Liquid Covering Disks and Systems

Abstract

Liquid covering disks configured to float on the surface of a body of liquid, including a body with an aperture at a periphery of the body, the aperture configured to allow a liquid to pass through, a plurality of ribs projecting from the body, and a wall protruding at the periphery of the body. A portion of the body, a portion of the plurality of ribs, and a portion of the wall define a cavity allowing a volume of a gas to be trapped in the cavity when the disk is deployed on the surface of the body of liquid. In some examples, a system of floating disks covers the surface of a body of liquid. Each disk includes an interlocking element configured to interact with a complementary interlocking element at an adjacent disk to form a floating arrangement of disks.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disk configured to float on the surface of a body of liquid, comprising:
 a body including a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture at a periphery of the body, the aperture configured to allow a liquid to pass through the aperture;   a plurality of ribs projecting from the body;   a sidewall protruding at the periphery of the body; and   a cavity defined by a portion of the body, a portion of the plurality of ribs, and a portion of the sidewall, the cavity allowing a volume of a gas to be trapped in the cavity when the disk is deployed on the surface of the body of liquid, wherein the volume of gas trapped in the cavity serves to fluid dynamically resist the disk separating from the surface of the body of liquid on which the disk floats.   
     
     
         2 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the body defines a polygonal shape. 
     
     
         3 . The disk of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ribs radiate outward from the center of the polygonal shape towards the edges of the polygonal shape. 
     
     
         4 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs extend from the top surface and from the bottom surface of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs have a height above the body that decreases from a center of the body towards the periphery of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a cross-sectional profile that decreases from a center of the body to the periphery of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall protrudes from the top surface and from the bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall includes a concave portion. 
     
     
         9 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall includes a convex portion. 
     
     
         10 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is positioned adjacent the sidewall. 
     
     
         11 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall includes a sigmoidal curvature along the periphery of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The disk of  claim 11 , wherein the aperture follows a contour of the curvature. 
     
     
         13 . A system for covering a surface of a body of liquid, comprising:
 a plurality of disks configured to float on the surface of the body of liquid, each disk comprising a body including a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture at a periphery of the body, the aperture allowing a liquid to pass through, a plurality of ribs projecting from the body, a sidewall protruding from the body at the periphery, and wherein a portion of the body, a portion of the plurality of ribs, and a portion of the sidewall define a cavity allowing a volume of a gas to be trapped in the cavity when the disk is deployed on the surface of the body of liquid;   wherein the plurality of disks unite when floating on the surface of the body of liquid to form an arrangement of floating disks; and   wherein each of the plurality of disks includes an interlocking element configured to interact with a complementary interlocking element at an adjacent disk to assist in keeping the arrangement of floating disks together.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the interlocking element includes a portion of the sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the interlocking element includes a curvature of the sidewall. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the interlocking element includes a sigmoidal curvature of the sidewall extending from the bottom surface of the body and an inverse curvature extending from the top surface at a corresponding location of the body. 
     
     
         17 . A system for covering a surface of a body of liquid, comprising:
 a plurality of disks configured to float on the surface of the body of liquid, each disk comprising   a body having a substantial polygonal shape in the horizontal floating plane, the body including a top surface and a bottom surface,   a plurality of ribs projecting from the top surface and the bottom surface of the body, each rib having a height above the body that decreases from the center of the body towards the periphery of the body,   a sidewall protruding from the top surface and from the bottom surface at the periphery of the body and coupled to at least some of the plurality of ribs,   wherein a portion of the body, a portion of the plurality of ribs, and a portion of the sidewall define a cavity allowing a volume of a gas to be trapped in the cavity when the disk is deployed on the surface of the body of liquid;   wherein the plurality of disks unite when floating on the surface of the body of liquid to form an arrangement of floating disks; and   wherein each of the plurality of disks includes an interlocking element configured to interact with a complementary interlocking element at an adjacent disk to assist in keeping the arrangement of floating disks together.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of apertures at the periphery of the body, the aperture allowing a liquid to pass through the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged in a pattern that is substantially identical at the top surface and at the bottom surface of the body. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the body includes a cross-sectional profile that that decreases from a center of the body towards the periphery of the body.