Floats for lane ropes

Abstract

To provide an excellent float for lane rope capable of consuming wave energy transmitting a water surface quickly.SOLUTION: A float 10 has a cylindrical part 12 for inserting a rope 11 at a central position. In the cylindrical part 12, six wing plates 13 extending outward are formed. Also, adjacent wing plates 13 are provided with connection parts 14 mutually connected, and on outer edges of the six wing plates 13, an outer wall part 15 mutually combining the wing plates 13 is formed. A pair of adjacent wing plates 13, the adjacent connection parts 14, the outer wall part 15 and the like divide an entire space in the float 10 into six individual separate spaces 16. The connection parts 14 are provided with three water flowing ports 19 that can discharge waves introduced into the individual separate spaces 16. When a volume of the individual separate space 16 is A1 and a total area of the three water flowing ports 19 is B1, a proportion of A1 and B1 is set within an allowable value between a lower limit and an upper limit on the basis of the reference related to water dissipation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , ,

[0005] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a float that can be attached to a rope for partitioning the water surface or underwater (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "water surface") in a pool for lanes.

Background Art

[0002] In a swimming pool, many ropes for lanes are stretched to partition each lane for each swimmer, and many floats are attached to each rope (see Patent Document 1). Regarding these floats, in recent years, in order to attenuate and reduce the waves transmitted through the water surface raised by swimmers (hereinafter this phenomenon is referred to as "wave attenuation"), an improvement in the level of the wave attenuation function has been demanded.

[0003] Particularly, in a swimming competition in which a large number of competitors participate, swimmers competing hope to be able to swim in a calm situation without waves so as not to be affected by the waves on the water surface flowing from other (adjacent) courses.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of Patent Document 1, the float has a shaft cylinder for inserting a rope at its central position, and a plurality of wing plates extending outward are formed on this shaft cylinder. These wing plates divide the entire space inside the float into a plurality of small spaces. A circumferential outer wall for connecting adjacent wing plates to each other is formed on the outer edge of the wing plate. The outer wall is provided with an annular portion for shielding waves transmitted from the pool water surface outside the float, and this annular portion forms a window hole through which waves transmitted from the pool water surface can be introduced.

[0006] In the case of the float described above, the wave energy transmitted to the water entering the window is consumed by the swaying of the float, so the waves created by the swimmer gradually dissipate. After the inventors conducted a detailed study of the float's swaying behavior, they discovered that further improvements could be made to the wave dissipation, and after various trials and errors, they arrived at the present invention.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a superior float that can dissipate the energy of waves traveling across the water surface more quickly than conventional technology by devising various internal structures of the float. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention has the following means. In other words, according to one means embodying the present invention, a float attached to a rope that partitions the surface of a swimming pool for lanes, comprising: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow the rope to be inserted; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; a plurality of wing plates connecting the outer wall portion and the central attachment portion, and extending in the direction in which the rope extends to divide the space inside the float into a plurality of spaces; and a connecting portion connecting these plurality of wing plates to each other and having a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged, wherein the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates is A1, and the area of ​​the water passage related to this individual space is B1, and the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit.

[0009] Another means of embodying the present invention is a float attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool for lanes, comprising: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow the rope to be inserted; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; a plurality of wing plates connecting the outer wall portion and the central attachment portion, extending in the direction in which the rope extends to divide the space inside the float into a plurality of spaces; and a connecting portion connecting these plurality of wing plates to each other and having a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged, wherein the connecting portion is provided with a guide portion for guiding the waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening.

