Material and method for the construction of vessel decks, and vessel comprising a deck thus made

Abstract

A panel for making decks and other roofing structures on vessels is described, wherein the panel comprises a plurality of slats placed side by side and joined together by a connecting material, and wherein the slats are made of high density closed cell polyurethane foam. Also described is a vessel comprising a deck made from this material, as well as a method for making vessel decks.

Description

MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSEL DECKS, AND VESSEL COMPRISING A DECK THUS MADEDESCRIPTIONTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vessels, that is, in general, means of transport capable of travelling on water, irrespective of their size and propulsion system.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The decks of both motor and sailing vessels are currently made of teak, a high-quality wood that is expensive and difficult to work. Teak, however, has peculiar features that make it particularly suitable for this use. In particular, teak wood has high resistance to atmospheric agents (both brackish and fresh water, solar radiation), low water absorption, high resistance to absorption, and may be repeatedly sanded without losing its technical and aesthetic qualities.

[0003] Recently, the supply of this material has become critical. Furthermore, due to an ever- increasing awareness of environmental problems, there is a tendency to reduce the felling of tall trees as much as possible.

[0004] It would therefore be useful to identify and use a different material for the construction of vessel decks, without sacrificing the technical and aesthetic features of teak wood.

[0005] WO2022 / 192550 discloses a panel consisting of a lower layer of polyurethane foam, covered by a non-slip upper layer, consisting of elastomeric granulate. This document incidentally describes the possible use of this panel for the construction of vessel decks. The elastomeric granulate surface forms the outer surface of the deck.

[0006] US11889825 discloses a fishing rod storage for installation on boats. To reduce the overall dimensions, the storage is designed to be walkable and installed on the deck surface of the boat or vessel and is made up of a plurality of polyurethane foam beams spaced apart to form housings for the fishing rods. The upper surfaces of the beams may be walked on. The storage is applied above the deck of the boat.

[0007] US5462623 discloses a method for producing expanded resin reinforced cores each consisting of a plurality of superimposed layers consisting of rigid panels of insulating foammaterial alternating with flexible fiber layers.

[0008] US3804050 discloses a ballast arrangement on tankers, where the ballast elements consist of sheets of high specific weight material, which may be partly covered with balsa or polyurethane foam, at recesses behind them, which engage with anchor keys fixed on the deck.SUMMARY

[0009] In light of the above, according to one aspect, the present invention relates to a panel for making decks and other roofing structures on vessels, wherein the panel comprises a plurality of slats placed side by side and joined together by a connecting material, and wherein the slats are made of high density closed cell polyurethane foam.

[0010] The polyurethane may have, for example, a density greater than 300 kg / m3, preferably equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3. Advantageously, the polyurethane has a color imitating a wood essence, in particular teak. The slats may be joined together with a vulcanized rubber filling the gaps between adjacent slats.

[0011] At least the surface of the panel intended to form the outer surface of the covering, and therefore in particular a continuous walking surface, is made of polyurethane foam. In other words, the face that forms the walking surface of the covering is made directly of polyurethane foam. Preferably, the panel is made entirely of polyurethane foam, preferably of a single layer of polyurethane foam, so that the face opposite to that intended to form part of the outer surface of the covering is also made directly of polyurethane foam.

[0012] According to a further aspect, the present invention concerns a vessel comprising at least one structure with a surface covered with slats placed side by side and glued to a structural element of the vessel, wherein the slats are made of high density closed cell polyurethane foam. In particular, the structure is the deck of the vessel, or part of it. The polyurethane may have, in particular, a density greater than 300 kg / m3, preferably equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3. At least the surface or face of the slats that forms part of the outer surface of the structure covered by said slats is made of polyurethane foam. In other words, the face that forms (part of) the outer surface of the structure is formed directly from polyurethane foam. Preferably, each slat is made entirely of polyurethane foam, preferably of a single layer of polyurethane foam, so that the opposite face or surface of the slat, i.e. the surface glued to the structural element, is also made of polyurethane foam.

[0013] According to yet another aspect, the invention also relates to a method for making a vessel deck. The method comprises the step of gluing a plurality of slats placed next to each other onto a bottom surface and sealing the joints between the slats; wherein the slats are made of high density closed cell polyurethane foam. Advantageously, the polyurethane has a density greater than 300 kg / m3, preferably equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3. And wherein the exposed surface of the slats is made of said polyurethane foam.

[0014] Further advantageous features and embodiments of the invention are described hereunder and are indicated in the appended claims, which form an integral part of the present description.

[0015] In essence, the invention is based on the recognition that high-density closed-cell polyurethane foam surprisingly provides adhesion and weather resistance features comparable to those of teak wood, allowing it to be used as a substitute for natural wood.

[0016] The term vessel is here understood in the general meaning of a means of transport capable of travelling on water, and not in its legal classification meaning. In the present description and in the appended claims, this term is therefore intended to also include watercraft and ships.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention will be better understood by following the description and accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the invention. More specifically, the drawings show:Fig. 1 a sailing vessel with deck and other finishes made of high-density polyurethane slats according to the present invention;Fig. 2 a portion of a motorboat with a deck made of high-density polyurethane slats;Fig. 3 a diagram of the production process of slatted panels made of high-density polyurethane.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In Fig. 1 a sailing vessel is schematically represented with a deck 3 made of polyurethane slats and coamings according to the present invention. The vessel illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1 also comprises teak-covered portions on the edges of the bulwarks 5, 7, on the seats 9 and on the deckhouse 11.

[0019] As a further example, Fig. 2 shows a portion of a motor vessel with a cabin 13 and a deck with covering 15 made of polyurethane material according to the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a portion of deck 15 between cabin 13 and the left bulwark 17. Reference numeral 19 indicates slats and reference numeral 21 indicates coamings that form the deck 15.

[0020] According to the invention, slats, coamings, and other portions of the coverings usually made of teak are formed from a high-density, closed-cell rigid polyurethane foam. The polyurethane used to make the slats and other components for the construction of the deck and any additional finishing and covering elements of the vessel advantageously has a density of between 400 and 600 kg / m3, preferably between 450 and 550 kg / m3, for example around 500 kg / m3with a color reproducing the color of natural teak wood.

[0021] In one embodiment, the process for constructing polyurethane decks may typically comprise (see Fig. 3) a step of producing polyurethane in blocks or sheets B (Fig. 3(A)). Subsequently, the blocks or slabs B are cut into individual staves D (Fig. 3(B)). The slats are then assembled into panels P, placing a plurality of slats next to each other and joining them using rubber G which is catalyzed so as to make the slats of the panel P adhere to each other, as schematically indicated in Fig. 3(C). DI indicates the upper surface or face of each plank D and of the panel P and D2 indicates the opposite lower surface or face of each plank D and of the panel P. The upper face or surface DI is intended to remain visible after the installation of the panel P on the vessel and forms, for example, the walkable surface of the deck, while the lower face or surface D2 is anchored, for example by gluing, to the load-bearing structure.

[0022] In essence, both the slats D and the panels P are therefore made up of a monolithic layer of polyurethane foam, which defines both the upper face or surface DI and the lower face or surface D2 of the slat D and the panel P.

[0023] In this way, the high-density closed-cell polyurethane foam replaces the wooden surface usually made of teak, traditionally used for the construction of boat decks.

[0024] The deck is made by placing the panels, suitably cut where necessary, on a base structure forming the deck of the boat. A suitable glue is prepared on the surface on which the deck is made. The gaps between panels or portions of panels placed and glued to the deck (or other structure of the vessel) are filled with rubber which is then vulcanized using known techniques similar to those used to make teak decks.

[0025] The coamings may be obtained by cutting polyurethane sheets to a design and mounting them on the deck or other structure of the vessel together with the slats collected in panels P, in particular along the perimeter of the deck or other surface created with the application of polyurethane slats.

[0026] Laboratory tests have surprisingly demonstrated that the polyurethane material described herein has features comparable to those of natural teak with regard to aspects of particular relevance for use in the nautical sector and in particular for the construction of decks and coverings of portions of vessels exposed to atmospheric agents (water and sun, in particular).

[0027] In particular, to characterize the material and ascertain its suitability for use in the construction of boat decks, comparative tests were carried out with the aim of determining the solar reflectance index. Tests were performed according to ASTM E1980 - 11(2019).

[0028] The test was performed on 6 pavement samples (3 samples for each type) with nominal dimensions of 100x100 mm. Specifically:- no. 3 samples of the material which is the object of the present invention, composed of closed cell polyurethane, average thickness detected 13.4;- no. 3 teak wood samples, average thickness detected 12.9 mm.

