WO2016050869A1

WO2016050869A1 - On-board device and method for combating boarding by pressurized water jet

Info

Publication number: WO2016050869A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/072609
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard Alhadef
Original assignee: Sofresud
Priority date: 2014-09-30
Filing date: 2015-09-30
Publication date: 2016-04-07
Also published as: FR3026380A1; EP3201556A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an on-board device for combating boarding of a maritime platform from the flank (B), comprising a water-jet cannon (8) carried by a support (18) and supplied by a pressurized water line (2), characterized in that said cannon is provided with at least one motor for rotation of the jet around two axes, and in that said support is provided with a mobile arm (7) associated with at least one stop and enabling displacement of the cannon from an inward retracted position into an outward deployed position in which the jet can be pointed in the direction of the flank (B) of the platform. The invention further relates to a method for combating boarding by means of said device.

Description

Embedded device and method of combating 1 collision by pressurized water jet

The present invention relates to a device for repelling water jet under pressure.

More specifically, the invention applies to the field of close protection of maritime platforms against malicious intrusions or acts of piracy.

More particularly, it relates to a repulsion device comprising, in particular, a water gun and intended to counter the attempts to board.

There are already devices equipped with water cannon.

These devices are mounted on vehicles and are used by firefighters in the fight against fires.

These devices are generally arranged on turrets and allow, with the jet of water under pressure, to reach a remote area of the vehicle.

However, these devices are not able to accurately reach an area in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.

Such devices equipped with a water cannon are sometimes also embarked on maritime platforms to fight against fires occurring on or around said platforms or even to counter collisions.

However, with these devices, the jet is at most likely to be oriented parallel or tangentially to the walls of the platform or the sides of the hull of the ship.

These devices are not designed to direct the incident jet against the sides of the platform because they can not be deported outside. In addition, they require the intervention of an operator working on sight in a moving environment and are thus unable to provide a precise and effective aim to counter a collision. Other devices equipped with water cannon are used by security forces to repel rioters as part of law enforcement operations.

These devices that are mounted on truck turrets are intended to disperse the crowds without hurting people. The gun is used to project water under pressure towards individuals and block or slow their progress.

However, in this context, the rioters are not armed and their goal is not to take control of the truck. Manual steering is therefore sufficient and the groups or persons concerned are usually pushed away from the truck by the power of the jet which is such that people can not approach and can be easily dispersed.

Thus, none of these known devices is truly adapted to the treatment of the threat linked to an intrusion coming from the sea, in particular, in the case where the intruders have approached by sea from the immediate surroundings of the platform (boat or fixed platform) and that they are on its flanks or vertical to the edge to try to tackle it and take it by storm.

In such a context, the manual control of the water cannon is impossible or ineffective because the operator has no visibility on the plating of the platform. In addition, the control of the jet is too inaccurate given the usual games of mechanical organs and the high pressure of the water and the strong thrust of the jet.

In addition, the targets can be multiple because the attack is usually conducted by a group of individuals and several boats.

The present invention aims to solve the technical problems of the prior art in a satisfactory and effective manner.

This object is achieved by means of a water repellent device comprising a water jet gun carried by a support and fed by a pressurized water pipe, characterized in that said barrel is provided with at least one motor ensuring the rotation of the jet along two axes and in that said support is provided with a movable arm associated with at least one adjustable stop to move the barrel from a retracted position to the interior to a position of offset to the outside in which the jet can be oriented towards the side of the platform.

According to a first variant, the displacement of the arm is controlled by a jack provided with end-of-stroke sensors.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the arm is connected to the pressurized water supply pipe via a rotary joint allowing said arm to pivot tightly. According to a variant of this advantageous feature the arm is telescopic and is connected to the pressurized water supply line via a conduit for the linear elongation of said arm tight. According to another characteristic, the device comprises a first supporting bracket of the movable arm in the deployed position and a second support bracket of the movable arm in the retracted position. Preferably, the device comprises a locking member cooperating with the first support arm of the movable arm in the deployed position to immobilize the arm when the jet is emitted. According to yet another characteristic, the water jet gun has a bent section whose downstream end is provided with a nozzle and whose upstream end is connected to the support via an articulation coupled to at least one motor providing rotation. said section.

According to another variant, the device comprises a solenoid valve mounted between the pressurized water supply line and the upstream end of the arm. This solenoid valve can be remotely controlled to control the emission of the jet.

According to a specific variant, the pressurized water supply pipe is connected to the fire circuit of the platform.

Preferably, the solenoid valve is a secure valve whose failure modes have no influence on the operation of the fire circuit.

According to yet another variant, the barrel is provided with at least one camera operating in the visible or infrared wavelengths and making it possible to visualize the jet as well as the action theater of the water gun.

Another object of the invention is a collision avoidance method by means of the preceding device, characterized in that it controls this device by means of sensors for detecting the threat, a computer and software to ensure servo the position and orientation of the gun so that the jet of water reaches its target up to the plumb and on the sides of the platform. According to a first variant of implementation of the method, the ballistics of the jet of water are integrated taking into account the respective kinematics of the platform and the boat, the environmental conditions, in particular the anemometric data and the clean kinematics of the jet. .

According to an advantageous characteristic, the water supply of the device is controlled by pulses to increase the instantaneous power of the jet by minimizing the necessary hydraulic power.

According to a specific variant, the device is supplied with water illuminated by an internal light source so as to visualize the jet and correct its bias. According to yet another variant, an adjuvant is introduced into the water supply of the device.

According to another specific variant, the kinematic data of the platform come from an inertial unit and / or a GPS system.

Advantageously, the mechanical play of the device is staggered by a predefined decentering between the respective axes of thrust and rotation of the jet and the motor axes of the water gun.

Advantageously, software is used that takes into account both the deviation of the measurement from the setpoint, the filling speed of this deviation and the integral of this deviation.

Advantageously, a software is used which limits the changes of direction and / or anticipates the influence of the mechanical clearance by means of a cost function. One option of the method is to control the device remotely by means of a desk with a joystick or a touch pad.

According to an additional feature, the sighting errors of the device in the automatic mode are visually appreciated and they are corrected manually by means of the joystick or the touch pad.

The onboard device and the method of the invention therefore have the objective of ensuring the protection of a maritime platform (navigable or fixed) by non-lethal means of struggle, to protect the crew and the equipment on board a vehicle. attack by a group of attackers by countering, or at least delaying, the boarding.

Of course, the platform may be equipped with several devices according to the invention each adapted to the defense of a particular area of the edge exposed to a specific threat. The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows with reference to the drawings in which;

FIG. 1 represents a synoptic view of the device of the invention intended for the implementation of the collision avoidance method.

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show an embodiment of the device of the invention, respectively, in side views (retracted position Fig. 2A and extended position Fig. 2B) and in perspective (extended position Fig. 2C).

FIGS. 3A and 3B show top views of the embodiment of the device of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C respectively, in the retracted position and in the deployed position.

FIG. 4 represents an embodiment of a water gun that can be used in the device of the invention.

The implementation of the collision avoidance method using the device of the invention is illustrated schematically by the block diagram of FIG.

Globally and synthetically, this device comprises a pump 1 providing a given flow in the water supply pipe 2 connected to a hydraulic circuit of the edge, a check valve 3 disposed on the circuit preventing water from back to the pump 1, a safety valve 4 for discharging the water in case of overpressure in the circuit and a solenoid valve 5 to activate the water jet of the barrel 8. The barrel is carried by a movable arm 7 connected to a cylinder 6 allowing the deployment of the device.

The solenoid valve 5 is mounted between the pipe 2 for supplying water under pressure and the upstream end of the device.

This solenoid valve is activated in order to control the emission of the jet. This single-acting solenoid valve ensures that the jet stops in the event of a power failure. It is equipped with sensors indicating its state (open or closed). A locking cylinder 9 can block the barrel 8 when the jet is emitted.

A junction box 11 receives the power supply 12a and serves as a connection node to the water gun 8, the solenoid valve 5, the remote control 12b, the emergency stop button 12c, the cylinder 6 of the arm 7 , and signal processing means 13 which make it possible to control the automatic or semi-automatic implementation of the device of the invention.

This housing 11 also centralizes the additional sensor information contributing to ensure the safety of the device such as the limit sensors of the cylinder, the proximity sensor of the support in the extended position and the sensor of the state of the solenoid valve.

The implementation of the device according to the invention can be done in two modes: automatic or teleoperated.

In the automatic mode, optronic sensors (cameras, ...) or microwave radio sensors (radars, ....) provide the threat position information and the processing means consequently determine the control / command elements of the threat. Water cannon to automatically track the threat.

In the semi-automatic mode, the processing means 13 receive the gun control commands via an interface 15 of the touch pad or console type, implemented by an operator. This implementation can then be performed remotely (and under cover) using the video of the scene displayed on the interface.

These processing means make it possible to take into account the data useful for the operation of the device, such as:

- External data to the repeller: navigation (road, heading, ...), wind, level of engagement, sensor data,

- The control / command: servocontrol of the barrel, control of the cylinder and the solenoid valve, acquisition of the sensors of the device,

- Sensor data filtering for automatic threat tracking, - The main ballistic (future goal, travel time, inclination) and secondary (relative wind influence) of the jet,

- The redundancy of the means of safety: electric (movement and emission of the prohibited jet in the retracted position), stops to avoid directing the jet towards the inside of the platform,

- The adaptation of the dynamic allocations of the different water cannon devices to the threats listed around the ship,

The introduction of hysteresis (taking into account the previous state in the determination of the state at a given posterior moment) in the prioritization commands of the threats to be treated in order to prevent the device from oscillating unexpectedly between the different threats,

- The introduction of hysteresis in the allocation commands of several devices installed on the platform according to their respective area of effectiveness.

The touch pad or the desk 15 and the processing means 13 communicate with each other by means of a radio link 14 of the Wifi type.

The processing means 13 comprise a computer associated with an operating system (software).

The calculator also integrates a calculation of the water jet ballistics so as to ensure a better aim of the target by taking into account the respective kinematics of the platform and the target (speed, position, heading, roll, pitch), environmental conditions (wind speed and direction in particular) and water gun firing tables (angle of inclination to be given to the water gun to reach the target according to the pressure and the water flow at the barrel outlet) . The computer integrates the servo-control algorithms of the water jet on the target to automatically determine the orientation parameters (site and azimuth) of the water gun from the acquisitions of sensors 10 judiciously arranged on the platform or on the barrel. The device of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 3A, 3B.

The device of the invention comprises a support 18 provided with a movable arm 7 associated with at least one adjustable stop and carrying a water jet gun 8 fed by a pipe 2 for supplying water under pressure.

The pipe 2 is connected here, via a flange, to the solenoid valve 5 and to the hydraulic circuit of the edge equipped with several pumps (not shown).

The movable arm 7 makes it possible to deploy the barrel 8 from a retracted position inside the edge (Int.) Of the platform to an offset position on the outside (Ext.) In which the jet of the barrel 8 is likely to be oriented towards the flank or bordered B.

Here, the movable arm 7 pivots, thanks to a rotary joint 19, on the action of mechanical transmission means such as an electric jack 6.

According to other variants not shown, the movable arm could as well perform a translational movement along a rail or slide on action of mechanical transmission means such as the electric cylinder 6 or a pneumatic cylinder actuated automatically or manually.

Here, the electric jack 6 is provided with end-of-stroke sensors (not shown) and a rod whose end is connected to the arm 7 via a stirrup 16.

The arm is connected to the pipe 2 for supplying pressurized water via the rotary joint 19 allowing the tight pivoting of the arm 7 carrying the barrel 8 here in a plane substantially parallel to the bridge of the platform. According to variants, these transmission means are in the form of a telescopic member for the linear elongation sealed arm or a flexible conduit with hose or bellows for both the pivoting and elongation of the arm tight. A first bracket 17a provides support and allows the locking of the movable arm 7 in the offset position while a second bracket 17b provides support for the movable arm in the retracted position.

The bracket 17a has an inclined cradle in which the arm 7, in the projecting position, is housed and rest guided manner.

In the deployed position, the information given by the limit sensor of the jack 6 is doubled, for security reasons, by that of a proximity detector (not shown) located on the first support bracket 17a. The arm 7 is provided with a second cylinder 9 which locks on the bracket 17a when the jet is emitted.

Here, it is a hydraulic cylinder whose stem, under the effect of the pressure of the water when the jet is emitted, comes to push a spring to lodge in a locking hole on the bracket 17a.

When the pressure drops (stop jet), the cylinder is pushed out of the hole by the spring, causing the unlocking of the arm.

To ensure this operation, the hydraulic cylinder can be connected to a system of two solenoid valves positioned upstream of the solenoid valve 5 jet control and controlled with the solenoid valve 5 so as to couple the locking / unlocking of the cylinder at the request of emission of the jet.

The locking function can also be provided by an electric actuator actuated on information of the presence of the arm returned by the proximity sensor.

The device is equipped with at least one mechanical, electrical or software stop to protect the platform by preventing the jet from being directed inwards.

In the embodiment illustrated by these figures, the device is installed on the bridge by being fixed on beams P of the structure of the platform. These beams are those which support here the bridge "avia" intended for the landing of helicopters or 1 hoist.

The device is here suspended from these beams so as not to hinder the traffic on the bridge.

According to alternative embodiments not shown and intended more particularly for commercial or cruise ships, the device according to the invention could be fixed on a different support, for example along the bulwark or flat on the bridge.

According to an ergonomic variant not shown, the arm can be integrated into the bulwark or the rail of the platform or the ship.

According to another variant not shown, which applies more particularly to the platform equipment under construction, the structure will be provided with side hatches forming ports through which, in operation, the arm will be able to protrude with the barrel.

According to other variants of embodiment not shown, the device according to the invention could be fixed on a carriage provided with rolling means allowing it to move on a rail previously installed on the deck or along the plating.

The arm 7 is constituted here by a base and a section 20 of steel bent tube with a reducer for connection with the upstream end 8a of the barrel 8.

The pumps that feed the barrel 8 are here those of the fire circuit while leaving the priority, for security reasons, the fight against fire.

For this purpose, the solenoid valve 5 is a safety valve so as to keep the fire safety level "Safety Integrity Level" (SIL) required.

Specifically, the secure valve has failure modes that do not influence the operation of the fire circuit. A depressurization valve with discharge to the sea is installed on the supply line 2 to maintain the gun 8 in operational situation.

According to other embodiments not shown, the barrel is powered by a dedicated pump of high power.

Advantageously, a carriage provided with rolling means may carry, in addition to the water gun, this dedicated pump and a flexible suction sleeve and the junction box providing the connection with the control system. This self-contained unit can be moved on a rail installed on the deck or along the plating allowing, after release of the suction sleeve, the implementation of the device according to the invention at different points of the ship.

Still according to other embodiments not shown, the water supply circuit comprises a movable rigid tube immersed as necessary which is provided with means for holding and hooking.

This rigid tube may advantageously be provided at its submerged end a funnel spout of large section oriented in the direction of travel allowing it to recover the water with good performance and high reliability while reducing the risk of cavitation.

