Hand-held Buoy with Drain Hole and Closed Cell Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buoys used in inland waterways are often heavy, difficult to maneuver, and lack features such as being unsinkable, self-draining, and repairable, making them challenging for a single person to handle and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A buoy design featuring an annular central component with a drain hole, a collar, and a ballast component made of closed cell foam, allowing for self-draining and adjustable ballast, facilitating easier handling and repair, with handholds for improved mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional buoys are used to ensure fracture resistance and unsinkability, then reliability is improved, but weight increases making them difficult for a single person to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy is divided into modular components: a hollow spherical shell providing buoyancy, a separate ballast component for weight adjustment, and an attachment mechanism. This segmentation allows the buoy to be lightweight yet reliable, as each component serves a specific function and can be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The ballast component is made adjustable and replaceable, allowing the buoy's weight characteristics to be dynamically modified. This enables the buoy to maintain reliability through proper ballasting while remaining lightweight and maneuverable when the ballast is removed or reduced.
2Reliability
If conventional buoys are designed for durability, then reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy's critical components (ballast, attachment mechanism, spherical shell) are segmented and designed to be independently replaceable. This allows damaged parts to be easily swapped out without replacing the entire buoy, maintaining durability while improving repairability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ballast component is designed to be removable and replaceable, allowing it to be discarded if damaged or lost, and a new one attached. This simplifies repair operations while maintaining the buoy's durability through proper ballasting.
3Reliability
If conventional buoys are made robust for withstanding wave buffeting, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buoy is segmented into a lightweight hollow spherical shell and a separate ballast component. This allows the buoy to be easily maneuvered when the ballast is removed or reduced, while still providing wave resistance when the ballast is attached for stable operation in water.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable ballast system allows the buoy's operational characteristics to be dynamically changed. For easy operation and transport, the ballast can be removed or reduced. For wave resistance during operation, the ballast can be attached to provide stable buoyancy and resistance to wave buffeting.
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
The buoy is lightweight, manageable by a single person, and can be easily repaired, maintaining buoyancy while allowing for drainage and adjustable ballast, addressing the limitations of existing buoys in terms of weight, size, and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The annular central component, the collar, or both comprise a closed cell foam
Implementation Method 2
The annular central component has an upper end, a drain hole
Data Source
AI summary
A buoy comprising: an annular upper portion disposed on a lower portion; a drain hole disposed in the upper portion proximate to the lower portion; a handhold disposed in the upper portion distal to the lower portion; an attachment member disposed in the lower portion and protruding from a bottom of the lower portion, wherein the bottom is opposite the upper portion; and wherein at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion comprises a closed cell foam.