plane or faces downward. Preferably, the first part of the ventilation member is a flat plate portion formed to protrude along the surface of the float body when the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, and a first opening is formed on a side surface of the flat plate portion. Preferably, the first portion of the ventilation member includes a cut cylindrical portion having a cylindrical shape with an end surface cut by an inclined surface, and the first opening is formed on the inclined surface. Preferably, the first portion of the ventilation member further includes a flange portion formed so as to protrude from an outer surface of the cut cylindrical portion. Preferably, the ventilation member is made of rubber. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a float 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from above. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the float 10 with a solar panel 50 installed thereon, as viewed from the front. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the float 10 with a solar panel 50 installed thereon, as viewed from the rear. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the float 10 as seen from above. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the float 10 as seen from below. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of the float 10 seen from above with the support portion 11 in an upright position. [Figure 7] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the float 10 taken along line BB in FIG. 4. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 9] 9A is a perspective view of the first ventilation member 70 as viewed from above, and FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the first ventilation member 70 as viewed from below. [Figure 10] 9B is a cross-sectional view of the first ventilation member 70 taken along line CC in FIG. 9A. [Figure 11] 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the float 10 taken along a plane parallel to plane Z in FIG. 8 and passing through the central axis of the first ventilation member 70. FIG. [Figure 12] 12A is a perspective view of the second ventilation member 80 as viewed from above, and FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the second ventilation member 80 as viewed from below. [Figure 13] 12B is a cross-sectional view of the second ventilation member 80 taken along line DD in FIG. 12A. [Figure 14] 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the float 10 taken along a plane parallel to plane Z in FIG. 8 and passing through the central axis of a second ventilation member 80. FIG. [Figure 15] 15A is a perspective view of the third ventilation member 90 as viewed from above, and FIG. 15B is a perspective view of the third ventilation member 90 as viewed from below. [Figure 16] 16A is a plan view of the third ventilation member 90 as viewed from above, and FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view of the third ventilation member 90 taken along line EE in FIG. 16A. [Figure 17] 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the float 10 taken along a plane parallel to plane Z in FIG. 8 and passing through the central axis of a third ventilation member 90. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Each feature described in the following embodiment can be combined with each other. Also, each feature can be an invention independently.

[0012] 1. Overall structure of the float The float 10 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is floated on the water of a pond, lake, river, sea, etc., and a rectangular solar panel 50 is installed on its upper surface as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, or the float 10 itself is used as a foothold for installing and maintaining solar panels. Note that the uses of the float 10 according to the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned uses, and it can also be used as a barge, a floating bridge, a raft for aquaculture, etc.

[0013] In the following description, the up-down, front-rear, and left-right directions of the float 10 are defined as shown in Fig. 1. That is, the vertical direction when the float 10 is floated on the water is defined as the up-down direction of the float 10. In addition, when the solar panel 50 is installed at an angle on the float 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the side of the leading edge 51 located higher on one of a pair of long sides of the solar panel 50 is defined as the front of the float 10, and the side of the trailing edge 52 located lower on the other of the pair of long sides is defined as the rear of the float 10. The left side when the float 10 is viewed from behind is defined as the left side of the float 10, and the right side is defined as the right side of the float 10.

[0014] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the float 10 of this embodiment supports the solar panel 50 in a state inclined with respect to a horizontal plane so that the front edge portion 51 side is higher. As shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, the float 10 has a generally rectangular shape, and is manufactured, for example, by blow molding in which a molten cylindrical parison is sandwiched between a plurality of split dies and inflated. As a molding material, various synthetic resins can be used, and for example, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene can be preferably used. The manufacturing method of the float 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned blow molding, and it is also possible to manufacture a float 10 having a hollow portion between the sheets by placing two molten sheets between a pair of split dies instead of the cylindrical parison and suctioning the sealed space between the sheets and the split dies. In the case of such a molding method, a core material such as a foaming material can be inserted between the sheets to increase the rigidity of the float 10.

[0015] The float 10 comprises a float body 20 having a hollow portion 27 for accommodating a gas (such as air) therein. The outer surface of the float body 20 is composed of a side wall portion 15 including a parting line PL, a front surface wall 16 located on the upper side of the float 10, and a back surface wall 17 located on the lower side of the float 10.

[0016] 1 to 3, the float body 20 is provided with a support portion 11 that supports a leading edge portion 51 side, which is one of a pair of longitudinal sides of the solar panel 50 and located at the front, and a receiving portion 12 that receives a trailing edge portion 52 side, which is the other of the pair of longitudinal sides and located at the rear. An aluminum base (not shown) is provided on the leading edge portion 51, and with the base supported on the support portion 11, the leading edge portion 51 side of the solar panel 50 is fixed to the float 10 by a fixing metal fitting 13. In addition, an aluminum base (not shown) is provided on the trailing edge portion 52, and with the trailing edge portion 52 side of the solar panel 50 received by the receiving portion 12 on the base, it is fixed to the float 10 by a fixing metal fitting 14.

