US20070169680A1

US20070169680A1 - Prime minister boat which is become independent we clear up and to have the air chamber

Info

Publication number: US20070169680A1
Application number: US10/592,550
Authority: US
Inventors: Seo-Lim Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-13
Filing date: 2005-03-10
Publication date: 2007-07-26
Also published as: KR100549626B1; WO2005087578A1; KR20040028900A

Abstract

Disclosed is a boat having a plurality of independent air chambers. At least two independent small tubes are included in one cover to form a porous tube body with a plurality of independent air chambers so that air is injected into and exhausted from the independent small tubes at the same time but air is independently lost from the independent small tubes when a puncture is formed therein. The boat is provided with a plurality of such porous tube bodies so as to be connected with each other in series or in parallel by means of a connection pipe having an air input/output control unit. This boat gives absolute safety against puncture or external damage, is constructed and dissembled within a short time, and also has a competitive force in terms of production costs in comparison to function and safety.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a boat having a plurality of independent air chambers and used as a leisure boat, a rescue boat of a boat in distress, a boat for war and the like, and more particularly to a boat capable of preventing danger caused by an unexpected puncture, in which a plurality of independent small tubes are united to make a porous tube body, and at least two porous tube bodies are connected so that air may be injected and exhausted at the same time but air is lost independently when a puncture is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, boats used for military service and rescue mostly have at least one cylindrical tube body, each having only a single air chamber.
That is to say, a boat having one tube body has a single air chamber regardless of the presence of an inner coating. In addition, a boat having two to four cylindrical tube bodies connected right and left or front and rear also has two to four independent air chambers. For the present, most boats have such structure.
If a puncture is formed in the conventional boat, a corresponding tube body entirely loses its function. Thus, though two to four tube bodies are connected in a boat, a puncture formed in a part of the tube bodies causes air loss corresponding to ¼ to ½ of the whole air in the tube bodies, resulting in a significant buoyancy loss, so the boat is apt to be inclined in one side or turned over.
Accordingly, when an air tube for a boat is manufactured, an expensive material with high strength is used or common materials are united in multiple plies as a cover so as to improve stability against a puncture. In some occasions, a strong steel wire is penetrated into the material. Such efforts for improving strength of the tube body are continued until now.
However, considering the current technical level and costs, there is a limit in improving strength of the tube body. In addition, since boats are used more and more in a danger circumstance such as military drill, rescue activities and leisure activities, and since a boat bears the responsibility of lives of all occupants in case of distress, there is needed a more efficient and realistic alternative for stability against puncture or damage of a boat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention is designed to solve the problems of the conventional boats as mentioned above, and therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a boat with a plurality of air chambers, which is devised with an aim that a plurality of independent small tubes are included in one cylindrical cover, and such porous tube bodies are connected front and rear or right and left in plural to give more independent air chambers, so that, though a puncture is formed in one small tube, a boat may keep its balance only with the air (or, buoyancy) of the other small tubes.

TECHNICAL SOLUTION

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a boat with a plurality of air chambers, wherein at least two independent small tubes are included in one cover to form a porous tube body with a plurality of independent air chambers so that air is injected into and exhausted from the independent small tubes at the same time but air is independently lost from the independent small tubes when a puncture is formed therein, and wherein the boat is provided with a plurality of such porous tube bodies so as to be connected with each other in series in a front and rear direction or in parallel in a right and left direction by means of a connection pipe having an air input/output control unit.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

