Boat racing turn buoy

Abstract

To provide a turning buoy for motorboat racing capable of suppressing excessive filling of air into a hollow float unit without measuring air pressure.SOLUTION: A turning buoy A for motorboat racing installed in a prescribed position on water surface in a motorboat race course with a hollow conical unit 1 above composed of elastic material and a hollow float unit 4 below integrally assembled and having air sealed in at least the hollow float unit 4 includes a long member 8 provided inside the hollow float unit 4 and having both end units in a lengthwise direction coupled to the hollow float unit 4. The hollow float unit 4 has the long member 8 pulled in the lengthwise direction due to expansion of the hollow float unit 4 when excessive air is filled inside and an indention 9 depressed inside to be visible from outside is formed in at least one position of the two positions coupled to both end units in the lengthwise direction of the long member 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a turning buoy (turning mark) for racing boats.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, on the course water surface of a racecourse, a pair of turning buoys called the first and second turning marks for indicating the turning points during a race are installed, and a boat travels on a course that circles between these two turning buoys.

[0003] As this turning buoy for racing boats, one known structure is an integrally assembled one having a hollow conical portion located above the approximate center in the vertical direction and a hollow float portion (hollow tire portion) located below this hollow conical portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The hollow float portion of the turning buoy for racing boats is formed of an elastic material. When air is supplied to and expands this hollow float portion, buoyancy for floating the turning buoy for racing boats on the water surface is generated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, the appropriate air pressure for inflating the hollow float section is around 1 to 1.2 atmospheres, which is the same as or about 0.2 atmospheres higher than the ambient air pressure. For this reason, commercially available air gauges, which are suitable for measuring higher air pressures, often have difficulty measuring such relatively low air pressures. Consequently, even if you measure the air pressure of the hollow float section using a commercially available air gauge, it is difficult to determine whether the hollow float section has already been supplied with sufficient air. As a result, air may be supplied to the hollow float section even if it already has sufficient air, leading to over-inflation. An over-inflated hollow float section will have excessive rebound force, so from a safety standpoint, it is desirable to prevent over-inflation so that the air pressure of the hollow float section does not exceed the intended air pressure.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide a turn buoy for boat racing that can prevent over-inflation of the hollow float section without having to measure the air pressure with an air gauge.

[0008] In this specification, "too much air is put into the hollow float section" means that the air pressure inside the hollow float section becomes higher than the predetermined air pressure that is intended. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a boat racing turn buoy installed at a predetermined position on the water surface at a boat racing track, comprising an upper hollow cone made of an elastic material and a lower hollow float portion integrally assembled, with air sealed inside at least the hollow float portion, wherein the buoy includes a long member provided inside the hollow float portion, with both ends in the longitudinal direction connected to the hollow float portion, and if too much air is put inside the hollow float portion, the expansion of the hollow float portion pulls the long member in the longitudinal direction, and a recess is formed at least one of the two locations connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the long member, which is recessed inward so as to be visible from the outside.

[0010] In this configuration, when air is supplied to the hollow float section of the boat racing turn buoy, the hollow float section, made of elastic material, expands as the air is sealed inside. As this expansion occurs, the points where the ends of the long members inside the hollow float section are joined are pulled inward by the tension of the long members. As a result, the hollow float section that has expanded beyond the desired level will have the points where the ends of the long members are joined indented inward. This partial inward indentation of the hollow float section creates a recess within it.

[0011] This recess is formed in a location that is visible from the outside. Therefore, it is easy to visually confirm that the recess has formed while air is being added to the hollow float section. By stopping the supply of air to the hollow float section once the recess is visible, it is possible to prevent the hollow float section from expanding beyond the desired level. In other words, it is possible to prevent over-inflating the hollow float section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a turn buoy for boat racing that can prevent excessive air from being added to the hollow float section without measuring the air pressure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] These are a cross-sectional view and a front view of a boat racing turn buoy according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing the installation state of a turn buoy for boat racing according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing a turn buoy for boat racing according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a bottom view of a boat racing turn buoy according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a magnified cross-sectional view showing the joint between the hollow float section and the hollow cone section. [Figure 6] This is a magnified cross-sectional view showing the air valve on the bottom wall of the hollow float section. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the hollow float section. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged main part in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view of a hollow float part with too much air filled in.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses in any way.

[0015] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a turn buoy A according to an embodiment of the present invention. This turn buoy A is installed at a predetermined position (for example, a position called "first turn mark" or "second turn mark", or both positions) on the course water surface of a racecourse, and has a substantially conical shape (specifically, a frustum of a cone shape) with a predetermined taper angle located above the upper and lower approximate center, a hollow conical part 1, and a hollow float part 4 (hollow tire part) located below the hollow conical part 1 and having upper and lower two-stage float parts 2 and 3 (tire parts). Air is sealed in the hollow float part 4, and the turn buoy A floats on the water surface by the air in the hollow float part 4.