[0017] 2. Support part 11 1, 4, and 5, the support part 11 is formed by integrating a part of the front wall 16 and a part of the back wall 17. Of the four edges 21, 22, 23, and 24 constituting the outer edge of the support part 11, the edges 21, 22, and 23 other than the front edge 24 are cut, and as shown in FIG. 6, the support part 11 can be raised upward around the axis of the side on the side of the uncut edge 24 so as to form an opening 26. When the support part 11 is raised, the support part 11 abuts against a front wall surface 25a of the opening 26.

[0018] 3. Annular float part 30 As shown in Fig. 6, the float body 20 has an annular float portion 30 (the shaded portion in Fig. 6) formed to surround the opening 26. A hollow portion 27 is formed inside the annular float portion 30, and the presence of the hollow portion 27 that contains gas inside generates buoyancy, allowing the float 10 to float.

[0019] 5 and 7, a recess 40 is provided on the back wall 17 side of the annular float part 30, rearward of the support part 11. The recess 40 is formed by molding the back wall 17 so as to be recessed toward the front wall 16 side.

[0020] The recess 40 includes recesses 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45. The recesses 41, 42, and 43 are formed to have a truncated cone shape tapering toward the front wall 16 side, the recesses 41 and 42 are located at both ends of the recess 40 in the left-right direction, and the recess 43 is located in the center between the recesses 41 and 42. The recesses 44 and 45 are formed to widen toward the front wall 16 side, the recess 44 is located between the recesses 41 and 43, and the recess 45 is located between the recesses 42 and 43. At the bottom surfaces of the recesses 41, 42, and 43 on the front wall 16 side, the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 are integrated by welding. On the other hand, at the bottom surfaces of the recesses 44 and 45 on the front wall 16 side, the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 are not integrated.

[0021] By providing such a recess 40, the peripheral wall of the recess 40 plays a role as a rib that reinforces the rigidity, improving the rigidity of the float 10 and making it difficult for it to bend. In addition, the formation of the recess 40 reduces the volume of the hollow part of the annular float part 30, and the amount of gas accommodated in the hollow part 27 also decreases, so that the expansion and contraction force of the gas that causes the deformation of the float 10 can be reduced. The buoyancy of the float 10 also decreases as the amount of gas accommodated in the hollow part 27 decreases, but the recess 40 that opens to the back wall 17 side accommodates air when the float 10 is placed on the water surface, generating buoyancy, and thus the reduction in buoyancy can be suppressed. In addition, the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 are not integrated at the bottom surface of the front wall 16 side of the recesses 44, 45, and a flow path through which gas can flow between the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 is secured, so that the moldability during blow molding is improved.

[0022] 1 and 4, an inclined portion 18 is provided on the front wall 16 side of the annular float portion 30, rearward of the opening 26. The inclined portion 18 is formed with an inclination so as to approach the back wall 17 toward the rear, so that the solar panel 50 can be easily installed at a predetermined inclination.

[0023] In addition, a first groove portion 35a, a second groove portion 35b, and a third groove portion 35c are formed on the front surface wall 16 in this order in the left-right direction so as to extend from the inclined portion 18 toward the opening 26. By providing the first groove portion 35a, the second groove portion 35b, and the third groove portion 35c to form an uneven structure on the front surface wall 16, the uneven structure serves as a reinforcing rib that enhances the rigidity of the front surface wall 16, and can suppress deformation of the float 10. The first groove portion 35a, the second groove portion 35b, and the third groove portion 35c are also located above a recess 40 provided on the rear surface wall 17 side, and therefore the rear surface wall 17 at the bottom portion of the recess 40 is integrated with the front surface wall 16, which has enhanced rigidity, thereby further increasing the rigidity and suppressing deformation of the float 10.

[0024] The rear ends of the first groove portion 35a, the second groove portion 35b, and the third groove portion 35c are formed continuously so as not to create any step with the surface of the inclined portion 18. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent water from accumulating in the first groove portion 35a, the second groove portion 35b, and the third groove portion 35c.

[0025] 4. Connecting floats 10 together A large number of floats 10 can be connected in the front-rear and left-right directions by passage joints (not shown), which are separate parts, to form a float assembly.

[0026] 1 and 4, a pair of engagement protrusions 31 are provided on the front end 10a of the float 10, and a pair of bolt holes 32 are provided on each of the front end 10a and the rear end 10b of the float 10. The passage joint is formed with an engagement recess (not shown) that can engage with the engagement protrusions 31, and a bolt hole (not shown) corresponding to the bolt hole 32.

[0027] When connecting floats 10 in the front-rear direction, the engaging protrusions 31 of one float 10 are engaged with the engaging protrusions of two passage joints arranged on the left and right sides of the float 10. Then, the bolt hole 32 of the front end 10a of one float 10, the bolt hole 32 of the rear end 10b of the other float 10, and the bolt hole of the passage joint are connected by a connecting bolt (not shown). Also, when connecting floats 10 in the left-right direction, the above-mentioned two passage joints are engaged with the engaging protrusions 31 of other floats 10 arranged on the left and right sides of the float 10.

[0028] 5. Installation of solar panel 50 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the solar panel 50 has a front edge 51 fixed to the support portion 11 by a fixing bracket 13, and a rear edge 52 received by the receiving portion 12 and fixed by a fixing bracket 14.

