WO2013152974A1

WO2013152974A1 - Docking device for submarine vehicle, docking system and recovery base

Info

Publication number: WO2013152974A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/057028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicolas Henri Marie PIGANEAU
Original assignee: Dcns
Priority date: 2012-04-12
Filing date: 2013-04-03
Publication date: 2013-10-17
Also published as: FR2989352A1; EP2836422B1; FR2989352B1; ES2765180T3; EP2836422A1; KR102167606B1; KR20140143822A

Abstract

The invention relates to a docking device for a submarine vehicle provided with a fastening device (44), wherein the docking device comprises a hollow cellular body (12) capable of interaction with the fastening device (44) of the submarine vehicle, and the hollow body (12) is provided with an outer cellular surface (14) oriented in several directions.

Description

Mooring device for a submarine vehicle, mooring system and recovery base

The invention relates to a mooring device for a submarine vehicle provided with a hooking device. In addition, the present invention relates to a docking system for an underwater vehicle and a recovery base.

WO 2008/012472 A1 discloses a submerged cage connected by a windable cable to a recovery base. The cage which comprises a housing and a reception means in which the nose of a submarine autonomous vehicle engages. Then, the autonomous underwater vehicle is pulled by the receiving means inside the housing. The receiving means is adapted to pivot about two axes.

Such a deported cage of a ship allows the decoupling of the movements of the swell relative to said vehicle but is a complex solution.

In addition, autonomous underwater vehicles have no means of lateral propulsion to counter the effects of disturbances when they approach the handling cage. Even if such autonomous underwater vehicles are capable of anticipating dynamic disturbances, which is conceivable for a constant current, such an anticipation is much more difficult for local disturbances, for example linked to the presence of a sub-current. a sizeable size relative to the submarine autonomous vehicle, or to a propulsion system of a ship or a submarine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a very economical mooring device for an underwater vehicle that facilitates the recovery of the underwater vehicle to a recovery base, for example a submarine.

These objects are achieved, in accordance with the invention, by a mooring device for a submarine vehicle provided with an attachment device, the mooring device being characterized in that it comprises a hollow self-hollow body to cooperate with the attachment device of the underwater vehicle, the hollow body being provided with a dimpled outer surface which is directed towards a plurality of directions.

According to advantageous characteristics:

- the outer surface is curved;

the cells are adjacent to each other;

the cells are separated by edges from which curved walls start;

the outer surface has substantially the shape of a circular or oval spherical sector, in particular a half-sphere, a three-quarter sphere, or a sphere; - The docking device comprises at least one resistance plane adapted to create an inertia during a shock of the underwater vehicle from each of the plurality of directions or a direction adjacent thereto;

the resistance plane or planes are arranged inside the hollow body;

- The docking device comprises at least three resistance planes, at least two of which are substantially orthogonal to each other;

the resistance planes are integral with the hollow body;

the resistance planes are defined by plates connected by at least two fixing points to the hollow body;

the device comprises a buoyancy material or a ballast adapted to adjust the buoyancy of the hollow body;

the mooring device comprises a signaling device for signaling to the underwater vehicle the position of the mooring device;

- The docking device further comprises a cable connected to the hollow body; and / or - the cable is connected to the hollow body by a swiveling connection.

In addition, these objects are achieved, according to the invention, by a mooring system for an underwater vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a docking device according to any one of the embodiments below. above, and an attachment device in at least one cell of the hollow body, provided on the nose of said vehicle.

According to advantageous characteristics:

- The attachment device comprises two gripping jaws in two cells of the hollow body; and or

- The attachment device comprises a latching pin in a cell, the pin having a diameter less than the diameter of the cell and being provided with a ratchet clasp.

Finally, these objects are achieved, according to the invention, by a recovery base comprising a winch and a mooring device as defined above, said cable being connected to the winch.

According to an advantageous characteristic:

- The recovery base comprises a housing for the underwater vehicle, the winch being arranged to pull the mooring device in said housing.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a mooring device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an outer surface of the mooring device,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a structure located inside the mooring device,

FIG. 4 is a side view of the structure located inside the mooring device,

FIG. 5 is a side view of a single pin coupling device entering a cell of the docking device at a first instant;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a single pin coupling device entering a cell of the docking device at a second instant,

FIG. 7 is a side view of a single pin coupling device entering a cell of the mooring device at a third instant,

- Figure 8 is a side view of the docking device attached to a recovery base mounted on a submarine; and

- Figure 9 is a schematic view of an approach of an underwater vehicle to the docking device.

