JP5343448B2 - Underwater vehicle and its submersible and horizontal navigation methods - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an underwater sailing body which can submerge or horizontally sail rapidly with a few energy consumption and requires a few energy consumption for dropping payload, and a submerging/horizontal sailing method therefor. <P>SOLUTION: The underwater sailing body includes: a streamlined underwater sailing body 2 in which an tip end 2a faces in a direction of travel when horizontally sailing; a ballast 3 in which a rear end 3b fits the tip end 2a of the underwater sailing body 2, and the own tip end 3a thereof is streamlined; and a ballast holding means for freely detachably holding the ballast 3 at the tip end 2a of the underwater sailing body 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle and a method of diving / horizontal navigation that can perform diving and horizontal navigation quickly and with low energy consumption, and that consume less energy for a dropped payload.

  Underwater vehicles are used for such purposes as resource exploration and topographic surveys on the seabed, inspection of submarine laying structures, and monitoring of submarine work sites. The underwater vehicle is a mobile body that can autonomously navigate underwater. A monitoring device such as an acoustic device or an optical device is mounted on the underwater vehicle to navigate a desired seabed region.

  Ballasts are held in the underwater vehicle in order to start the underwater vehicle from the mother ship on the water and reach the target seabed area.

  Conventionally, as in Patent Document 1, ballasts for diving, levitation, and adjustment are held side by side in the bow-stern direction at the bottom of the body of the underwater vehicle. The submersible ballast will add down trim to the underwater vehicle. As a result, the underwater vehicle is submerged at a predetermined gliding angle with the forward leaning posture. When the submersible ballast is released at a desired depth, the buoyancy of the underwater vehicle becomes neutral. Thereafter, when the ballast for ascent and adjustment is released, an up-trim is applied to the underwater vehicle, and the underwater vehicle is levitated at a predetermined gliding angle. In general, the underwater vehicle is advantageously designed to travel forward with a streamlined tip. Therefore, it can be said that the submarine / horizontal navigation method as in Patent Document 1 is reasonable.

  Another use of the underwater vehicle is transportation of articles from the water to the seabed. An article to be transported is called a dropped payload. When the underwater vehicle holding the dropped payload releases the dropped payload in the target seabed area, the dropped payload is dropped and delivered to the target seabed area.

JP 2003-291888 A

  In recent years, the depth of a seabed region into which an underwater vehicle is sent has increased. For example, a seabed having a depth of 2000 m or more is also a target seabed region.

  However, in the case of an underwater vehicle that dives at a predetermined gliding angle of about several tens of degrees as described above, it takes time for the underwater vehicle to dive from the water to such a deep depth. For this reason, operations such as exploration and monitoring cannot be started quickly.

  Further, energy is consumed for navigation while the underwater vehicle is submerged at the predetermined gliding angle as described above. A lot of energy is consumed as time is required. However, since the energy source is provided in a limited space within the underwater vehicle, it is desirable to reduce energy consumption.

  On the other hand, when the underwater vehicle releases a heavy drop payload underwater, buoyancy is applied to the underwater vehicle. If the underwater vehicle has a neutral buoyancy while holding the dropped payload, the underwater vehicle will remain lighter than the water after the dropped payload is released, so the underwater vehicle will remain at a certain depth (horizontal navigation). Energy consumption) is required to maintain Conversely, if the underwater vehicle has a neutral buoyancy with the dropped payload released, the underwater vehicle will be heavier than the water while holding the dropped payload, so the underwater vehicle will remain at a certain depth. This requires energy consumption.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an underwater vehicle that solves the above-described problems, can be submerged quickly and consumes less energy, and consumes less energy for a dropped payload, and a submerged / horizontal navigation method thereof. It is in.

