Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/56—Towing or pushing equipment
  • B63B21/66—Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/14—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders ; Pilot lifts
  • B63B27/143—Ramps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/36—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for floating cargo
• • 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
  • B63G8/42—Towed underwater vessels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66D—CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS
  • B66D1/00—Rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms; Capstans
  • B66D1/28—Other constructional details
  • B66D1/40—Control devices
  • B66D1/48—Control devices automatic
  • B66D1/52—Control devices automatic for varying rope or cable tension, e.g. when recovering craft from water
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/16—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists
  • B63B2027/165—Deployment or recovery of underwater vehicles using lifts or hoists
• • 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
  • B63G2008/002—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned
  • B63G2008/004—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned autonomously operating

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to the field of underwater exploration and more particularly to a system and a method for deploying and recovering an autonomous underwater vehicle by a recovery vehicle towed by a surface vessel. It has applications in particular in the field of shipbuilding.
• a scanning task can be assigned by displacement in a given geographical area to an autonomous underwater exploration vehicle comprising sonars and recorders without an operator having to continuously monitor the movements of the underwater vehicle.
• WO 2014/135522 A1 US 8430 049 B1, FR 2968268 A1, EP 2468620 A1 and US 2012/160143 A1.
• Some of these systems use launching ramps but no means of damping the impact of waves are provided, in particular in WO 2014/135522 A1 if damping is provided it is only between the underwater vehicle and guidance means.
• the present invention proposes a solution which makes it possible to remotely operate and even to automate all the operations of an underwater vehicle from its deployment to its recovery, from a surface vessel, the latter preferably being an underwater vehicle. Surface drone flying without personnel on board.
• a system for deploying and recovering an autonomous underwater vehicle by a recovery vehicle towed by a surface vessel comprising the vessel and the vehicle is proposed according to the invention.
• recovery the towing being provided by a towing cable connecting the recovery vehicle to the ship, the system being configured so that, outside of its use, the underwater vehicle is stored in a housing of the recovery vehicle and the vehicle recovery vehicle is stored out of water in the vessel, the recovery vehicle comprising along its length two opposite ends, one end of which receives the autonomous underwater vehicle giving access to the housing, the system being configured to allow the deployment can be carried out in two stages, a first stage of submersion of the recovery vehicle with the underwater vehicle stored in said recovery vehicle, a second stage of release on the underwater vehicle by exiting the latter out of the housing of the submerged recovery vehicle once the recovery vehicle towed away at a determined distance from the vessel, the system being configured to allow recovery to be carried out in two phases, a first phase of entry through the receiving end of the underwater vehicle into the
• the ship comprises a launching ramp which is tilting and the system is configured to store the recovery vehicle on the launching ramp, the launching ramp having a longitudinal extension and comprising two longitudinal ends, a front end on the side. bow of ship and a rear end on the stern side of the ship, said tilting launch ramp being able to take at least two positions: a raised position in which the stored recovery vehicle is out of water, said raised launch ramp being above the line of the vessel, and an inclined position in which the aft end of the launch pad is submerged, the system comprising a translating device allowing, in the tilted position of the launch pad, the recovery vehicle to move along the launch pad to be submerged and be able to move away from the ship while being towed by the latter during deployment and to be brought up along the launching pad during recovery and the aft end of the launching pad has buoyancy means allowing said launching ramp in an inclined position to beat as a function of the height of the water at the level of the buoyancy means.
