EP1824727B1 - Unmanned underwater vessel - Google Patents

Unmanned underwater vessel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1824727B1
EP1824727B1 EP05815425A EP05815425A EP1824727B1 EP 1824727 B1 EP1824727 B1 EP 1824727B1 EP 05815425 A EP05815425 A EP 05815425A EP 05815425 A EP05815425 A EP 05815425A EP 1824727 B1 EP1824727 B1 EP 1824727B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
underwater vehicle
propeller
underwater
tube
attachment
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Active
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EP05815425A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1824727A1 (en
Inventor
Detlef Lambertus
Ralf Richter
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Atlas Elektronik GmbH
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Atlas Elektronik GmbH
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Priority to PL05815425T priority Critical patent/PL1824727T3/en
Publication of EP1824727A1 publication Critical patent/EP1824727A1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/14—Control of attitude or depth
    • B63G8/24—Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/14—Control of attitude or depth
    • B63G8/26—Trimming equipment
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H5/00—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water
    • B63H5/07—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers
    • B63H5/16—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers characterised by being mounted in recesses; with stationary water-guiding elements; Means to prevent fouling of the propeller, e.g. guards, cages or screens
    • B63H5/165—Propeller guards, line cutters or other means for protecting propellers or rudders

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an unmanned underwater vehicle of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1.
  • Self-propelled, preferably propeller-driven, unmanned underwater vehicles are used as autonomously operating or via a data transmission cable remote controlled vehicles to perform various tasks under water, so-called missions, such as exploration of the seabed topography, mine exploration and mine destruction.
  • missions such as exploration of the seabed topography, mine exploration and mine destruction.
  • similarly constructed vehicles are equipped with different devices and components which are arranged in different areas on the pressure hull of the vehicles.
  • the vehicle which is equipped according to a specific requirement profile, is individually trimmed so that it has a quasi-horizontal orientation in the water and is thus largely horizontally and roll-stabilized. Deviations from the hydrodynamics are absorbed by closed control circuits to which the drive unit is connected. If the vehicle is to be converted to another mission task, it must be trimmed again completely after conversion. Not only the trim position of the converted underwater vehicle has to be recalculated and tested, but also the control circuits for the drive unit be re-adjusted to ensure stable steering of the underwater vehicle in the new trim.
  • a well-known syntactic foam buoyancy gives the underwater vehicle RECON III (Perry Offshore) buoyancy ( E. EUGENE ALLMENDINGER: "Submersible Vehicle Systems Design” 1990, THE SOCIETY OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND MARINE ENGINEERS, JERSEY CITY, NJ, XP002369081, page 181 , left column, line 3 - right column, line 4, Fig. 74).
  • E. EUGENE ALLMENDINGER "Submersible Vehicle Systems Design” 1990, THE SOCIETY OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND MARINE ENGINEERS, JERSEY CITY, NJ, XP002369081, page 181 , left column, line 3 - right column, line 4, Fig. 74.
  • In the bottom of the float steel bolts are anchored, forming the attachment points for attachment of the float to the underwater vehicle.
  • In the float shafts are formed, which provide space for the accommodation of a vertical propeller and a sonar.
  • the invention has for its object to make the attachments in an underwater vehicle with attachments so that they can be exchanged for existing different types of attachments, as well as in addition to the existing attachments can be arranged on the pressure hull without the trim position of the underwater vehicle is changed ,
  • the unmanned underwater vehicle according to the invention has the advantage that by the neutral design of the implements in a change in the mission task of the underwater vehicle or the customer for another use profile for the underwater vehicle or when retrofitting the underwater vehicle for use in sea areas with changed environmental parameters
  • Underwater vehicle can be easily equipped by attaching and / or attaching attachments with the components necessary for the respective objective, without the adjusted trim position of the underwater vehicle is thereby changed.
  • This saves not only repeated Trimmlagenbeticianen and Trimmlagenerprobept for the converted underwater vehicle, but also makes the complex adaptation of the control loops for the drive unit to a new trim position superfluous. Overall, this allows the unchanged base vehicle with little conversion effort for all use profiles or switch from one assignment profile to another at short notice.
  • the drive unit of the underwater vehicle on a plurality of propeller drives which are received in the outside of the pressure body distributed drive tubes with tubular end projecting propeller.
  • Each propeller drive is associated with a protective device surrounding its propeller as an attachment, and on each drive tube of the propeller drives as the output force of the protective device compensating buoyancy on a fixedly connected to the protective buoyancy tube is pushed.
  • Such auxiliary equipment of the underwater vehicle with attachments designed as propeller protection devices allows the use of the underwater vehicle in extreme shallow water areas where ground contact can not be safely ruled out or in areas where a large amount of flotsam is expected.
  • an equipment of the underwater vehicle with propeller protections is advantageous to damage the propeller by touching the ship's side during insertion and Ausbringvorgang to prevent.
  • the provided as a buoyancy body for weight compensation of the protective devices Buoyancy tubes serve at the same time to hold the protective devices on the underwater vehicle.
  • the attachment is an underwater antenna with an electro-acoustic transducer assembly, wherein the buoyancy compensating buoyancy body, adapted to the shape of the underwater antenna, is disposed on the side facing away from the sound incidence direction of the underwater antenna.
  • the buoyancy compensating buoyancy body adapted to the shape of the underwater antenna, is disposed on the side facing away from the sound incidence direction of the underwater antenna.
  • Such underwater antennas are needed in the exploration of the seabed with respect to its topography or for the detection of lying on the seabed objects, especially mines, in conjunction with short-range sonars, especially Sosichtsonaren.
  • an underwater antenna with buoyant body is attached to a drive pipe of a port-side and a starboard-side propeller drive.
  • a TV camera can be inserted in the front end of a drive tube facing away from the propeller.
  • the holder of a load-bearing frame can be used, with which the underwater vehicle can spend any loads.
  • the TV camera as well as the load-bearing frame are rigidly connected to a buoyant body which compensates for the output force generated by the weight of the respective attachment on the underwater vehicle by a buoyancy force acting on it.
  • Fig. 1 shown in a perspective view, unmanned underwater vehicle has a pressure body 11 and a total of four propeller 12 existing drive unit.
  • the propeller drives 12 are two at or near the top of the pressure hull 11 and two at or near the bottom of the pressure hull 11 are respectively disposed on the control and port side of the pressure hull 11.
  • Each propeller drive 12 has an electric motor which drives a propeller 13 via a drive shaft.
  • the electric motor and the drive shaft are accommodated in each case one attached to the pressure body 11 drive tube 14, wherein the drive shaft is rotatably mounted in the drive tube 14.
