Ship Fender With Ball Joint And Rear Buffer For Offshore Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fenders for ships accessing offshore wind power generation facilities face challenges in stable and safe operation due to weather conditions, requiring a more reliable and simple structural design for effective contact and buffering.
Innovation Solution
A fender system comprising a structural body contact portion with a center support and rotatable wing portions, supported by a ball joint and rear buffer portions, including a ring-shaped buffer member for enhanced stability and impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fender with a simple structure is used, then ease of manufacture and maintenance is improved, but stability and safety during docking operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fender is divided into multiple functional segments: a structural body contact portion for docking, a ball joint portion for flexible support, and a rear buffer portion for impact absorption. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The rear buffer portion is positioned behind the structural body contact portion to provide advance cushioning against impacts during docking operations. This pre-positioned cushioning ensures stability and safety without requiring complex active control systems
2Reliability
If a complex fender structure is used, then stability and safety during docking operations is improved, but ease of manufacture and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint portion enables the structural body contact portion to dynamically adjust its position and orientation during docking operations, providing stability and safety through passive mechanical adaptability rather than complex active control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The fender utilizes changes in the physical state of the buffer portions (compression and elastic deformation) to absorb impacts and maintain stability, avoiding the need for complex mechanical or electronic control mechanisms
3Strength
If the structural body contact portion is rigidly fixed, then structural strength is improved, but ability to absorb impact and reduce rocking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint portion acts as an intermediary between the rigid structural body contact portion and the ship, providing flexible support that allows the rigid structure to maintain strength while the ball joint absorbs shocks and reduces rocking through its spherical geometry and rotational freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The rear buffer portion provides advance cushioning against impacts by being positioned behind the structural body contact portion, absorbing shock forces before they can cause excessive rocking or damage to the rigid structure
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 fender system allows for stable and safe docking of ships alongside offshore structures by flexibly supporting the structural body contact portion and absorbing impacts, ensuring stable contact and reducing rocking, while facilitating easy manufacturing and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a ball joint portion that supports the structural body contact portion disposed on the ship
Implementation Method 2
a rear buffer portion that is disposed behind the structural body contact portion
Data Source
AI summary
A fender for ships that includes: a structural body contact portion that is brought into contact with two poles of an offshore structural body so as to protect a ship when the ship is brought alongside the offshore structural body provided with two poles; a ball joint portion that supports the structural body contact portion on the ship; and a rear buffer portion disposed behind the structural body contact portion.