• the inclined launch pad is free to beat depending on the height of the water at the level of the buoyancy means
• the means of buoyancy are inflatable tubes
• the buoyancy means are a floating structure arranged in the ramp or constituting at least part of the ramp,
• the ramp has two triangular-shaped rising side walls with a forward point (for example, like a spout on a sugar packaging box),
• the system is configured to store the recovery vehicle on the launch pad outside the periods of deployment, recovery and use of the autonomous underwater vehicle, - when using the autonomous vehicle under -seaman the latter is free to navigate and is out of the recovery vehicle,
• the ship is a drone
• the vessel can navigate without personnel on board, - the system is further configured so that in an inclined position of the launching ramp, the recovery vehicle stored on the launching ramp has its receiving end submerged,
• the ship is a catamaran whose hull has two parallel side hulls separated by an intermediate connection zone located above the waterline and the system is also configured so that in the raised position the launch pad is out of 'water and forms part of the intermediate connection zone,
• the intermediate connection zone is a wet zone
• the intermediate connection zone is watertight when the launching ramp is in the raised position
• sealing devices being arranged between the perimeter of the launching ramp and the edge of the intermediate connection zone facing said periphery of the launch pad
• the rear end of the launch pad constitutes the rear end of the intermediate connection zone
• the rear end of the launch pad is at a distance from the rear end of the intermediate link area
• the ship is substantially symmetrical on either side of a sagittal, antero-posterior plane of the ship, whether it is an inclined launch pad or ascent,
• the launch pad is in a plane perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the ship at least in the ascent position
• the hulls are of the wave piercing type with tapered bows
• the vessel has a towing cable reel-unwinder, - the towing cable passes over the top of the launching ramp during deployment or ascent,
• the launching ramp comprises a device for guiding the towing cable making it possible to keep said towing cable free to slide along the launching ramp, - when using the autonomous underwater vehicle, the system is configured so that the recovery vehicle is towed while submerged,
• the system is configured so that the recovery vehicle is stored out of water, without said autonomous underwater vehicle, in the ship.
• the recovery vehicle has along its length a front end opposite the receiving end,
• the towing cable is connected to the recovery vehicle towards the front end of said recovery vehicle, - the towing cable is attached to the recovery vehicle,
• the receiving end of the recovery vehicle is at the rear of the recovery vehicle and is open to provide access to housing for the autonomous underwater vehicle
• the recovery vehicle has a generally elongated shape
• the recovery vehicle comprises passive positioning means such as ailerons and / or control surfaces with controllable orientations,
• the recovery vehicle comprises active positioning means such as propellers and / or turbines with controllable actuation and, preferably, controllable orientations,
• the housing of the recovery vehicle is closed on all sides except on the receiving end side
• the autonomous underwater vehicle has a generally elongated shape
• the autonomous underwater machine has the shape of a torpedo
• the autonomous underwater vehicle comprises at least one thruster and positioning means, said positioning means being ailerons and / or control surfaces with controllable orientations and / or being said at least one thruster with controllable orientation,
• the propeller of the autonomous underwater vehicle is propeller or turbine
• the autonomous underwater vehicle has a thruster at the rear
• the rear thruster of the autonomous underwater vehicle protrudes from the rear of the recovery vehicle when the autonomous underwater vehicle is stored in the housing of the recovery vehicle
• the rear of the autonomous underwater vehicle does not protrude from the rear of the recovery vehicle when the autonomous underwater vehicle is stored in the housing of the recovery vehicle,
• the system is configured to allow the recovery of the underwater vehicle in the recovery vehicle while the recovery vehicle is stationary, the vessel being stationary,
• the system is configured to allow the recovery of the underwater vehicle in the recovery vehicle while the recovery vehicle is towed at a speed of at least one knot
• the system is configured to allow the recovery of the underwater vehicle in the recovery vehicle while the recovery vehicle is towed at a speed between one knot and four knots,
• the system is configured to allow recovery in the vessel of the underwater vehicle stored in the recovery vehicle while the vessel is stationary,
• the system is configured to allow recovery in the vessel of the underwater vehicle stored in the recovery vehicle while the vessel is sailing at a speed of at least one node
• the system is configured to allow recovery in the vessel of the underwater vehicle stored in the recovery vehicle while the vessel is navigating at a speed between one knot and eight knots
• the determined distance starts from the moment when the recovery vehicle is completely off / off the launch pad, - the determined distance starts from the moment when the recovery vehicle is no longer plumb with the vessel,
• the determined distance is defined by at least one depth and the system is configured so that the underwater vehicle is released when a determined depth has been reached, said depth being at least forty meters, - the front end of the launching ramp comprises a pivot joint with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the ship, the launching ramp being perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the ship in the raised and inclined position,
• the front end of the launching ramp comprises a pivot joint with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the ship and therefore perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the launching ramp and therefore in the width direction of the ramp launch,
• the launch pad comprises at least one beat damper intended to damp the beatings
• the translating device comprises rollers and / or rollers and / or bearings and / or slides and / or sliding bands arranged on the launching ramp and intended to facilitate the descent and the ascent of the recovery vehicle along the ramp
• - at least part of the descent of the recovery vehicle along the launching ramp is passive, the force of gravity acting on the recovery vehicle placed on the inclined launching ramp causing the descent
• the system includes an active device for assisting the descent of the recovery vehicle placed on the inclined launching ramp, - the recovery vehicle ascent on the inclined launching ramp is ensured by the towing cable,
• the launching ramp comprises actuators and / or chains and / or controlled cables allowing the raising or inclined position depending on the command, - the launching ramp comprises a locking device in the raised position,
• the invention also relates to an underwater exploration assembly comprising the system of the invention as well as an autonomous underwater vehicle.
• the invention finally relates to a method of implementing the assembly according to the invention in which, with a ship storing on a tilting launch pad an autonomous underwater vehicle stored in a housing of a recovery vehicle, when of a deployment of the autonomous underwater vehicle, the launching ramp is tilted in order to bring it into an inclined position in which the rear end of the launching ramp is submerged, the recovery vehicle is submerged, which is towed by the ship using a towing cable, the towing cable is unrolled so that the recovery vehicle storing the autonomous underwater vehicle moves away from the ship, then at a determined distance from the ship, the autonomous vehicle is released submarine out of the recovery vehicle.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view forward, bow, of a ship according to the invention storing in its sides an autonomous underwater vehicle stored in a recovery vehicle,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view to the rear, stern, of the vessel of Figure 1
• FIG. 3 shows a frontal view of the bow, bow, of the ship in figure 1
• FIG. 4 shows a simplified sagittal sectional view of the vessel of FIG. 1 while the autonomous underwater vehicle stored in the recovery vehicle is stored in the sides of said vessel, the launch pad on which the recovery vehicle is positioned. being raised and closing the intermediate connection zone between the two parallel side hulls of the ship's hull,
• FIG. 5 represents a simplified sagittal sectional view of the vessel of FIG. 1 while the recovery vehicle storing the autonomous underwater vehicle is being deployed (or recovered), the launch pad on which the vehicle is positioned. recovery having been tilted / tilted so that the rear end of the launch pad is submerged,
• FIG. 6 represents a simplified sagittal sectional view of the vessel of FIG. 1 while the recovery vehicle storing the autonomous underwater vehicle is in the course of deployment (or recovery), the recovery vehicle storing the autonomous vehicle under -seaman having been released from the launch pad and moving away from (or being brought back to) the ship, the recovery vehicle being connected by a cable to the ship,
• FIG. 7 is a simplified sagittal sectional view of the vessel of Figure 1 as the autonomous underwater vehicle is removed from the recovery vehicle towed by the vessel,
• FIG. 8 shows a perspective view to the rear, stern, of a ship according to the invention in a state of deployment (or recovery) corresponding to that of Figure 6, and
• FIG. 9 shows a perspective view from above of a ship according to the invention in partial transparency making it possible to see the inside of the sides of the ship while the autonomous underwater vehicle stored in the recovery vehicle is stored in said sides , the launching ramp on which the recovery vehicle is positioned being raised.
• the present invention relates to the field of navigation and underwater exploration. It therefore offers a solution for the deployment and automatic recovery of an autonomous underwater vehicle 12 (AUV).