Figure 1 shows schematically a docking device 10 which has an outer generally a shape of a sphere 12 having an outer diameter d _c . The sphere 12 is hollow and includes an outer surface 14, which is shown in detail in Figure 2, and an inner surface 16. The inner surface 16 of the sphere also has the general shape of a sphere.

The sphere 12 is provided with a plurality of cells 18 which are regularly distributed around its circumference and which connect its interior with its outside to form together a spherical grid. In the embodiment shown, each cell 18 is surrounded by six cells 18 adjacent. The opening of each cell 18 is substantially circular, but other forms for opening are possible. On its outer surface 14, the sphere 12 has, between each pair of adjacent cells 18, an edge 20 to which are joined curved side walls 22 of these two adjacent cells. The walls 22 are convex towards the outside of the sphere. Each cell 18 is thus surrounded by six edges 20 together forming a hexagon with curved sides. In this example, three successive sides of the hexagon are concave towards the center of the hexagon, while the other three sides are convex. Each edge 20 is adapted to direct a percussion member against it in one of the adjacent cells by sliding on one of the walls 22.

Figures 3 and 4 show a structure located inside the docking device 10. The sphere 12 comprises in its interior a plurality of rigid plates 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f, 24g., 24h, 24i, at least two of which are respectively orthogonal to each other. Each plate 24a to 24i has a substantially circular shape and a diameter adapted to its position in the sphere 12 so that it is adapted to be connected to the inner surface 16 of the sphere 12. At least one of the plates 24a to 241, but not necessarily all the plates, is fixed to the inner surface 16 of the sphere 12 at attachment points 26 located between three adjacent cells 18, so that a coupling device having a clamp comprising two jaws which are respectively inserted in two adjacent cells 18 is not interfered with when its jaws close behind the wall 22 common between these two adjacent cells 18.

In this example, there are three meridian plates 22a to 22c, and six parallel plates 24d to 24i equidistant from each other.

The plates 24a-24i structurally reinforce the sphere 12 against a collapse when contacted by a submarine autonomous vehicle.

The plates 24a to 24i together form a generally spherical shaped structure having a diameter of at least 70%, in particular at least 80%, of the diameter of the inner surface 16 of the sphere 12.

Each plate 24a to 24i has two flat surfaces. These plans together create a resistance to the advancement of the mooring device 10 in the water in all directions.

The mooring device 10 comprises, in a variant, a buoyancy material 28 for adjusting its buoyancy to the buoyancy of the vessel or submarine to which the mooring device is connected. For example, when the docking device 10 is connected to a submerged submarine, the docking device 10 is constructed to have a positive buoyancy. In an exemplary embodiment, the buoyancy material is integrated in at least one of the plates 24a to 24i. In another embodiment, the mooring device 10 is constructed to have a negative buoyancy, in this case the buoyancy material 28 is replaced by a ballast denser than water, for example lead.

Finally, the docking device 10 is provided inside the sphere 12 with a transponder 30 for a relative positioning system. For example, the transponder 30 is arranged in the center of the sphere 12. The transponder 30 emits signals, for example acoustic signals, which allow its location. Thus, the transponder 30 allows a submarine vehicle to find the location of the docking device 10. The docking device 10 is connected by a cable 32 to a recovery base arranged on a ship or a submarine. In one embodiment, the cable 32 is provided with an electrical connection for powering or controlling the transponder 30 or other electrical equipment provided in the sphere 12. In a variant, the cable 32 is connected by a ball system to the mooring device.

The sphere 12 therefore allows an underwater vehicle to approach it in any direction. Thus, the sphere 12 forms an omnidirectional hookable target.

The mooring device has, in another embodiment, another outer shape, for example the shape of a circular or oval spherical sector, for example a half-sphere or three-quarter sphere. In a variant, the outer surface is curved.

In addition, Figure 1 shows a submarine vehicle 40, including an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) or a drone.

