Marine structure that is resistant to storm damage

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to marine construction. More specifically, the present invention relates to a marine structure that is resistant to storm damage.

2. Background Art

Water front buildings often have additional marine structures such as piers, docks, decks, etc. built adjacent to and extending out over the water. These marine structures, especially those built on ocean or bay front property, are vulnerable to damage from storms. This is particularly true with hurricanes and the resulting storm surge of high water. Under these conditions, marine structures with a large surface area are often destroyed by the water which tears the surface structure away from the frame. Consequently, a marine structure that minimizes the surface area in order to resist storm damage is desirable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In some aspects, the invention relates to a marine structure, comprising: a structural frame; and a plurality of slats that are attached to the structural frame to form a surface of the marine structure, where the plurality of slats have a width to gap ratio between 2.29:1 and 2.40:1.

In other aspects, the invention relates to a marine structure, comprising: a structural frame; and means for providing a surface for the marine structure with a plurality of slats attached to the structural frame, where the slats have a width to gap ratio between 2.29:1 and 2.40:1.

In other aspects, the invention relates to a pier, comprising: a structural frame comprising pilings and cross beams that are attached to the pilings; and a plurality of slats the are attached to the cross beams to form a surface of the pier, where the slats have a width of about 1¾ inches and where the gap between slats is about ¾ inches.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

It should be noted that identical features in different drawings are shown with the same reference numeral.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the installed slats in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an individual slat in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A pier that is resistant to storm damage has been developed. The invention includes a frame structure and slats that are 1¾ inches wide and spaced ¾ inches apart. The invention can successfully withstand a surge from a storm such as a hurricane without the destruction and loss of the slats. The slats reduce the amount of surface area exposed to the surge of water while still providing a solid and comfortable walking surface.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view 10 of the orientation of one embodiment of the installed on a pier. The invention has a structural frame 12 that supports multiple slats 14 that are installed as a walking surface or “deck” of the pier. The structural frame may be any standard type frame of a marine structure that is known in the art such as a combination of pilings and cross beams of standard lumber sizes. In this example, the slats 14 are spaced ¾ inches apart 16. The slats may be installed parallel or perpendicular to the “direction of travel” a user will take when walking on the pier. The slats 14 are shown fastened to the frame 12 with a screw 18 or alternatively a nail 20. Other fastening mechanisms that are known in the art are also acceptable for use in alternative embodiments. FIG. 2 shows a detailed cross-sectional view 22 of an individual slat 14 in the example of the invention show in FIG. 1. The slat 14 has a width 24 of 1¾ inches and a height 26 of 1 inch. Also, the corners of the slat 14 are rounded for comfort and aesthetics with a radius of ¼ inches.

When designing a marine structure, it is desirable to minimize the surface area that will be exposed to a storm surge. The pounding of the water will easily tear away the slats from the structural framework if the slats are placed to close together. Instead, if the slats are spaced far enough apart, the water of the storm surge will pass through the deck without damaging the structure. However, this must be balanced with the need for a comfortable and convenient surface for any user. If the slats are spaced too far apart, the surface will be uncomfortable to walk on. Additionally, small children may trip on the gaps between the slats. Also, large gaps in the surface will not prevent items that are dropped from falling into the water.

The present invention uses a “width to gap ratio” to specify the ratio of the width of each individual slat to the distance between each slat when installed. A width to gap ratio of as little as 2.29:1 or as great as 2.40:1 has been found to provide a surface that is resistant to damage and also comfortable for a user. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the width to gap ratio is 2.33:1. In some embodiments, construction of a structure utilizing these ratios will result in a slat that is 11/2 inches wide with a gap of ⅝ inches between slats. In other embodiments, the slat will be 2 inches wide with a gap of ⅞ inches between slats.

While the present invention has been described as a pier, dock or other similar structure that has a surface that is parallel to the water's surface, other embodiments of the invention could include walls of structures such as boat houses that are perpendicular to the water's surface. It should be understood that the term “marine structure” is intended to include all of these types of structures. In other embodiments, a chemical treatment such as CA or CCA may be added to the slats to help protect the structure against parasite infestation, decay, fungus, etc. Any treatment to help prevent these problems that is known in the art is acceptable for use with the present invention. Finally, the height to the individual slats does not affect the width to gap ratio and therefore may vary in alternative embodiments. The rounding of corners is optional and other radii could be used in alternative embodiments.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed here. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.