[0029] The fixing bracket 13 is an L-angle shaped member attached to the upper end of the upright support part 11, and includes a clamping part 13a and a fixing part 13b. The fixing part 13b is fixed onto the surface 11a that faces forward when the support part 11 is in the upright state. The clamping part 13a is provided so as to extend from the upper end of the fixing part 13b in a direction substantially perpendicular to the fixing part 13b, and the solar panel 50 is clamped between the clamping part 13a and the support part 11. The fixing bracket 13 is fixed onto the surface 11a of the support part 11 with four screws 13c aligned in the left-right direction.

[0030] The screw holes (not shown) provided in the fixing bracket 13 corresponding to the two screws 13c located toward the center in the left-right direction are formed into an elongated hole shape extending in the up-down direction. With this, in a state in which the fixing bracket 13 is temporarily fixed to the support part 11 by the two screws 13c located toward the center, the fixing bracket 13 can be slid relative to the support part 11 to change the distance between the clamping part 13a and the support part 11.

[0031] When fixing the front edge 51 side, first, the fixing bracket 13 is temporarily fixed to the support part 11 with the two screws 13c near the center, and the solar panel 50 is inserted into the gap between the clamping part 13a and the support part 11. Then, with the front edge 51 side of the solar panel 50 clamped between the support part 11 and the clamping part 13a, the two screws 13c are fully tightened. After that, the fixing bracket 13 is fixed to the support part 11 with the two outer screws 13c.

[0032] The fixing bracket 14 is fixed by screws at mounting portions 19 provided near both ends in the left-right direction of the float 10 so as to clamp the trailing edge 52 from above and below the solar panel 50. The receiving portion 12 provided on the float body 20 is formed as a vertical wall portion that rises upward from the end of the inclined portion 18. When fixing the trailing edge 52 side, the trailing edge 52 side is placed along the receiving portion 12, and fixed by the fixing bracket 14 so as to clamp the trailing edge 52 side from above and below at the mounting portions 19 provided near both ends in the left-right direction of the float 10.

[0033] 6. Ventilation holes 60 1 and 8, the surface of the float body 20 is provided with an air vent hole 60 that connects the internal hollow portion 27 with the atmosphere outside the float 10. The air vent hole 60 is exposed to the outside of the float 10, in other words, the opening of the air vent hole 60 that opens to the outside atmosphere is not covered by another member. When the gas contained in the hollow portion 27 expands or contracts due to a change in temperature of the external environment, the air vent hole 60 allows gas to flow out of the hollow portion 27 to the outside atmosphere and gas to flow in from the outside atmosphere to the hollow portion 27, in other words, allows the float 10 to breathe in response to the expansion or contraction of the internal gas.

[0034] The inner diameter of such ventilation through-hole 60 is, for example, 0.3 to 5 mm, preferably 0.5 to 3 mm, and specifically, for example, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 3 mm, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. If the inner diameter is within this range, gas flows smoothly out of and into hollow portion 27 in response to the expansion or contraction of the internal gas, deformation of float 10 can be suppressed, and a large amount of water does not flow into hollow portion 27 through ventilation through-hole 60.

[0035] The position of the vent hole 60 is not particularly limited as long as it can be formed to communicate the hollow portion 27 with the atmosphere outside the float 10, and the vent hole 60 can be formed at any position on the surface of the float body 20. In this embodiment, the vent hole 60 is formed on the wall surface 25b on the left side of the opening 26. Since the wall surface on the left side of the opening 26 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the opening surface of the opening of the vent hole 60 formed on the wall surface that opens to the outside atmosphere side is also inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. In this way, by forming the vent hole 60 so that the opening surface of the opening on the outside atmosphere side is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of water (for example, rainwater, seawater, lake water) from the vent hole 60. In addition, due to the presence of the wall surface of the opening 26, the float 10 is less likely to be splashed with water from a pond, lake, sea, etc. in which the float 10 is installed. In addition, since it is unlikely that an operator will step on the wall surface 25b on the left side of the opening 26 when moving on the float 10, there is no risk of the ventilation through-hole 60 being damaged by being stepped on by an operator.

[0036] In general, in order to prevent water from entering through the air hole of the float, the air hole may be covered with a microporous membrane that is difficult to pass liquid water but is permeable to gas. Microporous membranes are generally expensive, so the cost is high, especially when a large number of floats are used. The air vent hole 60 of this embodiment has a high degree of freedom in terms of the formation position and can be formed by selecting a location where water is unlikely to enter, so it is possible to prevent water from entering without covering the air vent hole 60 with a microporous membrane.