[0010] Another means of embodying the present invention provides a float attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, comprising: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow insertion of the rope; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; and a connection between the outer wall portion and the central attachment portion, and in the direction in which the rope extends so as to divide the space inside the float into multiple spaces. The float comprises a plurality of extended wing plates and a connecting portion that connects these wing plates to each other and has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged. The connecting portion that connects the outer wall portion and the wing plates is characterized in that, when the wing plates are placed on the water surface, a crossover portion is provided on one side of the portion cut in the direction perpendicular to the water surface and in the direction in which the rope extends, and a wave-breaking portion is provided on the opposite side, and the crossover portion is attached to the rope such that it is located on the pool water surface side and the wave-breaking portion is located in the pool water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, by quickly dissipating the energy of waves traveling across the water surface generated by swimmers or other users in the pool lanes, the waves on the water surface can be calmed in a short amount of time. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a float according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a partial enlarged view focusing on one individual space within the aforementioned float. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged view showing a part of the connecting section, water inlet, and guide section of the float. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connection portion and its surrounding area in the aforementioned float. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the individual spaces within the aforementioned float. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing an opening provided in the outer wall of the float. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the water outlet in the float. [Figure 8] A photograph showing waves being generated on the water's surface by swimmers, and these waves not dissipating. [Figure 9] A photograph showing the situation where the waves have been dampened by the aforementioned floats, resulting in a calm water surface. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the entire float 10 of this embodiment. The float 10 is integrally molded by injection molding of a foamed synthetic resin material, and a material that floats on water is used to quickly dissipate waves traveling on the surface or underwater (hereinafter collectively referred to as "water surface") of the water stored in the pool. Specific examples of materials include polypropylene and polyethylene, and the specific gravity of the entire float is 1 or less. However, if a float or the like is attached to the float, the specific gravity of the float part other than the float may be 1 or more.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the float 10 is equipped with a cylindrical portion 12 at its center for inserting a rope 11 (hypothetically shown). The cylindrical portion 12 has an opening 12A that extends in the direction of extension of the rope 11 stretched across the pool (direction of arrow 11A). By inserting the rope 11 into the opening 12A, the float 10 can be attached to the rope 11, so the cylindrical portion 12 functions as a central attachment point. Here, since the float 10 has a point-symmetric structure with respect to a center point located within the cylindrical portion 12, for convenience, the configuration of one side (left side of the center line 10A) will be described, the same components will be given the same reference numerals, and the description of the opposite side (right side of the center line 10A) will be omitted.

[0015] Multiple (six in this embodiment) wing plates 13 extend from the outside of the cylindrical portion 12. Specifically, each wing plate 13 extends a predetermined length in the direction of arrow 11A and extends outward at 60-degree intervals from the outside of the cylindrical portion 12. Each wing plate 13 is provided with a connecting portion 14 that connects it to others, and a circumferential outer wall portion 15 is formed on the outer edge of the six wing plates 13 to connect them to each other. This outer wall portion 15, adjacent connecting portions 14, adjacent pairs of wing plates 13, and the cylindrical portion 12 form small spaces (hereinafter referred to as "individual spaces" 16) that divide the entire space inside the float 10 into six almost equal parts. Note that the points where the cylindrical portion 12 and the wing plates 13 are connected can be changed as appropriate, and a configuration can be adopted in which the wing plates 13 do not come into contact with the outside of the cylindrical portion 12. In this case, the individual space 16 is formed by an adjacent pair of wing plates 13, an adjacent connecting portion 14, and an adjacent outer wall portion 15.

[0016] In addition, the outer wall portion 15 is provided with a shielding portion 17 that shields waves transmitted from the pool water surface D1 outside the float 10, and an opening 18 is formed in the shielding portion 17 to introduce waves transmitted from the pool water surface D1 into the individual space 16. Specifically, the shielding portion 17 facing the opening 18 is a curve along the outer surface of the outer wall portion 15 as shown in FIG. 2, and further, the magnitude of the inflow rate of water entering from the pool water surface D1 is formed on the circumferential surface from the wing plate 13 toward the adjacent wing plate 13. Here, by forming the opening 18 having a large inflow rate portion E1 where the inflow rate is large and a small inflow rate portion E2 where the inflow rate is small, the outer contour of the shielding portion 17 in contact with the opening 18 is curved so that the inflow rate of water from the opening 18 between the large inflow rate portion E1 and the small inflow rate portion E2 changes gradually. And when the inflow rate of water introduced into the individual space 16 is sufficiently filled, the kinetic energy of the wave transmitted to the water in the individual space 16 gives kinetic energy to the pair of wing plates 13, the adjacent connecting portion 14, and the adjacent outer wall portion 15, causing the entire float 10 to swing. At that time, the ratio of the opening 18 to the shielding portion 17 can be appropriately set so as to swing efficiently.