The AUV 40 has a diameter d _A uv, for example, greater than that of the sphere 12 of the docking device 10. The AUV has a tip 42 provided with an attachment device 44 to the tip 42 The hooking device 44 is adapted to hook on the sphere 12 by a simple frontal contact with the sphere, and to remain attached thereafter.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the attachment device 44 comprises a clamp comprising two movable jaws 46 adapted to be closed on themselves. The two jaws 46 are locked in their open position shown, and when a trigger device 48, for example a button, arranged between the two jaws is struck, the two jaws 46 are unlocked and close with a spring not shown.

When the AUV contacts the sphere 12, the two jaws 46 respectively fit into two adjacent cells 18. In one embodiment, the jaws are first discarded by a camming effect by the walls 22. Next, a wall 22 common between these two adjacent cells 18 touches the triggering device 48, and the two jaws 46 close behind each other. said wall 22 common. The attachment device 44 is thus passively actuated when the AUV contacts the sphere 12. The AUV is then fixed to the sphere 12.

When the docking device 10 receives a shock when the AUV clings to it, the docking device 10 has a large inertia due to the planes of the plates 24a to 24i. This inertia makes it possible to actuate the trigger device 48 in a secure manner.

In another embodiment, the attachment device 44 comprises an active actuator of the jaws 42, 44 making it possible to hook the AUV 40 to the device mooring 10 and unhook the AUV 40, in the opposite way to the hooking, for example remotely controlled.

In another embodiment, the attachment device comprises a single pin with a spring-mounted nonreturn device. Such a device 44 'is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, which show it at different times entering a cell 18.

Figures 5 to 7 show the attachment device 44 'which is adapted to hook on the sphere 12 by a simple frontal contact. The hooking device 44 'comprises a pin 80 which is fixed to the tip of the nose 42 of the AUV 40.

The pin 80 has, for example, a cylindrical shape, a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cells 18 and a Y axis in the direction of movement of the AUV.

The pin 80 is provided with a point 82 along the axis Y. In addition, the pin 80 comprises two movable hooks 84, 86, arranged on opposite sides of the pin 80 and passing through longitudinal slots of this pin. Each hook 84, 86 is pivotally mounted about a respective axis of rotation 88, 90. The axes of rotation 88, 90 are arranged inside the outer contour of the pin 80 and in front of the hooks 84, 86.

A portion of the hooks 84, 86 protrude from the pin 80 and has, in section, a substantially triangular shape with a sliding surface 92, 94 extending from its front end beyond the outer contour of the pin 80 and obliquely backward. At the rear end of the hooks 84, 86, the sliding surfaces 92, 94 are connected to a retaining surface 92, 94 orthogonal to the Y axis of the pin 80.

The rear ends of the hooks 84, 86 are pushed outwards by springs 96, 98 arranged inside the pin 80. The transverse extension of the hooking device 44 'at the rear end of the hooks 84, 86 is greater than the diameter of the cells 18 when the hooks 84, 86 are pushed outwards by the springs 96, 98. The hooks 84, 86 thus form a ratchet clasp.

When the AUV approaches the sphere 12, the tip 82 of the pin slides on a wall 22 to center it in a cell 18 (Figure 5). In the next step, shown in Figure 6, the two hooks 84, 86 are pushed by the walls 22 of the cell 18 towards the Y axis of the pin by compressing the springs 96, 98.

When the pin is fully inserted into the cell 18 and the retaining surfaces have exceeded the inner surface 16 of the sphere 12, the springs 96, 98 push the hooks 84, 86 outward (Figure 7).

The pin provided with the ratchet clasp comprising the hooks 84, 86 thus prevents backtracking, since the retaining surfaces 92, 94 bear against the inner surface 16 of the sphere 12. Figure 8 shows a side view of a recovery base 50 mounted on a submarine 52 dive below the surface of the water 54. The submarine 52 has a much larger diameter than the AUV 40.

The recovery base 50 comprises a housing 56 or dock of longitudinal axis X for accommodating the AUV 40. The housing 56 comprises two ends 58, 60 in the direction of movement of the AUV in the housing 56. The first end 58 has an input to allow the AUV 40 to enter and includes convergence plates 62 for guiding the docking device 10 and the AUV 40 inside the housing 56. For example, two convergence plates 62 opposing sides of the entrance are between them an angle greater than 10 °.

