The production of floating structures and the production of prefabricated room units and their transportation and installation in floating structures is previ- ously known. Subsequently to installing the room units, the connecting of the room units to the systems of the floating structure as well as to each other, such as by means of piping and pipe couplings, has necessitated a number of additional work phases that are time consuming and increase costs. Normally these work phases are carried out inside the floating structure, after the room unit has been installed and in a service niche formed outside room unit.

Especially in marine vessels, such as ships, oil-rigs, etc. , these subse- quent work phases have included welding and other work with fire hazard in limited spaces, which in addition to the disadvantages mentioned above has presented a considerable risk in producing the floating structure. The working conditions in the floating structure have for this reason also been difficult and dangerous.

The object of the invention is to achieve a method by means of which the above mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and by means of which the prefabrication phase can be as complete and cost-efficient as possible. This object is attained by a method according to the invention, the characterising features of which are disclosed in claim 1.

The basic idea of the invention is to produce a floating structure so that the prefabrication of the room units to be transported to and installed in the floating structure also comprises apparatuses and constructions which are located in the immediate surroundings of the room unit, the apparatuses and constructions form- ing a part of the resident systems of the floating structure and serving at least the room unit in question, preferably also other room units. In practice this means that prior to transporting the room unit and installing it on the floating construction, the service niche of the room unit is fitted out already in connection with the prefabri- cation so that the service niche is provided with elements in connection with the systems of the floating construction, not only those of the room unit in question, such as piping and other medium transportation elements, coupling constructions in connection therewith and/or operating and control means, whereby at least a part of said elements is attached to the border surfaces on the side of the service niche, outside of the room unit, in connection with the prefabrication. In this way the room unit, which also has parts related to the systems of the floating structure, may be transported to and installed in the floating structure, which in practice means that a considerable part of the construction process of the floating structure is transferred to take place in connection with the prefabrication of the room unit, at another location than in the floating structure.

An advantage of such an arrangement is, firstly, that the arranging of the elements in the service niche can be made in an open space (in connection with the prefabrication) instead of having to work in a limited space, such as the service niche between room units, when the unit is installed in the floating structure. This solution also eliminates the separate transportation of large amounts of piping and other apparatuses to the floating structure and moving them along narrow pas- sageways to their correct places in connection with the room units.

This will also allow the elements to be arranged into the service niche as functionally as possible, for example by taking into account the necessary service, repair and adjustment work and general accessibility required by use. In this man- ner the arranging of the elements may also be made constant, i. e. standardised, which helps rationalising the planning of the floating structure. The amount of re-

quired elements can also be more accurately projected, which will have a positive effect on the on-time availability of the elements.

In other words, both the fitting-out work in the floating structure itself and the logistics of constructing and fitting-out of the floating structure can be optimised by means of the present invention.

The elements to be connected to the room unit in connection with the prefabrication are, for example, a part of the grey water piping, black water piping, fresh water piping, condensation or drainage water piping, cooling water piping and/or fire extinguisher piping of the floating structure.

In addition to this, a part of the air conditioning piping and the air condi- tioning apparatus may be arranged into the service niche.

Conventionally, the room units are arranged as layers in the floating structure supported by the deck structures, whereby it is advantageous to attach the deck structure lead-throughs to the elements in connection with the prefabrica- tion. It is advantageous to arrange flexible coupling means between the elements and the deck structure lead-throughs. The pre-arranged deck structure lead- throughs can thus be transferred to the floating structure together with the room unit, whereby they can easily be installed on the deck structures between the lay- ers of room units utilising the clearance given by the flexible coupling means. Thus, the finishing work to be carried out in the floating structure mainly consists of ar- ranging the connections between the layers or deck structures.

The invention also relates to a method for producing a prefabricated room unit according to claim 2.

The invention further relates to a floating structure according to claim 8 and a prefabricated room unit according to claim 9, the preferred embodiments of which are described in claims 10-14.

In the following, the present invention is explained more in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a floating structure having a number of room units; Figs. 2 and 3 show arrangements made in connection with the room units ;

Fig. 4 shows a service niche in connection with two room units from above; Fig. 5 shows the service niche in connection with two room units in side view; and Fig. 6 shows a service niche in connection with a single room unit from above.