[0017] Furthermore, three concentric water inlets 19 are formed in the connecting section 14 that connects the wing plate 13 and the outer wall section 15, and these water inlets 19 can allow waves introduced into the individual spaces 16 to pass through. In this case, water in the left individual space 16 passes into the right individual space 16, and water also passes from the right individual space 16 to the left individual space 16. Regarding the structure of the connecting section 14 and the water inlets 19, the width of the connecting section 14 (i.e., the width that shields the water) and the water passage width of the three water inlets 19 can be set as appropriate. That is, the ratio can be arbitrarily changed by fixing either the width of the connecting section 14 or the water passage width of the three water inlets 19 and changing the other. For example, the water inlets 19 have an opening of 20-60%, preferably 25-50%, and more preferably 30-45% relative to the connecting section 14. If the water inlet 19 is opened too wide relative to the connecting section 14, the overall strength of the float will decrease, which may cause damage or deformation during storage when it is packaged and rolled up. As a result, the amount of water introduced into the individual space 16 can be adjusted to an appropriate amount. As described above, by appropriately changing the width of the connecting section 14 and the water inlet width of the water inlet 19, the amount of water introduced into the individual space 16 will differ, and the kinetic energy of the waves transmitted through that water will differ, which will change the amount of oscillation of the float 10 and the degree of wave dissipation transmitted through the water surface. Note that the width of the connecting section 14 and the position and shape of the water inlet 19 may be changed as appropriate from this embodiment.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 14 has a projection 20 that guides the waves introduced into the space inside the float 10 through the opening 18. The projection 20 functions as a guide for the waves in the individual space 16, and has a tapered surface 20A formed on part of it (in this case, part of the left and right sides of the projection 20). This tapered surface 20A can guide the waves that have propagated in the individual space 16 toward the water inlet 19. The projection 20 may be changed to a shape other than a tapered surface as long as it performs its wave-guiding function. Specifically, the shape of the projection 20 can be arbitrarily changed by changing the height, position, and inclination of the tapered surface of the projection 20, which determine the shape of the projection 20. For example, by arranging the protrusion 20 at the center of the connecting portion 14, the amount of water flowing along the surface of the protrusion 20 can be evenly distributed. Otherwise, for example, the position of the protrusion 20 may be close to one (side) of the plurality of water inlets 19. Further, the protrusion 20 can also be used to connect adjacent wing plates 13 or have a length of 80 to 100%, preferably 85 to 95% between the wing plates 13. Also, the height of the protrusion 20 can be set to any height in the direction of arrow 11A in order to improve the wave dissipation ability. Also, at a position facing the opening 18 in the wing plate 13, there is provided a protruding plate 21 extending parallel to the direction of arrow 11A for reflecting and guiding the waves entering the individual space 16. In this case, the protruding plate 21 is provided at the facing positions of adjacent wing plates 13 and is connected to the protrusions 20 located on the outer peripheral side within the plurality of connecting portions 14. Such a structure of the protrusions 20 and the protruding plate 21 is for guiding the waves in the individual space 16 to the water inlets 19, and it is desirable to set the thickness of the protruding plate 21 to be approximately the same as the thickness of the protrusions 20. For example, the protruding plate has a wall thickness that is the same as or within 1.5 times that of the wing plate 13 and a width that is the same as the length of the wing plate 13.