The boat of the present invention has a plurality of independent air chambers by connecting porous tube bodies, each having a plurality of independent small air tubes, thereby giving absolute safety against puncture or external damage. In addition, since air may injected in or exhausted out of a plurality of air chambers, a boat may be constructed and dissembled within a short time. Moreover, the air chambers may be repaired individually, and also the boat of the present invention has a competitive force in terms of production costs in comparison to function and safety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional tube body;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a porous tube body according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows air chambers according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a connection pipe and porous tube bodies connected to both sides of the connection pipe according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows an air input/output control unit installed in the connection pipe according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a finishing structure for effectively finishing one end of a small tube body according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 shows that the porous tube bodies of the present invention may be additionally connected in series in front and rear or in parallel in right and left; and
FIG. 8 shows a safety valve and an air pressure gauge that may be installed to the connection pipe according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail referring to the drawings.
A boat (A) with a plurality of air chambers is configured in a way that at least two independent small tubes 10 are included in one cover 50 to form a porous tube body 100 with a plurality of independent air chambers so that air is injected into and exhausted from the independent small tubes at the same time but air is independently lost from the independent small tubes when a puncture is formed therein, and the boat is provided with a plurality of such porous tube bodies 100 so as to be connected with each other in series in a front and rear direction or in parallel in a right and left direction by means of a connection pipe 200 having an air input/output control unit 210 so that there may be provided the more number of independent air chambers.
Air adjusting valves 202 are provided to both sides of the connection pipe 200 so as to inject or exhaust air into/from the small tube 10 in connect with an injection hole 22 b of each small tube 10.
In such configuration, when being combined to both sides of the connection pipe 200 in which the air input/output control unit 210 is installed, the porous tube body 100 having a plurality of the small tubes 10 is connected thereto in communication with a plurality of the small tubes 10 in the porous tube body 100.
In addition, in this connection, the porous tube body 100 is firmly connected to the connection pipe 200 by means of a tube joint 20 with an insert hole 21 and a pressing projection 22.
That is to say, the small tube 10 is passed inward through the insert hole 21 of the tube joint 20, and then the passed part of the small tube 10 is turned over and surrounded by the pressing projection 22. In this state, that part is fitted into a combination groove 201 previously formed at a certain position of the connection pipe 200. Then, the tube 10 is firmly combined to the connection pipe 200, with ensuring perfect sealing since a rubber of the small tube 10 is partially surrounded and interposed into a gap for combination. In addition, a fine unevenness 21 a may be formed in the insert hole 21 of the tube joint 20, and then the pressing projection 22 having an air injection hole 22 b and an unevenness 22 a corresponding to the unevenness 21 a may be further fitted into the insert hole 21. This makes an air ventilation hole, or the air injection hole 22 b, smaller so that the air injection hole is blocked more efficiently. Such fine unevenness 21 a and 22 a are not essential to the present invention, but selective as required.
Furthermore, the structure related to the tube joint 20 may be replaced with a joining method using a nut 25 as an another embodiment. At this time, the nut 25 is unscrewed so that the pressing projection 22 of the joint 10 is protruded to some extent to generate a gap. In this state, one end of the small tube 10 is interposed into the gap of the pressing projection 22, and then the nut 25 is fastened. This configuration may be selected after fully considering sealing, assembling and manufacturing conditions.
In addition, the air input/output control unit 210 installed in the connection pipe 200 may adopt various means in order to open or close the air injection holes 22 b of a plurality of the small tubes 10 connected to both sides of the connection pipe 200 at the same time.
As one scheme, a blocking tube body 220 having an air valve 221 is separately installed to the connection pipe 200, and then an air with higher pressure than the air filled in the small tube 10 is filled in the blocking tube body 220. Then, the blocking tube body 220 is expanded to close all of the air injection holes 22 b of a plurality of the small tubes 20 at both sides of the connection pipe 200 in bundle, thereby controlling exhaust of air at the same time. In addition, if the air in the blocking tube body 220 is discharged out when required, the air in the small tubes 10 may be easily exhausted.
That is to say, in order to fill air into the small tubes 10 configured at both sides of the connection pipe 200, the air in the blocking tube body 220 is partially or completely eliminated. Then, the blocking tube body 220 is rapidly reduced from an expanded state, so the air injection holes 22 b of a plurality of the small tubes 10 are all opened. At this time, if air of a certain pressure is injected into the connection pipe 200 through the valve 221 of the connection pipe 200, the air is filled into a plurality of the small tubes 10 communicated with both sides of the connection pipe 100 at the same time through each air injection hole 22 b. While the air is injected in such a way, if it is determined that the air is filled to a desired pressure, air injection is stopped and then air is filled into the blocking tube body 220 in the connection pipe 200. At this time, the blocking tube body 220 may adheres to and close the air injection holes 22 b of a plurality of the small tubes 10 arranged to its sides by filling air in the blocking tube body 220 at a higher pressure than an air pressure in each small tube 10, and also may keep on this filled state perfectly. In order to exhaust the filled air in this state, the air in the blocking tube body 220 is partially or completely eliminated. Then, the blocking tube body 220 is shrunk to open the air injection holes 22 b, so that the air in the small tubes 10 may be exhausted out through the connection pipe 200 and the valve 221 at the same time.