In Fig. 1 the floating structure is indicated by reference numeral 1. The floating structure, comprising a body part 100, is provided with a deck structure or a corresponding support structure 2, on which a number of prefabricated, at least partly outfitted room units 3 have been arranged. The room units 3 are arranged in both the lower portion 101 and the upper portion 103 of the body part 100 of the floating construction 1. In the figure the broken lines show in a simplified way how means relating to the fittings of the room units 3 and elements relating to the sys- tems 5 of the floating structure have been arranged outside the border surfaces 4 of the room units 3, the arrangement of which according to the invention will dis- cussed below more in detail.

The floating construction may for example be a marine vessel, such as a ship, or an oil-rig or some other corresponding structure. Therefore, the subject matter relating to an embodiment discussed below also applies generally to floating structures.

In the following description of an embodiment of the present invention, the floating structure will for the sake of clarity be referred to as a ship 1, whereby a room unit is referred to as a cabin 3 and a border surface is referred to as a wall 4.

In Fig. 1 it is shown how the cabins 3 are arranged both below the so-called weather deck 102 of the ship, in the lower portion 101 of the body part 100, or ac- tually the hull part of the ship 1 as well as above the weather deck 102 of the ship 1, in the upper portion 103 of the hull part of the ship.

This allows the wall structures of the cabin structures, described below in more detail, at the same time to form the outer board of the ship or parts thereof.

For example, in passenger ships with inside promenades lined by cabins, the wall

structures of the cabin structures can correspondingly form the inner side of the ship or parts thereof.

A service niche 10 in the form of a recess is formed outside the cabin 3.

For example, if the basic form of the cabin is a rectangle, a corner of the rectangle can be formed into a recess extending towards the inside of the cabin, the shape of the recess being chosen on the basis of the fittings of the cabin or other functional reason. Examples of such service niches are shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6.

In Fig. 2, a cabin 3 has been arranged on two superimposed deck structures 2. Parts of piping 6 have been fastened (not shown) on the walls 4 of the cabins 3, the parts being coupled both to each other and a system 5 of the ship by means of a first flexible coupling means 7, for example a flexible tube or hose pro- viding clearance for the installation. This is an example of elements that are not di- rectly connected to the prefabricated cabins 3 in question, whereby they however may be attached to the cabins in connection with the prefabrication, prior to trans- ferring the cabin onto the ship. Such elements include, for example, a part of the grey water piping, black water piping, fresh water piping, condensation or drainage water piping, cooling water piping and/or fire extinguisher piping of the ship.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement corresponding to that in Fig. 2. In this case, first piping portions 61 are attached to the wall 4 of each cabin 3 by a fas- tening means 9, for example a pipe clamp fastened to the wall 4 by an arm. The fastening may also be made directly to the wall by means of a fastening strap. The first piping portions 61, for example grey and black water piping relating to inside fittings of the cabin, are elements that are in connection to more than just one cabin. The first piping portions 61 may be connected to the cabin 3, or rather to the inlet and outlet ducts arranged in the cabin, for example by means of flexible cou- pling means or conventional pipe sections 8.

The first piping portions 61 are coupled to the systems 5 of the ship by means of second flexible coupling means 71. The first piping portions 61 attached to the superimposed cabins 3 have in Fig. 3 are connected to each other in two different ways. In the arrangement on the left, the coupling is achieved by means of a third flexible coupling means 72 and in the arrangement on the right by using a

combination of said third flexible coupling means 72 and a pipe coupling 63. Deck structure lead-throughs 13 can also be used in connection with deck structures 2, the lead-throughs being described in connection with Fig. 5.

It is obvious that the flexible coupling means can be replaced by con- ventional pipe parts or pipe sections and vice versa.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a common service niche 10 is formed between two cabins 3. A first means 11 (figure 4) in connection with the cabin fittings has been installed outside the wall 4 of one cabin 3 (on the left hand side in the figures), the first means being, for example, an outlet duct, an inlet duct or a water pipe, and a second means 12, such as an electrical connection box, is installed outside the wall 4 of the other cabin 3 (on the right hand side in the figures). Elements in con- nection with the system 5 of the ship have as well been arranged inside the service niche 10, such as a first piping portion 61 and a second piping portion 62, both of which are attached to the wall 4 of the left-hand cabin 3 by a fastening means 9.