  • On the protruding from the drive tube 14 end of the drive shaft of the propeller 13 is attached.
  • Each propeller 13 is provided with a protective device 15, which protects the propeller 13 against damage during ground contact, in ship's wall contact or by flotsam.
  • propeller protection devices 15 make the underwater vehicle more expensive and are not required for all application profiles, they are offered as an option, so that the underwater vehicle can be used both with and without propeller protection devices 15.
  • the propeller protection devices 15 thus represent attachments that can be ordered as accessories or later retrofitted when changing the use profile of the underwater vehicle.
  • the underwater vehicle is carefully trimmed without the propeller protection device 15, so that it occupies a quasi-horizontal position in the water. Deviations from the hydrodynamics are absorbed by closed control circuits to which the propeller drives 12 are connected.
  • each protective device 15 is fixedly connected to a buoyant body in the form of a buoyancy tube 16 whose density is smaller than the density of the water. Density and volume of the buoyant body or of the buoyancy tube 16 are selected such that the buoyancy force acting on the protective device 15 with buoyancy tube 16 in the water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the protective device 15 with buoyant body 16.
  • Each combination of buoyancy tube 16 and attached thereto protection device 15, as in Fig. 2 is shown in perspective, is thus output compensated and changed by its attachment to the pressure hull 11 is not the trim of the underwater vehicle.
  • the attachment of the protective devices 15 to the propeller drives 12 takes place in that the buoyancy tube 16 of each protection device 15 is pushed onto one of the four drive tubes 14 in a form-fitting manner and fixed thereon.
  • the buoyancy tube 16 is made as a turned part by machining from a material whose density is smaller than the density of the water.
  • the wall thickness of the buoyancy tube 16 is predetermined due to the space available on the drive tube 14.
  • the volume of the buoyancy tube 16 required for the buoyancy is produced by a corresponding length of the buoyancy tube 16.
  • the protective device 15 is made of metal or an impact-resistant plastic and thus has a density which is substantially greater than the density of water. By accurately calculating the length of the buoyant body 16, a force generated by the protection device 15 is compensated.
  • the buoyancy tube 16 has an outer diameter reduced end portion 161 for positive reception of a mounting ring 17 of the protective device 15.
  • the outer diameter of the end portion 161 is thus sized smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting ring 17.
  • the outer diameter of the mounting ring 17 is matched to the outer diameter of the buoyancy tube 16, so that when pushing the mounting ring 17 on the end portion 161 of the mounting ring 17 and the buoyancy tube 16 flush with each other.
  • the protective device 15 is designed for mounting reasons in two parts and includes a propeller 13 frontally covering protective grid 18 and a protective grid 18 receiving protective grid holder 19, at the drive tube 14 facing the end of the mounting ring 17 is arranged.
  • the protective grid holder 19 at equal circumferential angle staggered axial webs 20, which are angled towards the mounting ring 17 and attached to the mounting ring 17.
  • the protective grid 18 is placed and secured to the axial webs 20.
  • the guard 18 has a ring 21 and attached to the ring 21 radial struts 22. In the ring 21 holes 23 are offset by the same circumferential angle to each other.
  • the diameter of the holes 23 is smaller than the diameter of the axial webs 20.
  • the end portions 201 of the axial webs 20 are reduced in diameter, so that forms an annular shoulder at a distance from the free end of the axial webs 20.
  • the end portions 201 are also threaded.
  • the protective grille holder 19 is first attached to the buoyancy tube 16, which is e.g. by adhering the fastening ring 17 on the end portion 161 of the buoyancy tube 16.
  • the mounting ring 17 can be pushed onto the end portion 161 and held by radially screwed locking screws. It is also possible to provide end section 161 and fastening ring 17 with corresponding threads, so that the fastening ring 17 can be screwed onto the end section 161.
  • buoyancy tube 16 When not yet mounted propeller 13 which is provided with the protective grid holder 19 buoyancy tube 16 is positively slid onto a drive tube 14 and fixed on the drive tube 14. Thereafter, the propeller 13 is placed on the protruding from the drive tube 14 shaft end and secured thereto. Thereafter, the protective grid 18 is secured to the protective grid holder 19 by the ring 21 of the protective grid 18 is guided with its holes 23 on the end portions 201 of the axial webs 20 until the ring 21 abuts the annular shoulders of the axial webs 20. Then threaded nuts 24 are screwed onto the end portions 201, so that the ring 21 of the protective grid 18 is clamped against the annular shoulders of the axial webs 20.
  • FIG. 4 The described underwater vehicle is shown in plan view, which is operated without the optional propeller protection devices 15.
  • This underwater vehicle is used to record the topography of the seabed in a sea area and is equipped for this purpose with a side vision sonar.
  • the sideview sonar includes a port-side underwater antenna 31 and a starboard-side underwater antenna 32, each with an electro-acoustic transducer assembly.
  • Each underwater antenna 31, 32 is attached as an attachment to the pressure hull 11 of the underwater vehicle and is fixedly connected to a suitably designed buoyant body 33 or 34, which is made of a material having a density which is smaller than the density of water, and substantially the outline contours of the underwater antenna 31 and 32 is adjusted.
  • the buoyant body 33 is in turn designed so that the buoyancy force acting on the combination of underwater antenna 31 and buoyant body 33 or underwater antenna 32 and buoyant body 34 in the water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the respective combination of underwater antenna 31 or 32 and buoyant body 33 or 34 ,
  • FIG. 5 the respective combination of port-side underwater antenna 31 with port-side buoyant body 33 and starboard-side underwater antenna 32 with starboard-side buoyant body 34 is shown in perspective.
  • the buoyant body 33 or 34 is arranged at the side facing away from the sound incidence direction of the underwater antenna 31 and 32, respectively.
  • Each buoyant body 33 or 34 has on sides facing away from each other in each case a bearing surface 35 for engagement with the underwater antenna 31 and 32 and a bearing surface 36 for placing the buoyant body 33 and 34 on a drive tube 14 of two propeller drives 12.
  • the bearing surface 36 is shaped according to the curvature of the drive tube 14.
  • 32 fastening means 37 are provided, which engage over the buoyancy bodies 33, 34 and are fixed to the respective drive tube 14.
  • the fastening means 37 are formed as tabs 38, two of which are each secured at a longitudinal distance from each other to the underwater antenna 31 and 32 and respectively wrap around the drive tube 14 of the port-side propeller drive 12.
  • a drive tube 14 is indicated by dashed lines, to which the port-side underwater antenna 31 is attached with buoyant body 33.
  • the underwater antennas 31, 32 can also be fastened directly to the pressure body 11 on the starboard and port side by means of respective buoyant bodies 33 and 34, respectively.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
  • Underground Or Underwater Handling Of Building Materials (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)

Abstract

The vehicle has a pressure hull on which at least one attachment (15) is mounted. The attachment is fixedly connected to a buoyancy unit (16) that has a density less than that of water. The density and volume of the buoyancy unit is selected so that the buoyancy force acting on the attachment with the buoyancy unit compensates for the gravitational force acting on the attachment and buoyancy unit.