According to still other embodiments not shown, the water supply circuit comprises a very high power pump actuated by a thermal or electrical engine, a network of large section pipes terminated by solenoid valves for distributing the hydraulic power from the pump to a specific group of water cannons as needed.

Where applicable, the water pipes maintained under pressure by means of a low power auxiliary system when all the valves are closed. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the water jet gun 8 is provided, on the one hand, with two motors M1 and M2 each controlling the rotation of the jet along an axis and, on the other hand, an encoder disposed at the end of each axis of rotation (C1 being the axis of rotation controlled by the motor Ml and C2 (not visible in the figures) the axis driven by the motor M2) for measuring the real value the angle of rotation.

According to a variant, it is possible to replace one of the two motors Ml, M2 by a clutch coupled to the single motor.

The actual rotational values measured using the encoders are transmitted as "feedback" to the processing means which take into account the deviation of the measurement from the setpoint, the filling speed of this deviation and the integral of this gap to adjust the feedback.

The downstream end 8b of the barrel is provided with a jet straightener lance terminated by a nozzle 80 ensuring the convergence and the consistency of the jet ("jet stick"). The upstream end 8a of the barrel is connected to the arm 7 via a hinge.

The barrel 8 is provided with at least one and here two cameras (symbolized by the sensors 10 of Figure 1) operating in the visible or infrared wavelengths and to jointly view the jet and the theater of operation. These cameras are, if necessary, equipped with automatic cleaning means. The processing means of the device use the images of the cameras to control the direction of the water jet on the target.

According to one variant, the servocontrol may consist of a barrage strike in the azimuth of the target but at a lower distance, thus preventing the assailant from advancing towards the ship.

According to other variants, the gun can be controlled so that the jet makes a high speed sweep along the lined to create a water curtain preventing collision, or any other programmed or prerecorded watering profile.

The platform collision control method uses several devices according to the invention installed on both sides to cover the different vulnerable areas. This method is implemented as follows by successively performing the tasks defined below:

- Acquisition by the sensors,

- Synthesis of the theater of operation,

- Determination of the threatening nature and proposed answer,

- Application for activation of the water repulsion system,

- In automatic mode: assignment by zone of coverage and by order of danger of the device most adapted to provide an effective response; Automatic tracking of the threat by the device assigned to this threat from the positions provided by the sensors,

- In tele-operation mode: control-command of the device by an operator via the touch pad / desk, the remote control can be (and covered); the video of the scene being displayed on the tablet / desk.

In general, the device is controlled by means of a computer and software for integrating the water jet ballistics and taking into account the respective kinematics of the platform and the target person, environmental conditions and water gun firing tables.

Preferably, an automatic firing line will be used to control the position and orientation of the gun and hang on the target person and the device will be remotely controlled by a touch pad.

It will also be advantageous to activate programmed or prerecorded watering profiles preventing the attacker (s) from approaching the vessel (for example "8" profiles).

In order to increase the power of the water jet, the water supply of the device is effected by pulses by implementing a second solenoid valve (not shown) coupled to a pressure tank (not shown). The configuration presented above corresponds to a specific embodiment but, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is possible to feed the device with hot water under pressure, possibly mixed with steam, so to view the jet in infrared mode and correct its bias.

It is also possible to introduce into the water supply of the device, an adjuvant such as a dye.

The adjuvant added to the water under pressure may also contain substances that disturb the intruder in its progression, markers or chemical or physical tracers, such as certain radioactive markers used in the medical or geological field.

According to another variant, the jet of water is illuminated by an internal source of light making it possible to visually assess the trajectory of the jet.

For example, we will have LED lamps upstream of the barrel nozzle, the jet then acting as a guide and light pipe.

The ballistic of the water jet is determined by integrating the GPS data of the platform (or ship) and / or the airspeed data or even by using an inertial unit.

The mechanical play of the device is stalled by a decentering of a few millimeters between the respective axes of thrust and rotation of the jet on each of the two motor axes of the water gun. The bias of the water jet on the target can be compensated manually using a software module installed in the touch pad that allows to act remotely (Wifi) on the current pointing gun.