[0037] 7. Ventilation materials As shown in Fig. 8, Fig. 11, Fig. 14, and Fig. 17, the surface of the float body 20 of this embodiment is provided with a first through hole 61, a second through hole 62, and a third through hole 63 in addition to the ventilation through hole 60, and at least a part of the first ventilation member 70, the second ventilation member 80, and the third ventilation member 90 are inserted into the first through hole 61, the second through hole 62, and the third through hole 63, respectively. Fig. 11, Fig. 14, and Fig. 17 are partial cross-sectional views of the float 10 on a plane parallel to the plane Z (plane Z is a plane parallel to the left-right direction of the float 10 and perpendicular to the front-rear direction) shown in Fig. 8 and passing through the central axes of the first ventilation member 70, the second ventilation member 80, and the third ventilation member 90. The first through hole and the third through hole are provided on the wall surface 25b on the left side of the opening 26, similar to the ventilation through hole 60. The second through hole is provided in the bottom surface near the front end of the first groove portion 35a located at the left end among the first groove portion 35a, the second groove portion 35b, and the third groove portion 35c.

[0038] The hollow portion 27 communicates with the atmosphere outside the float 10 via the first to third ventilation members 90. Therefore, when the gas contained in the hollow portion 27 expands or contracts due to a change in temperature of the external environment, the gas can flow out from the hollow portion 27 to the external atmosphere and in from the external atmosphere to the hollow portion 27 via the first ventilation member 70, the second ventilation member 80, and the third ventilation member 90.

[0039] In order to allow the float 10 to breathe, at least one of the ventilation through-hole 60, the first ventilation member 70, the second ventilation member 80, and the third ventilation member 90 may be provided in the float body 20.

[0040] 7.1. First ventilation member 70 8 to 11, the first ventilation member 70 is configured such that, by inserting a portion of it into the first through-hole 61, the hollow portion 27 communicates with the outside atmosphere, thereby allowing the float 10 to breathe. The first ventilation member 70 includes a head portion 71 (an example of a first portion) and a male screw portion 72 (an example of a second portion). In the state of FIG. 11 in which the male screw portion 72 of the first ventilation member 70 is inserted into the first through-hole, the head portion 71 is disposed on the side of the outside atmosphere with respect to the first through-hole 61 in contact with the surface wall 16, and the male screw portion 72 is disposed on the side of the hollow portion 27 with respect to the first through-hole 61.

[0041] An end face 71a of the head 71 (the upper face of the head 71 in FIG. 9A) is formed with a head-side opening 71b (an example of a first opening) that opens to the atmosphere outside the float 10 when the male screw portion 72 is inserted into the first through-hole 61. An end face 72a of the male screw portion 72 (the lower face of the male screw portion 72 in FIG. 9B) is formed with a male screw-side opening 72b (an example of a second opening) that opens to the hollow portion 27 when the male screw portion 72 is inserted into the first through-hole 61. A first communication passage 73 that connects the male screw-side opening 72b and the head-side opening 71b is formed inside the first ventilation member 70. The hollow portion 27 communicates with the atmosphere outside the float 10 via the first communication passage 73.

[0042] The inner diameters of the head side opening 71b, the male thread side opening 72b, and the first communication passage 73 are, for example, 0.3 to 5 mm, and preferably 0.5 to 3 mm, and specifically, for example, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 3 mm, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. If the inner diameters are within this range, gas can smoothly flow out of and into the hollow portion 27 in response to the expansion or contraction of the gas inside, deformation of the float 10 can be suppressed, and a large amount of water will not flow into the hollow portion 27 from the head side opening 71b.

[0043] The head 71 has a hexagonal prism shape that protrudes radially outward beyond the male thread portion 72, and is configured to abut against the outer surface of the front wall 16 when inserted into the first through hole 61. This makes it possible to prevent the first ventilation member 70 from being completely buried inside the first through hole 61. Note that the shape of the head 71 is not limited to a hexagonal prism, and may be other shapes such as a cylinder or a square prism.

[0044] The male thread portion 72 is configured to have a male thread structure so that it can be screwed into a pilot hole on the surface of the float body 20, as described below. However, the male thread structure is not essential to simply allow the float 10 to breathe, and other configurations are also possible, such as making the outer surface of the male thread portion 72 smooth.

[0045] The material of the first ventilation member 70 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a material with a relatively high rigidity in order to screw and insert the male screw portion 72 into a pilot hole on the surface of the float body 20, as described below. In this case, the first ventilation member 70 is preferably made of metal, and stainless steel, for example, can be suitably used as the material.

[0046] When the first ventilation member 70 is installed on the float 10, first, a pilot hole having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the male screw portion 72 is formed on the surface of the float body 20. Then, the male screw portion 72 is inserted into the pilot hole while being screwed, thereby widening the pilot hole, and the first through hole 61 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the male screw portion 72 is formed. The male screw portion 72 is screwed until the head portion 71 abuts against the outer surface (the surface facing the outside atmosphere) of the front wall 16, and the installation of the first ventilation member 70 is completed. In this way, by inserting the male screw portion 72 into the pilot hole while being screwed, the first through hole 61 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the male screw portion 72 can be easily formed, and the gap between the outer surface of the male screw portion 72 and the inner surface of the first through hole 61 can be reduced, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water from the gap.