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft ein unbemanntes Unterwasserfahrzeug der im Oberbegriff des Anspruchs 1 definierten Gattung.The invention relates to an unmanned underwater vehicle of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1.

Eigenangetriebene, vorzugsweise propellergetriebene, unbemannte Unterwasserfahrzeuge werden als autonom arbeitende oder über ein Datenübertragungskabel ferngesteuerte Fahrzeuge zur Durchführung diverser Aufgaben unter Wasser, sog. Missionen, eingesetzt, so z.B. zur Erkundung der Meeresboden-Topographie, zur Minenaufklärung und Minenvernichtung. Dabei werden gleichartig aufgebaute Fahrzeuge je nach Anforderungsprofil mit unterschiedlichen Geräten und Komponenten ausgestattet, die in verschiedenen Bereichen am Druckkörper der Fahrzeuge angeordnet sind. Das gemäß einem bestimmten Anforderungsprofil ausgerüstete Fahrzeug wird individuell getrimmt, damit es im Wasser eine quasi horizontale Ausrichtung aufweist und damit weitgehend horizontal- und rollstabilisiert ist. Abweichungen von der Hydrodynamik werden durch geschlossene Regelkreise aufgefangen, an die das Antriebsgerät angeschlossen ist. Soll das Fahrzeug auf eine andere Missionsaufgabe umgestellt werden, so muss es nach Umrüstung abermals völlig neu getrimmt werden. Dabei muss nicht nur die Trimmlage des umgerüsteten Unterwasserfahrzeugs neu berechnet und erprobt werden, sondern auch die Regelkreise für das Antriebsaggregat neu angepasst werden, um eine stabile Lenkung des Unterwasserfahrzeugs in der neuen Trimmung zu gewährleisten.Self-propelled, preferably propeller-driven, unmanned underwater vehicles are used as autonomously operating or via a data transmission cable remote controlled vehicles to perform various tasks under water, so-called missions, such as exploration of the seabed topography, mine exploration and mine destruction. Depending on the requirement profile, similarly constructed vehicles are equipped with different devices and components which are arranged in different areas on the pressure hull of the vehicles. The vehicle, which is equipped according to a specific requirement profile, is individually trimmed so that it has a quasi-horizontal orientation in the water and is thus largely horizontally and roll-stabilized. Deviations from the hydrodynamics are absorbed by closed control circuits to which the drive unit is connected. If the vehicle is to be converted to another mission task, it must be trimmed again completely after conversion. Not only the trim position of the converted underwater vehicle has to be recalculated and tested, but also the control circuits for the drive unit be re-adjusted to ensure stable steering of the underwater vehicle in the new trim.

Ein bekannter Schwimmkörper aus syntaktischem Schaum verleiht dem Unterwasserfahrzeug RECON III (Perry Offshore) Auftrieb ( E. EUGENE ALLMENDINGER: "Submersible Vehicle Systems Design" 1990, THE SOCIETY OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND MARINE ENGINEERS, JERSEY CITY, NJ, XP002369081, Seite 181 , linke Spalte, Zeile 3 - rechte Spalte, Zeile 4, Abb. 74). Im Boden des Schwimmkörpers sind Stahlbolzen verankert, die Befestigungspunkte zur Befestigung des Schwimmkörpers am Unterwasserfahrzeug bilden. Im Schwimmkörper sind Schächte eingeformt, die Raum für die Unterbringung eines Vertikalpropellers und eines Sonargeräts bieten.A well-known syntactic foam buoyancy gives the underwater vehicle RECON III (Perry Offshore) buoyancy ( E. EUGENE ALLMENDINGER: "Submersible Vehicle Systems Design" 1990, THE SOCIETY OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND MARINE ENGINEERS, JERSEY CITY, NJ, XP002369081, page 181 , left column, line 3 - right column, line 4, Fig. 74). In the bottom of the float steel bolts are anchored, forming the attachment points for attachment of the float to the underwater vehicle. In the float shafts are formed, which provide space for the accommodation of a vertical propeller and a sonar.

Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, bei einem Unterwasserfahrzeug mit Anbaugeräten die Anbaugeräte so zu gestalten, dass sie sowohl gegen vorhandene andersartige Anbaugeräte getauscht, als auch zusätzlich zu den vorhandenen Anbaugeräten an dem Druckkörper angeordnet werden können, ohne dass die Trimmlage des Unterwasserfahrzeugs dadurch verändert wird.The invention has for its object to make the attachments in an underwater vehicle with attachments so that they can be exchanged for existing different types of attachments, as well as in addition to the existing attachments can be arranged on the pressure hull without the trim position of the underwater vehicle is changed ,

Die Aufgabe ist erfindungsgemäß durch die Merkmale im Anspruch 1 gelöst.The object is achieved by the features in claim 1.

Das erfindungsgemäße, unbemannte Unterwasserfahrzeug hat den Vorteil, dass durch die abtriebsneutrale Konzeption der Anbaugeräte bei einer Änderung der Missionsaufgabe des Unterwasserfahrzeugs oder bei Wunsch des Kunden nach einem anderen Einsatzprofil für das Unterwasserfahrzeug oder bei Umrüstung des Unterwasserfahrzeugs für den Einsatz in Seegebieten mit veränderten Umgebungsparametern das Unterwasserfahrzeug durch Ab- und/oder Anbau von Anbaugeräten mit den für die jeweilige Zielsetzung notwendigen Komponenten problemlos ausgerüstet werden kann, ohne dass die eingestellte Trimmlage des Unterwasserfahrzeugs dadurch verändert wird. Dies erspart nicht nur wiederholte Trimmlagenberechnungen und Trimmlagenerprobungen für das umgerüstete Unterwasserfahrzeug, sondern macht auch das aufwendige Adaptieren der Regelkreise für das Antriebsaggregat an eine neuerliche Trimmlage überflüssig. Insgesamt kann dadurch das unveränderte Basisfahrzeug mit geringem Umrüstungsaufwand für alle Einsatzprofile angeboten oder kurzfristig von einem Einsatzprofil auf ein anderes umgestellt werden.The unmanned underwater vehicle according to the invention has the advantage that by the neutral design of the implements in a change in the mission task of the underwater vehicle or the customer for another use profile for the underwater vehicle or when retrofitting the underwater vehicle for use in sea areas with changed environmental parameters Underwater vehicle can be easily equipped by attaching and / or attaching attachments with the components necessary for the respective objective, without the adjusted trim position of the underwater vehicle is thereby changed. This saves not only repeated Trimmlagenberechnungen and Trimmlagenerprobungen for the converted underwater vehicle, but also makes the complex adaptation of the control loops for the drive unit to a new trim position superfluous. Overall, this allows the unchanged base vehicle with little conversion effort for all use profiles or switch from one assignment profile to another at short notice.

Zweckmäßige Ausführungsformen des erfindungsgemäßen Unterwasserfahrzeugs mit vorteilhaften Weiterbildungen und Ausgestaltungen der Erfindung ergeben sich aus den weiteren Ansprüche.Advantageous embodiments of the underwater vehicle according to the invention with advantageous developments and refinements of the invention will become apparent from the other claims.

Gemäß einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform der Erfindung weist das Antriebsaggregat des Unterwasserfahrzeugs mehrere Propellerantriebe auf, die in außen am Druckkörper verteilt angeordneten Antriebsrohren mit rohrendseitig vorstehendem Propeller aufgenommen sind. Jedem Propellerantrieb ist als Anbaugerät eine dessen Propeller umgebende Schutzvorrichtung zugeordnet, und auf jedes Antriebsrohr der Propellerantriebe ist als die Abtriebskraft der Schutzvorrichtung kompensierender Auftriebskörper ein mit der Schutzvorrichtung fest verbundenes Auftriebsrohr aufgeschoben. Eine solche Zusatzausrüstung des Unterwasserfahrzeugs mit als Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen ausgebildeten Anbaugeräten ermöglicht den Einsatz des Unterwasserfahrzeugs in extremen Flachwassergebieten, wo Grundberührungen nicht sicher ausgeschlossen werden können oder in Gebieten, in denen mit starkem Treibgutanfall zu rechnen ist. Aber auch bei Unterwasserfahrzeuge, die nicht als Einwegfahrzeuge konzipiert sind, sondern wiederholt von Bord eines Missionsschiffes ein- und ausgesetzt werden, ist eine Ausrüstung des Unterwasserfahrzeugs mit Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen von Vorteil, um Beschädigungen der Propeller durch Berührungen mit der Bordwand beim Ein- und Ausbringvorgang zu verhindern. Die als Auftriebskörper zur Gewichtskompensation der Schutzvorrichtungen vorgesehenen Auftriebsrohre dienen gleichzeitig der Halterung der Schutzvorrichtungen am Unterwasserfahrzeug.According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit of the underwater vehicle on a plurality of propeller drives, which are received in the outside of the pressure body distributed drive tubes with tubular end projecting propeller. Each propeller drive is associated with a protective device surrounding its propeller as an attachment, and on each drive tube of the propeller drives as the output force of the protective device compensating buoyancy on a fixedly connected to the protective buoyancy tube is pushed. Such auxiliary equipment of the underwater vehicle with attachments designed as propeller protection devices allows the use of the underwater vehicle in extreme shallow water areas where ground contact can not be safely ruled out or in areas where a large amount of flotsam is expected. But even with underwater vehicles, which are not designed as a one-way vehicles, but repeatedly on board a mission vessel on and suspended, an equipment of the underwater vehicle with propeller protections is advantageous to damage the propeller by touching the ship's side during insertion and Ausbringvorgang to prevent. The provided as a buoyancy body for weight compensation of the protective devices Buoyancy tubes serve at the same time to hold the protective devices on the underwater vehicle.

Gemäß einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform der Erfindung ist das Anbaugerät eine Unterwasserantenne mit einer elektroakustischen Wandleranordnung, wobei der die Abtriebskraft kompensierende Auftriebskörper, an die Form der Unterwasserantenne angepasst, an der von der Schalleinfallsrichtung abgekehrten Seite der Unterwasserantenne angeordnet ist. Solche Unterwasserantennen werden bei der Erkundung des Meeresbodens bezüglich dessen Topographie oder zur Detektion von auf dem Meeresboden liegenden Objekten, insbesondere Minen, in Verbindung mit Nahbereichssonaren, insbesondere Seitensichtsonaren, benötigt. Auch hier ist die Unterwasserantenne mit Hilfe des Auftriebskörpers abtriebsneutral, so dass sich durch Anbau der mit dem Auftriebskörper versehenen Unterwasserantenne an den Druckkörper keine Veränderung der Trimmlage des Unterwasserfahrzeugs ergibt. Bevorzugt wird jeweils eine Unterwasserantenne mit Auftriebskörper an einem Antriebsrohr eines backbordseitigen und eines steuerbordseitigen Propellerantriebs angebaut.According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the attachment is an underwater antenna with an electro-acoustic transducer assembly, wherein the buoyancy compensating buoyancy body, adapted to the shape of the underwater antenna, is disposed on the side facing away from the sound incidence direction of the underwater antenna. Such underwater antennas are needed in the exploration of the seabed with respect to its topography or for the detection of lying on the seabed objects, especially mines, in conjunction with short-range sonars, especially Seitensichtsonaren. Again, the underwater antenna with the help of the buoyant body neutral in output, so that there is no change in the trim position of the underwater vehicle by cultivation of the provided with the buoyancy underwater antenna to the pressure hull. Preferably, in each case an underwater antenna with buoyant body is attached to a drive pipe of a port-side and a starboard-side propeller drive.

In gleicher Weise wie der Anbau der Unterwasserantennen und der Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen ist der Anbau weiterer Anbaugeräte möglich, die dem Unterwasserfahrzeug zusätzliche Funktionen verleihen. So kann beispielsweise in das vom Propeller abgekehrte Stirnende eines Antriebsrohrs eine TV-Kamera eingesetzt werden. In die von den Propellern abgekehrten, vorderen Stirnenden eines backbordseitigen und eines steuerbordseitigen Antriebsrohrs kann die Halterung eines Lasttragerahmens eingesetzt werden, mit dem das Unterwasserfahrzeug beliebige Lasten verbringen kann. Sowohl die TV-Kamera als auch der Lasttragrahmen werden erfindungsgemäß mit einem Auftriebskörper starr verbunden, der die vom Gewicht des jeweiligen Anbaugeräts erzeugten Abtriebskraft am Unterwasserfahrzeug durch ein auf ihn wirkende Auftriebskraft kompensiert.In the same way as the cultivation of the underwater antennas and the propeller protection devices, the attachment of additional attachments is possible, which give the underwater vehicle additional functions. For example, a TV camera can be inserted in the front end of a drive tube facing away from the propeller. In the facing away from the propellers, front ends of a port-side and a starboard-side drive tube, the holder of a load-bearing frame can be used, with which the underwater vehicle can spend any loads. Either According to the invention, the TV camera as well as the load-bearing frame are rigidly connected to a buoyant body which compensates for the output force generated by the weight of the respective attachment on the underwater vehicle by a buoyancy force acting on it.

Die Erfindung ist anhand eines in der Zeichnung dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiels im folgenden näher beschrieben. Es zeigen:

Fig. 1
eine perspektivische Ansicht eines unbemannten Unterwasserfahrzeugs, schematisiert dargestellt,
Fig. 2
eine perspektivische Ansicht einer am Unterwasserfahrzeug gemäß Fig. 1 angebauten Propeller-Schutzvorrichtung mit Auftriebsrohr,
Fig. 3
eine Seitenansicht von Propeller- Schutzvorrichtung und Auftriebsrohr gemäß Fig. 2, teilweise aufgeschnitten,
Fig. 4
eine Draufsicht des Unterwasserfahrzeugs gemäß Fig. 1 nach Umrüstung von Anbaugeräten,
Fig. 5
eine perspektivische Ansicht der Anbaugeräte am umgerüsteten Unterwasserfahrzeug gemäß Fig. 4, vergrößert dargestellt.
The invention is described in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it:
Fig. 1
a perspective view of an unmanned underwater vehicle, shown schematically,
Fig. 2
a perspective view of the underwater vehicle according to Fig. 1 attached propeller protection with buoyancy tube,
Fig. 3
a side view of propeller protection device and buoyancy tube according to Fig. 2 , partially cut open,
Fig. 4
a plan view of the underwater vehicle according to Fig. 1 after conversion of attachments,
Fig. 5
a perspective view of the implements on the converted underwater vehicle according to Fig. 4 , shown enlarged.

Das in Fig. 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht dargestellte, unbemannte Unterwasserfahrzeug weist einen Druckkörper 11 und ein aus insgesamt vier Propellerantrieben 12 bestehendes Antriebsaggregat auf. Von den Propellerantrieben 12 sind zwei an oder nahe der Oberseite des Druckkörpers 11 und zwei an oder nahe der Unterseite des Druckkörpers 11 jeweils auf der Steuer- und Backbordseite des Druckkörpers 11 angeordnet. Jeder Propellerantrieb 12 besitzt einen Elektromotor, der über eine Antriebswelle einen Propeller 13 antreibt. Der Elektromotor und die Antriebswelle sind in jeweils einem am Druckkörper 11 befestigten Antriebsrohr 14 aufgenommen, wobei die Antriebswelle im Antriebsrohr 14 drehgelagert ist. Auf das aus dem Antriebsrohr 14 herausragende Ende der Antriebswelle ist der Propeller 13 aufgesetzt. Jeder Propeller 13 ist mit einer Schutzvorrichtung 15 versehen, die den Propeller 13 gegen Beschädigungen bei Grundberührung, bei Schiffswandberührung oder durch Treibgut schützt.This in Fig. 1 shown in a perspective view, unmanned underwater vehicle has a pressure body 11 and a total of four propeller 12 existing drive unit. Of the propeller drives 12 are two at or near the top of the pressure hull 11 and two at or near the bottom of the pressure hull 11 are respectively disposed on the control and port side of the pressure hull 11. Each propeller drive 12 has an electric motor which drives a propeller 13 via a drive shaft. The electric motor and the drive shaft are accommodated in each case one attached to the pressure body 11 drive tube 14, wherein the drive shaft is rotatably mounted in the drive tube 14. On the protruding from the drive tube 14 end of the drive shaft of the propeller 13 is attached. Each propeller 13 is provided with a protective device 15, which protects the propeller 13 against damage during ground contact, in ship's wall contact or by flotsam.

Da die Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen 15 das Unterwasserfahrzeug verteuern und nicht bei allen Einsatzprofilen erforderlich sind, werden sie optional angeboten, so dass das Unterwasserfahrzeug sowohl mit als auch ohne Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen 15 eingesetzt werden kann. Die Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen 15 stellen somit Anbaugeräte dar, die als Zubehör gleich mit geordert oder bei Änderung des Einsatzprofils des Unterwasserfahrzeugs später nachgerüstet werden können. Das Unterwasserfahrzeug ist ohne die Propeller-Schutzvorrichtung 15 sorgfältig getrimmt, so dass es im Wasser eine quasi horizontale Lage einnimmt. Abweichungen von der Hydrodynamik werden durch geschlossene Regelkreise aufgefangen, an die die Propellerantriebe 12 angeschlossen sind.Since the propeller protection devices 15 make the underwater vehicle more expensive and are not required for all application profiles, they are offered as an option, so that the underwater vehicle can be used both with and without propeller protection devices 15. The propeller protection devices 15 thus represent attachments that can be ordered as accessories or later retrofitted when changing the use profile of the underwater vehicle. The underwater vehicle is carefully trimmed without the propeller protection device 15, so that it occupies a quasi-horizontal position in the water. Deviations from the hydrodynamics are absorbed by closed control circuits to which the propeller drives 12 are connected.

Um durch den nachträglichen Anbau der Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen 15 die Trimmlage des Unterwasserfahrzeugs nicht zu verändern, was eine neue Berechnung der Trimmung und eine erneute Anpassung der Regelkreise nach sich ziehen würde, ist jede Schutzvorrichtung 15 mit einem Auftriebskörper in Form eines Auftriebsrohrs 16 fest verbunden, dessen Dichte kleiner ist als die Dichte des Wassers. Dichte und Volumen des Auftriebskörpers bzw. des Auftriebsrohrs 16 sind so gewählt, dass die im Wasser auf Schutzvorrichtung 15 mit Auftriebsrohr 16 wirkende Auftriebskraft die auf Schutzvorrichtung 15 mit Auftriebskörper 16 wirkende Schwerkraft kompensiert. Jeder Zusammenschluss von Auftriebsrohr 16 und daran befestigter Schutzvorrichtung 15, wie er in Fig. 2 perspektivisch dargestellt ist, ist damit abtriebskompensiert und verändert durch seinen Anbau an den Druckkörper 11 nicht die Trimmlage des Unterwasserfahrzeugs. Wie in Fig. 1 zu sehen ist, erfolgt der Anbau der Schutzvorrichtungen 15 an die Propellerantriebe 12 dadurch, dass das Auftriebsrohr 16 einer jeden Schutzvorrichtung 15 auf eines der vier Antriebsrohre 14 formschlüssig aufgeschoben und darauf festgesetzt wird.In order not to change the trim position of the underwater vehicle by retrofitting the propeller protection devices 15, which entails a new calculation of the trim and a renewed adaptation of the control circuits would, each protective device 15 is fixedly connected to a buoyant body in the form of a buoyancy tube 16 whose density is smaller than the density of the water. Density and volume of the buoyant body or of the buoyancy tube 16 are selected such that the buoyancy force acting on the protective device 15 with buoyancy tube 16 in the water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the protective device 15 with buoyant body 16. Each combination of buoyancy tube 16 and attached thereto protection device 15, as in Fig. 2 is shown in perspective, is thus output compensated and changed by its attachment to the pressure hull 11 is not the trim of the underwater vehicle. As in Fig. 1 can be seen, the attachment of the protective devices 15 to the propeller drives 12 takes place in that the buoyancy tube 16 of each protection device 15 is pushed onto one of the four drive tubes 14 in a form-fitting manner and fixed thereon.

Das Auftriebsrohr 16 ist als Drehteil durch spanende Bearbeitung aus einem Material hergestellt, dessen Dichte kleiner ist als die Dichte des Wassers. Die Wandstärke des Auftriebsrohrs 16 ist aufgrund der Platzverhältnisse am Antriebsrohr 14 vorgegeben. Das für den Auftrieb benötigte Volumen des Auftriebsrohrs 16 wird durch eine entsprechende Länge des Auftriebsrohrs 16 hergestellt. Die Schutzvorrichtung 15 ist aus Metall oder einem schlagfesten Kunststoff gefertigt und besitzt damit eine Dichte, die wesentlich größer ist als die Dichte von Wasser. Durch die genaue Berechnung der Länge des Auftriebskörpers 16 wird eine von der Schutzvorrichtung 15 erzeugte Abtriebskraft kompensiert.The buoyancy tube 16 is made as a turned part by machining from a material whose density is smaller than the density of the water. The wall thickness of the buoyancy tube 16 is predetermined due to the space available on the drive tube 14. The volume of the buoyancy tube 16 required for the buoyancy is produced by a corresponding length of the buoyancy tube 16. The protective device 15 is made of metal or an impact-resistant plastic and thus has a density which is substantially greater than the density of water. By accurately calculating the length of the buoyant body 16, a force generated by the protection device 15 is compensated.

Wie Fig. 3 zeigt, weist das Auftriebsrohr 16 einen im Außendurchmesser reduzierten Endabschnitt 161 zur formschlüssigen Aufnahme eines Befestigungsrings 17 der Schutzvorrichtung 15 auf. Der Außendurchmesser des Endabschnitts 161 ist somit wenig kleiner bemessen als der Innendurchmesser des Befestigungsrings 17. Der Außendurchmesser des Befestigungsrings 17 ist auf den Außendurchmesser des Auftriebsrohrs 16 abgestimmt, so dass beim Aufschieben des Befestigungsrings 17 auf den Endabschnitt 161 der Befestigungsring 17 und das Auftriebsrohr 16 bündig miteinander sind.As Fig. 3 shows, the buoyancy tube 16 has an outer diameter reduced end portion 161 for positive reception of a mounting ring 17 of the protective device 15. The outer diameter of the end portion 161 is thus sized smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting ring 17. The outer diameter of the mounting ring 17 is matched to the outer diameter of the buoyancy tube 16, so that when pushing the mounting ring 17 on the end portion 161 of the mounting ring 17 and the buoyancy tube 16 flush with each other.

Die Schutzvorrichtung 15 ist aus Montagegründen zweiteilig ausgeführt und umfasst ein den Propeller 13 stirnseitig abdeckendes Schutzgitter 18 und einen das Schutzgitter 18 aufnehmenden Schutzgitterhalter 19, an dessen dem Antriebsrohr 14 zugekehrten Ende der Befestigungsring 17 angeordnet ist. Um die Masse der Schutzvorrichtung 15 möglichst klein zu halten, weist der Schutzgitterhalter 19 um gleiche Umfangswinkel zueinander versetzte Axialstege 20 auf, die zum Befestigungsring 17 hin abgewinkelt und an dem Befestigungsring 17 befestigt sind. Auf die freien Enden der Axialstege 20 ist das Schutzgitter 18 aufgesetzt und an den Axialstegen 20 befestigt. Das Schutzgitter 18 weist einen Ring 21 und am Ring 21 befestigte Radialstreben 22 auf. Im Ring 21 sind Löcher 23 um gleiche Umfangswinkel zueinander versetzt angeordnet. Der Durchmesser der Löcher 23 ist kleiner als der Durchmesser der Axialstege 20. Die Endabschnitte 201 der Axialstege 20 sind im Durchmesser reduziert, so dass sich im Abstand von dem freien Ende der Axialstege 20 eine Ringschulter ausbildet. Die Endabschnitte 201 sind außerdem mit einem Gewinde versehen.The protective device 15 is designed for mounting reasons in two parts and includes a propeller 13 frontally covering protective grid 18 and a protective grid 18 receiving protective grid holder 19, at the drive tube 14 facing the end of the mounting ring 17 is arranged. In order to keep the mass of the protective device 15 as small as possible, the protective grid holder 19 at equal circumferential angle staggered axial webs 20, which are angled towards the mounting ring 17 and attached to the mounting ring 17. On the free ends of the axial webs 20, the protective grid 18 is placed and secured to the axial webs 20. The guard 18 has a ring 21 and attached to the ring 21 radial struts 22. In the ring 21 holes 23 are offset by the same circumferential angle to each other. The diameter of the holes 23 is smaller than the diameter of the axial webs 20. The end portions 201 of the axial webs 20 are reduced in diameter, so that forms an annular shoulder at a distance from the free end of the axial webs 20. The end portions 201 are also threaded.