In order to achieve the above object, the underwater vehicle of the present invention has a neutral buoyant underwater vehicle body formed by projecting a tip portion directed in a traveling direction during horizontal navigation in a circular arc shape, and a rear end portion. A ballast that is fitted to the tip of the underwater vehicle body and has its tip protruded in a circular arc shape, and ballast holding means for detachably holding the ballast at the tip of the underwater vehicle body; A dropped payload having a predetermined underwater weight; a buoyancy material having a buoyancy balanced to the underwater weight; and a payload holding means for holding the dropped payload and the buoyant material in a detachable manner collectively on the underwater vehicle body. And .

In addition, the submerged / horizontal navigation method of the underwater vehicle according to the present invention is a method for diving a neutral buoyant underwater vehicle body formed by projecting a tip portion that is directed in a traveling direction at the time of horizontal navigation in a circular arc shape. , 浮量to balance the dropped payload and the underwater weight with Rutotomoni to hold the diving ballast the tip of itself in the tip portion of the water sailing body is formed to protrude arcuate cross-section, a predetermined underwater weight And the buoyancy material having the underwater navigation body is collectively held by the underwater navigation body, the tip of the underwater navigation body body is directed vertically downward, the underwater navigation body is submerged, and then the diving ballast is released. the underwater navigation body became good Ri the neutral浮量is horizontally sailing, furthermore, is shall then horizontally sail the underwater sailing body is detached the dropping payload and the buoyant member.

  The present invention exhibits the following excellent effects.

  (1) It is possible to dive quickly.

  (2) Dive is possible with low energy consumption.

  (3) Low energy consumption for dropped payload.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the underwater vehicle 1 according to the present invention includes an underwater vehicle body 2 in which a front end portion 2 a directed in a traveling direction during horizontal navigation is formed in a streamline shape, and a rear end portion 3 b. A ballast 3 fitted to the tip 2a of the underwater vehicle body 2 and having its own tip 3a formed in a streamline shape, and ballast holding means for detachably holding the ballast 3 at the tip 2a of the underwater vehicle body 2 (Not shown).

  The underwater vehicle 1 includes a propeller, a rudder, a wing, a propulsion actuator (not shown), a steering actuator, an energy source, a control circuit (computer), a three-dimensional positioning device, a speedometer (accelerometer), an attitude measuring device, a water depth meter, and the like. Equipped with a measuring instrument. In the underwater vehicle 1, the control circuit controls the propulsive force and the rudder angle in accordance with these measurement results, so that the underwater vehicle 1 can navigate a desired route at a desired speed at a desired depth in the water. Navigation body 1. Since these members necessary for the autonomous navigation of the underwater vehicle 1 are well-known techniques, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The submersible ballast 3 may be any weight as long as it is heavier than water, but it is preferable that the submarine ballast 3 is made of a material having a large specific gravity within a range where there is no practical problem and has a heavy weight in water. The submerged ballast 3 is recessed in a shape complementary to the streamlined shape so that the rear end 3b of the submerged ballast 3 is fitted to the front end 2a of the navigation body 2. The tip 3a of the submerged ballast 3 is formed in a streamlined shape.

  The ballast holding means is composed of, for example, an electromagnet, and the diving ballast 3 is provided with a metal that can be magnetically attracted and held.

  In this embodiment, the underwater vehicle 1 includes a dropped payload 6 having a predetermined underwater weight, a buoyancy material 7 having a buoyancy balanced with the underwater weight, and the dropped payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7 in a lump. And payload holding means (not shown) for detachably holding. The payload holding means is composed of, for example, an electromagnet, and both the dropped payload and the buoyancy material are provided with a metal that can be magnetically attracted and held.

  When the dropped payload 6 is fixed to the lower part of the underwater vehicle body 2 during horizontal navigation and separated, the buoyancy material 7 is disposed below the dropped payload 6 so that the dropped payload 6 fits the buoyancy material 7; By fixing the magnet adsorbing portion of the buoyant material 7 with an electromagnet, the dropped payload 6 is fixed to the underwater vehicle body 2 and the underwater weight of the combined dropped payload 6 and buoyant material 7 is greater than the neutral buoyancy. If it is made slightly heavier, by releasing the buoyant material 7 during horizontal navigation, the dropped payload 6 and the buoyant material 7 are released at the same time, moving away from the underwater vehicle body 2 downward, and the dropped payload 6 The buoyancy material 7 is turned over from the relationship between the center of gravity and buoyancy, the buoyancy material 7 is separated from the dropped payload 6, the buoyancy material 7 moves upward, and the dropped payload 6 moves downward. It can be carried out as appropriate.