[0019] In the case of the float 10 described above, the shielding portion IS shields the waves transmitted from the pool water surface D1 outside the float 10 and reflects them outside the float 10. On the other hand, when the waves transmitted from outside the float 10 are introduced into the individual space 16 through the opening 18, they hit the wing plates 13, connecting portions 14, protruding plates 21, etc. within the individual space 16, which can cause turbulence in the water within the individual space 16, and this turbulence causes the float 10 attached to the rope 11 to swing, rotate, shift, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as "swing, etc."). Furthermore, waves reflected after hitting the wing plates 13 and connecting parts 14, etc., are discharged through the openings 18 and water inlets 19 into the adjacent individual space 16 that shares the connecting parts 14 and water inlets 19. As a result, these waves create further turbulence by hitting the wing plates 13, projections 20 and veneers 21, etc., in the adjacent individual space 16, and this turbulence causes the float 10 attached to the rope to oscillate, rotate, shift, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as "oscillation, etc."). The energy of the waves transmitted into the individual space 16 in this way creates turbulence in the water within the individual space 16, and this energy that causes turbulence is consumed within the float 10. As a result, the waves created by the swimmer are dissipated by the oscillation, etc., of the float 10. Furthermore, the area of ​​the opening 18 is 40-70%, preferably 50-60%, of the outer wall portion 15, and the shielding portion 17 is 30-60%, preferably 40-50%, of the outer wall portion 15. The larger the area of ​​the opening 18, the more easily the waves are turbulent and dissipated. Waves entering through the opening 18 are dissipated through turbulence caused by the waves entering the opening 18 and the waves bouncing off the blade plate 13, as well as through turbulence on the back side of the shielding plate 17. The larger the area of ​​the opening 18 compared to the shielding plate 17, the greater the volume of water, resulting in more complex turbulence and dissipation of the waves.

[0020] Furthermore, in the connecting section 14 equipped with the projection 20, waves transmitted within the individual space 16 can be smoothly guided to the water inlet 19. In contrast, if the projection 20 is not formed, it may not be possible to smoothly guide the transmitted waves to the water inlet 19. Therefore, the projection 20 serves the function of guiding waves introduced into the individual space 16 through the opening 18 to the water inlet 19.

[0021] Furthermore, at the connection section 15A connecting the outer wall section 15 and the wing plate 13, as shown in Figure 4, at the portion cut in the direction D2 perpendicular to the water surface D1 and in the direction in which the rope extends (arrow 11A direction), a wave-over section (the part over which waves can pass) 22 is formed on one side, and a wave-breaking section (the part over which waves cannot pass) 23 is formed on the opposite side. Specifically, near the connection section 15A, one side and the opposite side of the wing plate 13 are made to be different shapes from each other, so that the wave-over section 22 (in this case, unlike the wave-breaking section 23, it does not have a convex shape) is almost flush with the water surface D1A on the pool water surface side, making it easier for waves to pass over it, while the wave-breaking section 23 is formed to be convex (thick shape) toward the water, so that waves in the water cannot pass over the wave-breaking section 23.

[0022] In this case, the shapes of the outer ends of the overhang section 22 and the outer ends of the breakwater section 23 are almost identical to the circumferential direction of the outer wall section 15, and the outer end of the breakwater section 23 is almost flush with the outer wall section 15. Furthermore, the thickness of the breakwater section 23 may be set to be thinner than the thickness of the outer wall section 15 from the viewpoint of weight reduction. Note that the shape, position, size, thickness, etc. of the overhang section 22 and the breakwater section 23 are not limited to this form and can be changed as appropriate. Also, the height of the overhang section 22 over which waves pass should be lower than the height of the breakwater section 23. The float 10 is attached to a rope, and depending on the tension of the rope, the overhang section 22 of the float 10 may be submerged below the pool water surface D1A, but even in this situation, the same effect is achieved.