[0029] The tests were performed with reference to the standards summarized in the following Table 1Table 1

[0030] The following equipment was used for the tests:- Digital caliper model “CDEP 15”, produced by LTF SpA Via Cremona, 10 - 24051 ANTEGNATE (BG) - Italy, measuring range 0 150 mm, precision 0.01 mm- Emissivity meter model “AE1” from Devices& Services Company, 10575 NewkirkSt. #730, Dallas, TX 75220 USA, for measuring emissivity at room temperature- Agilent Model “34970A” Digital Multimeter Agilent Technologies, Inc. 5301 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95051 U.S.A.- Spectrophotometer model “LAMBDA 750S” from PerkinElmer, Inc. 940 Winter Street - Waltham, MA 02451 USA, for measurements in the ultraviolet / visible / near infrared spectral ranges, measuring range 200 2500 nm, equipped with a 100 mm diameter integrating sphere model “RSA ASSY” from Labsphere, Inc. 231 Shaker St, North Sutton, NH 03260 U.S.A.

[0031] The spectral reflectance factor was measured in the UV-VIS-NIR ranges using the spectrophotometer on each specimen.

[0032] The measurement of the reflection spectrum was performed with an incidence angle of 8°, using as a reference the diffuse reflection sample “SRS-99-010” from Labsphere.

[0033] The solar reflectance factor “pe” for each area considered was calculated according to ASTM G173 - 23 using the total solar radiation distribution per air mass of 1.5. The average solar reflectance factor “pe” was then determined. The solar absorption factor “ae” was determined using the relationship: ae = 1 - pe.

[0034] The emissivity of the object surface was measured using the emissivity meter compliant with ASTM C1371 - 15. This instrument, after appropriate calibration with respect to two standards with known emissivity (s / n 1759 with a = 0.87 and s / n 1730 with a = 0.06 supplied by Devices & Services Company), provides a voltage signal directly proportional to the emissivity of the surface being examined.

[0035] The emissivity measurement was performed considering the contents of the document “Technical Note 79-17”.

[0036] The stationary surface temperature “Ts” and the solar reflectance index “SRI” were determined according to the ASTM El 980 - 11(2019) standard (Approach 1) at three values for the convective heat exchange coefficient “he”: he = 5 W / (m2K) which corresponds to a low air speed (0 to 2 m / s); he = 12 W / (m2K) which corresponds to an average air speed (from 2 to 6 m / s); he = 30 W / (m2K) which corresponds to a high air speed (6 to 10 m / s); and under standard environmental and solar conditions defined by:solar flux = 1000 W / m2; ambient air temperature = 310 K (equal to 37 °C); sky temperature = 300 K (equal to 27 °C).

[0037] Standard surfaces are defined as follows: standard white - solar reflectance factor of 0.80 and emissivity of 0.9; standard black - solar reflectance factor of 0.05 and emissivity of 0.9.

[0038] The solar reflectance index “SRI” was determined according to the following formula reported in ASTM E1980 - 11(2019) paragraph 4:where:Tw = stationary temperature of the white standard surface, expressed in K;Tb = stationary temperature of the black standard surface, expressed in K;Ts = stationary surface temperature, expressed in K.

[0039] The solar reflectance index “SRI” therefore represents the stationary temperature of a surface “Ts”, dependent on the solar reflectance factor, the thermal emissivity and the convective heat exchange coefficient, evaluated with respect to that of the standard white (pe = 0.80, a = 0.9, SRI = 100) and that of the standard black (pe = 0.05, a = 0.9, SRI = 0) under standard environmental and solar conditions.

[0040] The “SRI” values determined for each specimen for the same convective heat exchange coefficient “he” were arithmetically averaged.

[0041] Environmental conditionsTemperature (22 ± 1) °CRelative humidity (50 ± 5) %

[0042] The following Table 2 reports the results of the tests performed on the polyurethane specimens:Table 2

[0043] The following Table 3 reports the results of the tests performed on the teak wood specimens:Table 3

[0044] It is observed from the experimental data reported above that the polyurethane material according to the present invention has solar reflection, solar absorption and thermal emissivity features comparable to those of teak wood and therefore similar thermal behaviors.

[0045] Comparative tests were also performed to determine water absorption.

[0046] Four synthetic material (closed-cell polyurethane) test tubes and four teak wood test tubes with nominal dimensions of 100 mm * 100 mm were examined.

[0047] The following equipment was used:- Thermostatic stove model “GTERM” from F.lli Galli G. & P.- Via dell'Artigianato, 12, 20072 Pi eve Emanuele, Milan - Italy,- Precision electronic scale model “ew620-3nm” from Arroweld Italia spa, Via Monte Pasubio, 137 - 36010 Zane (Vicenza), Italy- Controlled thermostatic bath model “M458-BM” from MPM Instruments srl, Via dell' Artigianato, 4 20881 BERNAREGGIO (MB), Italy

[0048] The test was performed by determining the water absorption of the test tube following immersion for 24 hours in distilled water at room temperature, using the following formula: m = m2-ml where: m = mass of water absorbed, expressed in g; ml = initial mass of the test tube, expressed in g; m2 = final mass of the test tube after immersion, expressed in g.

