WO2022093061A1

WO2022093061A1 - Automated mooring device

Info

Publication number: WO2022093061A1
Application number: PCT/RU2020/000608
Authority: WO
Inventors: Александр Владимирович ЖУКОВ
Original assignee: Александр Владимирович ЖУКОВ
Priority date: 2020-11-02
Filing date: 2020-11-16
Publication date: 2022-05-05
Also published as: RU2757696C1

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of shipping, and more particularly to mooring equipment for the automated mooring of manned and unmanned vessels. Proposed is a device with a rotating mechanism, which is designed to automatically grip and hold fast the mooring line of a vessel to be moored. The device is equipped with a rotating mechanism, an electric motor, a rechargeable battery, solar panels, and a control unit capable of receiving a GPS navigation signal and having a local positioning system. In addition to navigation, the control unit includes systems for receiving and transmitting data over communication channels that allow the transmission of data between a vessel and an automated mooring device, and between similar automated mooring devices, and also with a central Internet-based information database in order to facilitate tracking of the device, identification of a vessel to be moored, and payment for mooring and remote service.

Description

AUTOMATED MOORING DEVICE Description of the invention.

The claimed invention relates to the field of shipbuilding, namely to mooring equipment for automated mooring of crewed and crewless ships.

At the moment, there are inventions that describe the interaction of a vessel with a mooring buoy or berth. Known mooring device patent HRP20140925 A2 inventor LOVRIC DARIO, published 04/08/2016 refers to a buoy for recognition and control of the mooring of the vessel, consisting of two hemispheres. In the upper hemisphere there is a hole, well-closed by a lid against water penetration, inside which a magnetic sensor is firmly placed. Under the cover is a tube with a basket for storing electronic equipment and a power supply. The folding hook, which is connected to the hook holder, can be folded from a vertical position to said cover and to the place where the magnetic sensor is placed. While the folding hook rests its mooring part on the buoy cover, it sends a signal through the built-in equipment that the buoy is “free”, and when the folding hook is raised above the buoy cover, it sends a signal that the buoy is “busy”. Buoy occupancy information is encoded along with other buoy information and transmitted over a GSM/GPRS communication channel. The buoy is suitable for SMS or WEB-charging for mooring boats in remote locations.

This invention does not apply to automated mooring systems, but only indicates the fact of the vessel's mooring to a floating buoy, by fixing the transmission of information for the possibility of monitoring and charging the crew of the vessel. The mooring to the floating buoy itself takes place in the usual way in maritime practice, that is, manually by the crew. A mooring device for mooring a vessel with a floating buoy is also known, described in the invention according to the patent US6508190B1 by the inventor NORTON DANIEL published on January 21, 2003, which describes a remotely controlled device that allows one person to quickly attach the boat to the pier and remove it from it. The device extends to ensure a safe and unobstructed state while the boat is in motion. A mooring buoy with a high vertical rigid stem is aimed at a trap at the end of a telescoping boom, which is remotely aimed at the stem on the buoy and automatically locked by the stem upon contact with the bi-directional latch on the buoy.

The disadvantages of this method of mooring include the fact that it is necessary to equip the vessel with a special rather bulky gripping device, with a mounting point on the bow of the boat. In the bow of the boats, there is usually an anchor device with a bow relic and a forestay. It is almost impossible to find places to place additional equipment, not to mention the fact that this is an additional material investment in the purchase of the device and its installation. This equipment cannot be installed on small inflatable boats. In conditions of sea motion, it will be difficult to bring the rod to the trap and capture it.

Of the known inventions, the closest analogue of the claimed invention in terms of technical essence is the invention according to patent WO 2014/031061, inventors HELLESMARK SVEIN B and ROBERTSSON HARRY, published on February 27, 2014, refers both to a method and a device for mooring a ship in a certain place at a distance from shore and with the ability to take the ship out of the berth, as well as be able to return to the same place in the future. Mooring is carried out using a ring shape that can be raised and lowered and has a gap around the periphery that can be connected and disconnected from the ship, respectively, using a connecting part located below the surface of the water. Said mooring arrangement allows a ship, with a downwardly protruding load supported by the vessel, to pass by after disconnecting and lowering said mooring device and to rotate about a substantially vertical imaginary axis.

The disadvantage is that for the implementation of this invention it is necessary to carry out serious bottom work to install the bottom device and its extensions, it is also necessary to mount a mating fastening device to the bottom of the ship, which undoubtedly negatively affects the seaworthiness of the vessel. The positioning system of the vessel and bottom fasteners is complex, especially in conditions of rolling and strong currents. The cost of installation and operation is high.

The essence of the invention lies in solving the problem of automated mooring of ships, without the need to install additional equipment on the ship and with minimal human participation. The ease of mooring allows the use of the invention by the elderly and people with disabilities, for automated mooring only the mooring line is used, the purpose and principle of which is known to all sailors. Mooring is possible with any type of vessel, including boats, and is limited only by the tonnage of the vessel and the strength capabilities of the automated mooring device and the buoy and dead anchor holding it.

An analysis of the maritime practice of the owners of marine yachts and boats shows that a significant part of the cost of servicing a yacht is payment for parking in marinas, and anchoring is not always possible due to unsuitable soil for anchoring. Some lagoons have fixed mooring buoys, mooring to which is possible with certain knowledge and the help of the ship's crew, and also they do not always inspire confidence due to the impossibility of knowing the state of the turnip buoy and its fastening to a dead anchor, usually no one serves such mooring buoys or is serviced irregularly. The invention allows people to easily and conveniently park their vessel, as well as to make full use of unmanned vessels, especially small vessels.

Another problem solved by the invention, claim 2 of the formula, is that after placing on a mooring buoy or anchor, the ship's crew gets ashore using a boat, leaving on the shore of which is fraught with its loss due to tides, as well as banal theft. The automated mooring device allows the boat, equipped with an electronic control system for the engine and rudder stock, navigation satellite and local positioning systems, video surveillance, software and communication systems, to dock in automatic mode, or automated with the help of an operator and a remote control panel, to the ship and later unmoor and pick up the team from the shore in the opposite way.

The essence of the claimed invention is illustrated by graphic materials, where: figure 1 shows a diagram of an automated mooring device; figure 2 shows a diagram of an automated mooring device with the possibility of mooring unmanned boats to ships according to claim 2 of the formula; Fig.3 shows the stages of mooring to an automated mooring device; figure 4 shows the mooring according to claim 2 of the formula; figure 5 Schematic representation of the elements of an automated mooring device. The claimed invention for mooring crewed ships according to claim 1 of the formula, made in the form of an automated mooring device 1 attached to the seabed by a dead anchor 3, using a buoy 2, occurs as follows. A member of the ship's crew (operator) who wants to moor to the device, using a computer or mobile device using a software application developed for this invention, connects via the Internet to a central database, where the nearest automated mooring devices and their number designations will be displayed on the map, For this, the device is equipped with a global positioning satellite navigation system GPS/Glonas 21, the data of which is transmitted to the central database using the device's communication system. After making a deposit, which can be paid in advance, and which applies to the same automated mooring devices, the operator receives access codes to it. When the vessel enters the device location area, the operator contacts it using the WIFI, GSM / GPRS 19 communication system installed in the control unit 20. After receiving confirmation of the acceptance of access codes from the device, the operator drops the mooring line 9 with the attached at the end of the weighting agent 10 or a knot tightly tied at the end of the mooring cable, and at low speed moves to an automated mooring device, the control unit of which, after receiving a confirmation signal from the operator, turns on the electric motor 23, and through the transmission mechanism 17, begins to rotate the discs in different directions and synchronously 5, 6, 7 with grips 8 attached to them. In this case, disks 5 and 7 rotate counterclockwise, and disk 6 clockwise and at the same speed. The number of disks with captures can be different, but not less than one item 3 of the formula. When the vessel approaches the device at a minimum speed, the rotating grippers pick up the mooring end 12 hanging from the bow of the ship and push it to the walls of the device discs, fixing it between the grippers 13. The rotation of the gripper discs stops, the device sends a signal to the operator’s application via the WIFI channel about successful mooring. The weight, or tightly tied knot, at the end of the mooring line prevents the mooring end from slipping out of the engagement of the automated mooring device's grips.

In order to unmoor, the operator, using the application, sends a command to the control unit of the automated mooring device, which, with the help of an electric motor, begins to rotate the disks with grippers in the opposite direction and, thanks to the shape of the grippers, pushes the mooring line away from it 14. The vessel starts moving in reverse or bears away to the side.

Mooring crewless boats to the claimed invention according to claim 2 of the formula, made in the form of an automated mooring device 4, with fastening to the vessel using a mooring rope, occurs as follows. From the vessel 16, the operator drops into the water, from the stern, an automated mooring device, which is previously tied with a mooring rope 15 to the vessel. Further, on a boat, additionally equipped with systems necessary to provide automated navigation, such as automatic control of the engine and rudder stock, global satellite positioning GPS / Glonas, ultrasonic or radio local positioning system, GSM / GPRS and WIFI communication, as well as a video camera 11, the operator disembarks at a distance of line of sight from the vessel and the range of the signal of the communication system. The operator hangs the mooring end 9 from the bow of the boat with a weighting agent 10 attached at the end or a tightly tied knot and using the control panel that communicates with the boat and mooring device via WIFI, using a mobile device with a special application installed on it, as well as using visual observation and video data from a camera installed on the boat, remotely and safely guides the boat to an automated mooring device. When the boat approaches the device, disks 5, 6, 7 with grips 8 begin to rotate in different directions and synchronously, the speed of the boat is reset to a minimum and with the help of precise local positioning equipment, the counterpart of which is installed on the device 22, and video data, the boat is exactly suitable for mooring . An automated mooring device with the help of grippers picks up the mooring line hanging from the bow of the boat and pushes it to the walls of the disks. There is a rigid fixation of the mooring end of the boat in the mechanism of the device. To stop mooring, the operator gives a command to the automated mooring device, which starts to rotate the mechanism of the discs with grippers in the opposite direction and pushes the mooring end of the boat 14. Then the operator brings the boat to the shore using the remote control.

The automated mooring device is powered by a replaceable battery 18 with the possibility of recharging with solar panels 24.

Claims

Claim.

1. Mooring of an automated mooring device, which is attached to a dead anchor with a buoy at one end, is achieved as follows: an electric motor, after receiving a command from the control unit, using a transmission mechanism, rotates the disks with grips attached to them. The disks rotate synchronously, with the central disk having grippers mirrored to the other disks, and rotating in the opposite direction from the outer disks. The control unit controls the operation of all auxiliary systems, including a global positioning satellite navigation system, an accurate local positioning system, systems for receiving and transmitting data via communication channels and connecting to the Internet. A vertically lowered mooring end from a mooring vessel, with a weighting agent located at the end or a tightly tied knot, getting into the zone of differently rotating discs with grippers, is pushed by them to the center of the device, and reaching the walls of the discs is fixed, the rotation of the discs stops. When a command is received from the control unit to move the moored vessel away from the device, the discs will be released and the motor will begin to rotate the discs with grippers in the opposite direction. Due to their shape, the grippers push out the mooring end of the vessel. All systems are powered by solar panels and a rechargeable battery.

2. The automated mooring device according to claim 1 differs in that it is attached to the ship with the help of the mooring end, without fastening to a dead anchor.

3. The automated mooring device according to claim 1 differs in the number of discs and grips attached to them.

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