The observation of pointing errors is facilitated by the visualization on the touch pad of the images taken by the cameras.

Advantageously, the device can be integrated in a so-called "multilayer" defense system comprising means of detection, alarm, communications, deterrence, and protection in which a system of management and exploitation of these various means ensures the establishment and maintenance in real time of the situation held around the platform, l automatic threat analysis, automatic generation of alarms using rule engines, establishment of a response plan and control / command of the various means of intervention.

Such a system with its associated software is already described, for example, in the patent EP 2 612 103 of the applicant.

Claims

Embedded device for preventing the collision of a marine platform from its side (B), comprising a gun (8) with a water jet carried by a support (18) and fed by a pipe (2) of water under pressure, characterized in that said barrel is provided with at least one motor ensuring the rotation of the jet along two axes and in that said support is provided with a movable arm (7) associated with at least one adjustable stop for moving the barrel from a retracted position inward to an outboard position in which the jet may be oriented towards the side (B) of the platform.

Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the displacement of said arm (7) is controlled by a jack (6) provided with end-of-stroke sensors.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said arm (7) is connected to the conduit (2) for supplying water under pressure via a rotary joint (19) for pivoting said arm. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said arm (7) is telescopic and is connected to the pipe (2) for supplying water under pressure via a conduit for the elongation of said arm tight.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a first bracket (17a) for supporting the movable arm (7) in the deployed position and a second bracket (17b) for supporting the mobile arm (7) in position retracted.

Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a locking member (9) cooperating with said first bracket (17a) for immobilizing the arm (7) when the jet is emitted.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water jet barrel (8) has a angled section whose downstream end (8a) is provided with a nozzle and whose upstream end (8b) is connected to the support (18) via an articulation coupled to said motor (M) ensuring the rotation of said section.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a solenoid valve (5) mounted between the pipe (2) for supplying water under pressure and the upstream end of the arm (7).

9. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said solenoid valve (5) is remotely controllable to control the emission of the water jet.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conduit (2) for supplying water under pressure is connected to the fire circuit of the platform.

11. Device according to claims 8, 9 and 10, characterized in that said solenoid valve is a secure valve whose failure modes have no influence on the operation of the fire circuit.

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said barrel (8) is provided with at least one camera (10) operating in the visible wavelengths or infrared and for viewing the jet and the action theater of the water cannon.

13. A method of fighting against collisions by means of at least one device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device is controlled by, on the one hand, sensors for detecting the threat and on the other hand, a computer and software ensuring the enslavement of the position and the orientation of the gun (8) so that the jet of water reaches its target up to the plumb and on the flanks of the platform.

14. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that integrates the ballistics of the jet taking into account the respective kinematics of the platform and the target, the environmental conditions and the clean kinematics of the water jet.

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the water supply of the device is controlled by pulses to increase the instantaneous power of the jet by minimizing the necessary hydraulic power.

16. Method according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the device is supplied with water illuminated by an internal light source so as to view the jet and correct its bias.

17. Method according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that an adjuvant is introduced into the water supply of the device.

18. Method according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that said kinematic data come from an inertial unit and / or a GPS system.

19. Method according to one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that wedge the mechanical play of the device by a predefined decentering between the respective axes of thrust and rotation of the jet and the motor axes of the water gun.

20. Method according to one of claims 13 to 19, characterized in that software is used taking into account both the deviation of the measurement from the setpoint, the filling speed of this gap and the integral. of this gap.

21. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that a software is used to limit the changes of direction and / or anticipating the influence of the mechanical clearance by means of a cost function.

22. Method according to one of claims 13 to 21 characterized in that remote control device by means of a desk with a joystick or a touch pad (15).

23. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that one visually appreciates the sighting errors of the device in automatic mode and is corrected manually by means of the joystick or the touch pad.