DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to quay fenders. BACKGROUND ART

The kinetic energy of floating bodies, such as boats, ships etc., approaching a quay wall can be effectively absorbed by various types of fenders. Typical fenders are rubber constructions arranged along quay walls.

A US patent US4650371 presents a device for absorbing energy from an approaching floating body, comprising a fender including spring means disposed on a side surface of a coast or pier wall and displaceable by said approaching floating body and dash-pot means on said side surface for dissipating said energy by means of a resistance of internal fluid. The device absorbs only the energy of impact.

A US patent application US20070007780 describes a kinetic energy absorber for connecting to a bumper of a car and comprising a rotatable energy absorber with a rotor connected with the bumper via a toothed bar and a multiplying gear. Upon impact directed to the bumper, the translational motion of the bumper induces translational motion of the toothed bar, which induces rotation of the rotor. The absorber is designed for a single use during a car crash and absorbs only the energy of impact.

The aim of the invention is to provide an alternative protection arrangement for quays allowing efficient absorption of impact energy of the ship approaching the quay.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is a quay fender mountable to a quay via a mounting plate and comprising a movable front plate for receiving impact from incoming ship, characterized in that it comprises a rotatable energy absorber comprising a rotor for absorbing in rotational movement at least part of the kinetic energy of the movable front plate.

Preferably, the front plate and the mounting plate are connected by two pairs of two crossed levers, connected together by a central shaft, wherein the first lever is fixed to the mounting plate by a pivotable joint, and is coupled with the front plate via a roller, and wherein the second lever is fixed to the front plate by a pivotable joint and is coupled with the mounting plate via a roller, and wherein a toothed bar is fixed to the main plate by a pivotable joint.

Preferably, the quay fender further comprises a toothed bar coupled, via clamps, with a toothed wheel mounted on the central part of the central shaft, wherein a pair of toothed wheels are mounted on the central shaft and coupled with a toothed shaft, on which a pair of rotors are mounted

Preferably, the rotors are coupled with electric power generator for generating electric energy from the kinetic energy of the rotation of the rotors.

Preferably, the quay fender further comprises a biasing element for biasing the front plate from the mounting plate in a direction opposite to the direction of the impact force to be absorbed.

Preferably, the front plate comprises rubber or elastomer buffers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is shown by means of exemplary embodiments on a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an overview of a protection arrangement for quays in a top view,

Figs. 2A, 2B show the quay fender in an expanded position,

Figs. 3A, 3B shows the quay fender in a contracted position.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows an overview of a protection arrangement for quays in a top view. The arrangement comprises a plurality of fenders 100 arranged along a quay wall 201 for absorbing impact energy of a ship 202 approaching the quay wall in an impact direction, i.e. the direction of ship movement towards the quay wall.

Figs. 2A, 2B and 3A, 3B show the fender 100 according to the invention in an extended and contracted position, respectively. The fender comprises a mounting plate 101 for connecting the fender to the quay wall 201 . Preferably, the mounting plate has a rectangular shape and an area of approximately 1 square meter. The fender further comprises a front plate 102, preferably parallel to the mounting plate 101 , for receiving the impact of an incoming ship. The front plate 102 and the mounting plate 101 are connected by two pairs of two crossed levers 1 10, 120, connected together by a central shaft 131 . The first lever 1 10 is fixed to the mounting plate 101 by a pivotable joint 1 1 1 , and is coupled with the front plate 102 via a roller 1 12. The second lever 120 is fixed to the front plate 102 by a pivotable joint 121 and is coupled with the mounting plate 101 via a roller 122. The levers 1 10, 120 are preferably arranged in a plane perpendicular to the main plane of the mounting plate 101 , preferably in a vertical plane. The plates 101 , 102 may be therefore moved with respect to each other, preferably in a distance from about 0,5 to about 1 m.

A toothed bar 142 is fixed to the main plate 101 by a pivotable joint 141 .

The toothed bar 142 is coupled, via clamps 143, with a toothed wheel mounted on the central part of the central shaft 131 . A pair of toothed wheels 134 are mounted on the central shaft 131 and coupled with a toothed shaft 152, on which a pair of rotors 153 are mounted. Therefore, when the fender receives impact from an incoming ship, the front plate 102 moves towards the mounting plate 101 and the central shaft 131 moves along the toothed bar 142. This causes rotation of the central shaft 131 , which induces rotation of the toothed wheels 134, which in turn induce, via the toothed shaft 152, rotation of rotors 153. The toothed wheels 134 have preferably drilled holes 135 therein, to reduce their inertia.

Therefore, the front plate 102 is coupled a rotatable energy absorber comprising the rotors 153 for absorbing in rotational movement at least part of the kinetic energy imparted to the movable front plate 102. The rotors 153 may have a form of a flywheel. The amount of energy accumulated in the rotors 153, in other words a rotatable mass, depends on the weight of the rotor 153, its diameter and the induced speed of rotation, which in turn depends on the coupling between the movable front plate 102 and the rotor 153, i.e. on the transmission ratio between the toothed bar 142 and the central shaft 131 and the transmission ratio between the toothed wheels 134 and the toothed shaft 152.

The rotors 153 may be coupled with electric power generator for generating electric energy from the kinetic energy of the rotation of the rotors 153. A relatively large amount of energy that can be obtained from a large mass of an incoming ship can be stored in energy accumulators and used to power devices installed at the quay.

Preferably, the fender further comprises a biasing element (not shown in the drawing) for biasing the front plate 102 from the mounting plate 101 in a direction opposite to the direction of the impact force to be absorbed, to keep the fender in its pre-impact position when the position of the ship changes. The biasing element may for example comprise a longitudinal spring configured to push the front plate 102 away from the mounting plate 101 .

The presented embodiment comprises a pair of two levers 1 10, 120 and a pair of toothed wheels 134 and rotors 153 as an exemplary embodiment only. It is to be understood that similar effects can be achieved by a device where these elements are single or in higher quantities.

The coupling between the front plate 102 and the rotors 153 in the presented embodiment is a mechanical toothed coupling. However, it is to be understood that other couplings are also possible to implement, such as strand couplings, wherein the rotors are induced into high speed of rotation to effectively accumulate the kinetic energy in its rotational motion.

The front plate 102 may have further mounted thereon conventional impact absorbers, such as rubber or elastomer buffers. This limits the initial impact of the ship.