Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/16—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring using winches
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/56—Towing or pushing equipment
  • B63B21/66—Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables
  • B63B21/663—Fairings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/16—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/36—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for floating cargo

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an underwater device intended to be towed by a surface vessel comprising a handling system capable of being installed on the surface vessel (“surface ship” in English) and making it possible to store and deploy said underwater device.
• the invention finds particular utility in the field of underwater devices of the active sonar type comprising a cable towing a towed body integrating a transmission antenna (“transmission array”).
• the towed body is sometimes called a "fish" because of its shape.
• a linear receiving antenna forming a flexible elongated body is towed behind the fish. We then speak of a dependent towing system.
• the linear receiving antenna is sometimes called a “streamer” also because of its shape.
• the towed body can be a volume body suspended from the tow cable or be elongated along a longitudinal axis and integrating a linear transmitting antenna comprising transducers distributed along the longitudinal axis.
• the towing cable of the towed body is called a “heavy cable” because it is heavy to make the hitch dive.
• This tractor cable generally includes a core formed of electrical and/or optical conductors making it possible to transmit energy and information between sonar equipment located on board the ship and the antennas.
• the core of the cable is generally covered with a strand of metal wires ensuring the mechanical strength of the cable.
• the towed body is generally massive. It can be equipped with fins ensuring its hydrodynamic stability.
• the linear receiving antenna can extend over a length of around a hundred meters in order to enable the detection of sound waves propagating in the water at low frequency. This may be an echo of sound waves emitted by the transmitting antenna when the sonar is operating in active mode.
• the sonar can also operate in passive mode without emitting sound waves.
• the winch must be adapted to the largest radius of curvature admissible by the tractor cable and by the receiving antenna. This can lead to significant oversizing of the winch drum.
• it may be useful to handle the tractor cable and the receiving antenna separately, which the single winch does not allow unlike a set comprising two winches/reels, that is to say a winch for the cable heavy and a winch for the flexible elongated body.
• the object of the invention is to facilitate the launching and recovery maneuvers of the various elements of the towed underwater device while ensuring great safety for the operator during handling operations.
• the invention proposes an underwater device intended to be towed by a surface vessel, said surface vessel being capable of comprising a handling system for storing and deploying the underwater device.
• the handling system includes a traction cable and a hooking cable.
• Said underwater device comprises:
• the underwater device comprises a recovery rope connected to the flexible elongated body, said recovery rope comprising, at an end opposite the flexible elongated body, a downstream carabiner, said downstream carabiner allowing the recovery rope to be attached either to the tractor cable via the towed body or to the attachment cable coming from the winch of the flexible elongated body.
• the low stiffness cable allows the operator to avoid leaning too far behind the fish to hook up.
• the intermediate element is a rigid articulated arm which imposes a given distance between the two winches.
• the articulated arm prevents the towed body from being placed at the edge of the stern if doors are provided at the rear of the boat.
• the low stiffness cable makes it possible to drastically reduce this distance and keeps the doors closed and therefore improves safety for the operator.
• a cable with low stiffness the positioning constraint between the two winches is eliminated and connection operations are made easier/safer for the operator.
• the use of a recovery rope makes it possible to facilitate subsequent recovery of the junction between the flexible elongated body and the intermediate element.
• “cable” we mean a protected metallic conductor wire.
• the cable here is an opto-electro-tractor cable.
• low stiffness cable is meant a cable having a stiffness k of less than 10 N/m.
• rope we mean a union of strands stranded together. These strands can be made of textile material, KEVLAR, steel or others.
• carrier is meant a metal buckle having a quick and secure closing system.
• the attachment cable comprises an upstream carabiner adapted to be attached to the downstream carabiner of the recovery rope.
• the intermediate element is a cable of lightweight cable technology.
• the intermediate element comprises an opto-electric strand and a plurality of force recovery strands, said strands being separate.
• the intermediate element is a reinforced cable.
• the cable is reinforced by a traction braid.
• the handling system comprises two winches, a first winch being able to store and deploy the traction cable, a second winch being able to store and deploy the attachment cable.
• the intermediate element In a first position, the intermediate element is aligned with the flexible elongated body to allow the first winch to tow the entire underwater device.
• the intermediate member In a second position, the intermediate member is misaligned with the flexible elongated body to allow alignment of the flexible elongated body with the second winch.
• the underwater device comprises an electrical and/or optical connection between the towed body and the flexible elongated body. This electrical and/or optical connection can be disconnected.
• Another object of the invention relates to a method for launching an underwater device by a handling system belonging to a surface vessel.
• the handling system includes a traction cable and a hooking cable.
• the underwater device includes:
• the underwater device comprises a recovery rope connected to the flexible elongated body, said recovery rope comprising, at one end opposite the flexible elongated body , a downstream carabiner, said downstream carabiner allowing the recovery rope to be attached either to the tractor cable via the towed body or to the attachment cable.
• the handling system includes two winches, a first winch allows the tractor cable to be stored and deployed. A second winch allows the hanging cable to be stored and deployed. In a first position, the intermediate element is aligned with the flexible elongated body to allow the first winch to tow the entire underwater device. In a second position, the intermediate element is misaligned with the flexible elongated body to allow alignment of the flexible elongated body with the second winch.
• the launching process includes:
• Figure 1 schematically represents an underwater device in a first step of a process for launching it into the water
• Figure 2 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a second step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 3 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a third step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 4 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a fourth step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 5 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a fifth step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 6 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a sixth step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 7 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in a seventh step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 8 represents the underwater device of Figure 1 in an eighth step of the process for launching it into the water;
• Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the towed body of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8, in a first configuration of a connection;
• Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the towed body of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8, in a second configuration of the connection of Figure 9;
• Figure 11 schematically represents an intermediate element of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8 according to a first embodiment
• Figure 12 schematically represents an intermediate element of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8 according to a second embodiment
• FIG. 13 Figure 13 schematically represents an intermediate element of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8 according to a third embodiment.
• Figure 13 schematically represents an intermediate element of the underwater device of Figures 1 to 8 according to a third embodiment.
• the invention is described in relation to the towing of an active sonar by a surface vessel. It is of course understood that the invention can be implemented for any type of towed underwater devices.
• Figure 8 represents a ship 10 towing an active sonar 12 comprising a towed body 14 integrating an acoustic transmission antenna and a flexible elongated body 16 forming an acoustic reception antenna. Subsequently, the towed body will be called fish 14 and the flexible elongated body will be called streamer 16.
• the sonar 12 also includes a cable 18 making it possible to tow the fish 14 and the streamer 16. The cable 18 also ensures the routing of signals and power supplies between the vessel 10, the fish 14 and the streamer 16.
• the fish 14 and the streamer 16 are mechanically secured and electrically and/or optically connected to the cable 18 in an appropriate manner.
• the streamer 16 is formed of a linear antenna of tubular shape identical to those found in passive sonars, hence its name streamer, while the transmitting antenna is integrated into a volume structure forming the towed body 14 having a shape resembling that of a fish.
• the flute 16 is secured to the fish 14 which, itself, is secured to the end of the cable 18.
• the antenna of the fish 14 emits sound waves in the water and the receiving antenna of the streamer 16 picks up possible echoes coming from targets on which the sound waves coming from the transmitting antenna are reflected.
• a handling device 20 is arranged on a rear deck 22 of the ship 10.
• the handling device 20 comprises two winches 24 and 26.
• the winch 24 makes it possible to store and deploy the tractor cable 18 and the fish 14.
• the winch 26 allows the streamer 16 to be stored and deployed. In the deployed position of the active sonar 12, as shown in Figure 5, only the winch 24 is in operation.
• the winch 24 tows the entire sonar 12. More precisely, the cable 18 tows the fish 14 and the streamer 16 is hooked behind the fish 14.
• the winch 24 is located on the port side of the ship 10 and the winch 26 on the starboard side. Other configurations are also possible, winch 24 to starboard and winch 26 to port, winch 24 above or below winch 26. More generally, the two winches 24 and 26 are offset from each other relative to the winch 26. 'other.
• the sonar 12 comprises an intermediate element 30.
• This intermediate element 30 is arranged between the fish 14 and the streamer 16. More particularly, the intermediate element 30 is connected to the fish 14 by a first connection 32.
• the intermediate element 30 is connected to the flute 16 by a second connection 34.
• the first connection 32 is an articulated mechanical connection. It can thus be dismantled to replace the intermediate element for maintenance operations.
• This first connection 32 is here shown fixed. Alternatively, this first connection 32 can be disconnected.
• the second connection 34 is, here, disconnectable.
• the intermediate element 30 is aligned with the streamer 16. More precisely, the intermediate element 30 and the streamer 16 both extend substantially along the same axis 36.
• the axis 36 is substantially parallel to the axis of movement of the ship.
• the drag forces experienced by the flute 16 orient the intermediate element 30 and the flute 16 naturally in the water along the axis 36 which can oscillate in particular depending on the weather conditions, more particularly depending on the swell conditions which induce pitching and rolling of the towing vessel.
• the fish 14 and the flute 16 are also connected together by a recovery rope 25a.
• the recovery rope 25a comprises a downstream carabiner 27a attached to an attachment means 28 belonging to the fish 14.
• the other end of the recovery rope 25a is here connected to the flute 26 via the second connection 34.
• Figure 2 represents the ship of Figure 8 whose sonar 12 is being launched or raised. More precisely, fish 14 is placed on deck 22 possibly in a cradle provided to accommodate it. Winch 24 is stopped. The cable 18 is almost entirely wound on the winch 24. The intermediate element 30 is misaligned with the flute 16 allowing the alignment of the flute 16 with the winch 26.
• the articulation between the fish 14 and the intermediate element 30 is advantageously of the finger ball type, or ball joint, c that is to say having at least two degrees of freedom in rotation around axes perpendicular to axis 36.
• Such an articulation is notably disclosed in Figures 8 and 9.
• the articulation between the intermediate element 30 and the flute 16 advantageously has at least one degree of freedom in rotation around an axis allowing the alignment of the flute 16 with the winch 26.
• the flute 16 advantageously retains a degree of freedom in rotation around the axis 36.
• This degree of freedom can be ensured either at the end 32 by means of a ball joint connection or at the end 34, by means of a ball joint finger connection. It is also possible to position this degree of freedom both at the end 32 and at the end 34, which makes it easier to align the flute 16 with the winch 26. Alternatively, it is possible not to do not provide a ball joint at the level of the end 32. In this case, the intermediate element 30 comes directly from the fish. In the same way, it is possible not to provide a ball joint at end 34.
• the presence of the intermediate element 30 allows the operator responsible for connecting the flute 16 to the fish 14 not to move behind the fish 14 to make the connection, which facilitates this connection operation.
• This connection can be made at the foot of the winch 26, that is to say in a place far from the rear edge of the surface building 10. The operator can then turn towards the sea to see a possible out-of-format wave coming and take shelter accordingly .
• the intermediate element 30 is here a flexible cable.
• the intermediate element 30 is a cable compatible with LTC technology (for “Light Tow-cable” in English).
• this cable comprises:
• the outer cable sheath 81 is adapted to protect the light cable. It thus ensures watertightness. It is made of PA12 type Nylon material.
• the external sheath 82 and the internal sheath 83 make it possible to provide intermediate rigidity in the element 30.
• These sheaths 82, 83 are in a rubber material of the silicone and/or PE type.
• the fabric 84 is placed between the outer cable sheath 81 and the outer electro-optical core sheath 82. It allows a recovery of the effort.
• This fabric 84 is made from a KEVLAR type material.
• the electrical screen 85 is arranged between the outer sheath 82 and the inner sheath 83.
• the electro-optical core 86 comprises electrical wires and fibers. It allows remote transmission of the reception antenna, that is to say remote power supply of the antenna and transmission of reception signals.
• the intermediate element 30 is a cable compatible with TANDEM technology.
• This cable 30 includes here:
• the first connection means 91 and the second connection means 92 allow connection of the intermediate element 30 with, on the one hand, the fish 14 and, on the other hand, the flute 16.
• the transmission line 93 allows the transmission of information between the first connection means 91 and the second connection means 92.
• This transmission line 93 constitutes an electro-optical core.
• the first force recovery line 94 and the second force recovery line 95 allow overall solidity of the intermediate element 30, which allows both tensile strength and low stiffness for easier handling for the 'operator.
• the connection means 96 make it possible to connect the transmission line 93 to the force recovery lines 94, 95.