[0016] Both the hollow conical part 1 and the hollow float part 4 are made of rubber as an elastic material. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, each wall part is formed by laminating rubber sheet materials so that a reinforcing cloth 5 is embedded inside. Also, as shown in FIG. 6 to be described later, a reinforcing core material 6 is embedded in the side wall part between the upper and lower two-stage float parts 2 and 3 in the hollow float part 4. And, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer surface of the turn buoy A is alternately painted in two colors, an arc-shaped red part and a white part centered on the upper end (apex) of the hollow conical part 1, so that it can be easily recognized by the competitors.

[0017] One eyebolt 10 is attached to the center of the circular upper wall portion 1a of the hollow conical portion 1 in the turn buoy A. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, four eyebolts 41, 41,... are also attached to the bottom surface of the hollow float portion 4 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0018] And, as shown in FIG. 2, the four eyebolts 41, 41,... on the bottom surface of the hollow float portion 4 are connected to an anchor B implanted on the water bottom via a chain C and a check stop D. With this connection structure, the turn buoy A is moored and installed so as to float on the water surface.

[0019] The turn buoy A further includes a partition wall portion that partitions the hollow conical portion 1 and the hollow float portion 4. Specifically, the partition wall portion is constituted by the upper wall portion 42 of the hollow float portion 4 shown in FIG. 5. A ring-shaped engaging protrusion 44 is integrally formed continuously over the entire circumference at the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the upper wall portion 42 of the hollow float portion 4. This engaging protrusion 44 includes a vertical portion 44a that protrudes upward from the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the upper wall portion 42 of the hollow float portion 4, a horizontal portion 44b that extends horizontally outward in the radial direction from the upper end of the vertical portion 44a, and a tip portion 44c that extends downward from the tip of the horizontal portion 44b.

[0020] On the other hand, an engaging concave groove 11 into which the engaging protrusion 44 can be fitted is continuously formed over the entire circumference at the lower end portion of the inner surface of the side wall portion 1b of the hollow conical portion 1. The inner part (radial outer part) of this engaging concave groove 11 is curved downward corresponding to the tip portion 44c of the engaging protrusion 44. Then, the engaging protrusion 44 is fitted into the engaging concave groove 11 such that the tip portion 44c of the engaging protrusion 44 overlaps with the inner part of the engaging concave groove 11 when viewed from the side. A low-temperature thermosetting adhesive is interposed between the inner surface of the engaging concave groove 11 and the outer surfaces of the horizontal portion 44b and the tip portion 44c of the engaging protrusion 44 that are fitted into the engaging concave groove 11, between the outer side surface of the vertical portion 44a of the engaging protrusion 44 and the inner surface of the side wall portion 1b of the hollow conical portion 1 (the portion below the engaging concave groove 11) facing this, and between the lower end surface of the side wall portion 1b of the hollow conical portion 1 and the upper surface of the hollow float portion 4 facing this. The hollow conical portion 1 and the hollow float portion 4 are integrally joined by this adhesive.

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, an air valve 7 for supplying air to the hollow float section 4 is provided at the center of the lower surface of the lower wall portion 43 of the hollow float section 4. The air valve 7 consists of a valve member 73 disposed in a recessed portion 72 formed in a valve fitting 71. The valve member 73 is a rubber valve. A rubber tube 75 or the like is attached to the opening portion of a nozzle 74 that connects the internal space of the hollow float section 4 to the outside. Air injected into the hollow float section 4 from the nozzle 74 is prevented from leaking out to the outside by the rubber tube 75 closing the opening portion of the nozzle 74.

[0022] As shown in Figure 7, multiple (two in this embodiment) elongated members 8 are provided inside the hollow float section 4. The elongated members 8 are made of cloth and are formed in a strip shape extending from the upper wall section 42 to the lower wall section 43. One end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction (the upper end in Figure 7) is connected to the first connecting part 45 of the upper wall section 42, which serves as a partition wall. Figure 7 shows the elongated member 8 viewed from a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the elongated member 8, that is, along the thickness direction of the elongated member 8. The other end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction (the lower end in Figure 7) is connected to the second connecting part 46 of the lower wall section 43, which serves as the bottom of the hollow float section 4. In this way, both ends of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction are connected inside the hollow float section 4.

[0023] As shown in Figure 8, the elongated member 8 has both ends in the longitudinal direction bent into an L-shape to form a first bent portion 81 and a second bent portion 82. Figure 8 shows the elongated member 8 along its width direction. The first bent portion 81 at one end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the first joint portion 45 of the upper wall portion 42. The second bent portion 82 at the other end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the second joint portion 46 of the lower wall portion 43. The upper surface of the first bent portion 81 and the lower surface of the second bent portion 82 are fixed to the first joint portion 45 and the second joint portion 46, respectively, with adhesive.

[0024] The hollow float section 4 expands as air is supplied from the air valve 7. When the hollow float section 4 is filled with sufficient air, as shown in Figures 7-8, the air pressure inside the hollow float section 4 becomes a predetermined air pressure (for example, 1 atmosphere or more and 0.2 atmospheres or less). At this point, the length of the elongated member 8, excluding the first bent section 81 and the second bent section 82, is equal to the distance from the first joint section 45 to the second joint section 46 of the hollow float section 4.

[0025] If more air is introduced into the hollow float section 4 from the state shown in Figures 7-8, the hollow float section 4 will expand further. As a result of this expansion, the first joint 45 of the upper wall section 42 and the second joint 46 of the lower wall section 43 of the hollow float section 4 are pulled inward by the tension of the long member 8, as shown in Figure 9. Therefore, the expanded hollow float section 4 causes the first joint 45 of the upper wall section 42 and the second joint 46 of the lower wall section 43 to recess inward. As multiple locations on the hollow float section 4 partially recess inward, a recess 9 is formed in the hollow float section 4.

[0026] Since this recess 9 is formed in a location visible from the outside, it is easy to visually confirm that the recess 9 has been formed while air is being injected into the hollow float section 4. By stopping the supply of air to the hollow float section 4 once the recess 9 is visible, it is possible to prevent the hollow float section 4 from expanding beyond the desired level. In other words, it is possible to prevent over-inflation of the hollow float section 4.

[0027] The other end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the lower wall portion 43 of the hollow float portion 4. As a result, recesses 9 are formed in two places on the lower wall portion 43. The recesses 9 formed on the lower wall portion 43 can be seen from the outside by looking at the boat race turn buoy A from the lower wall portion 43 side. Therefore, by simply checking the boat race turn buoy A from the lower wall portion 43 side while inflating the hollow float portion 4, it is easy to see that the recesses 9 are being formed and that the recesses 9 have been formed, and it is easy to know whether the hollow float portion 4 has enough air or too much air has been added.

[0028] By stopping the supply of air to the hollow float section 4 once the recess 9 is formed, it is possible to prevent the hollow float section 4 from expanding beyond the desired level. In other words, it is possible to prevent over-inflation of the hollow float section 4.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, two elongated members 8 are provided. Therefore, if the hollow float section 4 expands excessively, recesses 9 are formed in two places on the lower wall section 43. In this way, the formation of multiple recesses 9 makes it easy to visually confirm the recesses 9. Thus, it is possible to suppress over-inflation of the hollow float section 4.

[0030] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, two elongated members 8 were provided, but the invention is not limited to this. One or three or more elongated members 8 may be provided.

[0031] In the above embodiment, the other end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the lower wall portion 43, so that the recess 9 is formed in the lower wall portion 43. However, the location where the recess 9 is formed does not have to be the lower wall portion 43. For example, the recess 9 may be formed in a location visible from the outside, such as the side of the hollow float portion 4. Furthermore, even with configurations other than those described above, it is sufficient that at least one of the one end and the other end of the elongated member 8 in the longitudinal direction is connected to a location in the hollow float portion 4 where the recess 9 is formed in a location visible from the outside. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] A Turnbuoy for Boat Racing 1. Hollow cone 4. Hollow float section 42. Upper wall section (partition wall section) of the hollow float section 43 Lower wall (bottom) 7. Air valve 8 Long members 9 recesses

Claims

1. A boat racing turn buoy, installed at a predetermined position on the water surface at a boat racing track, comprising an upper hollow cone made of an elastic material and a lower hollow float section integrally assembled, with air sealed inside at least the hollow float section, A long member is provided within the hollow float portion, with both ends in the longitudinal direction connected to the hollow float portion. The aforementioned hollow float section, when filled with too much air, causes the long member to be pulled in the longitudinal direction due to the expansion of the hollow float section, and a recess is formed at least one of the two locations connected to both ends of the long member in the longitudinal direction, which is recessed inward so as to be visible from the outside, in a boat racing turn buoy.

2. In the boat racing turn buoy described in claim 1, The hollow cone portion and the hollow float portion are further separated by a partition wall portion, One end of the long member in the longitudinal direction is connected to the partition wall, The other end of the aforementioned elongated member is connected to the bottom of the hollow float section, forming a turn buoy for boat racing.

3. In the boat racing turn buoy according to claim 1 or 2, A turn buoy for boat racing, comprising at least two of the aforementioned elongated members.

Images