Underwater vehicle handling and recovery apparatus and method

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering device and method, which comprises an adjusting support assembly carried on a platform, a locking head arranged on the adjusting support assembly and a locking cavity arranged on the underwater vehicle. The underwater vehicle length direction and width direction are limited by the above structure, the underwater vehicle and the platform are fixedly connected, and the underwater vehicle is recovered. When the underwater vehicle needs to be released, the underwater vehicle is pushed away from the platform by the adjusting support assembly, and then the locking head is controlled to move from the limiting section of the locking hole to the passing section to take out the underwater vehicle from the locking cavity. Based on the above structure, the whole process operation of the underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering can be completed, and the device has strong universality and can be applied to underwater vehicles of different tonnages. The underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering device can realize the circulation work process of "carrying and carrying on the platform - deployment - recovery docking", and greatly improves the working area radius and working time of the underwater vehicle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of special devices of ships, in particular to an underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering device and method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The underwater unmanned vehicle is increasingly becoming an important force for hydrological information investigation and seabed detection because of its flexibility and high cost performance. However, the endurance, detection and communication capabilities of a single vehicle are limited due to the size and energy supply of the underwater vehicle, which needs to work with the water surface or underwater platform to enhance the working area radius. The platform can be a water surface support ship, a larger vehicle or a submarine, etc. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the above defects in the prior art, the underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering device and method are provided to expand the working area of the vehicle, increase the concealment of the underwater vehicle and improve the sailing rate of the vehicle.

[0004] The technical scheme adopted by the present application to solve the above technical problems is:

[0005] The underwater vehicle carrying, deploying and recovering device is characterized by comprising an adjusting support assembly carried on a platform, a locking head arranged on the adjusting support assembly, and a locking cavity arranged on the underwater vehicle; one end of the two adjusting support assemblies is arranged on the platform, the locking head is fixed at the other end of the two adjusting support assemblies, and the distance between the two locking heads is controlled by the two adjusting support assemblies; the two locking cavities are arranged on the inner side of the side wall of the vehicle and are located on the same plane, and a locking hole is arranged on the side wall of the locking cavity; the distance between the two locking cavities matches the range of movement of the two locking heads, and the locking hole is divided into a passing section that can pass through the locking head and a limiting section that cannot pass through the locking head; the limiting section is located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes; under the action of the adjusting support assembly, the locking head enters the locking cavity from the passing section and moves to the limiting section.

[0006] According to the above technical scheme, the limiting section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes is replaced by the passing section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes.

[0007] According to the above technical scheme, the adjusting support assembly comprises a telescopic cylinder and a rotary cylinder, one end of the telescopic cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the telescopic cylinder is provided with the locking head; one end of the rotary cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the rotary cylinder is hinged to the non-telescopic region of the telescopic cylinder, and the angle between the telescopic cylinder and the platform is controlled by the extension and shortening of the rotary cylinder.

[0008] According to the above technical solution, the adjusting bracket assembly includes a linear moving assembly and a linear telescopic assembly. The linear moving assembly is divided into a moving part and a driving part. The driving part is fixed on the platform, and the moving part slides linearly on the driving part. The linear telescopic assembly is fixed on the moving part, and the extension direction of the linear telescopic assembly is perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving part. The extension direction of the linear telescopic assembly is perpendicular to the plane where the two locking cavities are located. Both the linear moving assembly and the linear telescopic assembly adopt existing structures.

[0009] According to the above technical solution, a support plate is also provided on the adjusting bracket assembly, and the support plate is fixed on the non-telescopic section of the telescopic cylinder; the minimum gap between the locking head and the support plate is less than the wall thickness of the locking cavity located at the locking hole;

[0010] The distance between the two telescopic cylinders is equal to the distance between the two locking hole limit sections. When the locking head is located at the limit section, the telescopic cylinder is perpendicular to the side of the platform.

[0011] According to the above technical solution, the shape of the side of the support plate near the support head matches the shape of the periphery of the locking hole of the underwater vehicle near the other locking hole; a rubber buffer pad is provided on the side of the clamping plate near the support head.

[0012] According to the above technical solution, a spring assembly is provided in the locking cavity, including a spring and a guide plate, the size of which matches the size of the locking cavity; when the underwater vehicle is mounted on the platform, the guide plate is located between the spring and the clamping head, and the spring is in a compressed state.

[0013] According to the above technical solution, the locking hole is gourd-shaped, with the large hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole serving as the passage section and the small hole area serving as the limiting section; the size of the locking head is smaller than the large hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole, and the size of the locking head is larger than the small hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole.

[0014] The method for carrying, deploying, and recovering underwater vehicles employs the underwater vehicle carrying, deploying, and recovering device described above, including:

[0015] Carrying method: The adjusting bracket assembly inserts the locking head into the two locking cavities to limit the length of the underwater vehicle; the gap between the locking head and the adjusting bracket assembly limits the width of the underwater vehicle; together, they fix the underwater vehicle to the platform and allow the underwater vehicle to move with the platform.

[0016] Deployment method: The underwater vehicle is pushed out along the width direction by the adjustment bracket assembly, then the locking head is controlled to slide out from the locking hole, and finally the adjustment bracket assembly controls the locking head to retract and start the underwater vehicle;

[0017] Recovery method: When the underwater vehicle moves to the docking range, the locking head is extended by the adjustment bracket assembly and enters the locking cavity through the passage section of the locking hole. Then it moves to the limit section of the locking hole and finally retracts the locking head along the width direction to fix the underwater vehicle.

[0018] According to the above technical solution, the docking range refers to the height range of the locking head in the passage section of the locking port, and the horizontal movement range of the locking port of the locking head.

[0019] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. Two locking cavities are installed on the underwater vehicle, with two locking holes for entering each cavity. An adjusting bracket assembly on the platform controls the locking head, which enters the locking cavity through the passageway of the two locking holes. Then, under the control of the adjusting bracket assembly, the locking head moves within the locking cavity, from the passageway to the limiting section. The two locking heads clamp the underwater vehicle, limiting its length. The adjusting bracket assembly then pulls the underwater vehicle towards the platform, limiting its width through the locking heads and the adjusting bracket assembly. This structure limits the underwater vehicle's length and width, completing the fixed connection between the underwater vehicle and the platform, enabling recovery. When releasing the vehicle, the adjusting bracket assembly controls the locking head to first push the underwater vehicle away from the platform, then controls the locking head to move from the limiting section of the locking hole to the passageway to remove it from the locking cavity.

[0021] Based on the above structure, the entire process of carrying, deploying, and recovering underwater vehicles can be completed, and it is highly versatile and applicable to vehicles of different tonnages. Utilizing the underwater vehicle carrying, deployment, and recovery device described in this invention, the vehicle can achieve a cyclical workflow of "carrying-deployment-recovery docking" by relying on a platform, greatly increasing the working radius and operational time of the vehicle.

[0022] 2. By installing a support plate on the non-extension section of the telescopic cylinder, after the locking head enters the locking cavity of the underwater vehicle, the telescopic cylinder drives the locking head to move towards the support plate. The locking head and the support plate clamp the side wall of the locking cavity, further limiting the underwater vehicle in its width direction. Combined with the two locking heads limiting the underwater vehicle in its length direction, this securely mounts the underwater vehicle onto the platform.

[0023] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it according to the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are given in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment bracket assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the adjustment bracket assembly and the underwater vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking hole structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Sectional view of AA in the diagram;

[0030] In the diagram, 1 is the platform; 2 is the adjusting bracket assembly; 2-1 is the telescopic cylinder; 2-2 is the rotating cylinder; 3 is the locking head; 4 is the locking cavity; 4-1 is the locking hole; 5 is the support plate; 6 is the underwater vehicle; and 7 is the spring assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-5 The principles and features of the present invention are described below. The examples given are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The invention is described more specifically in the following paragraphs by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the invention will become clearer from the following description and claims. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the invention.

[0032] It should be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is considered "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is considered "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or may have a component in between. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0034] Reference Figures 1-5 As shown, the present invention provides an underwater vehicle deployment and recovery device.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] The system includes an adjustment bracket assembly 2 mounted on platform 1, a locking head 3 mounted on the adjustment bracket assembly, and a locking cavity 4 mounted on the underwater vehicle 6. One end of each of the two adjustment bracket assemblies is mounted on the platform, and the locking head is fixed to the other end of the two adjustment bracket assemblies. The distance between the two locking heads is controlled by the two adjustment bracket assemblies. The two locking cavities are located on the inner side wall of the vehicle and are on the same plane. Locking holes 4-1 are provided on the side wall of the locking cavities. The distance between the two locking cavities matches the range of motion of the two locking heads. The locking holes are divided into a passage section through which the locking head can pass and a limiting section through which the locking head cannot pass. The limiting section is located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes. Under the action of the adjustment bracket assembly, the locking head enters the locking cavity from the passage section and moves to the limiting section.

[0037] In this embodiment, two locking cavities are provided on the underwater vehicle, and two locking holes are provided on each locking cavity for entering the locking cavity. An adjusting bracket assembly on the platform controls the locking head. When the locking head enters the locking cavity through the passage section of the two locking holes, it moves within the locking cavity under the control of the adjusting bracket assembly, moving from the passage section to the limiting section. The two locking heads approach each other to clamp the underwater vehicle, limiting its length. The adjusting bracket assembly then pulls the underwater vehicle towards the platform, limiting its width through the locking heads and the adjusting bracket assembly. This structure limits the underwater vehicle's length and width, completing the fixed connection between the underwater vehicle and the platform, enabling the recovery of the vehicle. When it is necessary to release the vehicle, the adjusting bracket assembly simply controls the locking head to first push the underwater vehicle away from the platform, and then controls the locking head to move from the limiting section of the locking hole to the passage section to remove it from the locking cavity.

[0038] Based on the above structure, the entire process of carrying, deploying, and recovering underwater vehicles can be completed, and it is highly versatile and applicable to vehicles of different tonnages. Utilizing the underwater vehicle carrying, deployment, and recovery device described in this invention, the vehicle can achieve a cyclical workflow of "carrying-deployment-recovery docking" by relying on a platform, greatly increasing the working radius and operational time of the vehicle.

[0039] Example 2

[0040] The structure and principle of Embodiment 2 are similar to those of Embodiment 1, except that the limiting section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes is replaced with the passage section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes.

[0041] In Embodiment 1, the adjusting bracket assembly achieves "clamping and limiting" of the underwater vehicle by controlling the two locking heads to move towards each other; while in this embodiment, the adjusting bracket assembly achieves "outward expansion and limiting" of the underwater vehicle by controlling the two locking heads to move away from each other. The two embodiments have different structures but the same effect; both limit the length of the underwater vehicle.

[0042] Example 3

[0043] The structure and principle of Example 3 are similar to those of Examples 1-2, except that a preferred structural form of the adjustment bracket assembly is provided, such as... Figure 1As shown, the adjusting bracket assembly includes a telescopic cylinder 2-1 and a rotating cylinder 2-2. One end of the telescopic cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the telescopic cylinder is equipped with a locking head. The telescopic cylinder extends or shortens as needed, thereby adjusting the distance between the locking head and the platform. One end of the rotating cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the rotating cylinder is hinged to the non-telescopic area of ​​the telescopic cylinder. The angle between the telescopic cylinder and the platform is controlled by extending and shortening the rotating cylinder.

[0044] In this embodiment, the locking head is controlled to move along the width direction of the underwater vehicle by a telescopic cylinder; the locking head is controlled to move along the length direction of the underwater vehicle by the combined action of the rotating cylinder and the telescopic cylinder. Through the combined action of the telescopic cylinder and the rotating cylinder, the locking head is controlled to enter the locking cavity to clamp the underwater vehicle, or to slide out of the locking cavity to release the restriction on the underwater vehicle.

[0045] In embodiment 3, a spring assembly 7, including a spring and a guide plate, is provided in the locking cavity. The size of the guide plate matches the size of the locking cavity. When the underwater vehicle is mounted on the platform, the guide plate is located between the spring and the clamping head, and the spring is in a compressed state. When the rotating cylinder has no thrust, the locking head is pushed from the limiting section of the locking hole to the passage section of the locking hole, thereby disengaging the locking head from the locking cavity of the underwater vehicle.

[0046] Example 4

[0047] The structure and principle of Example 4 are similar to those of Examples 1-2, except that: another preferred structural form of the adjustment bracket assembly is given, which is not shown in the figure. The adjustment bracket assembly includes a linear moving assembly and a linear telescopic assembly. The linear moving assembly is divided into a moving part and a driving part. The driving part is fixed on the platform, and the moving part slides linearly on the driving part. The linear telescopic assembly is fixed on the moving part, and the extension direction of the linear telescopic assembly is perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving part. The extension direction of the linear telescopic assembly is perpendicular to the plane where the two locking cavities are located. Both the linear moving assembly and the linear telescopic assembly adopt existing structures. For example, the linear moving assembly adopts a threaded sliding mechanism, and the slider is set in a linear slide. The linear telescopic assembly adopts a hydraulic rod, and the end of the hydraulic rod is fixed on the slider.

[0048] In this embodiment, the locking head is driven to move along the length direction of the underwater vehicle by a linear moving component, and the locking head is driven to move along the width direction of the underwater vehicle by a linear telescopic component, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the locking head to enter and slide out of the locking cavity.

[0049] Example 5

[0050] The structure and principle of Embodiment 5 are similar to those of Embodiment 3, except that: in order to better fix the underwater vehicle on the platform, a support plate 5 is also provided on the adjustment bracket assembly, and the support plate is fixed on the non-telescopic section of the telescopic cylinder; the minimum gap between the locking head and the support plate is less than the wall thickness of the locking cavity at the locking hole.

