FR2993531A1 - FLOATING UNIT AND ASSEMBLY FOR REALIZING A MODULAR FLOATING STRUCTURE COMPRISING SUCH FLOATING UNITS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly comprising a first floating unit (10) and at least one second floating unit (11) to be assembled to form a floating structure. According to the invention, the first floating unit (10) comprises at least one connection assembly to the second floating unit (11), this connection assembly comprising a projectile (15) connected to a free end of a tether (16) , and at least one male and / or female coupling member (12) placed at a first end thereof. In addition, the second floating unit (11) comprises at least one receiving-retaining means (19) of the projectile (15) of the first floating unit (10), this receiving-holding means (19) comprising a housing (22). ), the shape of said projectile (15) ensuring its installation in said housing (22) non-destructively and a female and / or male coupling member complementary to the male coupling member (12) and / or female of the first floating unit (10), said at least one complementary female and / or male coupling member being distinct from said projectile (15), so as to block, during the coupling of said floating units, degrees of freedom movement between said floating units thus coupled.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a floating unit and to an assembly for producing a structure. modular floating system comprising such floating units. The present invention further relates to a floating structure with variable configuration formed by the assembly of such units. This floating structure can be a ship, a floating bridge or a floating platform. BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY Floating containers are known which, when they are stowed together, make it possible to construct a boat for combating an accidental spill of oil at sea. These containers advantageously allow a very rapid delivery of means of combating oil slicks, by air or by ship. In the latter case, and when the ship causing the oil spill is a container ship, these floating sea containers may already be on board.

However, the time required to assemble the various containers constituting the boat is particularly long and arduous, while the intervention of control means must be the fastest possible to circumscribe as soon as possible the hydrocarbon contaminated area.

Furthermore, it is necessary to place these containers at sea in the immediate vicinity of each other and to the shelter of the container carrier to ensure that the operators can moor them.

The assembly of these containers on the high seas can thus be achieved only under favorable conditions of sea state. Indeed, as soon as the sea is strong, these containers undergo significant pitching and rolling movements, which come to thwart maneuvers, and security, operators to join and connect together the 10 flat faces of these containers. In addition, it is observed that the containers then tend to move away from each other effectively prohibiting the passage of a container to another to the operator to connect them to each other. Highly derived containers may be out of the immediate reach of the operator as the incomplete modular boat is rendered inoperable. However, the use of such modular boats is typically made necessary following a damage or a maritime disaster occurring during adverse weather conditions. In addition, each container is often functionalized, one carrying the propulsion part of the boat, the other the cockpit of the boat, the third constituting a storage area, ... It is thus necessary to assemble these containers. according to a specific order which makes the assembly operations of these containers at sea 25 even more constraining for the operators. These boats also have a length and a width that are determined, which correspond to the assembly of a limited number of containers in a given direction thereof. However, there is a need for a modular boat whose dimensions can be varied at will in the longitudinal direction and / or transverse thereof. There is also a need for such a modular boat to have a particular geometric shape, temporary or not, at least at one of its ends (bow or stern) and / or on at least one of its edges 35 as needed. technical or logistic, or the wishes of the operator.

The present invention aims to overcome these various drawbacks of the prior art by proposing an assembly for the realization of a modular floating structure, temporary or not, simple in its design and its operating mode, ensuring easy assembly of floating modules between them to build this floating structure, and without risk for operators, even when this assembly must be carried out in adverse weather conditions. Another object of the present invention is such an assembly allowing an evolution in the shape and / or the dimensions of the floating structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION To this end, the invention relates to an assembly for producing a temporary floating structure comprising a first floating unit and at least one second floating unit intended to be assembled together to form said floating structure. According to the invention, said first floating unit comprises at least one connection assembly to said second floating unit, said at least one connection assembly comprising a projectile connected to a free end of a mooring line, and at least one connecting member. male and / or female coupling placed at a first end of said floating unit, said second floating unit comprises at least one means for receiving and holding at least said projectile of said first floating unit, said receiving-holding means comprising a housing, the shape of said projectile ensuring its establishment in said housing in a non-destructive manner, and a female and / or male coupling member complementary to said male and / or female coupling member of said first floating unit, said at least one a complementary female and / or male coupling member being distinct from said projectile, so that said at least one male coupling member the and / or female of said first floating unit engages and cooperates with the female and / or male complementary coupling member of said second floating unit during the coupling of said floating units to block degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units thus coupled.