[0049] The test tubes were then exposed to an oven at a temperature of +103 °C to determine the dry mass of each element. The environmental conditions of the test were as follows:Temperature (24 ± 2) °CRelative humidity (54 ± 5) %

[0050] The following Table 4 reports the data measured on the teak samples:Table 4

[0051] The following Table 5 reports the data measured on the polyurethanesamples:Table 5

[0052] The data collected on the two types of materials are substantially better for the material according to the present invention, which has much lower water absorption.

[0053] Another important parameter in evaluating the suitability of the material for use in the construction of boat decks is represented by the slip resistance of the surface, that is, the greater or lesser slipperiness of the floor. The comparative tests carried out, described below, have surprisingly demonstrated a much higher quality of the synthetic product compared to the natural product.

[0054] Tests were performed on two samples, one made of synthetic material according to the present invention and the other made of teak wood. The tests were performed applying the following standards

[0055] The tests were performed as follows.

[0056] Annex B (Shod ramp test) of the UNI EN 16165:2021 and DIN EN 16165:2023-02 standards specifies the test method for determining the slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces by means of the shod ramp test.

[0057] To determine the slip angle, after the walking surface material to be tested isevenly coated with oil, two test persons wearing shoes are used. The testers, each in turn, facing the ramp and with an upright posture, move forward and backward on the test surface, increasing the angle of inclination, until the safe limit of walking is reached and a slip occurs. The average slip angle obtained is used to express the degree of slip resistance. Subjective influences on the slip angle are limited by means of a correction procedure.

[0058] The following Table 6 shows the results achievedTable 6

[0059] The results of the comparative tests show a superiority of the material of the present invention compared to the natural material, with a greater resistance to slipping.

Claims

Claims1. A panel for making decks and other roofing structures on boats, wherein the panel comprises a plurality of slats placed side by side and joined together by a connecting material, and wherein the slats are made of high density closed cell polyurethane foam with a density greater than 300 kg / m3.

2. The panel of claim 1, comprising an upper surface intended to form an outer surface of the covering structure, and a lower surface, and wherein the upper surface, and preferably the lower surface, are made of said closed-cell polyurethane foam.

3. The panel of claim 1 or 2, wherein the polyurethane has a density equal to or greater than4. The panel of claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the polyurethane has a color imitating a wood essence, in particular teak.

5. The panel of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slats are j oined together by a vulcanized rubber filling the joints between adjacent slats.

6. A vessel deck component made of closed-cell polyurethane foam with a density greater than 300 kg / m3.

7. The component of claim 6, wherein the component is a stave, a coaming or a portion of a coaming.

8. The component of claim 6 or 7, comprising an upper surface intended to form an outer surface of the deck, and a lower surface, and wherein the upper surface, and preferably the lower surface, are made of said closed-cell polyurethane foam.

9. The component of claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the polyurethane has a density equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3.

10. The component of one or more of claims 6 to 9, wherein the polyurethane has a color imitating a wood essence, in particular teak.

11. A vessel comprising at least one structure with a surface covered with slats placed side by side and glued to a structural element of the boat, wherein the slats are made ofhigh density closed cell polyurethane foam with a density greater than 300 kg / m3.

12. The vessel of claim 11, wherein each slat comprises an outer surface made of said closed-cell polyurethane foam; and wherein preferably each slat comprises an inner surface glued to the structural member, made of said closed-cell polyurethane foam.

13. The vessel of claim 12, wherein said structure is the deck of the vessel.

14. The vessel of claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the polyurethane has a color imitating a wood essence, in particular teak.

15. The vessel of one or more of claims 11 to 14, wherein the polyurethane has a density equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3.

16. A method for making a boat deck, comprising the step of gluing a plurality of slats placed next to each other onto a bottom surface and sealing the joints between the slats; wherein the slats are made of high-density closed cell polyurethane foam with a density greater than 300 kg / m3.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each slat comprises an upper surface intended to form an outer surface of the deck, and a lower surface, and wherein the upper surface, and preferably the lower surface, are made of said closed-cell polyurethane foam.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the polyurethane has a density equal to or greater than 400 kg / m3.

19. The method of one or more of claims 16 to 18, wherein the polyurethane has a color imitating a wood essence, in particular teak.

20. The method of one or more of claims 16 to 19, wherein the slats are joined together by a vulcanized rubber filling the joints between adjacent slats.

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