Zum Anbau der Schutzvorrichtung 15 wird zunächst der Schutzgitterhalter 19 auf dem Auftriebsrohr 16 befestigt, was z.B. durch Aufkleben des Befestigungsrings 17 auf den Endabschnitt 161 des Auftriebsrohrs 16 erfolgt. Alternativ kann aber der Befestigungsring 17 auch auf den Endabschnitt 161 aufgeschoben und durch radial eingeschraubte Sicherungsschrauben gehalten werden. Möglich ist es auch, Endabschnitt 161 und Befestigungsring 17 mit korrespondierenden Gewindegängen zu versehen, so dass der Befestigungsring 17 auf den Endabschnitt 161 aufgeschraubt werden kann.For attachment of the protective device 15, the protective grille holder 19 is first attached to the buoyancy tube 16, which is e.g. by adhering the fastening ring 17 on the end portion 161 of the buoyancy tube 16. Alternatively, however, the mounting ring 17 can be pushed onto the end portion 161 and held by radially screwed locking screws. It is also possible to provide end section 161 and fastening ring 17 with corresponding threads, so that the fastening ring 17 can be screwed onto the end section 161.

Bei noch nicht montiertem Propeller 13 wird das mit dem Schutzgitterhalter 19 versehene Auftriebsrohr 16 formschlüssig auf ein Antriebsrohr 14 aufgeschoben und auf dem Antriebsrohr 14 befestigt. Danach wird der Propeller 13 auf das aus dem Antriebsrohr 14 vorstehende Wellenende aufgesetzt und darauf befestigt. Danach wird das Schutzgitter 18 am Schutzgitterhalter 19 befestigt, indem der Ring 21 des Schutzgitters 18 mit seinen Löchern 23 über die Endabschnitte 201 der Axialstege 20 geführt wird, bis der Ring 21 an den Ringschultern der Axialstege 20 anliegt. Dann werden auf die Endabschnitte 201 Gewindemuttern 24 aufgeschraubt, so dass der Ring 21 des Schutzgitters 18 gegen die Ringschultern der Axialstege 20 verspannt wird.When not yet mounted propeller 13 which is provided with the protective grid holder 19 buoyancy tube 16 is positively slid onto a drive tube 14 and fixed on the drive tube 14. Thereafter, the propeller 13 is placed on the protruding from the drive tube 14 shaft end and secured thereto. Thereafter, the protective grid 18 is secured to the protective grid holder 19 by the ring 21 of the protective grid 18 is guided with its holes 23 on the end portions 201 of the axial webs 20 until the ring 21 abuts the annular shoulders of the axial webs 20. Then threaded nuts 24 are screwed onto the end portions 201, so that the ring 21 of the protective grid 18 is clamped against the annular shoulders of the axial webs 20.

In Fig. 4 ist das beschriebene Unterwasserfahrzeug in Draufsicht dargestellt, das jedoch ohne die optionalen Propeller-Schutzvorrichtungen 15 betrieben wird. Dieses Unterwasserfahrzeug wird zur Erfassung der Topographie des Meeresbodens in einem Seegebiet eingesetzt und ist hierzu mit einem Seitensichtsonar ausgerüstet. Das Seitensichtsonar umfasst eine backbordseitige Unterwasserantenne 31 und eine steuerbordseitige Unterwasserantenne 32 mit jeweils einer elektroakustischen Wandleranordnung. Jede Unterwasserantenne 31, 32 wird als Anbaugerät an den Druckkörper 11 des Unterwasserfahrzeugs angesetzt und ist fest mit einem entsprechend ausgelegten Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. 34 verbunden, der aus einem Material mit einer Dichte, die kleiner als die Dichte von Wasser ist, gefertigt und im wesentlichen den Umrisskonturen der Unterwasserantenne 31 bzw. 32 angepasst ist. Der Auftriebskörper 33 ist wiederum so ausgelegt, dass die im Wasser auf den Zusammenschluss von Unterwasserantenne 31 und Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. Unterwasserantenne 32 und Auftriebskörper 34 wirkende Auftriebskraft die auf den jeweiligen Zusammenschluss von Unterwasserantenne 31 bzw. 32 und Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. 34 wirkende Schwerkraft kompensiert.In Fig. 4 The described underwater vehicle is shown in plan view, which is operated without the optional propeller protection devices 15. This underwater vehicle is used to record the topography of the seabed in a sea area and is equipped for this purpose with a side vision sonar. The sideview sonar includes a port-side underwater antenna 31 and a starboard-side underwater antenna 32, each with an electro-acoustic transducer assembly. Each underwater antenna 31, 32 is attached as an attachment to the pressure hull 11 of the underwater vehicle and is fixedly connected to a suitably designed buoyant body 33 or 34, which is made of a material having a density which is smaller than the density of water, and substantially the outline contours of the underwater antenna 31 and 32 is adjusted. The buoyant body 33 is in turn designed so that the buoyancy force acting on the combination of underwater antenna 31 and buoyant body 33 or underwater antenna 32 and buoyant body 34 in the water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the respective combination of underwater antenna 31 or 32 and buoyant body 33 or 34 ,

