Patent Description:
In recent years, from the perspective of protecting the marine environment toward Sustainable Development Goals (so-called SDGs), activities have been promoted to protect the abundance of the sea by collecting and reducing garbage and microplastics floating on the water. For example, conventionally, there is known a marine garbage collection device that collects garbage floating on the sea by flowing in and collecting the garbage together with seawater (see, for example, <CIT>).

In addition, a garbage collection watercraft is used to collect garbage floating in the water. The garbage collection watercraft is equipped with a collection box and a crane. The garbage collection watercraft takes in the garbage into the collection box by moving the collection box in a state of being submerged in the water. Then, by lifting the collection box with the crane, the garbage is collected from the collection box.

The garbage collection watercraft as described above is a large ship for mounting the crane and the power source for the crane. Therefore, it cannot be used in a narrow place such as a harbor or a waterway. In addition, it is difficult to mount the crane and the power source on a small ship because the loading capacity is limited. Therefore, it is necessary for a worker to manually pull up the collection box, which imposes a heavy burden on the worker. An object of the present invention is to provide a garbage collection watercraft that can be reduced in size and can reduce a burden on a worker. According to the present invention said object is solved by a garbage collection watercraft having the features of independent claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments are laid down in the dependent claims.

A garbage collection watercraft according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a hull, a collection box, and a buoyant material. The collection box includes an intake port for a garbage. The collection box is held on the hull so as to be movable between a collection position and a pull-up position. The collection box is located at least partially underwater at the collection position. The pull-up position is located higher than the collection position. The buoyant material is attached to the collection box. The buoyant material raises the collection box from the collection position to the pull-up position by a buoyant force.

According to the present teaching, the buoyant force of the buoyant material causes the collection box to move from the collection position to the pull-up position. Because it is not necessary to mount a crane and a power source on the hull, the hull is miniaturized. In addition, the buoyant force of the buoyant material moves the collection box, which reduces the burden on the worker.

Hereinafter, a garbage collection watercraft according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> is a perspective view showing a garbage collection watercraft <NUM> according to an embodiment. <FIG> is a top view of the garbage collection watercraft <NUM>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> includes a hull <NUM> and collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a marine propulsion device <NUM> is attached to the hull <NUM>. The marine propulsion device <NUM> is, for example, an outboard motor. However, the marine propulsion device <NUM> may be another propulsion device such as a jet propulsion device. The marine propulsion device <NUM> generates a propulsive force for moving the hull <NUM>.

The hull <NUM> includes a first boat <NUM>, a second boat <NUM>, and a connecting portion <NUM>. The first boat <NUM> and the second boat <NUM> each have a shape extending in a front-rear direction of the hull <NUM>. The first boat <NUM> and the second boat <NUM> are disposed apart from each other in a left-right direction of the hull <NUM>. The connecting portion <NUM> extends in the left-right direction of the hull <NUM> and connects the first boat <NUM> and the second boat <NUM>.

The hull <NUM> includes a box storage area <NUM>. The box storage area <NUM> is disposed between the first boat and the second boat <NUM>. The box storage area <NUM> is open toward the front. The box storage area <NUM> is open upward with regard to an up-down direction of the hull <NUM>. The box storage area <NUM> is located between a first inner side surface <NUM> of the first boat <NUM> and a second inner side surface <NUM> of the second boat <NUM>. A bottom plate <NUM> is disposed below the box storage area <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the hull <NUM> includes a through hole <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> is disposed behind the box storage area <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> extends from the box storage area <NUM> to the rear of the hull <NUM>. As the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> moves forward, water passes between the first boat <NUM> and the second boat <NUM> and enters the box storage area <NUM>. The water flows from the box storage area <NUM> to the rear of the hull <NUM> through the through hole <NUM>.

The hull <NUM> includes a cockpit <NUM> and a work space <NUM>. The work space <NUM> is disposed adjacent to the box storage area <NUM>. The work space <NUM> is a place for a worker to perform work of pulling up garbage from the collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM>. For example, the cockpit <NUM> is provided on the first boat <NUM>. The work space <NUM> is provided on the second boat <NUM>.

The collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed in the box storage area <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> includes a plurality of collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM>. The plurality of collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM> include a first collection box <NUM> and a second collection box <NUM>. The first collection box <NUM> and the second collection box <NUM> are separate bodies from each other.

The first collection box <NUM> includes an intake port <NUM> for garbage. The intake port <NUM> is provided on the front surface of the first collection box <NUM>. Meshes are provided on a rear surface <NUM>, both side surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>, and a bottom surface <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM>, respectively. An upper surface <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM> is open.

At least one of the side surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM> may be open. A mesh may be provided on the upper surface <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM>. The second collection box <NUM> has the same structure as the first collection box <NUM>. The second collection box <NUM> is disposed behind the first collection box <NUM>.

A first buoyant material <NUM> is attached to the first collection box <NUM>. The first buoyant material <NUM> is attached to the bottom surface <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM>. The first buoyant material <NUM> is made of a foamed resin such as urethane. Alternatively, the first buoyant material <NUM> may be filled with air. The first buoyant material <NUM> raises the first collection box <NUM> by the buoyant force.