The projectile of the connection assembly is thus capable of being launched or projected from the first floating unit in order to ensure the coupling of this first floating unit with another floating unit without the need for an operator to intervene. during this coupling phase on this second floating unit. Once these two units coupled, the respective coupling members cooperating to block degrees of freedom of movement between these floating units, the assembly thus formed is stable, and the operator can therefore, if necessary, climb on the ground. other floating unit to perform maneuvers or operations. For purely illustrative purposes, these operations may aim to couple this assembly with a new floating unit or to join these floating units thus coupled with complementary fasteners such as pins, keys or other locking devices, intended to be received in ears or housings placed so that they remain manipulable or accessible from the top of the floating units.

The present invention therefore advantageously makes it possible to couple floating units placed at a distance from each other without risk for the operator, the latter remaining on the first floating unit, or without personnel on board, the operations being remotely controlled. To do this, the projectile is received in the housing of a receiving-holding means of a floating unit after being launched or projected from another floating unit, and is held there without any manual assembly step or to secure this projectile in this housing is necessary. On the other hand, when the floating units are placed in the water, the various forces generated by the water on these floating units tend to move vertically and / or in rotation these relative to each other. The shape of the coupling members advantageously makes it possible to block these different movements, which could lead, for example, to a defect of the fastening members ensuring the joining of the floating units thus coupled or of the mooring being tensioned to ensure this joining. In various particular embodiments of this assembly for producing a floating structure, each having its particular advantages and capable of numerous possible technical combinations: at least said first floating unit comprises a first male and / or female coupling member at a first end of said first floating unit and at least a second male and / or female coupling member disposed on the periphery of said first floating unit at a location separate from said first end for mating with a third floating unit said third floating unit comprising a complementary female and / or male coupling member of the second coupling member of the first floating unit so as to block degrees of freedom of movement between said first and third floating units during the coupling of these floating units. The first floating unit may then comprise a second connection assembly comprising a projectile connected to a free end of a tether for its connection to said third floating unit, or a projectile-receiving means of a projectile of said third floating unit, said receiving-retaining means having a housing for receiving said projectile, the shape of said projectile ensuring its placement in said housing in a non-destructive manner. - At least said first floating unit having at least n vertical faces with n3, at least one of said faces comprises a male and / or female coupling member 20 for coupling said first floating unit with a complementary coupling member female and / or male of another floating unit so as to ensure the coupling of said floating units and to block degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units and said first floating unit 25 thus coupled, and said first floating unit comprises for each of said faces, a connection assembly comprising a projectile connected to a free end of a tether for its connection to the corresponding floating unit, or a projectile receiving-retaining means of the corresponding floating unit, said means receiving-retaining apparatus having a housing for receiving said projectile, the shape of said projectile ensuring its ise in place in said housing in a non-destructive manner, said at least one female and / or male coupling member complementary to said other floating unit being distinct from said projectile, said projectile is a hollow or solid spherical body, said each of said receiving-holding means of said at least one projectile opens at a first end in the upper part of said corresponding floating unit, said upper part being placed opposite the lower part of said floating unit intended to be at least partially immersed in providing buoyancy of said floating unit. Preferably, said or each of said receiving-holding means of said at least one projectile comprises an orifice placed in the upper part of said corresponding floating unit, this orifice being in communication with said housing placed inside said floating unit, said orifice being delimited on at least a portion thereof by a funnel-shaped wall for guiding said at least one projectile towards said housing. This funnel may have any suitable shape such as pyramidal, conical or frustoconical. Preferably, the upper end of this funnel is flush with the upper surface, or bridge, of the corresponding floating unit. Advantageously, said or each of said receiving-retaining means of said at least one projectile comprises a groove, or groove, said groove opening on the one hand to said corresponding orifice placed in the upper part of said corresponding floating unit and on the other hand, on the periphery of said corresponding floating unit, said at least one groove being intended to receive a portion of said tether. This embodiment advantageously allows to orient the mooring and therefore to bring the floating units in a preferred direction. Preferably, the bottom of said groove is centered on a corresponding coupling member or on the face of said floating unit carrying said at least one corresponding coupling member. at least one of said floating units comprising means for receiving and holding said projectile, further comprises means for folding said projectile towards said receiving-holding means, said folding means being retractable between an inactive position and an active position where it is projecting from the deck surface of said floating element. This folding means advantageously allows, when it is deployed, to intercept the projectile launched or projected and to bring it back to the orifice of the receiving-holding means.