In Fig. 5 ist der jeweilige Zusammenschluss von backbordseitiger Unterwasserantenne 31 mit backbordseitigem Auftriebskörper 33 und steuerbordseitiger Unterwasserantenne 32 mit steuerbordseitigem Auftriebskörper 34 perspektivisch dargestellt. Der Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. 34 ist an der von der Schalleinfallsrichtung abgekehrten Seite der Unterwasserantenne 31 bzw. 32 angeordnet. Jeder Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. 34 weist auf voneinander abgekehrten Seiten jeweils eine Auflagefläche 35 zur Anlage an der Unterwasserantenne 31 bzw. 32 und eine Auflagefläche 36 zum Aufsetzen des Auftriebskörpers 33 bzw. 34 auf ein Antriebsrohr 14 zweier Propellerantriebe 12 auf. Die Auflagefläche 36 ist entsprechend der Krümmung des Antriebsrohrs 14 geformt. An der Unterwasserantenne 31, 32 sind Befestigungsmittel 37 vorgesehen, die die Auftriebskörper 33, 34 übergreifen und am jeweiligen Antriebsrohr 14 festgelegt sind. Im Ausführungsbeispiel der Fig. 4 und 5 sind die Befestigungsmittel 37 als Laschen 38 ausgebildet, von denen jeweils zwei im Längsabstand voneinander an der Unterwasserantenne 31 bzw. 32 befestigt sind und jeweils das Antriebsrohr 14 des backbordseitigen Propellerantriebs 12 umschlingen. In Fig. 5 ist zur Verdeutlichung ein Antriebsrohr 14 strichliniert angedeutet, an dem die backbordseitige Unterwasserantenne 31 mit Auftriebskörper 33 befestigt ist. Alternativ können die Unterwasserantennen 31, 32 mit jeweils anliegenden Auftriebskörper 33 bzw. 34 auch direkt am Druckkörper 11 steuerbord- und backbordseitig befestigt werden.In Fig. 5 the respective combination of port-side underwater antenna 31 with port-side buoyant body 33 and starboard-side underwater antenna 32 with starboard-side buoyant body 34 is shown in perspective. The buoyant body 33 or 34 is arranged at the side facing away from the sound incidence direction of the underwater antenna 31 and 32, respectively. Each buoyant body 33 or 34 has on sides facing away from each other in each case a bearing surface 35 for engagement with the underwater antenna 31 and 32 and a bearing surface 36 for placing the buoyant body 33 and 34 on a drive tube 14 of two propeller drives 12. The bearing surface 36 is shaped according to the curvature of the drive tube 14. At the underwater antenna 31, 32 fastening means 37 are provided, which engage over the buoyancy bodies 33, 34 and are fixed to the respective drive tube 14. In the embodiment of 4 and 5 the fastening means 37 are formed as tabs 38, two of which are each secured at a longitudinal distance from each other to the underwater antenna 31 and 32 and respectively wrap around the drive tube 14 of the port-side propeller drive 12. In Fig. 5 For clarity, a drive tube 14 is indicated by dashed lines, to which the port-side underwater antenna 31 is attached with buoyant body 33. Alternatively, the underwater antennas 31, 32 can also be fastened directly to the pressure body 11 on the starboard and port side by means of respective buoyant bodies 33 and 34, respectively.

Claims (10)

  1. Unmanned underwater vehicle having a pressure body (11), a propulsion unit, at least one attachment which is arranged on the pressure body (11), and at least one buoyant body (16; 33, 34) whose density is less than the density of water, characterized in that the attachment and the buoyant body (16; 33, 34) are firmly connected to one another, and in that the density and volume of the buoyant body (16; 33, 34) are chosen such that the buoyancy force which acts on the attachment with the buoyant body (16; 33, 34) in the water compensates for the force of gravity acting on the attachment and the buoyant body (33, 34).
  2. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the propulsion unit has a plurality of propeller drives (12), preferably four propeller drives (12), which are accommodated in propulsion tubes (14) which are arranged distributed on the outside of the pressure body (11) and have a propeller (13) which projects at the tube end, and in that each propeller drive (12) has, as an attachment, an associated protective apparatus (15) which surrounds its propeller (13), and a buoyancy tube (16) which is firmly connected to the protective apparatus (15) is pushed onto each propulsion tube (16), as a buoyant body.
  3. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 2, characterized in that the buoyancy tube (16) has an end section (161) with a reduced external diameter, and the protective device (15) has a mounting ring (17) which surrounds the end section (161) and is mounted on the end section (161) of the buoyancy tube (16).
  4. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 3, characterized in that the external diameter of the mounting ring (17) is designed to be equal to the external diameter of the buoyancy body (16) such that the mounting ring (17) and the buoyancy tube (16) are flush with one another when a protective apparatus (15) is pushed onto the buoyancy tube (16).
  5. Underwater vehicle according to one of Claims 2-4, characterized in that the protective apparatus (15) is composed of metal or an impact-resistant plastic.
  6. Underwater vehicle according to one of Claims 2-5, characterized in that the protective apparatus (15) has a protective grid (18), which covers the propeller (13) at the end, and a protective grid holder (19), which surrounds the propeller (13), to one of whose ends the protective grid (18) is attached, and at whose other end the mounting ring (17) is arranged.
  7. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 6, characterized in that the protective grid holder (19) has axial webs (20) which are offset with respect to one another, preferably through the same circumferential angle, are angled towards the mounting ring (17) and are attached thereto, and in that the protective grid (18) is placed on the free ends of the axial webs (20) and is attached thereto.
  8. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the protective grid (18) has a ring (21) and radial struts (22) attached to the ring (21), in that holes (23), which are preferably offset through the same circumferential angle, are provided in the ring (21) for the end sections (201) of the axial webs (20) to pass through, and in that the end sections (201) of the axial webs (20) are provided with a thread onto which the threaded nuts (24), which firmly clamp the protective grid (18) on the protective grid holder (19), are screwed.
  9. Underwater vehicle according to one of Claims 1-8, characterized in that the attachment is an underwater antenna (31, 32) with an electroacoustic transducer arrangement, and the buoyant body (33, 34) is arranged on that side of the underwater antenna (31, 32) which faces away from the sound incidence direction.
  10. Underwater vehicle according to Claim 9, characterized in that the buoyant body (33, 34) has a contact surface (35) for resting on the underwater antenna (31, 32) and a contact surface (36) for resting on the pressure body (11) or on a propulsion tube (14), which surfaces are each matched to the contour of the underwater antenna (31, 32) and/or of the pressure body (11) or of the propulsion tube (14), and in that attachment means (37) which clasp the buoyant body (33, 34) are provided and can be fixed on the underwater antenna (31, 32) and on the pressure body (11) or on the propulsion tube (14).
EP05815425A 2004-12-14 2005-12-02 Unmanned underwater vessel Active EP1824727B1 (en)

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DE102004060010A DE102004060010B3 (en) 2004-12-14 2004-12-14 Unmanned underwater vehicle, has density and volume of buoyancy unit selected to compensate for gravitational force
PCT/EP2005/012911 WO2006063695A1 (en) 2004-12-14 2005-12-02 Unmanned underwater vessel

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JP (1) JP5038903B2 (en)
AT (1) ATE428628T1 (en)
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PL1824727T3 (en) 2009-09-30
NO20073496L (en) 2007-07-06
NO338059B1 (en) 2016-07-25
WO2006063695A1 (en) 2006-06-22
DE502005007108D1 (en) 2009-05-28
US7533625B2 (en) 2009-05-19
JP2008522899A (en) 2008-07-03
DE102004060010B3 (en) 2005-12-22
EP1824727A1 (en) 2007-08-29
JP5038903B2 (en) 2012-10-03
MY143422A (en) 2011-05-31
US20080121165A1 (en) 2008-05-29
ATE428628T1 (en) 2009-05-15

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