FR2881105A1 - UNDERWATER VEHICLE WITH AMBIENT PRESSURE - Google Patents

Abstract

Autonomous underwater vehicle capable of transporting at least two divers at ambient pressure, comprising a support structure (1) at least partially careened and surmounted by a watertight verrine (3) whose at least one upper part is transparent (31) and adapted to contain a pocket (4) of breathable and ventilated gas in which the at least two divers can hold their head there. A device for adjusting the level (5) of the water that rises in the sealed verrine (3) when the vehicle is immersed, makes it possible to compensate for the variation in the weight of the divers and the part of their body emerging in the pocket (4). ) of breathing gas.

Description

Underwater vehicle at ambient pressure

  The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle at ambient pressure.

  The technical sector of the invention is that of the manufacture and operation of autonomous underwater motor vehicles said wet, allowing at least a diver who sits there, to move in the water at ambient pressure which is the depth to which he finds himself.

  Many underwater vehicles are known in this field and can be classified into two categories: - those of the torpedo / scooter type that the divers or divers overlap, which are completely open or semi-faired, and which are generally equipped with a single propellant powered by a reserve of energy placed under the passengers; examples of such vehicles are described in Japanese Patent Application JP1101294 and JP121293 filed in 1989, or in International Patent Application WO9402355 filed in 1993 (and US Patent 5433164 issued therefrom): this in fact describes a real underwater scooter, as we can see and use on the ground, with a front fairing protecting the driver, who is here a diver, and a transparent upper verrine, here semi-closed to contain a pocket of air at the seat and in which the driver-diver can breathe.

  those of closed type, completely streamlined in which the divers are fully protected by a wraparound fairing, and which are therefore larger than those of the previous category: they are generally equipped with several thrusters; underwater vehicles of this type are described in US patent applications 4,889,066 filed in 1988 and FR 1,148,743 published in 1957: in the latter the vehicle has a single propeller on which the diver is lying flat on the stomach while being encased in a wraparound fairing (such a submarine may actually be considered the pioneering craft behind the two categories of submarines above).

  We will not mention the other types of non-autonomous ambient pressure underwater vehicles because they are connected to the surface or require the muscular force of the diver to move.

  It should be noted, however, that despite the many projects, such as those mentioned above, concerning standalone submarines at ambient pressure, few have had a real commercial success; indeed, it is difficult to combine: - on one hand, both the need for safety for the divers, their ease of access, their comfort and their visibility, especially when they are two, as well as the autonomy, propulsion and adjustment of the weighing to allow the vehicle to move under the surface by adjusting its depth and - on the other hand a simple and reliable manufacture at a reasonable cost for this type of submarine may interest users for a reasonable purchase price and maintenance that does not involve the daily intervention of a specialist.

  No current project has managed to meet all these constraints.

  The problem is therefore to find a basic technical solution that satisfies all the above constraints and, in particular to that of weighing, which is a critical point because if it is poorly resolved, the vehicle is no longer maneuvering, especially at low speed, nor stable at depth when stopped; this weighing adjustment is actually made to date in a safe manner with regulator systems that fill at least more water and the rest of air to vary the buoyancy or vice versa the weight submarine diving: it must be adjustable when the submarine can take two passengers whose apparent weight in the water, related to size, volume and dry weight, can be very different .

  One solution to this problem is an autonomous underwater vehicle capable of transporting at least two divers at ambient pressure and comprising an at least partially carinated support structure, receiving all the necessary equipment, on the one hand for propulsion, on setting the weighing and autonomy of the vehicle, and secondly the reception, sitting position, and breathing of at least two divers, said structure being surmounted by a watertight verrine in the upper part at least is transparent and capable of containing a pocket of breathable gas in which the at least two divers in a seated position can hold their head, and said carinated support structure being open at least 180 backwards in its median portion between said verrine and its lower part carrying the seats able to accommodate said divers; which vehicle according to the invention comprises: - a supply of breathable gas supplying a control valve delivering into the pocket of breathable gas a flow of gas ventilating it and able to ensure carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations in accordance with the program - a device for adjusting the level of the water which rises in the waterproof verrine when the vehicle is immersed, which adjustable level variation compensates, among others, that of the weight of the divers and the part of their body immersed in the breathing gas bag.