[0023] As a result, when the wing plate 13 is placed on the water surface D1, and the overhang portion 22 is positioned on the water surface side D1A, and the breakwater portion 23 is positioned underwater D1B, waves transmitted from outside the float 10 can easily pass over the overhang portion 22 and enter the individual space 16 when introduced into the individual space 16, while being reflected by the breakwater portion 23. By adopting this configuration, waves transmitted from the pool water surface D1 outside the float 10 can easily cause the float 10 to sway, etc. Furthermore, increasing the thickness of the convex breakwater section 23 ensures the overall strength of the float 10 and prevents damage when handling the float 10. In the individual spaces 16 on the left and right sides of Figure 1, which share a water passage 19, the overhang section 22 of the left float 10 is on the water surface side D1A, and the breakwater section 23 is on the underwater side D1B, while the overhang section 22 of the right float 10 is on the underwater side D1B, and the breakwater section 23 is on the water surface side D1A. This structure was adopted to eliminate the complexity of determining the orientation of the float 10 when attaching it to a rope. In this case, if the overhang section 22 is located on the side of the large inflow area E1 and the breakwater section 23 is located on the side of the small inflow area E2, waves traveling across the water surface D1 are more likely to overhang the overhang section 22 from the large inflow area E1 and enter the individual space 16, while more waves are reflected by the breakwater section 23 on the small inflow area E2 side. This has the effect of improving the wave-dissipating function of the float 10 due to its oscillation, etc.

[0024] As described above, even if the overhang portion 22 of one (right) float 10 is on the underwater D1B side and the breakwater portion 23 is on the water surface side D1A, the overhang portion 22 of the opposite (left) float 10 is on the water surface side D1A and the breakwater portion 23 is on the underwater D1B side, so that waves transmitted from the pool water surface D1 outside the float 10 can easily cause the float 10 to sway. When the above configuration is adopted, rapid wave dissipation is possible, and for the rapid operation of swimming competitions, the next swimmer can start competing after a short wave dissipation period following the previous swimmer's performance.

[0025] The photograph in Figure 8 shows the situation immediately after a swimmer has swum in the lane, where the waves transmitted to the pool surface D1 have not yet dissipated. On the other hand, the photograph in Figure 9 shows the situation after a swimmer has swum in the lane, where the waves have been dissipated by the floats 10 attached to the ropes that demarcate the lanes, and the water surface D1 has become calm. The inventors meticulously observed the conditions of these water surfaces D1 and, after examining numerous images, were able to arrive at the following verification result. Specifically, the volume of the individual space 16 is (the colored portion in Figure 5) A1, and the total area of ​​the water inlet 19 (Figure 5) 7The area with the applied color is designated as B1, and the total area of ​​the opening 18 (Figure) 6 We focused on C1, which is the part that has been colored. In this case, the volume of the individual space 16 is approximately one-sixth of the total space (excluding the walls) within the float 10. The total area B1 of the water inlets 19 can be calculated by summing the areas of the three concentric water inlets 19. Furthermore, the total area C1 of the openings 18 can be calculated by subtracting the area of ​​one-sixth of the total area of ​​the shielding portion 17 from one-sixth of the total outer perimeter area of ​​the float 10.

[0026] And the ratio of A1 (volume of individual space 16) to B1 (total area B1 of water inlets 19) is Below the lower limit In this case, the amount of wave attenuation propagating within individual space 16 was small, and it was found that the wave attenuation within individual space 16 was insufficient. Also, the ratio of A1 to B1 Above the upper limit In this case, it was found that the amount of wave attenuation propagating within the individual space 16 was small, indicating that the wave attenuation within the individual space 16 was insufficient. Note that "insufficient wave attenuation" refers to a situation where the waves do not dissipate within a predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute 30 seconds) after the swimmer has swum. On the other hand, "sufficient wave attenuation" refers to a situation where the waves dissipate within a predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute 30 seconds) after the swimmer has swum. As a result, the ratio of A1 to B1 is More than the lower limit In this case, and the ratio of A1 to B1 is Below the upper limit We noticed that wave damping was sufficient when the values ​​were within the acceptable range. As a result, we discovered that further verification of the ratio of A1 to B1, etc., could potentially improve wave damping, and we conducted various trial-and-error experiments. example For example, the predetermined time elapsed after a swimmer has finished swimming may be set to a shorter predetermined time, such as 1 minute and 20 seconds, in addition to the aforementioned 1 minute and 30 seconds (standard for wave dissipation). The shorter the elapsed time after a swimmer has finished swimming, the higher the wave dissipation function (wave dissipation function). It was found that when the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to 1000:5 (i.e., A1 divided by B1 is 200) and also set to 1000:15 (i.e., A1 divided by B1 is 66.6), and the ratio of A1 to B1 is within the allowable range, above the lower limit and below the upper limit, wave suppression is sufficient. In addition, other criteria (such as official standards or company standards) may be adopted as standards for wave dissipation, besides whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since swimmers have finished swimming.