In Fig. 5, the first piping portion 61 is attached by a flexible coupling means 14, such as a flexible tube or hose giving clearance for the installation, to a deck structure lead-through 13 arranged in the deck structure 2. The deck structure lead-through 13 can also be attached to the first piping portion 61 already in con- nection with the prefabrication, whereby it can be transferred to the ship together with the prefabricated cabin assembly.

Figure 6 shows an alternative arrangement for the cabins 3. In this case the cabins 3 have been arranged one by one, whereby a dedicated service niche 10 has been formed for each cabin 3. The service niche 10 includes a first piping portion 61 and a second piping portion 62 being in connection with the system 5 of the ship as well as a water pipe 11 and an electrical installation box 12 in connec- tion with the fittings of the cabin 3. In addition to this, an air conditioning means 15 has been arranged in the service niche.

In known systems the air conditioning means is usually installed inside the cabin 3, whereby it reduces the usable space of the cabin and reduces comfort of the cabin users.

In this figure it is shown how the various above mentioned means, ele- ments, coupling structures as well as use and control means can be functionally arranged in the service niche. The electrical installation box 12 is arranged on top of the piping portions 61,62 so that it is easily accessible. Accordingly, the air con- ditioning means 15 is installed in the same service niche on the wall opposite to the electrical installation box 12. The air conditioning means could alternatively be ar- ranged between the piping portions and the electrical installation box.

It is obvious that there are a number of possible arrangement solutions, whereby in each case the most functional arrangement may be chosen, taking into consideration for example the necessary service, repair and use measures.

Another factor having an effect on this is, naturally, the arrangement of the service niche. For example, Fig. 4 shows two cabins arranged as mirror images to each other, whereby a common, more spacious service niche is formed for the cabins. In Fig. 6 the cabins are similarly shaped cabins arranged in series, whereby a separate, smaller service niche is formed for each cabin. The shape of the service niche may vary as well.

In connection with the prefabrication of the cabin, a well designed serv- ice niche can include other spaces as well, such as a space for temporary storage.

The horizontal dimension of the means and elements attached to the service niche of the cabin in connection with the prefabrication is preferably limited to the width of the service niche and their vertical dimension is preferably limited to the height of the service niche, i. e. the cabin or at least to the height between deck structures or other corresponding support structures.

The cabins may also be transferred to the ship in groups, for example two cabins on top of each other, whereby there is no actual deck structure between the cabins. Thus, said dimension in the vertical direction would be limited accord- ing to the height of two cabins.

In practice, the height between the deck structures of a ship may be for example 2700 mm, whereby about 2200 mm of prefabricated piping may be transferred with the cabin. This is of critical importance for the finishing to be car- ried out on the ship.

The methods according to the invention may include the following.

The ship, or actually thehull part thereof, is built in a manner known per se, in sections or as a whole.

The cabin is then assembled in factory surroundings, often of at least walls and a roof structure, whereby any doors and windows, as well as possible balcony structures may be attached thereto as found necessary. The walls are ar- ranged so that a service niche in the form of a recess is formed in the cabin.

After this, the inside of the cabin is fitted out as desired, whereby the necessary external connections are led through the walls of the service niche.

Subsequently, at least the means in connection with the cabin in question (de- scribed above) as well as other elements primarily relating to the resident systems of the ship, at least the elements serving the cabin in question, and preferably other cabins as well (described above), are arranged in the service niche. These are arranged in an appropriate way for future use so that necessary access is se- cured and so that enough space remains for service and repair work in the service niche.

Said means and elements are arranged so that they do not extend out- side the boundaries of the cabin or the service niche. Deck structure lead-throughs used with the piping can be separately installed afterwards on the ship or they can handily be attached to the piping so as to be transported with the cabin.

At this stage, the prefabricated cabin assembly can be transported onto the ship. The only remaining work on the ship is to connect the means and ele- ments to related parts of the resident systems of the ship. For example, by using flexible hoses and sliding couplings with the piping, the connecting can be carried out very readily with a small amount of tools and with no welding or other corre- sponding risk causing measures.

In this manner, the finishing stages to be carried out on the ship are re- duced and the work to be carried out in connection with finishing the prefabricated cabins is accomplished faster in a rationally arranged service niche.

The above description and the drawings relating thereto are only in- tended for clarifying the basic idea of the invention. The details of the invention may vary within the scope of the ensuing claims.