Structural flotation device

Abstract

A floating wave break device, having a deep and elongated shear panel formed of a sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and a plurality of buoyancy tubes transversely oriented along the elongated shear panel, each of the buoyancy tubes being formed of HDPE pipe. A structural joint is formed between each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the elongated shear panel, and a support is coupled between each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the shear panel.

1 . A floating wave break device, comprising: 
 a deep and elongated shear panel formed of a sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE);    a plurality of buoyancy tubes transversely oriented along the elongated shear panel, each of the buoyancy tubes being formed of HDPE pipe;    a structural joint formed between each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the elongated shear panel; and    a support coupled between each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the shear panel.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each of the structural joints formed between the buoyancy tubes and the shear panel further comprises a substantially water-tight structural seam.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein each of the structural joints formed between the buoyancy tubes and the shear panel further comprises a thermal fusion joint.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of buoyancy tubes transversely oriented along the elongated shear panel further comprises a first and a second plurality of buoyancy tubes transversely oriented along opposite sides of the shear panel.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein each of the first and a second plurality of buoyancy tubes is further positioned adjacent to one elongated edge of the shear panel.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the support coupled between one or more of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the shear panel further comprises a support tube of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a substantially water-tight structural seam between the support tube and each of the surface of the shear panel and the buoyancy tube.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising ballast coupled adjacent to a dependent edge of the shear panel opposite from the first and a second pluralities of buoyancy tubes.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a pair of spaced apart elongated shear panels each formed of a sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and being oriented transversely of the first and a second pluralities of buoyancy tubes, one of the pair of spaced apart elongated shear panels being joined adjacent to respective ends of different ones of the first and second pluralities of buoyancy tubes opposite from the deep and elongated shear panel; and    a structural joint formed between the end of each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the respective elongated shear panel.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the buoyancy tubes are further sized relatively shorter than the elongated shear panels.  
   
   
       11 . A floating wave break device, comprising: 
 a shear panel formed of a relatively thin substantially planar sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) that is relatively extended in length and depth;    first and second pluralities of buoyancy tubes each transversely oriented along the shear panel on opposite first and second surfaces thereof and adjacent to a first edge thereof, each of the buoyancy tubes being formed of HDPE pipe and being and being sized relatively shorter than the shear panel;    a structural joint formed between each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the elongated shear panel; and    a structural support coupled between one or more of the buoyancy tubes and respective first and second surfaces of the shear panel.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein one or more of the first and second pluralities of buoyancy tubes further comprises a substantially water-tight buoyancy tube.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11  wherein one or more of the structural supports further comprises a substantially water-tight buoyancy tube.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising one or more ballast tubes coupled to the shear panel adjacent to a second edge thereof opposite from first edge thereof, each of the one or more ballast tubes containing an amount of ballast material.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a tension member coupled between two adjacent buoyancy tubes adjacent to respective outer ends thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein one or more of the tension members coupled between two adjacent buoyancy tubes adjacent to respective outer ends thereof further comprises: 
 an elongated shear panel formed of a sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and being oriented transversely of the buoyancy tubes; and    a structural joint formed between the end of each of the buoyancy tubes and a surface of the elongated shear panel.    
   
   
       17 . A floating wave break device, comprising: 
 first and second elongated shear panels each formed of a relatively thin substantially planar sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the first and second elongated shear panels being spaced apart a transverse distance that is a fraction of a longitudinal dimension of the panels;    a third shear panel formed of a relatively thin substantially planar sheet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) having first and second side surfaces that are relatively extended in length and depth, the third shear panel being positioned between the first and second elongated shear panels; and    first and second rows of buoyancy tubes each formed of HDPE pipe having a diameter that is relatively narrower than a width dimension of the first and second elongated shear panels and a length that substantially fills the transverse distance between the third shear panel and each of the first and second elongated shear panels, the first and second rows of buoyancy tubes being spaced apart between the elongated shear panels with each of the buoyancy tubes of the first row being structurally joined in transverse orientation to the first side surface of the third shear panel and an unbroken surface of the first elongated shear panel, and each of the buoyancy tubes of the second row being structurally joined in transverse orientation to the second side surface of the third shear panel and an unbroken surface of the second elongated shear panel.    
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising a structural support coupled between one or more of the buoyancy tubes and the third shear panel.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a substantially water-tight joint between one or more of the buoyancy tubes and each of the third shear panel and a respective one of the first and second shear panels.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising an amount of supplemental flotation contained by one or more of the buoyancy tubes.