Bollard

Abstract

A bollard with a foot plate, a bollard pipe placed on the foot plate, and a bollard head placed on the bollard pipe. A measuring support is positioned in the bollard pipe, which measuring support carries a measuring instrument adapted to determine the position of the bollard head and/or position determination of an area of the bollard pipe below the bollard head at a height from the foot plate which amounts to at least 80% of the distance between the foot plate and the bollard head, the measuring support having a foundation which is separated from the foot plate.

Claims

1. A bollard comprising: a foot plate with a bollard pipe disposed thereon; a bollard head disposed on the bollard pipe; wherein a measuring support is positioned in the bollard pipe, the measuring support carrying a measuring instrument adapted for position determination of the bollard head and/or position determination of an area of the bollard pipe below the bollard head at a height from the foot plate which is at least about 80% of the distance between the foot plate and the bollard head, and wherein the measuring support comprises a foundation separated from the foot plate.

2. The bollard according to claim 1, wherein the foundation of the measuring support is located below the foot plate.

3. The bollard according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is corrugated.

4. The bollard according to claim 1, wherein the bollard head has an access opening for the measuring instrument.

5. The bollard according to claim 1, wherein the measuring instrument is adapted to measure displacements in three orthogonal directions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

[0030] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a perspective view of a traditional bollard in 3D view;

[0031] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a perspective view of a bollard according to an embodiment of the present invention, also shown in 3D view;

[0032] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a cross-section view of a bollard according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0033] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are illustrations showing detailed sectional and 3D views of the measuring instrument on top of the measuring support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a standard mooring bollard with footplate 1, bollard pipe 2, shape 3 as connecting part between footplate and bollard pipe, bollard head 4, three bollard ears 5, four fastening bolts 6, each provided with a separate anchor plate 7. The ship pulls by means of the mooring rope 8 the bollard.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the bollard according to the invention with footplate 11, bollard pipe 12, adapter shape 13 as connecting part between footplate and bollard pipe, bollard head 14, two bollard ears 15, four fastening bolts 16, each provided with a separate anchor plate 17. The ship pulls through the mooring line 18 on the bollard. An access opening 22 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) with cover 23 is arranged on top of the bollard head.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the bollard with base plate 11 provided with a corrugation, bollard pipe 12, transition shape 13, bollard head 14, fixing bolt 16, anchor plate 17, mooring toss 18, measuring support 19 in the bollard pipe, with the measuring instrument 20 on top and the measuring support foundation 21 at the bottom.

[0037] FIG. 4A shows the bollard head 14, the mooring line 18, the measuring support 19 and on top of that the measuring instrument 20, and an access opening 22 closed by a cover 23. The measuring support continues until just below the bollard head 14, where the greatest deformations occur.

[0038] FIG. 4B shows the bollard head 14, the mooring line 18, the measuring instrument 20, the access opening 22, with the cover 23 removed. By means of the access opening 22 there is direct access to the measuring instrument placed on top of the measuring support. The access opening 22 is sized to allow the complete measuring instrument to be disassembled without the need to remove the heavy and massive bollard.

[0039] It is usual for the bollard to be installed on a quay, but the bollard can also be used at other locations, both on fixed and floating maritime objects.

[0040] The bollard can have the following dimensions for the foot plate 600-1200 mm square, for the interplay of forces 50-300 tonf (tons-force) and corresponding deformations of 1-5 mm.

NUMBERING

[0041] Prior art bollard shown in FIG. 1. [0042] 1 Foot plate [0043] 2 Bollard Pipe [0044] 3 Transition shape [0045] 4 Bollard Head [0046] 5 Bolderear/Ear [0047] 6 Fixing bolt [0048] 7 Anchor plate [0049] 8 Mooring line

[0050] Bollard according to the invention, see FIGS. 2, 3, 4A and 4B [0051] 11 Foot plate [0052] 12 Bollard Pipe [0053] 13 Transition Shape [0054] 14 Bollard Head [0055] 15 Bolderear/Ear [0056] 16 Fixing bolt [0057] 17 Anchor plate [0058] 18 Truss [0059] 19 Measuring support [0060] 20 Measuring instrument [0061] 21 Measuring support foundation [0062] 22 Access opening [0063] 23 Access opening cover

[0064] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the bolder of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

[0065] Embodiments of the present invention can include every combination of features that are disclosed herein independently from each other. Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the disclosed embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless specifically stated as being “essential” above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and/or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another.

[0066] Note that in the specification and claims, “about” or “approximately” means within twenty percent (20%) of the numerical amount stated.