[0027] Furthermore, in further consideration of the situations where "wave attenuation is insufficient" and "wave attenuation is appropriate," we were able to discover the following criteria. That is, similar to the above judgment criteria, the ratio of A1 (volume of individual space 16) to C1 (total area of ​​opening 18) Below the lower limit In this case, the attenuation of the waves propagating within the individual space 16 was small, and it was found that the attenuation of the waves within the individual space 16 was insufficient. Also, the ratio of A1 to C1 Above the upper limit In this case, the attenuation of the waves propagating within the individual space 16 was small, and it was found that the attenuation of the waves within the individual space 16 was insufficient. As a result, the ratio of A1 to C1 was Above the lower limit and below the upper limit. It was found that the permissible value was consistent with the permissible value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the criteria for wave dissipation (whether a certain amount of time has elapsed after swimmers have swum). Furthermore, it was noticed that when the ratio of A1 to C1 is within the permissible value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit, wave dissipation is sufficient. As a result, it was discovered that further verification of the ratio of A1 to C1, etc., could potentially improve wave dissipation, and various trial and error experiments were conducted. For example, the ratio of A1 to C1 is calculated when the predetermined time after a swimmer has finished swimming is set to 1 minute and 20 seconds (standard for wave dissipation). It is within the acceptable range, above the lower limit and below the upper limit. It was found that the wave dissipation was sufficient. Note that, in addition to whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since swimmers have swum, other criteria (such as official standards or company standards) may be adopted as standards for wave dissipation. By setting the ratio of A1 to C1 to 1000:25 (i.e., A1 divided by C1 equals 40), and also setting the ratio of A1 to C1 to 1000:15 (i.e., A1 divided by C1 equals 66.6), it was found that wave damping is sufficient when the ratio of A1 to C1 is within the allowable range, above the lower limit and below the upper limit. As described above, the float 10 of this embodiment can quickly dissipate the energy of waves on the water surface D1 generated by swimmers swimming in the pool lanes, thereby quickly dissipating the waves that have traveled across the water surface D1.

[0028] In detail, as shown in the photographs in Figures 8 and 9, a swimming pool with high wave-dissipating capabilities can be provided by stretching ropes to demarcate the pool surface into lanes and attaching numerous floats, as shown in Figure 1, to each rope. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. It is not necessarily required to have six blade plates; for example, a configuration with five blade plates may be used. Also, the number of water inlets provided in the connecting section may be other than three, and the shape may be multiple circular holes instead of concentric circles. Furthermore, floats or the like may be attached to the float as appropriate to adjust the position of the float when it is floating. When attaching multiple floats to a rope, spacers may be used between the floats to ensure adequate spacing and improve their smooth movement. In this case, the spacers should be positioned close to the cylindrical part of the float to maintain clearance between adjacent floats. However, it is desirable to set the clearance between floats appropriately to prevent waves created by swimmers in adjacent lanes from being transmitted between the floats. Furthermore, although the floats in Figure 1 have a point-symmetric structure as described above, and the left and right floats have similar structures, as a variation, they may have an asymmetric structure other than a point-symmetric structure.

[0029] The following describes the means by which the present invention is implemented. According to Appendix (i1), the float is attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool for lanes, and comprises: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow the rope to be inserted; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; a plurality of wing plates connecting the outer wall portion and the central attachment portion, and extending in the direction in which the rope extends to divide the space inside the float into a plurality of spaces; and a connecting portion that connects these plurality of wing plates to each other and has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged, wherein the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates is A1, and the area of ​​the water passage related to this individual space is B1, and the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on standards for wave dissipation.

