ES2624534T3 - Submarine - Google Patents

Abstract

Submarine, in which on the outer side of the hull (2) at least one device (4) is provided to house and store an underwater drone (6), the device (4) forming a docking station for an underwater drone (6) ) which is redirected to the device (4), characterized in that the device (4) is configured as a container (10) with a container lid (14), the container lid (14) forming a pivoting arm to accommodate the underwater drone (6).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Submarine

The invention relates to a submarine with the features indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

For the fight against mines and for reconnaissance purposes, the use of remote-controlled submarine drones is known, which are submerged in the water by aquatic vehicles and subsequently after their use they are collected again. Underwater drones can also be unloaded from a submarine submerged by a torpedo tube and can be directed out of the submarine's pressure hull in a remote control, however, until now it has not been possible or only with a very large effort to collect drones submarines of a submerged submarine.

From EP 1 783 046 A2, US 3,890,919 A and DE 295 15 885 U1 it is known to store objects and weapons outside the pressure hull of a submarine. In this way, EP 1 783 046 A2 and DE 295 15 885 U1 describe transport containers, which are disposed detachably on the outer side of the hull and which form an additional storage space for various objects that are transported with the submarine. From US 3,890,919 A a device can be deduced, with which a weapon stored in the intermediate space between the pressure hull and the outer liner of a submarine can be taken to a position outside the outer liner and can be You can launch from there.

Against this background, the present invention aims to create a submarine, with which submarine drones can be collected and transported in a submerged state of the submarine.

This objective is solved by a submarine with the characteristics indicated in claim 1. The advantageous improvements of the invention result from the dependent claims, the description below and the drawing.

The invention is based on the idea of creating a submarine, in which an underwater drone discharged from the hull, that is, from the submarine's pressure hull can be picked up again by a torpedo tube, without having to carry the drone submarine back to the hull. For this, the invention provides for housing, storing and transporting the underwater drone on the outer side of the hull. To do this, the submarine according to the invention has at least one device for accommodating and storing an underwater drone on the outer side of the hull.

The device for housing and storing an underwater drone is configured in such a way that it forms a kind of docking station for an underwater drone, in which this drone can also be fixed for transport. In this regard, the device is arranged in such a way in the submarine that the remote control submarine drone can be redirected to it in the simplest way possible.

This guarantees the arrangement of the device on a longitudinal side of the helmet. The device in this respect is aligned in such a way that a submarine drone that must be collected can be redirected parallel to the longitudinal extension of the hull and can be stored parallel to the longitudinal side of the hull in a storage position. This alignment of the device almost excludes a frontal collision of the submarine drone with the submarine when redirecting it to the device, since the drone is redirected to the device essentially parallel to the hull.

In addition, this alignment of the device has reotechnical advantages, since the width of the device that protrudes from the hull transverse to its longitudinal extent is essentially determined by the cross-sectional dimensions of the relatively small submarine drone, so that a configuration of the device, in which it is close to the helmet. For another improvement of the hydrodynamic properties of the submarine, the device has an external coating favorable to the current. Therefore, signed properties can also be improved.

Especially preferred in the case of the submarine according to the invention, not only is a device provided for housing and storing a submarine drone, but also on both the starboard side and also on the port side of the hull, one of these is respectively arranged. devices, so that at least two underwater drones can be collected and transported by the submarine.

Advantageously, the device for housing and storing an underwater drone can be moved from a position essentially adjacent to the hull to a housing position separated from the hull. The position of the device, in which it fits the hull, is intended for submarine driving, this position also representing the storage or transport position of the underwater drone. In this position the device offers the surrounding water a comparatively reduced resistant effort. To accommodate an underwater drone the device can be moved to a position, which is so separated from the hull, that the submarine cannot exert any or an insignificant suction effect on an underwater drone that enters parallel to the submarine's hull in the device.

In order to be able to move the device from a position essentially adjacent to the hull to a housing position separated from the hull, at least one pivoting arm is provided, which is configured to house an underwater drone. This pivoting arm is articulated in such a way in the device, that in a cross-sectional plane of the hull from a position, in which it fits essentially in the outer lining of the submarine, it can be pivoted to a

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position, in which the free, non-articulated end of the pivoting arm has as large a separation as possible from the hull. Provision in an appropriate manner is such that the drone is housed with separation next to the hull.

In the area of the end of the free pivoting arm that can be pivoted outwardly, either a housing device for an underwater drone is arranged or the pivoting arm is configured in this area such that it forms a support surface for a underwater drone The length of the pivoting arm is measured in such a way that the housing equipment or the support surface in the position that can be pivoted out of the pivoting arm has the above-described separation of the hull, which guarantees a smooth entry of a drone submarine.

