US3842768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cellular flotation structure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-17
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1992-03-17
Abstract
Abstract A cellular flotation structure made up of identical regular rhombododecahedra packed without voids between them to provide a structure with greater strength and uplift when submerged. The structure is suitably made up from moulded panels which each define a plurality of semi-cells, in the form of semirhombododecahedra, and are aligned and joined together. Marginal cells can be reinforced.
Inventors
- 👤 M Maistre
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:14
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B3/00; B32B3/10; B32B3/12; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B63; B63B; B63B3/00; B63B3/13; B65; B65D; B65D88/00; B65D88/34; B65D88/36; B65D90/00; B65D90/22; B65D90/38; B65D90/42; B32B2305/00; B32B2305/02; B32B2305/024; B32B2305/08; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/70; B32B2307/726; B32B2307/7265; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S52/00; Y10S52/10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24149; Y10T428/24157; Y10T428/24165; Y10T428/24628; Y10T428/24669; Y10T428/24678; Y10T428/24744
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A buoyant cellular structure for deep immersion in water having a high resistance to implosion relative to the overall density thereof when immersed, comprising a plurality of watertight cells of identical hollow rhombododecahedral shape and arranged in juxtaposed relation, each wall of juxtaposed cells constituting a common wall there-between to eliminate intermediate voids, said cells being arranged in at least two superposed layers, each of said cells being formed of two semicells, each in the form of a semi-rhombododecahedron having free edges surrounding an aperture, a pair of said semi-cells being joined together along their free edges to form a cell, said free edges and apertures lying in median planes of said cells, a plurality of semi-cells being arranged as panels in which the apertures of said semi-cells face outwardly on at least one of said panels and a plurality of said panels are assembled in stacked relation, each of the semi-cells on the at least one surface of one panel forming with each facing semi-cell of an adjacent panel, a layer of water-tight cells, the common walls of said cells having a thickness between about one/twentieth and about one/fourth of the diameter of the rhombododecahedral cells.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A buoyant cellular structure for deep immersion in water having a high resistance to implosion relative to the overall density thereof when immersed, comprising a plurality of watertight cells of identical hollow rhombododecahedral shape and arranged in juxtaposed relation, each wall of juxtaposed cells constituting a common wall there-between to eliminate intermediate voids, said cells being arranged in at least two superposed layers, each of said cells being formed of two semicells, each in the form of a semi-rhombododecahedron having free edges surrounding an aperture, a pair of said semi-cells being joined together along their free edges to form a cell, said free edges and apertures lying in median planes of said cells, a plurality of semi-cells being arranged as panels in which the apertures of said semi-cells face outwardly on at least one of said panels and a plurality of said panels are assembled in stacked relation, each of the semi-cells on the at least one surface of one panel forming with each facing semi-cell of an adjacent panel, a layer of water-tight cells, the common walls of said cells having a thickness between about one/twentieth and about one/fourth of the diameter of the rhombododecahedral cells.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said panels has two opposed parallel faces and comprises a layer of said semi-cells, some of said semi-cells having their apertures facing outwardly on one parallel face and the remaining semi-cells having their apertures facing outwardly on the other parallel face of said panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the distance between said opposed parallel faces of said panels is equal to the height of said semi-cells perpendicular to said faces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A structure as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said semi-cells includes an interior corner opposite to its aperture and each parallel face of said panels comprises the apertures of some of said semi-cells and the interior corners of tHe remaining semi-cells.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein said apertures lie in median planes of the rhombododecahedra formed by said semi-cells, and said rhombododecahedra have edges and opposed corners at which four of said edges meet, said median planes being perpendicular to lines joining two opposed corners.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A structure as claimed in claim 3 wherein each semi-cell includes an inner bottom wall parallel to the opposed aperture thereof, and wherein each opposed parallel face of said panels comprises apertures of some of said semi-cells and the bottom walls of the remaining semi-cells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the apertures of said semi-cells lie in median planes of the rhombododecahedra formed by said semi-cells, and said rhombododecahedra have opposed parallel walls, said median planes being perpendicular to a line joining the mid-points of two opposed parallel walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apertures of a single layer of said semi-cells lie in a single face of each of said panels, each semi-cell having walls perpendicular to said single face.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said panels has two opposed parallel faces and comprises a first and a second super-posed layer of said semi-cells the apertures of said first layer of semi-cells facing outwardly from one parallel face and the apertures of said second layer of semi-cells facing outwardly from the other parallel face.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said semi-cells includes walls perpendicular to said opposed parallel faces and inclined inner walls, each inclined inner wall of one semi-cell being common to the inclined inner walls of a superposed semi-cell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein the apertures of said semi-cells lie in median planes of the rhombododecahedra formed by said semi-cells, and said rhombododecahedra have edges and corners opposite to said apertures at which three of said edges meet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels are moulded from a plastic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels have marginal cells with outside walls and said outside marginal walls are reinforced.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |