Artificial reef structure
An artificial reef structure is provided with units each including an intermediate artificial kelp; an upper buoyant body including a buoyant drum at one side and having snap members, and a first pressing plate at an other side and having first and second holes wherein the snap members are inserted through the artificial kelp and the second holes to fasten the buoyant drum, the artificial kelp, and the first pressing plate together; and a lower support including a second pressing plate at one side and having second snap members and a bottom hook, and a third pressing plate at an other side and having third and fourth holes wherein the second snap members are inserted through the intermediate artificial kelp and the fourth holes to fasten the second pressing plate, the artificial kelp, and the third pressing plate together; and an anchor including rings each secured to the hook.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to artificial reef structures and more particularly to an artificial reef structure having an upper buoyant drum and a fabric interconnecting the buoyant drum and a lower support.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional artificial reef structure comprises an axle rod supporting a plurality of buoyant reef bodies rotatably mounted on the axle rod. The axle rod and buoyant sections are suspended at a desired level above a water bottom by anchors attached to anchor lines further attached to the axle rod. Distally projecting rods are mounted on the buoyant reef bodies. The distally projecting rods are mounted in a manner such that the buoyant reef bodies rotate independently of each other on the axle rod without interference from the distally projecting rods.
While it has some utility, improvements in artificial reef structures are desired, and these improvements are provided by the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore one object of the invention to provide an artificial reef structure comprising a plurality of units each comprising an intermediate artificial kelp formed of fabric; an upper buoyant body including a buoyant drum at one side and having a plurality of first snap members, and a first pressing plate at an other side and having a plurality of first holes at both ends respectively, and a plurality of second holes between the first holes wherein the first snap members are inserted through an upper end of the intermediate artificial kelp and the second holes to fasten the buoyant drum, the intermediate artificial kelp, and the first pressing plate together; and a lower support including a second pressing plate at one side and having a plurality of second snap members and a bottom hook, and a third pressing plate at an other side and having a plurality of third holes at both ends respectively, and a plurality of fourth holes between the third holes wherein the second snap members are inserted through a lower end of the intermediate artificial kelp and the fourth holes to fasten the second pressing plate, the intermediate artificial kelp, and the third pressing plate together; at least one line each having one end connected to the first hole of the first pressing plate of the upper buoyant body at one end of one unit and an other end connected to the first hole of the first pressing plate of the upper buoyant body at an other end of an adjacent unit; and an anchor comprising a plurality of rings each secured to the hook of the second pressing plate of the lower support of one unit.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
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Preferably, specifications of the artificial kelp F are that length×width (3 m×15 cm), hole size (6 mm×9 mm), more than 40,000 loops per square meter, and loop aperture greater than 0.5 mm.
Preferably, the buoyant drum 1 has a length of 10 cm, a diameter of 1 inch, and is full of air.
Preferably, each of the first, second, and third pressing plates 2, 3, and 4 has a length of 15 cm, a width of 15 cm, and a thickness of 20 mm.
While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An artificial reef structure comprising:
- a plurality of units each comprising:
- an intermediate artificial kelp;
- an upper buoyant body including a buoyant drum at one side and having a plurality of first snap members, and a first pressing plate at an another side and having a plurality of first holes at top and bottom ends respectively, and a plurality of second holes between the first holes wherein the first snap members are inserted through an upper end of the intermediate artificial kelp and the second holes to fasten the buoyant drum, the intermediate artificial kelp, and the first pressing plate together; and
- a lower support including a second pressing plate at one side and having a plurality of second snap members, and a third pressing plate at an another side and having a plurality of third holes at top and bottom ends respectively, and a plurality of fourth holes between the third holes wherein the second snap members are inserted through a lower end of the intermediate artificial kelp and the fourth holes to fasten the second pressing plate, the intermediate artificial kelp, and the third pressing plate together;
- at least one line each having one end connected to the first hole of the first pressing plate of the upper buoyant body at one end of one of the plurality of units and an another end connected to the first hole of the first pressing plate of the upper buoyant body at an another end of an adjacent unit; and
- an anchor secured to the second pressing plate of the lower support of one of the plurality of units.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 20, 2013
Publication Date: May 21, 2015
Applicant: Yurhsin Industries Co., Ltd (Miaoli)
Inventor: Hsin-Yao Liang (Miaoli)
Application Number: 14/085,756