A winch 64 is arranged in the recovery base 50 at the second end 60. The winch 64 wraps or unrolls the cable 32 which is connected to the sphere 12. Thus, the winch allows to release the sphere 12 and to pull the sphere 12 in dwelling 56.

As described above, the docking device 10 has a positive buoyancy. When the cable 32 is unwound, the sphere 12 is positioned above the submarine 52. This difference in buoyancy with respect to the submarine 52 makes it possible to release the cable 32 from a thruster 66 of the submarine 52 when unwinding or winding the cable 32, and placing the sphere 12 at a different depth of immersion from that of the submarine 52.

Similarly, the recovery base 50 can be mounted on a ship or in a hull of the ship and be provided with a docking device 10 having a negative buoyancy.

When the AUV is hooked to the sphere 12 and is pulled with it inside the housing 56, the convergence plates 62 help align the AUV on the longitudinal axis X of the recovery base 50 to place the AUV on this axis in the housing 56. In addition, the diameter of the sphere 12 being smaller than that of the AUV 40, it can be found in the X axis of the housing 56 when the AUV is pulled with the sphere 12 inside the housing 56, whatever the point where the AUV clings to the sphere 12.

Figure 9 shows in top view the approach of the AUV 40 to the docking device 10 according to the invention, in the presence of a side stream 70. The AUV 40 is simplified by a single line. FIG. 9 shows the positioning of the AUV 40 at different times 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d and 72e. When approaching the AUV 40 of the sphere 12, the current 70 carries it upwards in FIG. 9. The AUV is therefore obliged to continuously correct its direction of approach to the sphere 12. As the docking device 10 comprises a transponder 30, the AUV 40 receives the transponder signals and is directed always towards the source of the emitted signals and therefore always towards the sphere 12, following a curve of the dog.

At the moment 72e, the AUV 40 clings to the sphere 12 to remain then secured to it. As the docking device 10 allows an omnidirectional hooking, it guarantees the attachment of the AUV 40 whatever the dynamic disturbances with a basic guidance system of the "dog curve" type.

Claims

1. Mooring device (10) for a submarine vehicle (40) provided with a hooking device (44), the docking device being characterized in that it comprises a honeycomb hollow body (12) suitable for cooperate with the attachment device (44) of the underwater vehicle, the hollow body (12) being provided with a cellular outer surface (14) which is directed towards a plurality of directions.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (14) is curved.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cells (18) are adjacent to each other.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cells (18) are separated by ridges (20) from which curved walls (22).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claim, characterized in that the outer surface has substantially the shape of a circular or oval spherical sector, in particular a half-sphere, a three-quarter sphere, or a sphere (12).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one resistance plane (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24th, 24f, 24g, 24h, 24i) suitable for creating an inertia during operation. a shock of the underwater vehicle from each of the plurality of directions or a direction close thereto.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the resistance plane or planes (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f, 24g., 24h, 24i) are arranged inside the hollow body (12). .

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by at least three resistance planes, at least two of which are substantially orthogonal to each other.

9. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the resistance planes are integral with the hollow body (12).

10. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the resistance planes are defined by plates (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f, 24g, 24h, 24i) connected by at least two fixing points to the hollow body (12).

1 1. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a buoyancy material (28) or a ballast adapted to adjust the buoyancy of the hollow body (12).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a signaling device (30) for signaling to the underwater vehicle (40) the position of the docking device (10).

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a cable (32) connected to the hollow body (12).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the cable (32) is connected to the hollow body (12) by a swivel connection (34).

15. Mooring system for a submarine vehicle (40), characterized in that it comprises:

- A docking device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, and

- An attachment device (44, 44 ') in at least one cell (18) of the hollow body (12) provided on the nose of said vehicle (40).

16. Mooring system according to claim 15, characterized in that the attachment device comprises two jaws (46) for hooking into two cavities (18) of the hollow body (12).

17. Mooring system according to claim 15, characterized in that the attachment device comprises a pin (80) for attachment in a cell (18), the pin having a diameter less than the diameter of the cell and being provided with a ratchet clasp (84, 86, 96, 98).

18. Recovery base (50) comprising a winch (64) and a docking device (10) according to claim 13 or 14, said cable (32) being connected to the winch (64).

19. Recovery base according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises a housing (56) for the underwater vehicle, the winch being arranged to pull the mooring device (10, 12) in said housing.