According to the invention the device is configured as a container with a lid of the container. A lid of the container in the sense of the present invention, in principle, can be any lid of the discretionary container, which closes the container with the other part of the container. When, for example, the container is formed on one side by a hull wall and on the other hand a part of the container that can be placed therein, in this way the part of the container that can be placed forms the lid of the container. Advantageously the container lid forms the pivoting arm. In this way, the container on the one hand makes the storage space available for an underwater drone and on the other hand it forms by means of its lid the pivoting arm described above, which makes it possible to accommodate a submarine drone separated from the hull.

Thus, for example, the opening of the container placed in the helmet can be provided on its side away from the helmet. In the opening area the container lid is articulated in the container and can be pivoted from a position that closes the container to a position that releases the interior of the container. On the inner side of the lid of the container directed to the container advantageously is arranged a housing equipment for the underwater drone. Alternatively, the inner side of the container lid, however, can also be configured in such a way that it forms a housing concavity for an underwater drone. Preferably, the concavity is configured in the area of the end of the lid of the non-articulated container and with sufficient separation to the hull, the dimensions of which are adjusted to the dimensions of the underwater drone to be housed. The concavity forms an entrance channel and a storage place for the underwater drone.

To close the container with the lid of the container, as well as to pivot the lid of the container in the housing position, in addition an angled lever is advantageously provided, which has a first lever articulated on the side of the container and a second lever articulated in the lid of the container. In the cranked joint of the cranked lever that joins these levers, a linear drive is articulated, being preferably a lifting cylinder.

Comparatively high forces can be transmitted by means of the bent lever mechanism to pivot the lid of the container on it, which makes it possible to articulate the lever of the bent lever mechanism that attacks the lid of the container despite the moment of action in principle unfavorable with relatively reduced separation of the articulated joint between the container and the container lid. Therefore, an arrangement of the cranked lever mechanics that especially saves space can be created, in which the cranked lever mechanics does not enter the housing space formed by the container lid for the underwater drone and thus does not it damages the underwater drone that enters.

The actuation of the bent lever mechanism and thus the pivoting of the container lid takes place by a linear drive. In this regard, in principle, discretionary linear drives can be used, however, preferably the linear drive is formed by a hydraulic cylinder, which is articulated in the angled joint of the bent lever mechanism and that moves this angled joint.

The hydraulic cylinder allows the container lid to be operated advantageously from inside the submarine. In the case of this configuration, it is only necessary to guide a hydraulic line or current supply line of a hydraulic pump arranged outside the pressure hull by the pressure hull in order to be able to handle the hydraulic cylinder from the hull.

To avoid unintended movements or loss of the underwater drone, the device adequately presents means for fixing the underwater drone. These means are preferably provided in the pivoting arm or the lid of the device container and secure the underwater drone both by pivoting the pivoting arm from the housing position to the storage position, as well as during transport.

The means for fixing the underwater drone are suitably formed by clamping brackets. Thus, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that at the top of the container at least one clamping bracket is articulated to block the underwater drone that is housed inside. The clamping bracket can be pivoted in the container lid from a position that releases the drone to a position that fixes or blocks the drone. The shape of the clamping bracket is configured in such a way that the clamping bracket envelops the submarine drone essentially in a dragging way in a blocking position and thus does not provide the drone with any possibility of movement.

Preferably, the clamping bracket is pivoted with a bent lever mechanism. For this, in another configuration, it is provided that a first lever of a lever is articulated in the clamping bracket

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angled and a second lever of this lever angled in the lid of the container. A linear drive is articulated in the angled joint of the angled lever that joins these levers, which is preferably configured as a lifting cylinder. The cranked lever mechanism transmits the force necessary to drive the clamping bracket. With the angled lever, the clamping bracket can be moved from a non-active position to a locked position, as well as the other way around.

When a drone enters the device advantageously, it is planned to detect and monitor its position in the device. For this, the device has sensors for detecting the position of the underwater drone. These sensors are preferably arranged in the pivoting arm. Thus, for example, limit switches may be arranged distributed on the pivoting arm or on the lid of the container that forms the pivoting arm by a drone inlet path, which detect the position of the drone in the device or in The pivot arm housing equipment until reaching a final position and when reaching the final position by a correspondingly configured control lead to the fixation of the underwater drone by fixing means.

Apart from this it can also be advantageous to support the approach of the underwater drone to the device. For this purpose the device may have means for emitting a guiding signal, preferably a gliding path emitter. In this respect, however, it is necessary that the submarine drone presents a corresponding reception equipment for the guiding signal. When this is the case, in addition, the danger of a collision of the submarine drone with the submarine can be reduced by a beam of beam emitted by the device. In addition to this, this configuration also makes it possible to pick up an underwater drone in case of poor visibility conditions, for example, darkness.

An emitter can be provided in the entrance area of the pivoting arm or the lid of the container, which emits a lightning-focused guiding signal. This drone beam indicates an exact redirection path, which considerably facilitates the entry of the underwater drone into the device, since the drone only has to be directed along the beam.