As another scheme, the air input/output control unit 210 installed in the connection pipe 200 may symmetrically have air blocking plates 233 with a plurality of sealing protrusions at both sides thereof so that the air blocking plates 233 are slid right or left within a predetermined range by means of a power transmission unit 232, using any of a screw, a gear and a cam, operated by operation of an air shielding control lever 231 formed on an outside of the connection pipe, so as to open or close injection holes 22 b of the small tubes 10 formed on both sides of the connection pipe 200. This scheme may have a disadvantage of expansive manufacture costs rather than the case using air expansion of the blocking tube body 220 described above, but this scheme shows more excellent workability in a full mechanical way. In addition, the power transmission unit 232 using a screw, a gear or a cam is provided between both air blocking plates 233 to switch a downward linear rotational force of an adjustment lever into a pulling and pushing force so that the air blocking plates 233 are slid at the same time in both directions. That is to say, the power transmission unit 232 enables the operation of the outer lever 231 of the connection pipe 200 to push and pull both blocking plates 233 at a certain range. The power transmission unit 232 may be configured in various ways using an inclined push rod (not shown) as well as a screw, a gear and a cam, and they may be all called ‘power transmission means’.
The air input/output control unit 210 configured as mentioned above may open the air injection holes 22 b so that a plurality of the small tubes 10 provided to both sides of the connection pipe 200 may be filled with air at the same time. Thus, though the number of small tubes 10 is increased, air may be injected in and exhausted out of the small tubes 10 at the same time.
By using this configuration, air injection and exhaustion may be conducted at once in a plurality of the small tubes 10. In addition, since the small tubes are independently configured as mentioned above, though a puncture is formed in any of them, air in the corresponding small tube 10 is lost, and the other small tubes 10 keep their air as they were, thereby eliminating a danger caused by the puncture. That is to say, the small tubes 10 are independently configured though air is filled into and discharged out of the small tubes 10 at the same time, air is disappeared only from a small tube with a puncture, and air in the other small tubes without any puncture is kept, thereby ensuring safety.
Meanwhile, the connection pipe 200 is combined by means of a bolt 240 so as to be assembled or dissembled to both sides, considering the necessity of separation or exchange of the small tubes or internal repair thereof.
In addition, a plurality of cover hooks 250 are formed on outer circumferences of both sides of the connection pipe 200 at regular intervals, and a plurality of hooking grooves 51 are formed on an inside end of the cover 50 corresponding to the cover hooks 250 at regular intervals by means of sewing so that the cover hooks 250 and the hooking grooves 51 are detachably combined with each other, thereby ensuring mutual combination thereof and facilitating easy detachment. That is to say, when air is not filled in the small tubes 10, the hook 250 of the connection pipe 200 may be easily hooked in the hooking groove 51 of the cover 50 since the cover 50 is in a loose state, not in an expanded state. However, if air is filled therein after the hook 250 is hooked on the hooking groove 51, the cover 50 is expanded and the hooking state is kept in a tight state, not deviated.
In addition, the cover 50 used in the present invention just surrounds a plurality of independent small tubes 10 with an independent sealing function as a whole, differently from a conventional cover that should perfectly protect one large tube. Thus, the cover 50 of the present invention does not require an airtight property and also does not give a direct influence on loss of function of tubes. That is to say, the cover 50 just conducts simple functions such as keeping appearance, packaging the small tubes, keeping a gap between both connection pipes 200, restraining excessive expansion of the small tubes therein, and additionally protecting the small tubes therein.
Thus, an expensive material with high strength and high tensile force is not required, differently from the conventional one. In addition, the small tube 10 also does not need a material with strength and tensile force higher than a needed level since there are provided a plurality of small tubes are provided. In addition, the small tube may be mass-produced in a pipe shape, it is possible to produce a boat at a lower cost rather than a conventional one.
In addition, though one end of the small tube 10 is connected to the connection pipe 100, the other end may be finished as shown in the drawings so that a finishing joint 260 with a pressing groove 261 is fitted therein. To describe it in more detail, the finishing joint 260 is inserted into one end of the small tube, and the small tube 10 is partially folded and then inserted into the pressing groove 261 of the finishing joint 260. And then, a sealing pressing part 270 with an unevenness 271 on an outside thereof fits and presses the small tube 10, thereby finishing the end and giving secure sealing. Since the small tube 10 is made of a pipe-type rubber tube with both ends open, it is not easy to seal one end of the small tube 10. Conventionally, a pocket-type finishing material is generally prepared separately and then attached to one end of the small tube 10 to seal the end. However, producing such a pocket-type finishing material is not easy, and this finishing material does not give perfect sealing ability.
In addition, a safety valve 410 for preventing air from being injected beyond a required level and an air pressure gauge 420 for checking air pressure injected in may be additionally installed to predetermined portions of the connection pipe 200, respectively.
In addition, a porous finishing plate 300 may be formed at both ends of the porous tube body 100 in order to finish the end of the porous tube body and keep appearance of the end. At this time, since the cover 50 should be combined with the porous finishing plate 300, cover hooks 250 as formed on the connection pipe 200 are provided on the outer circumference of the porous finishing plate 300 at regular intervals.
In addition, connection unit 400 may be respectively provided to any or both ends of the porous tube body 100 and the connection pipe 200, or their front and rear ends so as to connect the porous tube body 100 additionally. That is to say, various connection structures well known in the art may be applied thereto, like band-type connection, bolt-nut connection and pin connection.
In the porous tube body 10 and a boat using the porous tube body 10 according to the present invention configured as mentioned above, a plurality of small tubes 10 independently operated when a puncture is formed are configured in the circular cover 50, and the porous tube body 100 having a plurality of small tubes 10 may be continuously connected additionally in series or in parallel, so it is possible that one boat (A) has numerous independent air chambers as required.
For example, assuming that 50 small tubes 10 is included in one porous tube body 100 and there are provided five porous tube bodies 100 in series in a front and rear direction and three porous tube bodies 100 in parallel in a right and left direction, one boat may have 750 small tubes 10 resultantly. Thus, though puncture is formed in some of the small tubes 10, the puncture gives very small influence as a whole, and the boat may cause any problem in its functions.
Such a reinforced function ensures safety when a boat with the function runs on the river or sea for a long time or against rough water current. In particular, the boat will be very useful when it is used for military drill or life rescue.
As described above, the technique configuring a boat by configuring a porous tube body with a plurality of small tubes is not limitedly applied to a boat that needs a predetermined buoyancy, but may give significant effects when being applied to various air mats that require safety against puncture earnestly. Thus, the concept of the present invention should be understood to include various air mats.