• the platform on which the autonomous underwater machine 12 is recovered perhaps of various types, in particular an autonomous, remotely operated or conventional vessel 1.
• the platform is configured to limit on board movements due to the state of the sea, in particular due to the swell, and even more so the accelerations related to the state of the sea.
• recovery 11 which internally comprises a housing allowing storage of the autonomous underwater vehicle 12.
• At least one of the faces of the housing of the recovery vehicle is provided with longitudinal openings or slots allowing the various fins and lateral appendages of the autonomous underwater vehicle to be inserted therein and to circulate / slide therein.
• These longitudinal openings may or may not open and possibly only partially on the outer lateral sides of the recovery vehicle.
• These longitudinal openings may have a flared shape towards the rear, on the receiving end side, in order to facilitate the entry of the autonomous underwater vehicle into the housing of the recovery vehicle.
• These longitudinal openings can also be used as a means of indexing the axial rotational position of the autonomous underwater vehicle with respect to the recovery vehicle.
• the docking is carried out in immersion at a sufficient depth so that the movements of the waves are very reduced.
• the recovery vehicle 11 which is towed from the front (unlike ROVs which are lowered and raised vertically) can be motorized, and in any case, it is able to hold a position under the water surface in all cases. the degrees of freedom, for example thanks to active ailerons.
• the towing of the recovery vehicle 11 is carried out by a towing cable 13 which may further include a data link between the platform and recovery vehicle 11 and / or a power link, in particular electrical, between the two.
• the recovery vehicle 11 comprises a controlled removable automatic mooring system making it possible to lock the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 in the recovery vehicle 11.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 and the recovery vehicle 11 comprise an automatic system for recovering the vehicle 12 in the vehicle 11 (“homing system”) with in particular sensors and other equipment allowing automatic guidance of the vehicle. autonomous submarine 12 so that it can be stored inside the housing of the recovery vehicle 11.
• homing system an automatic system for recovering the vehicle 12 in the vehicle 11
• sensors and other equipment allowing automatic guidance of the vehicle.
• autonomous submarine 12 so that it can be stored inside the housing of the recovery vehicle 11.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 and the recovery vehicle 11 include a data transfer connection system between them, and possibly with the platform, and / or an electrical connection allowing the electrical recharging of the autonomous vehicle. submarine 12 which has rechargeable batteries.
• a launch pad 10 which can be made semi submerged is implemented.
• This launching ramp 10 is articulated by a pivot connection, or even a ball joint, with the platform and a system for lifting and locking in the up / up position of the launching ramp 10 is implemented.
• the ship 1 illustrated in the figures is of the catamaran type and it comprises a hull formed by two side hulls 2a, 2b parallel and separated from each other by an intermediate connecting zone 3 located above the waterline 9.
• the two side parts of the hull forming the hulls 2a, 2b have a wave-like shape at the front.
• the intermediate connection zone 3 is out of the water, above the waterline 9 and can be seen better in Figure 3.
• the upper part of the ship comprises, in addition to a deck 6, equipment 5 useful for navigation such as for example a radar, one or more radio antennas, transponder, etc. Regulatory equipment is also provided such as regulatory lights / lighting.
• the hull of the ship has on the outside, above the waterline, strips 8a, 8b of elastomeric material intended to absorb side impacts against the hull.
• the hull (or sides) of the ship 1 makes it possible to delimit an interior volume in which can be stored a recovery vehicle 11 itself storing, in its own sides, an autonomous underwater vehicle 12 when they are not deployed / operational, ie not put into the sea.
• the vessel 1 is mechanically propelled, in this example by aft propellers 4a, 4b, steerable, arranged at the bottom of the hulls.
• Vessel 1 has other forward propellers 7a, 7b, non-steerable, arranged through the hulls.
• the propellers 4a, 4b, 7a, 7b are preferably motorized by electric motors and the electrical energy can be supplied by rechargeable batteries and / or photovoltaic cells and / or a generator with a thermal engine and / or a battery. combustible.