  Preferably the vehicle also comprises two height-adjustable seats, each independently, which adjustment is able to correctly position the head of each occupant in the verrine at the desired height so that they each have good visibility.

  In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle comprises a pipe whose two ends are open and freely communicate with each other and with the environment: a first end located inside and in the lower part of the canopy is adjustable in height and determines the water level in this verrine, and the other fixed end, located above the first, communicates outside the verrine.

  To also allow good maneuverability in the horizontal plane, the vehicle comprises a steerable thruster in this horizontal plane around a pivot fixed on the support structure, behind the adjustable seats.

  In a particular embodiment, to allow, in navigation, maneuverability in the vertical plane without changing the distribution of volumes and / or loads, the vehicle has dive bars located on either side of the front of the support structure.

  In order to also facilitate access to the seats for the boarding and disembarking of the divers on this vehicle, the verrine is articulated on its front part, with respect to the faired support structure and is maintained at its rear part by at least one removable device.

  Other specific characteristics of such a vehicle are defined below in the description and provide various solutions to the constraints mentioned above, firstly in the simplification of manufacture of certain equipment and in their ease of control and maintenance, and on the other hand, in the visibility and comfort of the diving passengers as well as in the improvement of their safety.

  The result is a new type of autonomous underwater vehicle at ambient pressure meeting the various disadvantages mentioned above and noted in some current submarines: the submarine according to the invention thus offers ease of use, can be achieved with a cost allowing a marketing on the market at accessible prices for the amateurs, can be operated safely with a maneuverability in all directions and with a comfort and an optimal visibility.

  Other advantages of the present invention could be mentioned but those mentioned above already show enough to prove novelty and interest. The description and the accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the invention but are not limiting in nature: other embodiments are possible within the scope and scope of this invention.

  Figure 1 is a side view of an autonomous underwater vehicle according to the invention.

  FIG. 2 is a front perspective view taken from above of the vehicle of FIG. 1.

  Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vehicle of Figures 1 and 2.

  Figure 4 is a side view in the raised position of the vehicle according to the invention for better access to passengers.

  Figure 5 is a side view of the vehicle according to the invention in a particular mode of operation.

  Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of the verrine with its leveling piping and its supply of breathable gas.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective bottom view of the verrine according to FIG. 6.

  The autonomous underwater vehicle according to the invention is able to carry at least two divers 22 at ambient pressure: it comprises a support structure 1 at least partially careened and which can itself constitute a streamlined fairing on the front of the vehicle to protect passengers against the flow of water and reduce the resistance to advancement; this structure, made for example in GRP, receives all the necessary equipment on the one hand to the propulsion 2, to the adjustment of the weighing, and the autonomy of the vehicle, and on the other hand to the reception in sitting position and breathing of at least two passengers divers.

  Said structure 1 is surmounted by a watertight verrine 3 whose upper or upper part at least is transparent 31 and capable of containing a pocket 4 of breathable and ventilated gas in which the at least two divers 22 in a seated position can hold their head there this gas pocket 4 also ensuring the flotation of the vehicle.

  This sealed verrine 3 is preferably made up of two parts, the upper part being made of transparent material (of the PMMA type) assembled on a lower part (for example of molded or injected plastic material of the PRV type) by a bolted and glued joint plane. .

  Said faired support structure 1 is open at least 180 backwards in its median part between said canopy 3 and its part or lower assembly carrying the seats 6 adapted to accommodate said plungers 22: such an arrangement is equivalent to that known for the scooters "terrestrial". This support structure 1, made for example of GRP, uniting the verrine 3 and the lower assembly carrying not only the seats 6, the gas reserves 10, the batteries 91r the ballast 18 and others, but also the thruster 2, transmits the pulling forces at the top.

  According to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, a device 19 for adjusting the level 5 of the water, which goes back up into the watertight canopy 3 when the vehicle is immersed, makes it possible to compensate, among others, that of the apparent weight in the divers' water. 22, related to the volume of the part of their body emerged in the pocket 4 of breathable gas: indeed according to the position of the head of the divers in said air pocket 4, the emerging part of their body, not undergoing the pressure Archimedes water, thus weighs more or less the weight of the entire vehicle and then it is necessary to give it a buoyancy adapted to compensate for this variation in weight according to the diver considered; by then varying the level of the water in said verrine 3 we obtain a variable buoyancy adapted to the request.