  The control circuit of the underwater vehicle 1 has a function of determining when the ballast holding means releases the submarine ballast 3 and when the payload holding means releases the dropped payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7. In the underwater vehicle 1, means for determining an appropriate time at a desired positioning position, at a desired time, or in response to a command from an acoustic signal from the mother ship is a known technique, so a detailed description will be given. Omit.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, the operation of the underwater vehicle 1 of the present invention for diving and horizontal navigation will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the transition of the state of the underwater vehicle 1. State A corresponds to FIG. 1, state B corresponds to FIG. 2, and state C corresponds to FIG. 3.

  First, as in state A, the underwater vehicle body 2 holds the submerged ballast 3. Further, the dropped payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7 are held together in the underwater vehicle 1. In this state A, the underwater vehicle 1 is advanced underwater from a surface facility such as a mother ship. At this time, since the underwater weight of the submersible ballast 3 held at the forefront of the underwater vehicle 1 is very heavy compared to other members, the underwater vehicle 1 has the tip 2a of the underwater vehicle body 2 at its tip. Turn vertically down and dive in that position. Since the underwater vehicle 1 is submerged mainly by the gravity of the submersible ballast 3, energy for propulsion and steering is hardly consumed. If the underwater weight of the diving ballast 3 is increased, the diving speed can be increased. In addition, since the tip 3a of the submerged ballast 3 is streamlined, it is difficult to receive water resistance, and the underwater vehicle 1 can be increased in submersible speed. The underwater vehicle 1 moves at high speed on the straight channel that is the shortest distance. The underwater vehicle 1 is capable of diving to a deep depth in a short time compared to the conventional diving at a gliding angle of about several tens of degrees.

  Next, when the underwater vehicle 1 reaches the target seabed region or a depth close thereto as in the state B, the underwater vehicle 1 releases the submerged ballast 3 according to the judgment of the control circuit. The underwater vehicle 1 has a neutral buoyancy as the diving ballast 3 is detached. In addition, the buoyancy center F of the entire underwater vehicle 1 is located immediately above the center of gravity G of the entire underwater vehicle 1 (Note: above when the bow / stern axis of the underwater vehicle 1 is horizontal, see FIG. 3). A rotational moment is generated due to the relationship between the center of gravity G and the buoyancy F, and in the underwater vehicle 1, the bow / stern axis of the underwater vehicle 1 becomes horizontal as in the state C naturally from the state B.

  In state C, the underwater vehicle 1 has a neutral buoyancy and is balanced so that the bow / stern axis is horizontal, so the energy consumption for correcting the posture to maintain horizontal navigation is It is possible to navigate less horizontally.

  Thereafter, as in the state D, the throwing payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7 are released according to the judgment of the control circuit at the time of horizontal navigation. Since the dropped payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7 have a substantially neutral buoyancy in the combined state, even if the dropped payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7 are separated, the underwater vehicle 1 remains substantially at the neutral buoyancy. In addition, since the positional relationship between the buoyancy center F and the center of gravity G is also maintained, the bow-tail axis is balanced horizontally. For this reason, even after releasing the dropping payload 6 and the buoyancy material 7, the underwater vehicle 1 can travel horizontally with less energy consumption.

  On the other hand, the dropped payload 6 and the buoyant material 7 separated from the underwater vehicle 1 are separated from each other in the water, the dropped payload 6 sinks, and the buoyant material 7 rises. Note that when the dropped payload 6 and the buoyant material 7 are integrated so as not to be separated, the dropped payload 6 and the buoyant material 7 are slowly settled or floated because they have almost neutral buoyancy.