• Vessel 1 has a typical length of 25 m and a typical width of 6 m. However, it can have a length between 6 m and 150 m and a width between 0.8 m and 30 m depending on the model.
• the intermediate connecting zone 3 comprises towards the rear of the ship 1 a launching pad 10 for the recovery vehicle 11, said launching ramp 10 also serving during the recovery of the recovery vehicle 11.
• the recovery vehicle 11 is connected by a towing cable 13 to the vessel 1.
• the towing cable 13 can be unwound for launching or rewound for recovery from the recovery vehicle 11 by means of a motorized and controlled winding-unwinding device 14.
• the towing cable 13 is attached to the front of the recovery vehicle 11
• the launch pad 10 is in the raised position and it is in general continuity with the intermediate connecting zone 3 and it seals off the hull of the ship 1 in this zone.
• the launch pad 10 is hinged and can tilt to tilt as can be seen in Figures 5 to 8.
• the articulation of the launch pad 10 is located towards the forward end 16 of the launch pad 10. and, thus, the aft end 15 of the launch pad 10 can be lowered and brought underwater to be submerged, below the waterline 9 (Fig. 5) when the launch pad is tilted.
• the tilting / tilting can be ensured by a pivot joint, the axis of the joint being elongated transversely (perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the ship), along the width of the launch pad which therefore has a possible angular displacement in a single plane, the sagittal plane.
• a tilting having more degree of freedom is provided with possible angular displacements in two perpendicular planes, sagittal and, in addition, transverse.
• this can make it possible to compensate for the pitching movements and in addition to the roll / heel, in particular when the launching ramp 10 is provided with a reserve of buoyancy in order to be semi-submerged when it is in position. low, with or without load (including the recovery vehicle 11) in place.
• This compensation makes it possible to prevent the surface of the inclined launching ramp from moving too far from the horizontal in the transverse direction, the ramp being inclined in the longitudinal direction.
• the compensation is passive but an active compensation is provided as an alternative or complement by effectors controlled as a function of pitch sensor measurements, or even in addition to roll.
• a passive or active damping system for rotational movements around the pivot or ball joint or other suitable type of articulation can be implemented.
• the launching pad thanks to its buoyancy means, can beat freely in an inclined position, depending on the waves, a device for damping the beat being however implemented. Under these conditions, the launch pad therefore passively adapts to the height of the sea surface in relation to the ship. Stops can be provided to limit the stroke of the beats in the inclined position of the launching ramp.
• the launch pad 10 It is also possible to provide on the underside of the launch pad 10 a shape and / or a structure and / or a material which dampens the impact of the waves on the inclined launch pad.
• the material can be a porous double skin absorbing the impact of the waves.
• the recovery vehicle 11 may be passive from the point of view of its movements underwater, the latter being due only to towing or, active means of controlled propulsion can be provided for the recovery vehicle 11.
• the recovery vehicle 11 comprises controlled guide means, typically ailerons, control surfaces, etc. steerable thrusters.
• the towing cable 13 may be a simple rope or, preferably, comprise electrical and / or data links for monitoring and command of the recovery vehicle 11 and, possibly, electrical power supply and data exchange with the recovery vehicle 11 and the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 when the latter is stored in the vehicle 11.
• active recovery vehicle 11 with active controlled propulsion means, controlled guidance means can operate in active mode or in passive mode as appropriate. Provision is also made for the recovery vehicle 11 to be mixed, having ailerons for certain degrees of freedom and a thruster for others.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 comprises in particular propulsion, guidance and measurement equipment.
• the propulsion is done from the rear, using a propeller in this example. It can be noted that said propeller protrudes from the rear of the recovery vehicle 11 when the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 is stored in the recovery vehicle 11 while the front and most of the underwater autonomous vehicle sailor 12 is well protected, in a housing inside the recovery vehicle 11.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 and the recovery vehicle 11 comprise an automatic docking system so that the autonomous underwater vehicle 12, on the one hand, automatically positions itself in the axis of the recovery vehicle 11, at the rear of the latter, facing the receiving end 17 of said recovery vehicle 11, and, on the other hand, enters there to be lodged in the housing of said recovery vehicle 11 and moored there.