Preferably, the means for emitting a guiding signal are formed by a gliding path emitter. The gliding path emitter corresponds in its function to "Glide slopes" arranged in automatic landing systems at airports at the beginning of the runway and emits a focused acoustic signal, which shows the drone the appropriate approach path.

In another configuration, the device has a separation device to separate a control wire from the underwater drone. This separation equipment, in particular, is then necessary when the cable-guided underwater drones must be housed and stored in the device.

In order to place the device to house and store an underwater drone if possible only when necessary in a submarine, it is advantageously planned to fix the device detachably in the hull. To do this, the submarine has a fixing device, with which the device is preferably fixed in a drag on the hull and can easily be separated from the hull. In this way the device can then be removed from the submarine, when it is not planned to collect underwater drones by the submarine.

Next, the invention is described by an embodiment shown in the drawing. In this show:

Figure 1 in very simplified representation and plan view of a device arranged in a submarine to house and store an underwater drone,

Figure 2 in enlarged representation a section along the cutting line II-II in Figure 1 and

Figure 3 in enlarged representation shows a section along the MI-MI cutting line in Figure 1.

In figures 2 and 3 only a part of the side wall of a hull or pressure hull 2 of a submarine is represented, on whose outer side a device 4 for accommodating and storing an underwater drone 6. The device 4 is arranged in the area above, that is, on the side of the submarine's tower. In this area is

configured an outer liner of the submarine, which surrounds the pressure hull 2 on the outer side, such that

on the upper side of the submarine it forms an upper deck 8.

The device 4 is configured as a container 10. In Figure 1 it is recognized that the container 10 extends essentially in the longitudinal direction of the hull 2. Figures 2 and 3 clearly show that the outer contour of the container 10 directed to the hull 2 corresponds to the contour of the hull 2 and the container 10 in this way fits flush in the hull 2 and the side wall of the upper cover 8.

On the side of the container 10 separated from the hull 2 it has an opening 12. This opening 12 is closed by a lid of the container 14, which is articulated by joints 16 in the container 10. In this way the lid of the container 14 can be pivoted. both in a position that releases container 10 and one that closes container 10.

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The container 14 is pivoted by a cranked lever 18 and a hydraulic cylinder 20 articulated in the cranked joint of the cranked lever 18, as well as the container 10. For this a lever 22 of the cranked lever 18 is articulated in the container lid 14 and a second lever 24 in the container 10. The hydraulic cylinder 20 is directed from the pressure hull 2 of the submarine. The hydraulic or current supply lines necessary for this are not represented in the figures due to clarity. The angled lever 18 and the hydraulic cylinder 20 are sized and articulated in such a way in the container 10 or the lid of the container 14, that the lid of the container 14 can be pivoted from a position that closes the container 10 about an angle of approximately 90 ° to a plane aligned approximately normal to the axis of the submarine tower to a housing position. In this regard, the bent lever 18 in the housing position of the container lid 14 has an extended shape, that is to say that the levers 22 and 24 approximately have a joint longitudinal axis. In this position of the bent lever 18 it is self-locking.

Apart from closing the container 10, the lid of the container 14 also serves to accommodate an underwater drone 6. For this purpose on the inner side 26 of the lid of the container 14 directed to the opening 12 of the container 10 an elongated concavity 28 is formed open by a side. This concavity 28 forms a bearing surface for the underwater drone 6. It extends longitudinally to the lid of the container 14 and has a convexity, which, starting from the side of the lid of the container 14 directed to the container 10, concave in a concave manner. direction to the outer side of the container lid 14. In this respect the curvature of the concavity 28 corresponds in its lower section to the outer contour of the underwater drone 6 in the corresponding area, so that it rests on the essentially flush storage position in concavity 28.

The concavity 28 forms a channel, through which an underwater drone 6 can enter a housing position and subsequently can be stored in the housing position. In this respect the concavity 28 is configured so deep and long, that it can accommodate the entire underwater drone 6. To facilitate the entry of the underwater drone 6 into the channel-shaped concavity 26, the concavity 26, from the inlet side, that is, on the side to which the underwater drone 6 is redirected, is enlarged in the form of a funnel in a section 30 contiguous on the side of the stern to the open side of the concavity 28.

To fix and block an underwater drone 6 stored in the concavity 28, two fastening abutments 32 are provided which can be pivoted apart from one another in a longitudinal direction to the lid of the container 14 laterally to the concavity 28. These fastening abutments 32 have a installation area that is installed with the submarine drone 6, which has a complementary curvature to the submarine drone penimeter 6. The clamping brackets 32 are articulated in the case of container cover 14 on the side of the concavity 28 directed to the hull 14 in the lid of the container 14 and can be pivoted in such a way that they overlap the underwater drone 6 which is located in the recess 28 on its free side.