As a purely illustrative example, this folding means can be formed by a bridge portion of the corresponding floating unit, which is raised and lowered by means of at least one remotely controlled actuator. said housing has a hollow cylindrical shape. The inner surface of this housing can be smooth. The receiving-holding means may comprise a retractable partition for blocking the projectile in this housing. This partition may then include a recess for the passage of the mooring which is connected to the projectile. This partition can be moved in the orifice to close the housing by means of an actuator such as a cylinder. - Mooring said or each of said connection assemblies at its other end connected to a winder / unwinder device of said tether and passes through a coupling member of said floating unit, preferably in the center of said member. This winder / unwinder device advantageously makes it possible to tension the tether and to block the floating units thus coupled together forming a rigid structure. at least one of said floating units comprising a connection assembly, comprises a launcher and / or a device for removing said projectile. Preferably, it comprises in addition to the launch device, a sighting device facilitating the operator launching or firing the projectile to the receiving-retaining means of another floating unit. Alternatively, if this operator controls the firing or launching of the projectile remotely, the launching device and / or the depositing device can be coupled to a camera. Advantageously, said launching device and / or said depositing device are placed in the upper part of said at least one of said floating units, said upper part being placed opposite the lower part of said floating unit intended to be at least partially immersed in providing buoyancy of said floating unit. - At least one of said floating units comprises a propulsion system of said floating structure, said propulsion system being reported or not.

Thus, preferably, a propulsion system is attached to at least one of the floating units, not initially provided with such propulsion means, which advantageously makes it possible not to require an order in the assembly of these floating units. - At least some of the coupling members may have a variable geometric shape in at least one of their dimensions, which could result for example from the combination of at least two distinct geometric shapes.

For purely illustrative purposes, the male coupling member could thus be broken down into two parts arranged along its longitudinal dimension, a first part placed at its free end and a second part integral with the body of the corresponding floating unit. This first part would have a shape ensuring its guidance in the female complementary coupling member, such as a conical shape. The second part for its part comprises a cylindrical body of smaller section and provided with at least two fins laterally projecting from the cylindrical body in a horizontal plane (and / or vertical). The complementary female coupling member of this male member also comprises two parts: a first receiving part of the male member comprising an opening delimited by two jaws movable so as to be able to deviate from each other during the passage of the first part, these jaws defining a funnel when in contact with each other, and - a second part forming a housing for receiving and rigidly holding the first part of the male coupling member , such as a cavity of complementary shape to that of the first part. Once the first part of the male coupling member engaged in this housing, there would then be no more obstacle for the jaws returned to their initial position by compression springs, are closed on the second part of the housing. male coupling member thereby enclosing the first part of the male coupling member and also blocking the pivoting of one floating unit relative to the other. Alternatively still, at least some floating units could have on the same side two coupling members intended to block each movement of the ship in a given direction.