[0047] The installation position of the first ventilation member 70 is not particularly limited as long as it can communicate the hollow portion 27 with the atmosphere outside the float 10, and it can be installed at any position on the surface of the float body 20. In this embodiment, the first through hole 61 into which the first ventilation member 70 is inserted is formed on the left wall surface 25b of the opening 26. As described above, the left wall surface 25b of the opening 26 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, so that when the first through hole 61 is installed, the opening surface of the head side opening 71b is also inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. This makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of water from the head side opening 71b. In addition, if the first ventilation member 70 is installed relatively high on the left wall surface 25b of the inclined opening 26, it will not interfere with the first ventilation member 70 when the support part 11 is raised. In addition, due to the presence of the wall surface of the opening 26, the float 10 is less likely to be splashed with water from a pond, lake, sea, etc. in which it is installed. Furthermore, since an operator is unlikely to step on the left wall surface 25b of the opening 26 when moving on the float 10, there is no risk of the first ventilation member 70 being damaged by being stepped on by an operator.

[0048] Furthermore, the first ventilation member 70 of this embodiment has a high degree of freedom in terms of its installation position and can be formed in a location that is less susceptible to water intrusion, making it possible to suppress water intrusion without covering the head-side opening 71b exposed to the outside atmosphere with a microporous membrane.

[0049] 7.2. Second ventilation member 80 8 and 12A to 14, the second ventilation member 80 is configured such that, by inserting a part of it into the second through-hole 62, the hollow portion 27 communicates with the outside atmosphere, allowing the float 10 to breathe. The second ventilation member 80 includes a flat plate portion 81 (an example of a first portion) and a protruding portion 82 (an example of a second portion) formed to protrude from a lower surface 81d of the flat plate portion 81. The protruding portion 82 further includes a tapered portion 85 provided on the tip side of the protruding portion 82 and tapering toward the tip, and a cylindrical portion 84 provided between the tapered portion 85 and the flat plate portion 81. In the state shown in Figure 14 in which the protrusion 82 of the second ventilation member 80 is inserted into the second through hole 62, the flat portion 81 is positioned on the external atmosphere side of the second through hole 62 in abutment against the surface wall 16 so as to protrude along the surface of the float body 20, and the protrusion 82 is positioned on the hollow portion 27 side of the second through hole 62.

[0050] A flat-plate-side opening 81c (an example of a first opening) is formed on the side of the flat-plate portion 81. In this embodiment, the flat-plate-side opening 81c is formed on each of a pair of opposing side surfaces 81a, 81b of the flat-plate portion 81. The position of the flat-plate-side opening 81c on the side surfaces 81a, 81b is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is formed at approximately the center of the side surfaces 81a, 81b. These two flat-plate-side openings 81c open to the atmosphere outside the float 10 when the protruding portion 82 is inserted into the first through hole. In addition, a protruding-side opening 82b (an example of a second opening) that opens to the hollow portion 27 side when the protruding portion 82 is inserted into the second through hole 62 is formed on the end surface 82a of the protruding portion 82 (the lower surface of the tapered portion 85 in FIG. 12B). A second communication passage 83 that connects the two flat portion side openings 81c and the protrusion portion side opening 82b is formed inside the second ventilation member 80. The hollow portion 27 communicates with the atmosphere outside the float 10 via the second communication passage 83.

[0051] The flat plate portion 81 abuts against the outer surface of the front wall 16 so as to protrude along the surface of the float body 20 when the second ventilation member 80 is installed. This prevents the second ventilation member 80 from being completely buried inside the second through hole 62. The tapered portion 85 has an outer diameter on the cylindrical portion 84 side that is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 84 and has a shape that tapers toward the tip, and the entire portion exists inside the hollow portion 27 when the second ventilation member 80 is installed. With this configuration, the second ventilation member 80 is easy to insert into the second through hole 62, while even if the second ventilation member 80 moves in a direction to be removed from the second through hole 62, the tapered portion 85 abuts against the inner surface of the front wall 16 (the surface on the hollow portion 27 side), so that the second ventilation member 80 is not easily removed.

[0052] The material of the second ventilation member 80 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use an elastic material when inserting the protruding portion 82 having the tapered portion 85 into the second through hole 62 as described below. Furthermore, by forming the second ventilation member 80 from an elastic material, it is possible to improve the airtightness at the portion where the outer surface of the second ventilation member 80 and the inner surface of the second through hole 62 come into contact with each other. In this case, the second ventilation member 80 is preferably made of rubber, and for example, ethylene propylene diene rubber can be suitably used as the material.

[0053] When the second ventilation member 80 is installed in the float 10, first, the second through hole 62 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 84 is formed in the surface of the float body 20. Then, the protruding portion 82 is pushed into and inserted into the second through hole 62. The outer diameter of the portion of the tapered portion 85 on the cylindrical portion 84 side is larger than the inner diameter of the second through hole 62, but by forming the second ventilation member 80 from an elastic material, the tapered portion 85 can be pushed into the second through hole 62 while being deformed. The entire tapered portion 85 passes beyond the inner surface of the front wall 16 and enters the hollow portion 27, and the protruding portion 82 is pushed in until the flat plate portion 81 abuts against the outer surface of the front wall 16, completing the installation of the second ventilation member 80.

