Belt Anti-Floating Capture for Ship Tank Collision Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anti-floating devices for tanks on ships require complex construction, significant materials, and reduce tank capacity due to internal reinforcement, leading to potential hull and tank damage during sinking.

Innovation Solution

An anti-floating device with a belt-like floating capture connecting the hull and tank, using elastic or steel material, prevents tank flotation and collision by securing the tank to the hull without internal reinforcement, optimizing space and enhancing insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If anti-floating chocks are installed on all inner surfaces of the hull and on the tank, then the tank can be prevented from floating and colliding with the hull, but the construction requires a large amount of materials and a lot of man-hours due to complex construction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of tank flotation and collisionVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the anti-floating function from the complex system of chocks installed on both hull and tank surfaces, and concentrates it into a single device attached only to the tank bottom. This single anti-floating device includes a support leg that extends to the hull and a buoyant element that provides the necessary upward force, eliminating the need for extensive chock installation on hull inner surfaces while maintaining the same protective function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The single anti-floating device performs multiple functions: it prevents tank flotation, provides structural support, and acts as a collision barrier. The support leg serves both as a structural element and as a positioning mechanism, while the buoyant element provides both flotation prevention and shock absorption, consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If reinforcement is constructed on the inner surface of the hull to secure structural safety, then the hull and tank can be protected when in contact with the anti-floating chock, but the size of the space where the tank may be disposed and the capacity of the tank are reduced by the space occupied by the reinforcement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural safety of hull and tankVSAvoidtank disposal space and capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of reinforcing the hull inner surface to prepare for potential tank contact, the invention inverts the approach by having the tank itself carry the protective structure through the support leg and anti-floating device. The protection is moved from the hull side to the tank side, eliminating the need for internal hull reinforcement that would encroach on tank space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If anti-floating chocks are installed on the outer surface of the tank and inside the hull, then the tank can be prevented from floating up when the ship sinks, but the construction requires significant materials and man-hours

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of tank flotation during sinkingVSAvoidmaterials required
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the anti-floating function from the distributed chock system and concentrates it into a single device with a buoyant element that provides the necessary upward force. This single device with integrated buoyancy mechanism replaces numerous chocks, dramatically reducing material quantity while maintaining the same flotation prevention capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-floating device uses a buoyant element that provides an upward force counteracting the downward gravitational force on the tank during ship sinking. This buoyant counterforce replaces the need for extensive mechanical restraint systems, using physical principles to achieve the same protective effect with minimal material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents tank flotation and collision, increases tank capacity by 6-7%, and simplifies construction with improved insulation performance.

Implementation Method 1

the density of the tank accommodated inside the hull of the ship is less than the density of water, so the combined force of gravity and buoyancy acting on the tank in the sinking situation of the ship is directed upwards on the water surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

A material of the floating capture may be an elastic body or steel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4691901A1Anti-floating device
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 HD HYUNDAI HEAVY IND CO LTD
  • EP4691901A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4691901A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4691901A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An anti-floating device according to an embodiment comprises: a first connection part which is coupled to the hull of a ship; a second connection part which is coupled to a tank; and a floating capture which connects a first support and a second support to each other, wherein the floating capture has a belt structure.