As an illustration, one of these members could ensure the blocking of the vertical displacement of the floating units relative to each other while another coupling member would ensure the pivotal locking of these floating units. at least some of said floating units comprise a hydraulic and / or electrical circuit comprising at least one connection port, said port coming into abutment with a connection port of another floating unit when they are coupled to ensure continuity of circuit hydraulic and / or electrical units so coupled. These connection ports can advantageously be configured so that the hydraulic and / or electrical connection between two ports is automatically established when the two corresponding floating units are mated. at least one of said floating units has a shape different from the other floating unit (s). The invention also relates to a modular floating structure comprising at least two floating modules assembled together. According to the invention, at least some of these floating modules are floating units of the assembly as described above. This floating structure that can be temporary or permanent, can then form a boat, a floating bridge, a floating bridge or a floating platform to receive facilities. The invention also relates to a floating unit comprising: at least one connection assembly comprising a projectile connected to a free end of a tether, the shape of said projectile ensuring its placement in a housing of a receiving-retaining means of said projectile in a non-destructive manner, - at least one receiving-retaining means of at least one projectile of another floating unit, said receiving-retaining means comprising a housing for receiving said at least one projectile, - at least one male and / or female coupling member placed at a first end of said floating unit, said at least one male and / or female coupling member being intended to engage and cooperate with a complementary female coupling member and / or male of another floating unit when coupling said floating units to block degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units thereby coupled. Preferably, the projectile is a hollow or solid spherical body. This body can be made of wood, plastic or metal. Advantageously, said at least one receiving-holding means opens at a first of its ends into the upper part of the corresponding floating unit, said upper part being placed opposite the bottom part of this floating unit intended to be at the 10 less partially submerged by ensuring the buoyancy of the floating unit. Thus, said at least one receiving-holding means may comprise an orifice placed in the upper part of the floating unit, this orifice being in communication with said housing placed inside this floating unit, said orifice being delimited on at least a portion thereof by a wall 15 having a funnel shape for guiding said at least one projectile to said housing. In addition, said at least one receiving-holding means may comprise at least one groove, this groove opening on the one hand on this orifice placed in the upper part of said floating unit and on the other hand, on the periphery of this floating unit, this groove being intended to receive a portion of the mooring of a connection assembly of another floating unit. The bottom of this groove is advantageously centered on a corresponding coupling member or on the face of said floating unit carrying said at least one corresponding coupling member. In order to increase the efficiency of the coupling member described herein, it is preferably centered on the faces intended to allow coupling. Preferably, this floating unit comprises a parallelepipedal body having the dimensions of all or part of an Iso transport container 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet or 45 feet, or any other dimension of a standard container defined by the ISO 668 and ISO 1496-1 standard or any other reference, standard or standard used in maritime, river, road, rail or air multimodal transport, this body comprising arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing said unit each of said arrangements being placed at a corner of said body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other particular advantages, aims and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description given for explanatory and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: which: - Figure 1 shows schematically an assembly for the construction of a floating structure according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the projectile of the first floating unit being shown in different phases of its movement to the receiving means- FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial and longitudinal sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a partial and perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. showing the floating units being mated, the projectile being represented in its final position in the housing of the receiving-holding means of the second unit Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the assembly of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a partial top view of the assembly of Figure 1 showing the assembled floating units. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Firstly, it is noted that the figures are not to scale. Figures 1 to 5 show an assembly for the formation of a modular boat according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. This modular boat comprises a first floating unit 10 and a second floating unit 11 each having the shape of a hexahedron defining a hollow body with six quadrilaterals. These bodies are here made of steel. The first floating unit 10 comprises a male coupling member 12 placed at one of its ends. This male coupling member 12 has an isosceles triangle-based prism shape, the lateral faces 13 of this prism being trapezoidal. Alternatively, these lateral faces 13 could be rectangular. The second floating unit 11 comprises a female coupling member 14 having a shape complementary to this male coupling member 12 to ensure the adjustment of these members 12, 14 during their coupling. This particular form of the coupling members 12, 14 of the units advantageously provides a progressive coupling of the floating units 10, 11 between them to form the modular boat. When these floating units 10, 11 are coupled, these coupling members 12, 14 additionally block the vertical and rotational displacements of the floating units relative to one another.