[0054] The installation position of the second ventilation member 80 is not particularly limited as long as it can communicate between the hollow portion 27 and the atmosphere outside the float 10, and it can be installed at any position on the surface of the float body 20. In this embodiment, the second through hole 62 into which the second ventilation member 80 is inserted is formed on the bottom surface near the front end of the first groove portion 35a. There is a recess 41 below the first groove portion 35a, and the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 are integrated by welding at the bottom surface of the recess 41, but the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 are not welded near the front end of the first groove portion 35a. Therefore, by installing the second ventilation member 80 near the front end of the first groove portion, it is possible to communicate between the hollow portion 27 and the atmosphere outside the float 10.

[0055] For example, by installing the second ventilation member 80 on a horizontal surface of the surface of the float body 20, such as the bottom surface of the first groove portion 35a, the opening surface of the flat plate portion side opening 81c provided on the side surfaces 81a and 81b of the flat plate portion 81 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, so that it is possible to suppress the intrusion of water from the flat plate portion side opening 81c. In addition, when installed on a horizontal plane, the lowest point in the vertical direction of the flat plate portion side opening 81c provided on the side surface of the flat plate portion 81 is higher than the horizontal plane by the thickness t2 (see FIG. 13) of the flat plate portion 81 that is lower than the flat plate portion side opening 81c out of the thickness t1 of the flat plate portion 81. For example, when the second ventilation member 80 is installed in the first groove portion 35a as shown in FIG. 14, the lowest point in the vertical direction of the flat plate portion side opening 81c is higher than the bottom surface of the first groove portion 35a by the thickness t2. As a result, even if a small amount of water accumulates on the horizontal surface on which the second ventilation member 80 is placed (in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the first groove portion 35a), the water is less likely to infiltrate through the flat plate portion side opening 81c.

[0056] As described above, the first groove 35a is configured to prevent water from pooling, and therefore when the second ventilation member 80 is installed in the first groove 35a, the intrusion of water from the flat plate side opening 81c is further suppressed. In addition, the first groove 35a is unlikely to be stepped on by an operator when moving on the float 10, so there is no risk of the second ventilation member 80 being damaged by being stepped on by the operator.

[0057] When the second ventilation member 80 is installed on the bottom surface of the first groove 35a, it is preferable to configure the thickness t1 (see FIG. 13) of the flat plate portion 81 to be smaller than the depth d of the first groove 35a, as shown in FIG 14. In such a configuration, the presence of the wall surface of the first groove 35a makes it difficult for the second ventilation member 80 to be splashed with water from the pond, lake, sea, or the like in which the float 10 is installed.

[0058] The second communication passage 83 is bent substantially vertically midway, specifically near the boundary between the cylindrical portion 84 and the flat portion 81. Therefore, when the second ventilation member 80 is placed on a horizontal surface as described above, even if a small amount of water enters through the flat portion-side opening 81c, the water remains on the flat portion 81 side of the second communication passage 83 and is unlikely to reach the hollow portion 27.

[0059] In addition, the second ventilation member 80 of this embodiment has a high degree of freedom in terms of its installation position, and can be formed in a location that is less susceptible to water intrusion. Furthermore, since it has a structure that is less susceptible to water intrusion as described above, it is possible to suppress water intrusion without covering the flat portion side opening 81c that is exposed to the outside atmosphere with a microporous membrane.

[0060] The inner diameters of the flat plate portion side opening 81c, the protruding portion side opening 82b, and the second communication passage 83 are, for example, 0.3 to 10 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and specifically, for example, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5 mm, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. If the inner diameter is within this range, the gas flows out of the hollow portion 27 and into the hollow portion 27 smoothly according to the expansion or contraction of the gas inside, and deformation of the float 10 can be suppressed, and a large amount of water does not flow into the hollow portion 27 from the flat plate portion side opening 81c. Since the second ventilation member 80 has a structure that makes it difficult for water to enter as described above, the inner diameters of the flat plate portion side opening 81c, the protruding portion side opening 82b, and the second communication passage 83 can be set relatively large.

[0061] 7.3.Third ventilation member 90 As shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 15A to Fig. 17, the third ventilation member 90 is configured such that the hollow portion 27 communicates with the outside atmosphere by inserting a part of it into the third through hole 63, thereby allowing the float 10 to breathe. The third ventilation member 90 includes a cut cylindrical portion 91 having a cylindrical shape with an end face 91a cut by an inclined face 91b, a flange portion 92 formed so as to protrude from the outer surface of the cut cylindrical portion 91 (the portion combining the cut cylindrical portion 91 and the flange portion 92 is an example of a first portion), and a protruding portion 94 formed so as to protrude from the flange portion 92 (an example of a second portion). The protruding portion 94 of the third ventilation member 90 is configured similarly to the protruding portion 82 of the second ventilation member 80, and further includes a tapered portion 96 provided on the tip side of the protruding portion 94 and tapering toward the tip, and a cylindrical portion 95 provided between the tapered portion 96 and the flange portion 92. In the state shown in Figure 17 where the protrusion 94 of the third ventilation member 90 is inserted into the third through hole 63, the cut cylindrical portion 91 and the flange portion 92 are positioned on the external atmosphere side of the third through hole 63 with the flange portion 92 abutting the surface wall 16 so as to protrude along the surface of the float body 20, and the protrusion 94 is positioned on the hollow portion 27 side of the third through hole 63.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 16B, the inclined surface 91b of the cut cylindrical portion 91 is inclined to form an angle θ1 with respect to the end surface 91a. The inclined surface 91b is provided with a cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c (an example of a first opening) that opens to the atmosphere outside the float 10 when the protrusion 94 is inserted into the third through hole 63. The end surface 94a of the protrusion 94 (the lower surface of the tapered portion 96 in FIG. 15B) is provided with a protrusion side opening 94b (an example of a second opening) that opens to the hollow portion 27 when the protrusion 94 is inserted into the third through hole 63. A third communication passage 93 that connects the protrusion side opening 94b and the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c is formed inside the third ventilation member 90. The hollow portion 27 communicates with the atmosphere outside the float 10 via the third communication passage 93.