  This device for adjusting the level of the water may consist of a pipe 19, a first end 191 of which is located inside and in the lower part of the canopy, such as at the front of the latter and on the side as shown in Figure 7, is adjustable in height, and the second fixed end 192 located above the first, such as on the rear part of the verrine, communicates outside thereof.

  The height adjustment of the end 191 of the pipe is ensured by a sliding assembly along a slide 20 fixed on the lower part 32 of the canopy and at least part 193 of the pipe 19 is flexible to adapt to the variation of position of the end 191.

  Moreover, said pocket 4 of breathable gas, trapped in the upper part of the verrine 3, is swept by an inlet and a flow of preferably permanent gas from a reserve 10 located under the seats 6 of the divers in the lower part of the structure support 1, such as bottles under high pressure; this gas reserve 10 is connected to a pressure reducer 23 delivering a medium pressure of the order of 10b and supplying a manually controlled adjustment valve 21, or by a regulator (of the PID type, that is to say "Integral Proportion Derivative ") taking a measure of the partial pressures (or concentration levels) of carbon dioxide gas CO2 and oxygen O2 in the pocket 4 of breathable gas, in order to deliver a steady or intermittent gas flow rate capable of ensuring in this pocket 4 CO2 and 02 concentrations according to the dive program, the outlet of the valve 21 opening, directly or after a piping element, in the lower part of the verrine 3.

  A person skilled in the art knows, knowing the partial pressure of oxygen contained in the gas of the reserve 10, the maximum and minimum volumes of gas that can be contained in the pocket 4, the minimum and maximum consumption of the two divers breathing in this pocket and the concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen minimum and maximum to maintain given the dive program, (that is to say related to different depths of navigation of the vehicle and the duration of this navigation) calculate said flow necessary gas; this calculation is facilitated, and can even be automated, by knowing the actual CO2 carbon dioxide concentration and / or oxygen O 2 (and not estimated as indicated above) measured in the gas pocket 4.

  Such a gas or air sweep thus makes it possible both to: -maintain a breathing gas, corresponding to the dive program, in the gas bag 4 -compensate for the variation in volume of this gas pocket 30 as a function of the depth (which is the object of US Patent 5,433,164) to maintain the water level 5 at the desired and set position of the end 191 on its slide 20 to adjust the buoyancy according to the persons and the on-board equipment.

  The surplus of gas thus supplied by the valve 21 escapes through the end 191 of the piping when the level of gas or air pushing the water level 5 downward tangents said end 191r the air or the gas passing through the pipe 19, is then discharged into the ambient environment by the end 192.

  This system of renewal of air by sweeping, or also called by ventilation, also allows, and all the more so as the depth increases, a sensible saving of the consumption of air or gas compared to that of a diver stand-alone with bottles feeding directly to the mouth valve.

  The at least two seats 6 on which said plungers 22 can be adjusted vertically each independently regardless of such that their adjustment is able to correctly position the head of each occupant in the verrine in particular that the plunger 22 located at The rear can have a visibility above the head of the one sitting at the front and that each one of them has a comfortable position inside the part of the verrine 31 transparent and compared to the level 5 of the water in this verrine.

  To optimize the visibility of these divers 22 and the volume of this verrine 3, its transparent portion 31 is elongated half-cylindrical on the back and hemispherical on the front as shown in the various figures attached.

  To facilitate the installation and exit of the divers both at the surface and when the vehicle is placed on the seabed, in addition to the opening on at least 180 of the fairing 1 to the rear, said verrine 3 is hinged 7 by a hinge-type system, on its front part with respect to the streamlined support structure 1, and is held at its rear part by at least one removable device 8 of pin-type for example, which connects or disconnects from the fixed part of fairing 1 as shown in Figure 2 in the closed position and in Figure 4 in the open position.

  The vehicle according to the invention also comprises a propellant 2 which can be oriented in the horizontal plane about a pivot 16 fixed on the support structure 1, behind the adjustable seats 6, and preferably below the level of these seats is in fact in the extension of the reserve cylinders of breathable gas 10 as best seen in Figure 3; the electric motor of this thruster 2 can be controlled by relays located inside its waterproof case and actuated by magnets located outside this box, which simplifies the control circuit and its manufacture.

  In contrast to this thruster 2 and always in the same axis as the gas reserve cylinders 10, a projector 13 can illuminate towards the front of the vehicle.

  The plunger 221 located at the front of the latter has a thruster 12 orientation control 2 in the horizontal plane around its pivot 16 to drive the vehicle and direct it to the left or right in the direction towards which he wants to go.

  Likewise, in order to be able to ascend or descend deep into the water once its weight has been balanced thanks to the water level setting 5 in the verrine 3, the vehicle has dive bars 11 situated on either side of the before the support structure 1 and which can be inclined upwards or downwards by the same control 12 knowing that their efficiency is however sufficient only at a minimum speed dependent on their surface and the inertia of the vehicle. Another complementary or alternative solution to the dive bars may be to vary either the volume of the gas bag 4 by adjusting the water level, or the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to the front or to the rearward such that by displacement of the bodies of the divers or a part or all of the ballast 18 located at the bottom of the vehicle; this part or all of the ballast 18 may also be releasable for safety.

  Between this weight 18 and the gas reserves 10, a box 9 sealed and resistant to pressure receives the batteries 91 electric ensuring the autonomy of the vehicle; a transparent closing tape allows vision of voltage measuring devices and internal isolation. The entire battery pack 9 can be secured to the thruster 2 and constitute a module independent of the fairing support structure 1: it can be quickly changed by a recharged module to reduce the downtime of the vehicle.

  The control of the voltage and of the charge level of the batteries 91 as well as that of the gas reserve cylinders 10 can also be ensured by dials located on an external panel 14 and located on the top of the front part of the fairing 1 of such so that they are visible through the spherical portion before the transparent verrine 31r allowing the plunger 221 to monitor the indications.

  According to the representation of Figure 5, a particular method of use allows beginners to move safely under water with the vehicle according to the invention: it then comprises a surface float 15 connected to its structure support 1 by a lanyard 17 of given length such as for example from two to three meters. Thus by giving the vehicle through the device for adjusting the water level in the verrine as described above a slightly negative weight in the water but less than the buoyancy reserve provided by the surface float 15, the divers can move underwater in safety since it can never go below the depth fixed by the length of the lanyard 17.

Claims (10)

  An autonomous underwater vehicle capable of transporting at least two divers at ambient pressure, comprising a support structure (1) at least partially faired receiving all the necessary equipment, on the one hand, propulsion (2), adjustment weighing and the autonomy of the vehicle, and secondly, the reception in sitting position and the breathing of the at least two divers, said structure being surmounted by a verrine (3) sealed whose upper part at least is transparent (31) and adapted to contain a pocket (4) of breathable gas in which the at least two divers in a sitting position can hold their head, and said carinated support structure (1) being open at least on 180 to the rear in its median part between said verrine (3) and its lower part, characterized in that it comprises: a reserve (10) of breathable gas supplying an adjustment valve (21) delivering into the pocket (4) of breathable gas a gas bit ventilating it and adapted to ensure carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations in accordance with the dive program, - a device for adjusting the level (5) of the water that rises in the sealed verrine (3) when the vehicle is immersed, which variation of level compensates, among others, that of the weight of the divers and the part of their body emerged in the pocket (4) of breathable gas, 2. autonomous underwater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two seats (6) independently adjustable in height, which adjustment is able to correctly position the head of each occupant in the verrine.   3. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said verrine (3) is hinged (7) on its front portion, relative to the support structure (1) faired and maintained at its rear by at least one removable device (8) 4. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transparent portion (31) of said verrine (3) is elongated semi-cylindrical shape on the rear and hemispherical on the front.   5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a pipe (19), a first end (191) located inside and in the lower part of the canopy is adjustable in height , and the second fixed end (192) located above the first, communicates outside the verrine (3).   6. Vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the adjustable end (191) of the pipe (19) is slidably mounted along a slide (20) and at least part of the pipe (19) is flexible. .   7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a propellant (2) orientable in the horizontal plane about a pivot (16) fixed on the support structure (1), back adjustable seats (6) 8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the electric motor of the thruster (2) is controlled by relays located inside its chamber and actuated by magnets located outside.   9. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises dive bars (11) located on either side of the front of the support structure (1) 10. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a surface float (15) connected to the support structure (1) by a lanyard (17) of given length.