The first floating unit 10 also has a weight 15 secured to a sling 16 and placed at the free end thereof. This sling 16 has its other end which is connected to a retractor device 17 passing through the center 18 of the top of the male coupling member 12, this member being itself centered on the rectangular front face of the body of the the first floating unit 10. This weight, which is here a hollow steel sphere, is advantageously heavy enough not to be deviated from its trajectory by a weak gust of wind while being light enough to be launched by an operator placed on the first floating unit 10 away from the second floating unit 11 towards a receiving-retaining means 19 thereof. As a purely illustrative example, and depending on the strength of the operator, this weight of about 1 kilogram can be launched by the operator at a distance of several meters, for example ten (10) meters, with a very good precision. This receiving-holding means 19 comprises an orifice 20 opening on the bridge 21 of this second floating unit 11. This orifice 20 is in communication with a housing 22 placed in the body of this floating unit 11 so that the weight 15, a once introduced into the orifice 20, falls by gravity into this housing 22. This orifice 20 is delimited in its upper part by a wall having a funnel shape to guide the weight 15 towards the housing 22, the upper end of this funnel being flush with the surface of the deck 21. This receiving-retaining means 19 also comprises a groove 23, opening on the one hand on this orifice 20 placed in the upper part of the second floating unit 11 and the housing 22 and on the other hand, around the periphery of this floating unit at the central part of the complementary female coupling member 14. This groove 23 receives a portion of the sling 16 after positioning the weight 15 in its housing 22 and allows when the floating units 10, 11 are brought closer to each other by winding the sling 16 on the winder / unwinder device 17 to advantageously direct the coupling members 12, 14 towards each other. 'other. The housing 22 has a cavity that is off-center with respect to the orifice 20 allowing the weight 15 to be placed in a stable position when the sling 16 is put under tension and preventing any possible release of this weight from its housing 22. Advantageously, at least one of these floating units 10, 11 comprises a propulsion system (not shown). This propulsion system can be reported or be an integral part of the corresponding floating unit 10, 11.

Claims (18)

REVENDICATIONS1. Assembly for the production of a temporary floating structure comprising a first floating unit (10) and at least one second floating unit (11) intended to be assembled together to form said floating structure, characterized in that - said first floating unit ( 10) comprises at least one connection assembly to said second floating unit (11), said at least one connection assembly comprising a projectile (15) connected to a free end of a tether (16), and at least one connecting member male and / or female coupling (12) placed at a first end of said floating unit, said second floating unit (11) comprises at least one receiving-holding means (19) of at least said projectile (15) of said first floating unit (10), said receiving-holding means (19) having a housing (22), the shape of said projectile (15) ensuring its placement in said housing (22) non-destructively, and a coupling member (14) female and / or male complementary to said male and / or female coupling member (12) of said first floating unit (10), said at least one female and / or male coupling member complementary element being distinct from said projectile (15), so that said at least one male and / or female coupling member (12) of said first floating unit (10) engages and cooperates with the complementary coupling member ( 14) female and / or male of said second floating unit (11) during the coupling of said floating units to block degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units (10, 11) thus coupled. 2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that at least said first floating unit (10) comprises a first male and / or female coupling member (12) at a first end of said first floating unit (10) and at least one second male and / or female coupling member (12) placed on the periphery of said first floating unit (10) at a location distinct from said first end for mating with a third floating unit, said third floating unit comprising a complementary female and / or male coupling member (14) of the second coupling member of the first floating unit (10) so as to block degrees of freedom of movement between said first and third floating units during the coupling of these floating units. 3. An assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that said first floating unit (10) comprises a second connection assembly comprising a projectile (15) connected to a free end of a tether (16) for its connection to said third floating unit, or receiving-holding means (19) of a projectile (15) of said third floating unit, said receiving-holding means (19) having a housing (22) for receiving said projectile (15), the shape of said projectile (15) ensuring its placement in said housing (22) non-destructively. 4. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least said first floating unit (10) having at least n vertical faces with n3, at least one of said faces comprises a coupling member ( 12) male and / or female to ensure the coupling of said first floating unit (10) with a complementary coupling member (14) female and / or male of another floating unit so as to ensure the coupling of said units floating and blocking degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units and said first floating unit (10) thus coupled, and in that said first floating unit (10) comprises for each of said faces, a connection assembly comprising a projectile (15) connected to a free end of a tether (16) for its connection to the corresponding floating unit, or a receiving-holding means (19) of a projectile (15) 25 of the floating unit c corresponding, said receiving-retaining means (19) having a housing (22) for receiving said projectile (15), the shape of said projectile (15) ensuring its placement in said housing (22) non-destructively, said at least one female and / or male coupling member complementary to said other floating unit being distinct from said projectile (15). 5. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said projectile (15) is a hollow or solid spherical body. 6. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said or each of said receiving-retaining means of said at least one projectile (15) opens into the upper part of said corresponding floating unit, said upper part being placed at the opposite of the lower part of said floating unit intended to be at least partially immersed by providing buoyancy of said floating unit. 7. An assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that said or each said receiving-holding means of said at least one projectile (15) comprises an orifice (20) placed in the upper part of said corresponding floating unit, said orifice (20). ) being in communication with said housing (22) located within said floating unit, said orifice being delimited on at least a portion thereof by a wall having a funnel shape for guiding said at least one projectile (15) toward said housing (22). 8. An assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said or each said receiving-retaining means of said at least one projectile (15) comprises a groove (23), said groove (23) opening on the one hand on said orifice (20) corresponding placed in the upper part of said corresponding floating unit and secondly, on the periphery of said corresponding floating unit, said at least one groove (23) being intended to receive a portion of said tether (16) . 9. An assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that the bottom of said groove (23) is centered on a corresponding coupling member or on the face of said floating unit carrying said at least one corresponding coupling member. 25 10. Assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that at least one of said floating units comprising a receiving-retaining means (19) of said projectile (15) further comprises a means for folding said projectile ( 15) to said receiving-holding means (19), said folding means being retractable between an inactive position and an active position where it is projecting from the bridge surface of said floating member. 11. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the tether (16) of said or each of said connection assemblies at its other end connected to a winding device / unwinder 35 of said tether (16) and passes through a coupling member of said floating unit, preferably in the center of said member. 12. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one of said floating units comprising a connection assembly comprises a launch device and / or a device for removing said projectile (15). 13. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one of said floating units comprises a propulsion system of said floating structure, said propulsion system being reported or not. 14. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said male coupling member (12) has an isosceles triangle-based prism shape, the lateral faces of this prism being rectangular or trapezoidal, the female coupling member having a complementary shape to ensure the adjustment of said bodies during their coupling. 15. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that at least some of said floating units comprise a hydraulic circuit and / or electrical having at least one connection port, said port abutting with a port of connecting another floating unit when they are coupled to ensure the continuity of hydraulic circuit and / or electrical said units thus coupled. 16. Modular floating structure comprising at least two floating modules assembled together, characterized in that at least some of said floating modules are floating units of the assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 15. 17. Floating unit for the implementation of the assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 15 comprising: - at least one connection assembly comprising a projectile (15) connected to a free end of a tether (16) , the shape of said projectile (15) ensuring its installation in a housing (22) of a receiving-retaining means (19) of said projectile (15) in a non-destructive manner, - at least one receiving-retaining means (19) at least one projectile (15) of another floating unit, said receiving-holding means (19) having a housing (22) for receiving said at least one projectile (15), 35 - at least one coupling member (12) male and / or female placed at a first end of said floating unit, - said at least one coupling member (12) male and / or female being intended to engage and cooperate with an organ complementary coupling (14) female and / or male of another floating unit during mating desdit floating units for blocking degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units thus coupled. 18. Floating unit according to claim 17, characterized in that said unit comprises a parallelepiped body having the dimensions of all or part of an ISO container, said body comprising arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing said unit, each of said arrangements being placed at a corner of said body.