• the transmission line 93 and the force recovery lines 94, 95 are separate and parallel. However, the transmission line 93 is generally less tense than the force recovery lines 94, 95.
• FIG 12 there are shown, by way of example, two force recovery lines 94, 95.
• the number of force recovery lines can be different from 2. This number is thus included between 1 and N force recovery lines, with N an integer greater than or equal to 2.
• the intermediate element 30 is a cable compatible with HTC JB LINK technology in which the electro-optical core is armored and flexible. More particularly in Figure 10, the cable comprises:
• the sheath 101 is adapted to surround and protect an information transmission line. This is a stainless steel spiral spring. This spring protects the electro-optical core inside.
• the 102 traction braid provides a certain solidity to the whole. It is made of a self-tightening “Chinese finger” type mesh.
• Figures 1 to 8 describe the different stages of a process for launching the underwater device 12.
• FIG 1 there is shown an unfolding step for putting the flute 16 into the water.
• the flute 16 is attached to the second winch 26 via a recovery rope 25a.
• the second winch 26 then turns in a direction which allows the attachment cable 25 to be unwound to bring the flute 16 closer to the water without going beyond the stern.
• the intermediate element 30 is connected to the fish 14.
• the intermediate element 30 is not yet connected to the flute 16.
• the intermediate element 30 is connected to the flute 16 via the second end 34.
• the intermediate element 30 is here in a misaligned position with respect to the flute 16. This step can be done at the foot of the winch 26, that is to say in a less exposed area in which the operator can face the sea. It is thus possible to anticipate a possible exceptional wave to take shelter .
• the recovery rope 25a is unwound and the flute 16 continues its movement towards the water. The intermediate element 30 is thus gradually tensioned.
• the recovery rope 25a comprises a downstream carabiner 27a which is here connected to a hanging cable 25b via an upstream carabiner 27b.
• the attachment cable 25b unwinds from the second winch 26.
• the attachment cable 25b is sufficiently unwound so that the flute 16 and the intermediate element 30 are aligned. In this position, the intermediate element 30 reaches a certain tension, called towing tension.
• the attachment cable 25b continues to unwind so that the tension generated by the mass of the flute 16 is entirely taken up by the intermediate element 30.
• the recovery rope 25a then relaxes.
• downstream carabiner 27a is attached to the fish 14 via the attachment means 28.
• the upstream carabiner 27b is then unhooked from the downstream carabiner 27a.
• the attachment cable 25b is wound on the second winch 26 in order to free the operator's working area.
• the upstream carabiner 27b is detached from the attachment cable 25b to allow complete winding of the attachment cable 25b.
• the first winch 24 unwinds the tractor cable 18 allowing the launching of the entire sonar 12.
• the intermediate element 30 is aligned with the flute 16 along the axis 36.
• the recovery rope 25a is fixed to the fish 14 and to the flute 16 and it then extends generally parallel to the intermediate element 30 .
• the raising of the sonar 12 is done by reversing the order of the operations described above, that is to say: winding the tractor cable 18 on the winch means 24 to bring the fish 14 back onto the bridge 22, hooking the upstream carabiner 27a to the downstream carabiner 27a, unhooking the downstream carabiner 27a from the fish 14, tensioning the recovery rope 25a via the second winch 26 to bring the intermediate element 30 from its aligned position with the flute 16 to its misaligned position , unhooking the second connection 34 to release the flute 16.
• the intermediate element 30 being able to serve as a wearing part that is easier to change than the entire tractor cable.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Laying Of Electric Cables Or Lines Outside (AREA)
• Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
• Harvester Elements (AREA)
• General Details Of Gearings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=82781117

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2022
  • 2022-05-19 FR FR2204765A patent/FR3135695B1/fr active Active
• 2023
  • 2023-04-21 AU AU2023273906A patent/AU2023273906A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-04-21 US US18/847,650 patent/US20250360986A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-04-21 IL IL315533A patent/IL315533A/en unknown
  • 2023-04-21 WO PCT/EP2023/060407 patent/WO2023222327A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2023-04-21 CA CA3250519A patent/CA3250519A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-04-21 EP EP23720901.0A patent/EP4526201B1/de active Active

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