[0063] The flange portion 92 abuts against the outer surface of the front wall 16 so as to protrude along the surface of the float body 20 when the third ventilation member 90 is installed. This prevents the third ventilation member 90 from being completely buried inside the third through hole 63. The tapered portion 96 has an outer diameter on the cylindrical portion 95 side that is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 95 and has a shape that tapers toward the tip, and the entire portion exists inside the hollow portion 27 when the third ventilation member 90 is installed. With this configuration, the third ventilation member 90 is easy to insert into the third through hole 63, while even if the third ventilation member 90 moves in a direction to be removed from the third through hole 63, the tapered portion 96 abuts against the inner surface of the front wall 16, so that the third ventilation member 90 is not easily removed.

[0064] The material of the third ventilation member 90 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use an elastic material when inserting the protruding portion 94 having the tapered portion 96 into the third through hole 63 as described below. Furthermore, by forming the third ventilation member 90 from an elastic material, it is possible to improve the airtightness at the portion where the outer surface of the third ventilation member 90 and the inner surface of the third through hole 63 come into contact with each other. In this case, the third ventilation member 90 is preferably made of rubber, and for example, ethylene propylene diene rubber can be suitably used as the material.

[0065] When the third ventilation member 90 is installed in the float 10, first, a third through hole 63 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 95 is formed in the surface of the float body 20. Then, the protruding portion 94 is pushed into and inserted into the third through hole 63. The outer diameter of the portion of the tapered portion 96 on the cylindrical portion 95 side is larger than the inner diameter of the third through hole 63, but by forming the third ventilation member 90 from an elastic material, the tapered portion 96 can be pushed into the third through hole 63 while being deformed. The entire tapered portion 96 passes beyond the inner surface of the front wall 16 and enters the hollow portion 27, and the protruding portion 94 is pushed in until the flange portion 92 abuts against the outer surface of the front wall 16, completing the installation of the third ventilation member 90.

[0066] The installation position of the third ventilation member 90 is not particularly limited as long as it can communicate the hollow portion 27 with the atmosphere outside the float 10, and it can be installed at any position on the surface of the float body 20. In this embodiment, the third through hole 63 into which the third ventilation member 90 is inserted is formed on the left wall surface 25b of the opening 26. If it is installed relatively high on the left wall surface 25b of the inclined opening 26, it will not interfere with the third ventilation member 90 when the support part 11 is raised. In addition, due to the presence of the wall surface of the opening 26, it is difficult for the float 10 to be splashed with water from a pond, lake, sea, etc. in which the float 10 is installed. In addition, since there is a low possibility that an operator will step on the left wall surface of the opening 26 when moving on the float 10, there is no risk of the third ventilation member 90 being stepped on and damaged by the operator.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 17, the third ventilation member 90 is installed so that the opening surface of the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c formed on the inclined surface 91b of the cut cylindrical portion 91 faces downward. Specifically, the third ventilation member 90 is installed so that the angle θ3 between the opening surface of the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c and the horizontal plane is less than 90° when installed on the surface of the float body 20 as shown in Fig. 17. The angle θ3 is preferably less than 70°. This makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of water from the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c.

[0068] To achieve this configuration, the angle θ1 between the inclined surface 91b and the end surface 91a can be appropriately set according to the inclination angle of the surface of the float body 20 (wall surface 25b in this embodiment) on which the third ventilation member 90 is installed. The angle θ1 between the inclined surface 91b and the end surface 91a is, for example, 5° to 70°, preferably 20° to 50°, and specifically, for example, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50°, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 16B, the third communication passage 93 is bent midway, specifically near the boundary between the cut cylindrical portion 91 and the flange portion 92. If the portion of the third communication passage 93 that is closer to the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c than the midway position of the bend is defined as the atmosphere side communication passage 93a, and the portion of the third communication passage 93 that is closer to the protruding portion side opening 94b than the midway position is defined as the hollow portion side communication passage 93b, the atmosphere side communication passage 93a is configured to extend downward when the protruding portion 94 is inserted into the third through hole 63 as shown in Fig. 17. With this configuration, even if a small amount of water enters the atmosphere side communication passage 93a from the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c, it is unlikely to reach the hollow portion 27.

