US4215952A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Offshore structure for use in waters containing large moving ice masses
Assignee: Chevron USA Inc
•
Filing: 1978-03-15
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Granted: 1980-08-05
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Expires: 1998-03-15
Abstract
Abstract An offshore structure for use in arctic waters containing large moving ice masses such as icebergs wherein the structure has a wear surface arranged around the periphery of its support portion at least in the region of the support portion of potential contact with moving ice masses. A layer of resilient material is disposed between the wear surface and the support portion in order to reduce the forces imposed on the structure by the impinging ice masses.
Inventors
- 👤 Per Baardsen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:51
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/0017; E02B17/0021; E02B2017/0056; E02B2017/0069
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
An offshore structure for use in arctic waters containing relatively large moving ice masses, comprising: a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water; means for securing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water; a wear surface arranged around the entire periphery of said support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses forming a void between said support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; and a layer of resilient material disposed between and in contact with said support portion and said wear surface filling said void, said wear surface transferring the forces associated with the impinging ice mass to said resilient material so that said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the support portion by the moving ice mass.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
An offshore structure for use in arctic waters containing relatively large moving ice masses, comprising: a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water; means for securing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water; a wear surface arranged around the entire periphery of said support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses forming a void between said support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; and a layer of resilient material disposed between and in contact with said support portion and said wear surface filling said void, said wear surface transferring the forces associated with the impinging ice mass to said resilient material so that said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the support portion by the moving ice mass.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
197 words
An offshore structure for use in arctic waters containing relatively large moving ice masses, comprising: a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water; means for securing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water; a wear surface concentrically arranged around the entire periphery of said support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses forming an annular void between said support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; means for affixing said wear surface to said support portion; and a layer of resilient material disposed between and in contact with said support portion and said wear surface filling said annular void, said wear surface transferring the forces associated with the impinging ice mass to said resilient material so that said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the support portion by the moving ice mass.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
197 words
An offshore structure for use in arctic waters containing relatively large moving ice masses, comprising: a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water; means for securing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water; a wear surface concentrically arranged around the entire periphery of said support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses forming an annular void between said support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; means for affixing said wear surface to said support portion; and a layer of resilient material disposed between and in contact with said support portion and said wear surface filling said annular void, said wear surface transferring the forces associated with the impinging ice mass to said resilient material so that said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the support portion by the moving ice mass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The offshore structure of claim 2 wherein said layer of resilient material is made from neoprene and wherein said wear surface is constructed from steel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The offshore structure of claim 3 wherein said neoprene has a thickness of at least six inches and said steel has a thickness of at least one-half inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The offshore structure of claim 2 wherein the support portion has a cylindrical shape and is secured to the bottom of the body of water by the force of gravity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The offshore structure of claim 2 wherein the support portion has a frustoconical form converging upwardly and inwardly of the bottom of the body of water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The offshore structure of claim 2 wherein the support portion comprises a plurality of substantially vertical spacedapart legs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
163 words
In an offshore structure for use in a body of water which contains relatively large moving ice masses, which structure includes a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water, said support portion having an outer surface extendible from below the surface of the body of water to above the surface and means for affixing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water, the improvement comprising: a resilient material attached to the entire outer surface of said support portion at least in the region of said support portion of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses, said resilient material being deflected when impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the structure by the ice mass moving into contact with said support portion and a wear surface arranged around said resilient material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
163 words
In an offshore structure for use in a body of water which contains relatively large moving ice masses, which structure includes a support portion extendible into a body of water for supporting a work platform above the surface of the body of water, said support portion having an outer surface extendible from below the surface of the body of water to above the surface and means for affixing said support portion to the bottom of the body of water, the improvement comprising: a resilient material attached to the entire outer surface of said support portion at least in the region of said support portion of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses, said resilient material being deflected when impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass and said resilient material of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the forces imposed on the structure by the ice mass moving into contact with said support portion and a wear surface arranged around said resilient material.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: positioning a wear surface around the entire periphery of the support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses to form a void between the support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; disposing a layer of resilient material between and in contact with the support portion and said wear surface to fill said void, wherein said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass; and forming said resilient material of sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: positioning a wear surface around the entire periphery of the support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses to form a void between the support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; disposing a layer of resilient material between and in contact with the support portion and said wear surface to fill said void, wherein said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass; and forming said resilient material of sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: positioning a wear surface concentrically around the entire periphery of the support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses to form an annular void between the support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; affixing said wear surface to said support portion; disposing a layer of resilient material between and in contact with the support portion and said wear surface to fill said annular void, wherein said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass; and forming said resilient material of sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: positioning a wear surface concentrically around the entire periphery of the support portion at least in the region of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses to form an annular void between the support portion and said wear surface, said wear surface adapted to receive the impact of relatively large ice masses moving into contact therewith; affixing said wear surface to said support portion; disposing a layer of resilient material between and in contact with the support portion and said wear surface to fill said annular void, wherein said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass; and forming said resilient material of sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when said wear surface is impacted by the relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said resilient material is made from neoprene and wherein said wear surface is constructed from steel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said neoprene has a thickness of at least six inches and said wear surface has a thickness of at least one-half inch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the support portion of the offshore structure has a cylindrical shape and is positionable on the bottom of the body of water by the force of gravity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the support portion of the offshore structure has a frustoconical form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the support portion of the offshore structure comprises a plurality of substantially vertical spaced-apart legs.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: attaching a resilient material to the entire outer surface of the support portion in the region of the support portion of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses, said resilient material being deflected when impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass; forming said resilient material of a sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when the structure is impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced; and arranging a wear surface around said resilient material.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for reducing the forces imposed on an offshore structure by relatively large moving ice masses which come into contact with the support portion of the structure, comprising: attaching a resilient material to the entire outer surface of the support portion in the region of the support portion of potential contact with relatively large moving ice masses, said resilient material being deflected when impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass; forming said resilient material of a sufficient thickness so that when said resilient material deflects when the structure is impacted by a relatively large moving ice mass the forces imposed on the structure by the impacting ice mass are substantially reduced; and arranging a wear surface around said resilient material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-08-05 | 1984-02-04 | 1984-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-08-05 | 1988-02-04 | 1988-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-08-05 | 1992-02-04 | 1992-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |