FR2956089A1 - Immersed portion inspecting system for hull of stream ship i.e. stream submersible, has belts fixed on cradle to control transverse displacements of nacelle around immersed portion of hull to allow inspection of immersed portion - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a frame (10) whose shape is complementary to that of an immersed portion of a hull to be inspected. A nacelle (18) supports an inspection head (19) of the portion of the hull, and is displaced transversally with respect to a transversal cradle (16) and the frame. The nacelle comprises a pulley. Belts are fixed on the cradle to control transverse displacements of the nacelle around the portion of the hull so as to allow inspection of the portion along a boustrophedon path of the head. A ballasting unit is equipped in the frame. A fixing unit is composed of suction cups.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for inspecting at least one immersed part of a hull of a ship afloat. Such a system may for example be used to inspect the submerged portion of a hull of a submarine afloat.

Different inspection systems for this type of application have already been developed in the state of the art. For example, systems based on the use of a teleoperated underwater robot equipped with inspection means and which is caused to move along the portion of the hull to be inspected are known. .

However, it is understood that this has a number of disadvantages including the difficulty of maneuvering such a robot and the accuracy and reproducibility of inspections. The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems. To this end, the subject of the invention is a system for inspecting at least one immersed portion of a hull of a floating vessel, characterized in that it comprises means in the form of a chassis having a substantially complementary shape. to that of the hull portion to be inspected, provided with hooking means on the hull of the ship and adapted to receive opposite the hull portion to be inspected, means in the form of a transverse cradle fixed on longitudinal displacement belts of these means in the form of a cradle with respect to the means in the form of a chassis, these belts being associated with pulleys carried by the means in the form of a chassis and at least some of which are associated with motorization means for controlling longitudinal displacements of the means in cradle shape relative to the frame-like means along the hull portion to be inspected, the cradle-shaped means facing the hull portion to inspecting, means-shaped support means means in the form of inspection head of the hull portion, the nacelle-shaped means being movable transversely with respect to the cradle-shaped means and the frame means and having means in the form of a pulley associated with motorization means and adapted to cooperate with transverse displacement belts of the nacelle means with respect to the cradle means, said belts being carried by the cradle means and attached thereto, for controlling the transverse displacements of the nacelle-shaped means around the hull portion to be inspected, so as to permit inspection of the hull portion in a boustrophedon path of the head-shaped means inspection. According to other aspects of the invention, the inspection system comprises one or more of the following features: the attachment means of the frame-shaped means on the shell comprise at least three means in the form of a stud of centering the frame-shaped means spaced apart from one another and adapted to engage corresponding cone-shaped portions of centering-wedge means of the frame-like means on the shell portion, - the shaped means centering stud comprise hooking means on the shell portion, - the hooking means of the centering pin-shaped means on the shell portion comprise suction cup means, - the centering-shaped means comprise a tablet provided on its face directed towards the shell, suction means for hooking means in the form of a centering stud on the shell portion and a test pattern in position thereof relative to reference marksattached to the hull and on its other side, handling handles by an operator and the cone-receiving portions of the centering pin-shaped means of the frame-shaped means on the hull portion, - the means in the form of chassis comprise suction cup means for attaching them to the hull portion once these means in the form of a chassis centered in position, the suction cup means are arranged regularly on two longitudinal longitudinal members arranged symmetrically on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the means in the form of a chassis, the means in the form of a chassis comprise means of ballasting to facilitate their handling during their installation and their removal, 2.956089 3 - the belts and the pulleys of motorization of movement of the cradle means relative to the frame means and nacelle means relative to the cradle means are formed by means The frame-shaped means and the cradle-shaped means are made of welded tubes. The nacelle-shaped means comprise several stages of nacelles carried by one another and movable relative to one another. to the others between folded and deployed positions via actuators for moving the inspection head means between retracted positions of movement of the cradle and nacelle means and active in the inspection position by relative to the shell, the actuators comprise cylinders, the means in the form of an inspection head comprise an ultrasonic probe, the ultrasound probe is associated with contact wheels adapted to come, in the inspection position, to bearing against the portion of shell to be inspected and displacement encoders for measuring the displacement of the probe relative to the hull, 20 - the means in the form of head of insp ection are connected to the corresponding stage of the nacelle-shaped means by means of a bellows jack, the inspection head-shaped means comprise means for taking pictures of the shell portion to be inspected, It comprises an information processing unit comprising means for controlling its various members and means for acquiring and storing the information delivered by the inspection head-shaped means; means for programming the movements of the inspection head means along the hull portion to be inspected, and - the information processing unit is offset relative to the inspection head and connected means to these by means of information transmission.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 show respectively a side view and a front view of a ship such as a submarine, of which a submerged portion of the hull must be inspected, - figure 3 represents a perspective view of an inspection system according to the invention, - figure 4 represents a view in perspective of means in the form of a frame forming part of an inspection system according to the invention; - FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of means in the form of a centering stud of the means in the form of a frame on the portion of shell to be inspected, forming part of the constitution of a system according to the invention; FIG. 6 represents a side view of cradle-shaped means forming part of the constitution of an inspection system according to the invention; Figures 7 and 8 represent perspective views of nacelle-shaped means forming part of an inspection system according to the invention, respectively in folded and deployed positions, - Figure 9 shows a detailed perspective view of a part of these nacelle-shaped means, - Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an ultrasonic probe forming part of an inspection system according to the invention, and - Figure 11 illustrates the boustrophedon path thereof . Indeed, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a ship afloat, such as for example a submarine, designated by the general reference 1 in these figures. This is then for example docked and a submerged portion of the hull of this submarine, as designated by the general reference 2, must be inspected. Thus, for example, this zone to be inspected may extend over an angle of between plus or minus 30 degrees on either side of a longitudinal vertical plane of this submarine over a large part of its length. It is known that such submarines are also provided with lateral sonar antennas such as those designated by the general references 3 and 4 in these figures and that the accessible zone of the hull can for example be between plus or minus 37.4. degrees on either side of the same plane because of the presence of these antennas. The inspection system according to the invention is adapted to perform the inspection of this hull portion and is shown in perspective for example in Figure 3. This inspection system then generally comprises designated chassis means by the general reference 10 in this figure 3, placed on a support structure as designated by the general reference II, during storage. As can be seen in this FIG. 3, these frame-shaped means 10 have a shape substantially complementary to that of the shell portion to be inspected. These frame means 10 are also provided with hooking means on the hull of the ship, these hooking means being provided for example at the four corners of the frame-shaped means and being designated by the general references 12, 13, 14 and 15. These attachment means will be described in more detail later and are at least three in number for proper positioning of the frame-shaped means. The means in the form of a chassis are adapted to receive opposite the hull portion to be inspected, means in the form of a transverse cradle designated by the general reference 16 in this FIG. 3, fixed on belts, for example 17 of longitudinal displacement of these cradle-shaped means 16 with respect to the frame-shaped means 10, these belts being associated with pulleys carried by the frame-shaped means 10, at least some of which are associated with motorization means, for controlling longitudinal displacements of the cradle means 16 with respect to the frame means 10 along the shell portion to be inspected.

These different means will be described in more detail later. The means in the form of a cradle 16 bear, in turn, facing the portion of the shell to be inspected, means in the form of a nacelle 18 for supporting means in the form of an inspection head of the portion of the shell to be inspected, these means being The nacelle-shaped means 18 are transversely displaceable with respect to the cradle means 16 and the frame means 10 and comprise, as will be described in further detail. also later, means in the form of a pulley associated with motorization means and adapted to cooperate with transverse displacement belts means nacelle-shaped means 18 with respect to the means in the form of a cradle 16, these belts being carried by the cradle means and attached thereto for controlling the transverse displacements of the nacelle-shaped means around the hull portion to be inspected. It will be appreciated that the combination of the longitudinal displacements of the cradle means 16 in the frame means 10 and the transverse means of the nacelle-shaped means 18 in the cradle-shaped means 16 allows inspection of the hull portion. in a boustrophedon path means of inspection head 19 relative to the shell portion to be inspected. The frame-shaped means are illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4.

These means are always designated by the general reference 10 and are made from welded tubes. 4, motorization means designated by the general reference 20, carried by the frame-shaped means 10 and the outputs of which are associated with pulleys, for example 21, of displacement of the belts, by example 17, on which are fixed the cradle means. It will be appreciated that these drive belts and pulleys of the movements of the cradle means 16 relative to the frame means 10 and nacelle means 18 relative to the cradle means 16 may be formed by notched means. This FIG. 4 also recognizes the centering means for centering the frame-shaped means on the shell portion, always designated by the general references 12, 13, 14 and 15 and which will be described in more detail by the after . The frame-shaped means also comprise suction cup means for hooking these frame-shaped means on the shell portion once these frame-shaped means are centered in position. In fact and as illustrated, these suction means are designated by the general reference 22 and include for example two rows of suction cups arranged regularly on two longitudinal longitudinal members, provided symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal axis of the means Thus, for example, these longitudinal members are designated by the general references 23 and 24 and each carry a row of suction cups such as for example the suction pad designated by the general reference 25 for the spar 23 and that designated by the general reference 26 for the spar 24.

Furthermore, these frame-shaped means 10 also include ballasting means to facilitate their handling during their introduction and their removal. These ballasting means are for example also regularly distributed on each side of the frame-shaped means 10 and are for example designated by the general reference 27. These ballasting means also comprise two rows of ballast elements arranged symmetrically on both sides. other of the longitudinal axis of the frame means 10, these rows being designated by the references 28 and 29 respectively and comprising ballasting elements such as the element designated by the general reference 30 for the row 28 and the item designated by the general reference 31 for the row 29. As previously indicated, the attachment means of the frame means 10 on the shell comprises at least three means in the form of a centering pin of the means in the form of frame, spaced from each other and adapted to engage in corresponding cone portions of the shaped means centering stud of the frame-shaped means on the shell portion.

An exemplary embodiment of these means in the form of a centering stud is illustrated in FIG. 5. This centering stud is for example the stud designated by the general reference 12 and provided in one of the corners of the frame-shaped means.

In fact, these means in the form of a centering stud also include hooking means on the shell portion, these hooking means being formed by suction cup means. Thus for example three suckers, provided at 120 degrees from each other, and designated by the general references 32, 33 and 34, can be envisaged. These means in the form of a suction cup hooking means in the form of a centering stud on the shell portion are provided on the face of a tablet 35, directed towards the shell. This face of this tablet 35 also has a test pattern 35a in position of these means relative to pins fixed on the shell for example by a plunger positioning the system. For this purpose, the other face of this shelf 35 is provided with handling handles such as for example the handle designated by the general reference 36 and a cone-shaped portion designated by the general reference 37, adapted to receive the means in the form of a centering pin of the frame-shaped means 10 for positioning them. It is then conceivable that the installation of this inspection system consists for one or more divers to fix in a first step, the centering-shaped means such as that illustrated in Figure 5, on the portion of the shell to inspect using pre-installed benchmarks from this hull.

Once in the correct position, the suction means 32, 33 and 34 allow to fix these means in the form of a centering stud on the shell. The frame-shaped means are then placed in position, and once the centering pin-shaped means thereof is in position in the corresponding cone portions of the centering-wedge means, the suction cup means attachment of the frame-shaped means 10 are activated to hang in position these means in the form of a frame on the shell. The cradle means 16 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 6.

Note that these, which are always designated by the general reference 16, also have a structure based on welded tubes and carry belts such as for example a belt designated by the general reference 40, adapted to cooperate as will be described in greater detail later, with pulleys and means of motorization platform means 18 to ensure the displacement of these nacelle-shaped means 18 relative to the cradle-shaped means 16. In fact, the belts that for example the belt 40 are carried by the cradle means 16 and fixed thereon.

The nacelle-shaped means 18 are illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. In fact these nacelle-shaped means, which are always designated by the general reference 18 in these figures, comprise several nacelle stages carried one by one. by others such as for example the stages designated by the general references 41, 42 and 43, movable relative to each other between folded positions as shown in Figure 7 and deployed as shown in Figure 8, by actuators constituted for example by cylinders or the like, designated by the general reference 44 in these figures, to move inspection head-shaped means 45, carried by these nacelle-shaped means, between retracted positions of displacement of the means in the form of a cradle and nacelle and active in the inspection position thereof relative to the hull. As indicated previously, these nacelle-shaped means also include motorization means designated by the general reference 46 in these figures, whose output is associated with a pulley such as for example the pulley designated by the general reference 47, adapted to cooperate with the belt 40 cradle means, to allow the displacement of these nacelle-shaped means transversely in the cradle means.

In fact a Q pinch mechanism of this belt may be provided to ensure a good connection between the drive pulley or pulleys and the belt or belts.

The upper part of these nacelle-shaped means and more particularly the means in the form of an inspection head of the hull, carried by them, have been illustrated in greater detail in FIG. The nacelle-shaped means are always designated by the general reference 18 and the inspection head-shaped means by the general reference 45. These inspection head-shaped means comprise, for example, an ultrasonic scanning probe, designated by the general reference 50, associated with contact wheels adapted to come, in the inspection position, in abutment against the portion of shell to inspect and displacement encoders for accurately measuring the movements of the probe relative to hull during inspections. Thus for example contact wheels as designated by the references 51 and 52 can be provided and be associated with incremental encoders respectively 53 and 54. It can also be seen in this figure 9, that the means in the form of inspection head 45 are connected to the corresponding stage nacelle-shaped means, such as for example the upper stage 43 thereof, via a bellows cylinder as designated by the general reference 55.

It goes without saying of course that the means in the form of an inspection head may comprise additional means such as, for example, means for taking pictures of the portion of shell to be inspected, formed for example by a camera or the like. The ultrasonic probe 50 is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 10 and as previously indicated, the combined displacements of the cradle means 16 relative to the frame means 10 and nacelle means relative to the cradle-shaped means 16 make it possible to give this probe a boustrophedon path as illustrated in FIG. 11, for scanning the portion of shell to be inspected.

This set of means is then connected to associated servitude means for supplying the various organs that have been described. These means of servitude include, for example, power supply means, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc ...

The operation of these various members is controlled by an information processing unit which then comprises means for controlling the various organs of the inspection system and means for acquiring and storing the information delivered by the head-shaped means. inspection.

It will be noted that these control means may for example comprise means for programming the movements of the inspection head-shaped means along the portion of the shell to be inspected, for example certain zones of this portion of the hull to be inspected must be avoided. . Some of these means of servitude can then be placed on the surface and the information processing unit is then deported and connected to the means in the form of inspection head by wire information transmission means or the like. It goes without saying of course that other embodiments can still be envisaged.

Such an inspection system then makes it possible to obtain exhaustive in-situ inspection of immersed structures of all types of materials, for the constitution of high-resolution inspection mappings and without stopping the operation of the ship. Such a structure also makes it possible to increase inspection speeds compared with prior art systems, to increase accuracy and reproducibility while reducing the costs associated with performing inspection and control tasks. inspection. In particular an optimization of the search for corrosion can be carried out, the maps thus obtained making it possible to establish an initial state of the shell and then to follow the evolution of the corrosion over time. For example, it is possible to control submerged structures without prior paint stripping, for example by using ultrasound control technologies, for example to search for defects. The fixed base of the system with respect to the shell makes it possible to guarantee the resolution of the maps and the accuracy of the location of the defects. The use of suction coupling means also allows inspection of structures of all types of materials avoiding for example problems of electromagnetic compatibility.

For questions of flexibility of implementation, divers can position the means in the form of centering pin and hook the means in the form of a frame on the hull. It is then conceivable that the invention relates to a semi-automated submerged system whose function is the inspection, in seawater for example and from the outside, immersed structures not pickled for example. This inspection makes it possible to obtain cartographies of the thickness of the structure by monitoring the evolution of the corrosion with a distinction for example between defects on the accessible side and defects on the opposite side of this structure.

This system essentially comprises two subassemblies namely an ultrasonic acquisition subset and another carrier subassembly comprising a number of means for moving the acquisition subset. The first phase of the implementation of the system is for divers to put in position centering pins easy to handle relative to pins fixed to the structure. These centering studs then allow to put in position the frame-shaped means which are hooked by means of suction cups.

For a first phase of acquisition of an inspection campaign, the frame-shaped means are placed in the water near the structure to be inspected for example by means of a road crane or floating. These means are then immersed and positioned for the first acquisition phase. After each inspection phase, the frame-shaped means are separated from the immersed portion of the shell, moved and positioned by the plungers for a subsequent acquisition phase. All acquisition phases necessary for the inspection of the entire structure to be checked are performed one after the other. Probe displacement programs relating to the different acquisition phases are programmed in the control unit. Indeed and as previously indicated, zones or locations prohibited from inspection can be programmed.

Of course other embodiments of this system can be envisaged.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS1.- A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a vessel (1) afloat, characterized in that it comprises means (7) in the form of a chassis (10) having a shape substantially complementary to that of the hull portion to be inspected, provided with hooking means (12, 13, 14, 15) on the hull of the ship and adapted to receive facing the hull portion to be inspected, means in the form of a transverse cradle (16) fixed on belts (17) of longitudinal displacement of these cradle-shaped means (16) relative to the frame means (10), said belts (17) being associated with pulleys (21) carried by the frame means and at least some of which are associated with drive means (20) for controlling longitudinal displacements of the cradle means (16) relative to the frame means (10) along the hull portion to inspect, the ber-shaped means bucket (16) bearing, in relation to the hull portion to be inspected, means in the form of a nacelle (18) for supporting a means of inspection head (19) of the hull portion, the means in the form of a nacelle (18) being transversely displaceable with respect to the cradle means (16) and the frame means (10) and having pulley means (47) associated with motor means (46) and adapted to cooperate with transverse displacement belts (40) of the nacelle-shaped means (18) relative to the cradle-shaped means (16), which belts are carried by the cradle-shaped means and secured thereto for controlling the transverse displacements of the nacelle-shaped means (18) around the hull portion to be inspected, so as to allow inspection of the hull portion in a boustrophedon path of the inspection head-shaped means (19) . 2. Inspection system for at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for hooking the means in the form of a frame on the hull comprise at least three means. in the form of a centering stud of the frame-shaped means (10), spaced apart from one another and adapted to engage in portions correspondingly of centering-shaped means (12, 13, 14, 15) of chassis means (10) on the hull portion. 3. Inspection system for at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 2, characterized in that the means in the form of a centering stud (12, 13, 14, 15) comprise hooking means (32, 33, 34) on the hull portion. 4. A system for inspecting at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 3, characterized in that the hooking means of the centering-shaped means on the hull portion comprise cupping means (32, 33, 34). 5. Inspection system of at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 4, characterized in that the means in the form of a centering stud comprise a shelf (35) provided on its directed face. to the shell, suction means (32, 33, 34) for hooking means in the form of a centering stud on the shell portion and a rod (35a) for adjusting their position relative to their markers fixed on the shell and on its other side, handling handles (36) by an operator and the portions (37) in the cone of receiving means of centering pin means of the frame-like means (10) on the hull portion. 6. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame-shaped means (10) comprise suction means ( 21) hooking thereof on the shell portion once these frame-shaped means (10) centered in position. 7. Inspection system for at least one submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 6, characterized in that the suction means are regularly arranged on two longitudinal longitudinal members (23, 24) arranged symmetrically both sides of the longitudinal axis of the frame-shaped means (10). 8. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means in the form of a chassis (10) comprise ballast means ( 27) to facilitate handling during installation and removal. 9. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the belts and the motor pulleys displacements of the means in the form of a cradle. (16) relative to the frame means (10) and nacelle means (18) relative to the cradle means (16) are formed by notched means. 10. Inspection system for at least one submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means in the form of a frame (10) and the means in the form of cradle (16) are made from welded tubes. 11. Inspection system for at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nacelle-shaped means (18) comprise several stages (41, 42, 43) of nacelles carried by each other and movable relative to each other between folded and deployed positions via actuators (44) for moving the inspection head means (45). between retracted positions of displacement of the means in the form of cradle and nacelle and active in inspection position relative to the hull. 12. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 11, characterized in that the actuators (44) comprise cylinders. 13. A system for inspecting at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means in the form of an inspection head (45) comprise a probe ultrasound (50). 14. A system for inspecting at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 13, characterized in that the ultrasonic probe (50) is associated with adapted contact wheels (51, 52). to come, in inspection position, in abutment against the hull portion to inspect and displacement encoders (53, 54) for measuring the displacement of the probe relative to the hull. 15.- Inspection system for at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 11, 12, 13 or 14, characterized in that the means in the form of an inspection head are connected to the corresponding stage nacelle-shaped means via a bellows cylinder (55). 16. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means in the form of an inspection head (45) comprise means taking pictures of the hull portion to be inspected. 17.- Inspection system for at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an information processing unit comprising control means its various organs and means for acquiring and storing the information delivered by the inspection head-shaped means (45). 18. A system for inspecting at least one immersed portion of a hull of a ship according to claim 17, characterized in that the control means comprise means for programming the displacements of the 18 means in the form of a head. inspection (45) along the hull portion to be inspected. 19. A system for inspecting at least a submerged portion of a hull of a ship according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information processing unit is offset relative to the means in form of inspection head and connected thereto by means of information transmission.