[0030] As an addendum (i2), in the above addendum (i1), if A1 is the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates, and C1 is the area of ​​the opening related to this individual space, it is desirable to set the ratio of A1 to C1 to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the standards for wave dissipation. As an addendum (i3), in the above addendum (i1 or i2), it is preferable to provide a guide portion in the connecting portion that guides the waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening. As an addendum (i4), in the above addendum (i3), it is preferable that the guide portion includes a projection that protrudes in the direction in which the rope extends. As an addendum (i5), in the above addendum (i4), it is preferable that the guiding portion has a tapered surface in part, and that this tapered surface guides the waves in the space toward the water inlet. As an addendum (i6), in the above addendum (i5), at the connection portion connecting the outer wall portion and the wing plate, when the wing plate is placed on the water surface, it is preferable to provide a crossover portion on one side of the portion cut in the direction perpendicular to the water surface and in the direction in which the rope extends, and a breakwater portion on the opposite side, and to attach the rope such that the crossover portion is on the pool water surface side and the breakwater portion is in the pool water.

[0031] According to Appendix (b) 1, the float is attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, and is characterized by comprising: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow the rope to be inserted; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; a plurality of wing plates connecting the outer wall portion and extending in the direction in which the rope extends to divide the space inside the float into a plurality of spaces; and a connecting portion that connects these plurality of wing plates to each other and has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged, wherein the connecting portion is provided with a guide portion that guides the waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening.

[0032] As an addendum (b2), in the above addendum (b1), it is preferable that the guide portion includes a projection that protrudes in the direction in which the rope extends. As an addendum (b3), in the above addendum (b2), it is preferable that the guide portion has a tapered surface in part, and that this tapered surface guides the waves in the space toward the water inlet. As an addendum (b4), in the above addendum (b3), if the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates is A1, and the area of ​​the water passage related to this individual space is B1, then the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the standards for wave dissipation. As an addendum (b5), in the above addendum (b4), if A1 is the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates, and C1 is the area of ​​the opening related to this individual space, it is desirable to set the ratio of A1 to C1 to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the standards for wave dissipation.

[0033] According to Appendix (c1), the float is attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, and comprises: a central attachment portion provided at the center of the float to allow the rope to be inserted; an outer wall portion that shields waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool with its outer wall surface and forms an opening that allows waves transmitted from the surface of the swimming pool to be introduced into the space inside the float; a plurality of wing plates connecting the outer wall portion and the central attachment portion, and extending in the direction in which the rope extends to divide the space inside the float into a plurality of spaces; and a connecting portion that connects these plurality of wing plates to each other and has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged, wherein in the connecting portion that connects the outer wall portion and the wing plates, when the wing plates are placed on the water surface, a crossover portion is provided on one side of the portion cut in the direction perpendicular to the water surface and in the direction in which the rope extends, and a wave-breaking portion is provided on the opposite side, and the float is attached to the rope such that the crossover portion is on the side of the swimming pool surface and the wave-breaking portion is in the water of the swimming pool.

[0034] As an addendum (c2), in the above addendum (c1), it is preferable to provide a guide portion in the connecting portion that guides the waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening. As an addendum (c3), in the above addendum (c2), it is preferable that the guide portion includes a projection that protrudes in the direction in which the rope extends. As an addendum (c4), in the above addendum (c3), it is preferable that the guide portion has a tapered surface in part, and that this tapered surface guides the waves in the space toward the water inlet. As an addendum (c5), in the above addendum (c4), if the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates is A1, and the area of ​​the water passage related to this individual space is B1, then the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the standards for wave dissipation. As an addendum (c6), in the above addendum (c5), if A1 is the volume of the individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates, and C1 is the area of ​​the opening related to this individual space, it is desirable to set the ratio of A1 to C1 to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit based on the standards for wave dissipation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10 Float 11A Arrow (direction of rope extension) 12 Insertion tube section 13 Wing plate 14 Connecting section 15 Outer wall section 16 Individual space 17 Shielding section 18 Opening 19 Water inlet 20 Guide section (projection) 20A Tapered surface D1 Water surface A1 Volume of individual space B1 Area of ​​water outlet C1 Area of ​​opening 21 Connection part D2 Vertical direction relative to the water surface 22 Breakwater section 23 Overpass section D1A: Pool surface side D1B: Pool underwater

