The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Masashi Wakabayashi

Masuo Kuroda

Fumihiko Yazaki

Michito Kaneko

Naoyuki Ohoka

Koji Nakatani

Shu Yamada

Shigeki Sakakibara

Yoshiaki Hara

Riki Takeda

Yukinori Honda

Hiroyuki Ohsawa

A method and a system for assisting steering and mooring alongside of vessels that enables operators to easily obtain physical relationship between two vessels and the states of mooring lines and fenders when the operators lay the two vessels aboard and moors them alongside for loading cargoes are provided. Physical relationship between a hull of the first vessel and a hull of the second vessel is calculated in the form of numerical data based on information on a reference position of a first vessel that is detected by a first GPS receiver, information on a reference position of a second vessel that is detected by a second GPS receiver, oscillation information on the first vessel, oscillation information on the second vessel, information on a distance between the two vessels that is measured by distance measuring device, coordinate data including hull outer shape and the like against the reference position for each vessel, and air pressure data for each fender. Information on the physical relationship between the hull of said first vessel and the hull of said second vessel based on the numerical data and the state of each fender are displayed on a first display device provided for a steering room of the first vessel and a second display device provided for a steering room of the second vessel by means of animation.

Method and system for assisting steering and mooring alongside of vessels

Provided is a flexible buoy lightweight, excellent in workability, and excellent in durability preventing the buoy from being damaged by contact and collision with another object. An airtight hollow structure () is formed of a flexible membrane made of rubber or resin, in which a reinforcement layer (C) is buried. A flange opening () having a gas inlet is fixed to at least one position of the hollow structure (). Buoyancy thereof can be controlled by using an internal pressure of a gas injected in the hollow structure ().

Flexible buoy

A liquid-transferring hose of single-carcass configuration, with a rubber tube layer, main pressure-resistant cord layer and cover rubber layer, in this order from the inside, wherein a transponder installed between the rubber tube layer and cover rubber layer transmits and receives waves of specific frequency, which are attenuated by at least -60 dB when passing through liquid to be transferred, and transmits a response signal on receiving the above waves. This design prevents the response signal transmitted by the transponder, when it is covered with leaked liquid, from being detected, to tell occurrence of liquid leakage, allowing liquid leakage to be easily detected during the initial stage.

Liquid-transferring hose

Hose with releasable float for leak detection

A hose (1) includes a main pressure cord layer (5) for holding a fluid, and an auxiliary pressure cord layer (7) formed so as to sheathe the main pressure cord layer (5) and to form a buffering space (9) for retaining the fluid leaking through the main pressure cord layer (5) between the main pressure cord layer (5) and the auxiliary pressure cord layer (7). The auxiliary cord layer (7) includes first and second cord plies in an asymmetrical structural relation capable of being twisted by the pressure of the fluid leaking through the main pressure cord layer (5). Thus, even if its main pressure cord layer and its rubber tube are damaged leakage of the fluid can be prevented.

Pressure endurable hose

A hose for use in marine loading is disclosed in which are disposed two reinforcing layers, one being formed of a selected fibrous cord and the other of a selected steel cord. The fiber and metal layers are laid in this order over a hose core tube, the layers and the core tube being defined in their total thickness not exceeding half the overall hose thickness. The hose is highly resistant to kinking and sufficiently absorptive to pressure on surging.

Composite hose construction

A buckling fender comprising a cylindrical body molded from at least two rubber-like elastic materials differing in modulus of elasticity. At least two rubber-like elastic materials are combined such that the apparent modulus of elasticity at the central part of the cylindrical body in its axial direction becomes lower than that at both end portions.

Growing community of inventors

Hiratsuka, Japan

Masashi Wakabayashi