Rounded Aperture Flange for Marine Buoys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine fenders and buoys face issues with line abrasion and stress concentration due to sharp edges and uneven force distribution, leading to potential damage and failure of the lines used for attachment.
Innovation Solution
The marine device features a flange portion with a rounded aperture and relief portions that provide a continuously curved interior line engagement surface, reducing sharp edges and distributing forces evenly to minimize abrasion and stress on the line, with a preferred curvature of approximately 50% to 100% of the opening's depth for optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional attachment flange with sharp edges and uniform thickness is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but line abrasion and stress concentration increase leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by rounding the aperture edges and creating a continuously curved interior line engagement surface. This eliminates sharp edges that cause line abrasion and stress concentration, directly improving line durability while adding moderate structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by varying the flange thickness - thicker at the apex for strength and gradually thinning toward the edges. This non-uniform thickness distribution optimizes stress distribution and reduces concentration points, improving reliability without excessive complexity
2Strength
If a flange with uniform thickness is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but stress distribution becomes uneven causing line failure
Solution Approach 1:
The flange features non-uniform thickness with the apex being thicker and gradually thinning toward the edges. This local variation in thickness optimizes stress distribution by providing more material where stress is highest (at the apex) while reducing material where stress is lower, improving strength without significantly complicating manufacturing
3Reliability
If sharp edges are present at the aperture, then the flange structure is simpler, but line abrasion increases reducing attachment reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture is designed with rounded edges and a continuously curved interior line engagement surface instead of sharp corners. This curvature eliminates stress concentration points and reduces line abrasion, improving attachment reliability while adding only moderate geometric complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
An attachment flange for buoys and marine fenders. The attachment flange includes an opening therethrough that includes a substantially continuously curved interior surface which engages a line to increase the surface contact area between the opening of the attachment flange and the line. The opening of the attachment flange further includes rounded edges which reduce the abrasion and localized stress applied to the line. The curved surface with the rounded edges enables the attachment flange to receive less concentrated forces applied thereto, which may extend the life of the attachment flange or may reduce the required reinforcement needed for a given application. The features disclosed herein also reduce the abrasion and concentration of force applied to the line coupled to the attachment flange which helps to prevent line wear and failure.