IP Library Granted Patent US 10,486,782
Granted Patent B2
US 10,486,782 · App. 15/850,199 · Granted Nov 26, 2019

Carrying device and operation method thereof

Inventors: Yu-Chi Chang (Hsinchu, TW); Yi-Chen Li (Hsinchu, TW); Shih-Sheng Hsu (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
B63B43/02B63B35/44B63B2035/4453B63B2231/48
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,486,782
App. No.
15/850,199
Granted
Nov 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a carrying device and an operation method thereof. The carrying device includes: a floating platform; and at least one flexible unit provided on a bottom side of the floating plate and having a cavity formed therein. The flexible unit is deformed under a stress to reduce the friction force between the flexible unit and the solid in the water, which allows the carrying device to break free from the solid without external help.

Claims (19)

1. A carrying device, comprising:

a floating platform configured to float on a surface of a liquid;

at least one flexible unit provided at a bottom side of the floating platform with a cavity formed therein and being immersed in the liquid, wherein the cavity is deformed when being subject to a force; and

at least one pile foot provided at the bottom side of the floating platform, wherein the at least one pile foot is covered by the at least one flexible unit, and

wherein the at least one flexible unit includes an inner-layer portion attached to the pile foot and an outer-layer portion free from being attached to the pile foot.

2. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the outer-layer portion has a greater area than the inner-layer portion.

3. The carrying device of claim 2 , wherein the cavity is formed between the inner-layer portion and the outer-layer portion.

4. The carrying device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one groove formed on a surface of the pile foot and configured for attachment of the inner-layer portion of the at least one flexible unit thereto.

5. The carrying device of claim 4 , wherein the groove is a spiral groove.

6. The carrying device of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to fasten the at least one flexible unit around the pile foot and seal the cavity.

7. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the pile foot has a flat bottom face.

8. The carrying device of claim 1 , wherein the pile foot has a bottom face with rounded corners.

9. A method of operating a carrying device, comprising:

placing the carrying device of claim 1 on the surface of the liquid;

when a level of the liquid decreases and the carrying device gets stuck in a sediment of the liquid, the at least one flexible unit is deformed by the gravity of the carrying device and a stress from the sediment; and

when the level of the liquid rises, a buoyancy of the carrying device provides another stress for the at least one flexible unit to undergo another deformation for the at least one flexible unit to break free from the sediment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the deformation of the at least one flexible unit caused by the gravity of the carrying device and the stress of the sediment includes lateral expansion.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the another stress provided by the buoyancy of the carrying device concentrates on a junction between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment to create a gap between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gap between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment is configured to be filled with the liquid to reduce friction between the at least one flexible unit and the sediment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2017
From: CHANG, YU-CHI; LI, YI-CHEN; HSU, SHIH-SHENG
To: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 044461/0657 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 106138964 A · Nov 10, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190144088A1 · May 16, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,552,496