The actuation of the clamping brackets 32 takes place respectively by a cranked lever 34 and a hydraulic cylinder 36 articulated in the cranked joint of the cranked lever 34. In this regard a lever 38 of the cranked lever 34 is articulated in the clamping bracket 32 and a second lever 40 in the lid of the container 14. The hydraulic cylinder 36, such as the hydraulic cylinder 20, can be directed from the inside of the pressure hull 2. As in the case of the hydraulic cylinder 20 also in the case of the cylinder Hydraulic 36 The hydraulic or current supply lines required for this are not represented for reasons of clarity.

With the aid of the hydraulic cylinder 36, the angled lever 34 can move the clamping bracket 32 to the position it holds by blocking an underwater drone 6 or to the position that releases the clamping bracket 44. The last position is recognized in Figure 3 by the stirrup holding 32 'represented with strokes and dots. The angled lever 34 is articulated in such a way in the holding bracket 32 and the lid of the container 14 40, that in the position of the holding bracket that blocks the underwater drone 6 has an extended shape, that is, that the levers 38 and Approximately 40 have a joint longitudinal axis and the angled lever 34 acts in a self-locking manner.

To accommodate an underwater drone 6, the lid of the container 14 of the container 10 disposed in the hull 2 is pivoted by the angled lever 18 and the hydraulic cylinder 20 of a position that closes the container 10 to a housing position. In this housing position, the concavity 28 configured in the lid of the vessel 14 forms an inlet for the submarine drone 6, which extends in a plane approximately normal to the axis of the tower parallel to the longitudinal extension of the submarine. The concavity 28 or the inlet channel formed by the concavity 28 is separated so far from the hull 2 of the submarine, that the submarine drone 6 when redirected to the concavity 28 moves outside an aspiration zone of the submarine. The movement of the underwater drone 6 in the concavity 28 is monitored by sensors theref arranged, which are not represented in the figures. Upon reaching the storage position, the fixing of the underwater drone 6 in the concavity 28 is generated. To this end, a lever angled 34 is actuated respectively by a hydraulic cylinder 36 and in this way the two clamping brackets 32 of a non-active position are pivoted. (represented by the clamping element 32 ') to the locking position, in which the clamping bracket 32 envelops the penometer of the submarine drone 6 and fixes the underwater drone in form drag in the concavity 28. Finally, the lid of the vessel 14 with the underwater drone 6 disposed therein is pivoted back to the position that closes the vessel 10 and the underwater drone 6 can be transported by the submarine.

 Reference List

 2

 Pressure helmet or helmet

 4

 Device

 6

 Underwater drone

 8

 Top deck

 10

 Container

 12

 Opening

 14

 Container lid

 16

 Joint

 18

 Angled lever

 twenty

 Hydraulic cylinder

 22

 Lever

 24

 Lever

 26

 Inner side

 28

 Concavity

 30

 Section

 32, 32 '

 Clamping bracket

 3. 4

 Angled lever

 36

 Hydraulic cylinder

 38

 Lever

 40

 Lever

Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 1. Submarine, in which on the outer side of the hull (2) at least one device (4) is provided to house and store an underwater drone (6), the device (4) forming a docking station for an underwater drone (6) which is redirected to the device (4), characterized in that the device (4) is configured as a container (10) with a container lid (14), the container lid (14) forming a pivoting arm to accommodate the underwater drone (6). 2. Submarine according to claim 1, wherein the device (4) can be moved from a position essentially adjacent to the hull (2) to a housing position separated from the hull (2). 3. Submarine according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a bent lever (18) is provided, having a first lever (24) bent on the side of the container and a second lever (22) bent on the lid of the container ( 10), a linear drive, preferably a lifting cylinder (20), being articulated in the angled joint of the angled lever (18) that joins these levers (22, 24). 4. Submarine according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device (4) has means for fixing the underwater drone (6). 5. Submarine according to claim 4, at least one holding bracket (32, 32 ') being articulated in the lid of the container (14) to block the underwater drone (6). 6. Submarine according to claim 5, a first lever (38) of a cranked lever (34) being articulated in the holding bracket (32) and a second lever (40) of this cranked lever (34) being articulated on the lid of the container (14) and a linear drive, preferably a lifting cylinder (36), being articulated in the angled joint of the angled lever (34) that joins these levers (38, 40). 7. Submarine according to one of claims 1 to 6, the device (4) presenting sensors for detecting the position of the underwater drone (6), which are preferably arranged in the pivoting arm. 8. Submarine according to one of the preceding claims, the device (4) presenting means for emitting a guiding signal, preferably a gliding path emitter. 9. Submarine according to one of the preceding claims, the device (4) presenting a separation mechanism for separating a control wire from the underwater drone (6). 10. Submarine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (4) is detachably fixed in the hull (2).