[0070] 16B, the opening surface of the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c according to this embodiment is configured to deviate from the extension of the hollow portion side communication passage 93b. This further prevents water that has entered the atmosphere side communication passage 93a from the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c from reaching the hollow portion 27. In order to achieve this configuration, the bending angle θ2 of the atmosphere side communication passage 93a with respect to the hollow portion side communication passage 93b can be appropriately set. Alternatively, the above configuration may be achieved by setting the length of the cut cylindrical portion 91 to be sufficiently long.

[0071] The bending angle θ2 of the atmosphere side communicating passage 93a with respect to the hollow portion side communicating passage 93b is, for example, 3° to 60°, and preferably 10° to 40°, and specifically, for example, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40°, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. In addition, the location where the third communicating passage 93 is bent is not limited to near the boundary between the cut cylindrical portion 91 and the flange portion 92, and may be any location along the third communicating passage 93.

[0072] The third ventilation member 90 of this embodiment has a high degree of freedom in terms of its installation position and can be formed in a location that is less susceptible to water intrusion. Furthermore, since it has a structure that makes it less susceptible to water intrusion as described above, it is possible to suppress water intrusion without covering the opening 91c on the cut cylindrical portion side that is exposed to the outside atmosphere with a microporous membrane.

[0073] The inner diameters of the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c, the protruding portion side opening 94b, and the third communication passage 93 are, for example, 0.3 to 10 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and specifically, for example, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5 mm, and may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. If the inner diameter is within this range, the gas flows out of the hollow portion 27 and into the hollow portion 27 smoothly according to the expansion or contraction of the gas inside, and deformation of the float 10 can be suppressed, and a large amount of water does not flow into the hollow portion 27 from the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c. Since the third ventilation member 90 has a structure that makes it difficult for water to enter as described above, the inner diameters of the cut cylindrical portion side opening 91c, the protruding portion side opening 94b, and the third communication passage 93 can be set relatively large.

[0074] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various design modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10: float, 10a: front end, 10a: front end, 10b: rear end, 11: support, 11a: surface, 12: receiving part, 13: fixing bracket, 13a: clamping part, 13b: fixing part, 13c: screw, 14: fixing bracket, 15: side wall, 16: front wall, 17: rear wall, 18: inclined part, 19: mounting part, 20: float body, 21: edge, 22: edge, 23: edge, 24: edge, 25a : wall surface, 25b: wall surface, 26: opening, 27: hollow portion, 30: annular float portion, 31: engagement protrusion, 32: bolt hole, 35a: first groove portion, 35b: second groove portion, 35c: third groove portion, 40: recess, 41: recess, 42: recess, 43: recess, 44: recess, 45: recess, 50: solar panel, 51: front edge portion, 52: rear edge portion, 60: ventilation through hole, 61: first through hole, 62: second Through hole, 63: third through hole, 70: first ventilation member, 71: head, 71a: end face, 71b: head side opening, 72: male thread portion, 72a: end face, 72b: male thread side opening, 73: first communication passage, 80: second ventilation member, 81: flat plate portion, 81a: side face, 81b: side face, 81c: flat plate portion side opening, 81d: bottom face, 82: protruding portion, 82a: end face, 82b: protruding portion side opening, 83: Second communication passage, 84: cylindrical portion, 85: tapered portion, 90: third ventilation member, 91: cut cylindrical portion, 91a: end face, 91b: inclined surface, 91c: cut cylindrical portion side opening, 92: flange portion, 93: third communication passage, 93a: atmosphere side communication passage, 93b: hollow portion side communication passage, 94: protrusion, 94a: end face, 94b: protrusion side opening, 95: cylindrical portion, 96: tapered portion, PL: parting line

Claims

1. A float, The float body has a hollow portion therein. The float body has a through hole on a surface thereof, The through hole is exposed to the outside of the float, or at least a part of a ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, When the through hole is exposed to the outside of the float, the hollow portion communicates with the atmosphere outside the float via the through hole, When the at least a portion of the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, the hollow portion communicates with the atmosphere via the ventilation member, the ventilation member has a first portion disposed on the atmospheric side of the through hole and a second portion disposed on the hollow portion side of the through hole when the part of the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, The first portion has a first opening that is open to the atmosphere, The second portion has a second opening that opens to the hollow portion. A communication passage is formed inside the ventilation member, the communication passage connecting the first opening and the second opening, the first portion of the ventilation member includes a cut cylindrical portion having a cylindrical shape with an end surface cut by an inclined surface, A first opening is formed on the inclined surface of the float.

2. 2. The float of claim 1, The first portion of the ventilation member further includes a flange portion formed to protrude from an outer surface of the cut cylindrical portion.

3. The float according to claim 1 or 2, The second part is a male threaded portion, the float.

4. The float according to claim 1 or 2, The second portion is a protruding portion formed to protrude from the first portion, The protruding portion has a tapered portion on a tip side, The tapered portion is shaped to taper toward the tip.

5. A float according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The communication passage is bent midway.

6. A float according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A float, wherein the opening surface of the first opening is perpendicular to the horizontal plane or faces downward.

7. A float according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the first portion of the ventilation member is a flat plate portion formed to protrude along a surface of the float body when the ventilation member is inserted into the through hole, A first opening is formed in a side surface of the flat plate portion.

8. A float according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The ventilation member is made of rubber.

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