Inflatable Rescue Float for Ship-to-Ship Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rescue devices are inadequate for safely transferring multiple people between vessels, particularly in adverse weather conditions, as they do not prevent vessel collisions and can be challenging for weak individuals to use, and existing solutions are primarily designed for individual use or do not facilitate comfortable access.
Innovation Solution
A lining and rescue float with an inflatable body that extends between two vessels, featuring a horizontal upper surface, inclined zones for easy access, and lateral reinforcements to prevent collisions, allowing for safe and comfortable transfer of people between vessels, even in adverse conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a net with rope is used for rescue operations, then multiple people can be rescued, but weak individuals cannot easily access the vessel and collision between vessels cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a floating platform as an intermediary device between the rescue vessel and the water/second vessel. This platform provides a stable, accessible surface that weak individuals can easily step onto, eliminating the difficulty of climbing nets or ropes while still enabling rescue of multiple people.
Solution Approach 2:
The rescue system is segmented into distinct functional components: the rescue vessel, the floating platform with multiple access points, and the second vessel. This segmentation allows the platform to serve as an independent intermediate structure that can accommodate multiple rescues simultaneously while providing easy access from different directions.
2Quantity of substance
If a net is used for ship-to-ship lining, then multiple people can transfer between vessels, but collision between vessels cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The floating platform acts as a mediator between the two vessels, providing a stable intermediate surface for personnel transfer. This eliminates the need for direct vessel-to-vessel contact through nets, thereby preventing collisions while still enabling multiple people to transfer safely.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating platform is designed to float at a stable water level, creating an equipotential surface that is easily accessible from both vessels. This stable positioning allows personnel to move between vessels at the same elevation without requiring complex climbing or balancing operations that could lead to vessel collision.
3Reliability
If individual floatation devices are used, then personal safety is ensured, but rescue of multiple people simultaneously is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual floatation concepts into a single collective floating platform structure. This platform provides buoyancy and safety for multiple people simultaneously while maintaining the protective floatation function for each individual, thereby enabling rescue of multiple people at once while preserving personal safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating platform serves multiple functions: it provides buoyancy and safety for multiple people, serves as a transfer surface between vessels, and can accommodate various rescue operations simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows it to replace multiple individual devices while achieving the same or better safety outcomes.
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 float enhances safety by preventing vessel collisions and enabling easy access for weak individuals, facilitating the transfer of multiple people while maintaining stability and preventing accidental drowning.
Implementation Method 1
a float (1) comprising at least one inflatable body (1)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
A lining and rescue float that is installed in a vessel (2) for facilitating people accessing to the vessel (2). It comprises an inflatable body (1) and fixing means to fix said inflatable body (1) to the vessel (2). The inflatable body (1) has a polygonal configuration with an upper side (3) that extends in a horizontal direction from the vessel (2) wherein it is installed, constituting a horizontal surface for transferring people between the vessels, a rear side (4) in contact with the vessel (2), and that is partially submerged in the body of water, a front side (5) destined for remaining in contact with the second vessel (6), and which is remains partially submerged in the body of water, a lower side (10) that joins the rear side (4) and the front side (5) underneath, and lateral sides (11).