  As described above, the underwater vehicle 1 of the present invention is configured such that the ballast 3 is detachably held at the tip 2a of the underwater vehicle body 2, so that the underwater vehicle 1 is directed vertically downward during diving. The underwater vehicle 1 can reach the target seabed area in the shortest time. This effect is particularly effective when diving to a deep depth.

  In the underwater vehicle 1 of the present invention, the tip 2a of the underwater vehicle main body 2 is conventionally formed in a streamlined shape. Therefore, the tip 3a of the ballast 3 is formed in a streamlined shape. It is advantageous to increase the diving speed by diving 3a vertically downward.

  The underwater vehicle 1 of the present invention submerses to the target seabed area by the weight of the ballast 3 without using the energy stored in the internal energy source of the underwater vehicle 1. For this reason, energy consumption for submergence is eliminated, and the depth is reached in a short time, so that it is possible to save power consumed by the computer or sensor during that time.

  Since the underwater vehicle 1 of the present invention has a neutral buoyancy in combination with the dropped payload 6 and the buoyant material 7, the underwater vehicle 1 is in the middle before and after the dropped payload 6 and buoyant material 7 are released. The sexual buoyancy will be maintained. For this reason, the underwater vehicle 1 does not have extra energy consumption for maintaining a constant depth horizontally, and can continue horizontal navigation in the seabed region with low energy consumption.

  In the above embodiment, the ballast holding means is composed of an electromagnet, and the submerged ballast 3 is provided with a metal that can be attracted and held magnetically. However, the ballast holding means is not limited to an electromagnet, and may be composed of an appropriate gripping mechanism. . However, in the case of using an electromagnet, when the underwater vehicle 1 becomes inoperable due to a problem in the seabed region, if the energy of the energy source is cut off, the electromagnet is used for emergency levitation held by the ballast 3 and an electromagnet not shown. The underwater vehicle 1 will naturally rise to release the ballast. Therefore, the underwater vehicle 1 can be collected.

It is a side view at the time of the underwater of the underwater vehicle which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view at the time of the ballast for underwater navigation of an underwater vehicle showing one embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view at the time of the horizontal navigation of the underwater navigation body which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a transition diagram of the state which the underwater navigation body of the present invention takes from submergence to horizontal navigation.

Explanation of symbols

1 Underwater vehicle 2 Underwater vehicle body 3 Ballast (ballast for diving)
6 Dropped payload 7 Buoyant material

Claims (2)

Neutral buoyant underwater vehicle body formed with a tip that is oriented in the direction of travel during horizontal navigation protruding in an arc shape in cross section, and a rear end that fits into the tip of the underwater vehicle body and has its own tip A ballast formed by projecting a circular arc section, ballast holding means for detachably holding the ballast at the tip of the underwater vehicle body, a dropped payload having a predetermined underwater weight, and the underwater weight An underwater vehicle comprising: a buoyant material having a balanced buoyancy; and payload holding means for holding the dropped payload and the buoyant material in a detachable manner collectively on the underwater vehicle body. When diving a neutral buoyant underwater vehicle body that has a tip that is oriented in the direction of travel during horizontal navigation and protrudes in an arc shape, the tip of the underwater vehicle body crosses the tip of the underwater vehicle body. to hold the diving ballast which is formed to protrude in an arc shape Rutotomoni, to hold the buoyant member to the water navigation body collectively having浮量to balance the dropped payload and the underwater weight having a predetermined underwater weight, the front end of the underwater sailing body let me toward the vertically downward to dive the underwater sailing body, then, the water navigation body horizontal navigational became the neutral浮量Ri by that disengaging the ballast above dives is allowed, it furthers the dropped payload and dive and horizontal navigational method of underwater navigation body which is detached the buoyancy material characterized Rukoto is horizontally sail the underwater navigation body.

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