Claims

1. A boat (A) with a plurality of air chambers,

wherein at least two independent small tubes (10) are included in one cover (50) to form a porous tube body (100) with a plurality of independent air chambers so that air is injected into and exhausted from the independent small tubes at the same time but air is independently lost from the independent small tubes when a puncture is formed therein, and

wherein the boat is provided with a plurality of such porous tube bodies (100) so as to be connected with each other in series in a front and rear direction or in parallel in a right and left direction by means of a connection pipe (200) having an air input/output control means (210).

2. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein air adjusting valves (202) are provided to both sides of the connection pipe (200) so as to inject or exhaust air into/from the small tube (10) in connect with an injection hole (22 b) of each small tube (10).

3. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of the small tubes (10) composing the porous tube body (100) are connected to the connection pipe (200) so that a tube joint (20) with an insert hole (21) and a pressing projection (22) keeps a fitting state thereof.

4. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 3,

wherein a fine unevenness (21 a) is formed in the insert hole (21) of the tube joint (20), and the pressing projection (22) having an air injection hole (22 b) and an unevenness (22 a) corresponding to the unevenness (21 a) is fitted into the insert hole (21).

5. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein the air input/output control means (210) installed in the connection pipe (200) is a blocking tube body (220) having an air valve (221) on an outside thereof.

6. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein the air input/output control means (210) installed in the connection pipe (200) symmetrically has air blocking plates (233) with a plurality of sealing protrusions at both sides thereof so that the air blocking plates (233) are slid right or left within a predetermined range by means of a power transmission means (232), using any of a screw, a gear and a cam, operated by operation of an air shielding control lever (231) formed on an outside of the connection pipe, so as to open or close injection holes (22 b) of the small tubes (10) formed on both sides of the connection pipe (200).

7. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of cover hooks (250) are formed on outer circumferences of both sides of the connection pipe (200) at regular intervals, and a plurality of hooking grooves (51) are formed on an inside end of the cover (50) corresponding to the cover hooks (250) at regular intervals by means of sewing so that the cover hooks (250) and the hooking grooves (51) are detachably combined with each other.

8. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein a finishing joint (260) with a pressing groove (261) is inserted into an end of the small tube (10) opposite to a point connected to the connection pipe (200), and the small tube (10) is partially folded and then inserted into the pressing groove (261) of the finishing joint (260), and then a sealing pressing part (270) with an unevenness (271) on an outside thereof fits and presses the small tube (10).

9. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein there is provided a porous finishing plate (300) having a cover hook (250) formed at an end thereof opposite to the porous tube bodies (100) installed to both sides of the connection pipe (200).

10. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to any of claims 1 to 9,

wherein connection means (400) are additionally formed to right, left, front and rear of the cover (50), both sides of the connection pipe (200) and front and rear of the porous finishing plate (300) so that the porous tube bodies (100) are connectable in series in a front and rear direction or in parallel in a right and rear direction.

11. The boat with a plurality of air chambers according to claim 1,

wherein a safety valve (410) for preventing air from being injected beyond a required level and an air pressure gauge (420) for checking air pressure injected in are additionally installed to predetermined portions of the connection pipe (200), respectively.