Claims

1. A float attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, A central mounting portion is provided at the center of the float so as to allow the rope to be inserted, The outer wall section that shields against waves transmitted from the pool water surface, An opening is provided in the outer wall portion, which allows waves transmitted from the pool water surface to be introduced into the space inside the float, Multiple wing plates are connected to the outer wall portion and the central mounting portion, and are extended in the direction in which the rope extends, so as to divide the space inside the float into multiple adjacent individual spaces, The multiple wing plates are connected to each other, and the float is equipped with a connecting section that has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged. In the individual spaces formed by the adjacent pair of blades, the adjacent connecting portion, and the adjacent outer wall portion, the water within the individual space is capable of flowing to adjacent individual spaces, and the kinetic energy of the waves transmitted through the water within the individual space imparts kinetic energy to the blades, the connecting portion, and the outer wall portion, causing the entire float to oscillate. A float for a lane rope, characterized in that when the volume of an individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates is A1, and the area of ​​the water passage related to this individual space is B1, the ratio of A1 to B1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit (i.e., the value obtained by dividing A1 by B1 is 66.6 or more and 200 or less).

2. The float for a lane rope according to claim 1, characterized in that, when A1 is the volume of an individual space partitioned by at least a pair of adjacent wing plates, the outer wall portion adjacent to the wing plates, and the connecting portion adjacent to the wing plates, and C1 is the area of ​​the opening related to this individual space, the ratio of A1 to C1 is set to an allowable value that is above the lower limit and below the upper limit (i.e., the value obtained by dividing A1 by C1 is 40 or more and 66.6 or less).

3. The lane rope float according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting portion is provided with a guiding portion that guides waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening.

4. The float for a lane rope according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide portion has a projection that protrudes in the direction in which the rope extends.

5. The float for a lane rope according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide portion has a tapered surface in part, and this tapered surface guides the waves in the space toward the water passage.

6. The float for a lane rope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the connection portion connecting the outer wall portion and the wing plate, when the wing plate is placed on the water surface, a crossover portion is provided on one side of the portion cut in the direction perpendicular to the water surface and in the direction in which the rope extends, and a breakwater portion is provided on the opposite side, and the crossover portion is attached to the rope such that it is located on the pool water surface side and the breakwater portion is located in the pool water.

7. A float attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, A central mounting portion is provided at the center of the float so as to allow the rope to be inserted, The outer wall section that shields against waves transmitted from the pool water surface, An opening is provided in the outer wall portion, which allows waves transmitted from the pool water surface to be introduced into the space inside the float, Multiple wing plates are connected to the outer wall portion and the central mounting portion, and are extended in the direction in which the rope extends so as to divide the space inside the float into multiple spaces, The multiple wing plates are connected to each other, and the float is equipped with a connecting section that has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged. A float for a lane rope, characterized in that the connecting portion is provided with a guiding portion that guides waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening.

8. A float attached to a rope that demarcates the surface of a swimming pool into lanes, A central mounting portion is provided at the center of the float so as to allow the rope to be inserted, The outer wall section that shields against waves transmitted from the pool water surface, An opening is provided in the outer wall portion, which allows waves transmitted from the pool water surface to be introduced into the space inside the float, Multiple wing plates are connected to the outer wall portion and the central mounting portion, and are extended in the direction in which the rope extends so as to divide the space inside the float into multiple spaces, The multiple wing plates are connected to each other, and the float is equipped with a connecting section that has a water passage that allows waves introduced into the space inside the float through the opening to be discharged. A float for a lane rope, characterized in that, in the connection portion connecting the outer wall portion and the wing plate, when the wing plate is placed on the water surface, a crossover portion is provided on one side of the portion cut in the direction perpendicular to the water surface and in the direction in which the rope extends, and a breakwater portion is provided on the opposite side, and the crossover portion is attached to the rope such that it is located on the pool water surface side and the breakwater portion is located in the pool water.

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