• the recovery vehicle 11 is streamlined, hydrodynamically shaped to provide low resistance to submerged / in water advancement and high towing speeds of up to 8 knots.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 is also streamlined, of adapted hydrodynamic shape, torpedo-shaped, in order to offer low resistance to submerged / in water advancement and high autonomous displacement speeds of up to 10 knots. It should be noted that the automatic recovery of the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 in the recovery vehicle 11 can be carried out while the latter is being towed, and this up to a speed of 5 knots.
• FIGS. 4 to 7 represent the operations of deployment of FIG. 4 to 7 or, by equivalence and vice versa, of recovery of FIG. 7 to 4.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 is stored in the vehicle recovery 11, the latter being stored on the launching ramp 10 raised, closing the intermediate zone 3 for the connection of the vessel 1.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 and the recovery vehicle 11 are stored in the sides from the vessel 1, these can be moved quickly and in a manner protected from the environment, between exploration areas or to an anchorage in port.
• the launch pad 10 is tilted so that its rear end 15 is submerged and the rear of the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 stored in the recovery vehicle 11 is also preferably submerged / in. the water.
• the recovery vehicle 11 and the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 that it stores are tilted rearward and downward and tend to descend along the launch pad 10, the towing cable 13 allowing to control the descent for launching / immersion (or conversely to allow the ascent during recovery).
• the ascent of the rear end 15 of the launching ramp 10 is motorized.
• the tilting of the launching ramp 10 for descent from its rear end 15 is preferably motorized.
• a winch or jack type electric motor can be used.
• the aft end 15 of the launch pad 10 preferably has some buoyancy, which allows it to follow the water level.
• the launch pad 10 may include rollers and / or rollers and / or bearings and / or slides and / or sliding bands facilitating the descent and ascent of the recovery vehicle 11.
• a guidance system may be provided between the recovery vehicle. recovery 11 and the launch pad 10, for example a longitudinal slot on the surface of the launch pad 10 in which a spoiler of the recovery vehicle 11 can circulate. It is also possible to provide a towing cable guide 13 ensuring that the cable 13 remains substantially along the launching ramp 10 during the deployment or recovery of the recovery vehicle 11.
• the launching ramp 10 can be provided on its upper face with a cable guide on a slide so that the cable guide is close to the upper surface of the launching ramp 10 at the rear end of the ramp. launch 10 when the recovery vehicle 11 is at sea and has to climb back into the ship 1.
• Figure 6 the recovery vehicle 11 has moved away from the moving vessel 1, the towing cable 13 having been unwound and the recovery vehicle 11 being towed by the vessel 1.
• the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 is still stored in the recovery vehicle 11.
• the release of the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 is carried out at a depth of at least forty meters or, at the very least, at a depth where the surface movements of the water, in particular the swell, no longer have any effect.
• a depth is preferably chosen also for the automatic recovery of the autonomous underwater vehicle 12 in the housing of the recovery vehicle 11.
• the ship may be a monohull and the tilting launch pad forming the aft part of the hull and the deck.
• the recovery vehicle 11 can include several openings rearwardly making it possible to store several autonomous underwater vehicles 12 or a single large housing making it possible to store several autonomous underwater vehicles 12 in series.
• the ship may have several tilting launch pads for as many recovery vehicles 11.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)

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• 2019
  • 2019-10-10 FR FR1911281A patent/FR3101846B1/fr active Active
• 2020
  • 2020-10-08 EP EP20785544.6A patent/EP4124203A2/de active Pending
  • 2020-10-08 US US17/767,821 patent/US20240083553A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-10-08 WO PCT/EP2020/078336 patent/WO2021069624A1/fr active Application Filing

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