<FIG> are front views showing the first collection box <NUM> in the box storage area <NUM>. In <FIG>, the first collection box <NUM> is disposed at the collection position. In <FIG>, the first collection box <NUM> is disposed at the pull-up position with regard to up-down direction of the hull <NUM>. The pull-up position is located above the collection position. The first collection box <NUM> is movably held by the hull <NUM> between the collection position and the pull-up position.

As shown in <FIG>, at least a part of the first collection box <NUM> is located underwater at the collection position. The bottom surface <NUM> of the first collection box <NUM> is located below the water surface <NUM> at the collection position. The garbage collection watercraft <NUM> includes stopper means consisted of stoppers <NUM> and <NUM>. The stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> are attached to the hull <NUM>. The stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> are configured to be switched between a fixed state and a released state.

As shown in <FIG>, the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> fix the first collection box <NUM> to the hull <NUM> in the fixed state. For example, the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> fix the first collection box <NUM> by pressing the first collection box <NUM> from the lateral side. Alternatively, the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> may be engaged to the first collection box <NUM>.

The first collection box <NUM> is fixed by the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> in a state of being submerged at the collection position. The stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> hold the first collection box <NUM> at the collection position against the buoyant force of the first buoyant material <NUM>. In this state, when the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> moves forward, the underwater garbage <NUM> enters the first collection box <NUM> from the intake port <NUM>.

The stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> release the fixing of the first collection box <NUM> in the released state. As a result, as shown in <FIG>, the first collection box <NUM> is raised to the pull-up position by the buoyant force of the first buoyant material <NUM>. In this state, the worker pulls up the garbage <NUM> from the first collection box <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the first collection box <NUM> is fixed to the pull-up position by setting the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> to the fixed state while the first collection box <NUM> is located at the pull-up position. As a result, the first collection box <NUM> is stably held by the hull <NUM>, so that the work of pulling up the garbage <NUM> becomes easier.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a second buoyant material <NUM> is attached to the second collection box <NUM>. Like the first collection box <NUM>, the second collection box <NUM> is movable to the collection position and the pull-up position, and is fixed to the collection position and the pull-up position by stopper means consisted of the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Further, when the stoppers <NUM> and <NUM> are in the released state, the second collection box <NUM> is raised from the collection position to the pull-up position by the buoyant force of the second buoyant material <NUM>.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, the second collection box <NUM> may be disposed at the collection position while the first collection box <NUM> is disposed at the pull-up position. As a result, the underwater garbage <NUM> is taken into the second collection box <NUM> while pulling up the garbage <NUM> from the first collection box <NUM>. Further, as shown in <FIG>, the first collection box <NUM> may be disposed at the collection position while the second collection box <NUM> is disposed at the pull-up position. As a result, the underwater garbage <NUM> is taken into the first collection box <NUM> while pulling up the garbage <NUM> from the second collection box <NUM>.

In the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> according to the present embodiment described above, the collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM> move from the collection position to the pull-up position due to the buoyant force of the buoyant materials <NUM> and <NUM>. Therefore, it is not necessary to mount a crane and a power source on the hull <NUM>, and the hull <NUM> is miniaturized. Further, since the collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM> are moved by the buoyant force of the buoyant materials <NUM> and <NUM>, the burden on the worker in the work of pulling up the garbage from the collection boxes <NUM> and <NUM> is reduced.

Although one embodiment has been described above, the present teaching is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

The number of collection boxes is not limited to two, and may be one or more than two. The plurality of collection boxes may be disposed side by side not only in the front-rear direction but also in the left-right direction. The shape of the collection box is not limited to that of the above embodiment, and may be changed.

As shown in <FIG>, a lid <NUM> configured to open and close the intake port <NUM> may be attached to the collection box <NUM>. A lid may be attached to the collection box <NUM> as well. The lid <NUM> may be movable between a closed position and an open position. The lid <NUM> closes the intake port <NUM> in the closed position. The lid <NUM> opens the intake port <NUM> in the open position. The reference numeral <NUM>' indicated by the broken line in <FIG> indicates the lid <NUM> in the open position. For example, the lid <NUM> is slidably attached to the collection box <NUM>. Alternatively, the lid <NUM> may be rotatably attached to the collection box <NUM>. Alternatively, the lid <NUM> may be removable from the collection box <NUM>. When the garbage collection watercraft <NUM> moves backward, the intake port <NUM> is closed by the lid <NUM>, so that the backflow of garbage from the collection box <NUM> is prevented.

Claim 1:
A garbage collection watercraft (<NUM>) comprising:
a hull (<NUM>);
at least one collection box (<NUM>, <NUM>) including an intake port (<NUM>) for a garbage, the collection box (<NUM>, <NUM>) being movably held by the hull (<NUM>) to a collection position in which the collection box (<NUM>) is at least partially located underwater and a pull-up position located higher than the collection position with regard to an up-down direction of the hull (<NUM>); and
a buoyant material (<NUM>, <NUM>) that is attached to the collection box (<NUM>, <NUM>), characterized in that the buoyant material (<NUM>, <NUM>) is configured to raise the collection box (<NUM>, <NUM>) from the collection position to the pull-up position by a buoyant force.