[0051] Preferably, the distance between the two telescopic cylinders is equal to the distance between the two locking hole limit sections, and when the locking head is located at the limit section, the telescopic cylinder is perpendicular to the side of the platform.

[0052] In this embodiment, by setting a support plate on the non-telescopic section of the telescopic cylinder, after the locking head enters the locking cavity of the underwater vehicle, the telescopic cylinder drives the locking head to move towards the support plate. The locking head and the support plate clamp the side wall of the locking cavity, thereby further limiting the underwater vehicle in its width direction. Combined with the two locking heads limiting the underwater vehicle in its length direction, this achieves the goal of fixing the underwater vehicle to the platform.

[0053] In embodiment 5, the shape of the side of the support plate near the support head matches the shape of the side of the locking hole of the underwater vehicle near the other locking hole; in order to prevent the clamping plate from scratching the underwater vehicle, a rubber buffer pad is provided on the side of the clamping plate near the support head.

[0054] In embodiments 1-5, in order to make it easier for the locking head to enter the locking hole and clamp the underwater vehicle after entering the locking hole, the locking hole is a gourd-shaped hole, with the large hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole serving as the passage section and the small hole area serving as the limiting section; the size of the locking head is smaller than the large hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole and larger than the small hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole.

[0055] The present invention also provides a method for carrying, deploying, and recovering an underwater vehicle, employing any of the underwater vehicle carrying, deploying, and recovering devices described above, comprising the following steps:

[0056] Carrying method: Adjust the bracket assembly to embed the locking head into the two locking cavities of the underwater vehicle to limit the length of the underwater vehicle; use the locking head and the support plate located in the non-telescopic section of the telescopic cylinder to limit the width of the underwater vehicle; together, the two fix the underwater vehicle to the platform and allow the underwater vehicle to move with the platform.

[0057] The platform can use this device to carry the underwater vehicle from the initial area to the target sea area for operation, saving the vehicle's own energy and enabling high-speed maneuvering, thus reducing the probability of exposure.

[0058] Deployment method: The underwater vehicle is pushed out along the width direction by the adjustment bracket assembly, then the locking head is controlled to slide out from the locking hole, and finally the adjustment bracket assembly controls the locking head to retract and start the underwater vehicle.

[0059] After the platform carries the underwater vehicle to the target sea area, this device can be used to deploy it. Specifically, with the underwater vehicle in the carrying and clamping state, firstly, the two extension cylinders on the platform's adjusting bracket assembly are activated, causing them to extend synchronously and push the vehicle a certain distance away from the mounting platform. After extending to its maximum length, the rotating cylinder is adjusted so that the locking head moves from the small end to the large end of the underwater vehicle's gourd-shaped hole. At this point, the hydraulic pressure of the rotating cylinder is released. If the locking head is not fully extended, the docking spring assembly at the vehicle's end can also push the locking head out. Then, the piston rod of the extension cylinder drives the locking head to retract, detaching it from the vehicle. The vehicle then uses its own power to move away from the mounting platform, thus achieving deployment.

[0060] Recovery method: When the underwater vehicle moves to the docking range, the locking head is extended by the adjustment bracket assembly and enters the locking cavity through the passage section of the locking hole. Then it moves to the limit section of the locking hole and finally retracts the locking head along the width direction to fix the underwater vehicle.

[0061] After the vehicle completes its work, this device can be used to recover it. The workflow is as follows: After the vehicle finishes its work and moves into the docking range of the device, the angle of the locking head is adjusted by extending the piston rod of the rotating cylinder, and the distance between the locking head and the mounting platform is adjusted by extending the piston rod of the extension cylinder. Through these adjustments and the movement of the vehicle, the locking head enters the large hole of the gourd-shaped docking mechanism at the end of the vehicle. After entering, the rotating cylinder is adjusted to clamp the vehicle with the locking heads at the bow and stern. After clamping, the extension cylinder is adjusted to be perpendicular to the base, and then the piston rod of the extension cylinder is retracted to recover the vehicle and bring it close to the mounting platform, thus achieving the recovery of the vehicle.

[0062] The docking range refers to the height range of the locking head in the passage section of the locking port, and the horizontal movement range of the locking port in the locking head.

[0063] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art can readily implement the present invention based on the accompanying drawings and the above description. However, any modifications, alterations, or variations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, utilizing the disclosed technical content, are equivalent embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, any modifications, alterations, or variations made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of the present invention are still within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for deploying and recovering underwater vehicles, characterized in that: The system includes an adjustable support assembly mounted on a platform, a locking head mounted on the adjustable support assembly, and a locking cavity mounted on the underwater vehicle. One end of each of the two adjustable support assemblies is mounted on the platform, and the locking head is fixed to the other end of each assembly. The distance between the two locking heads is controlled by the two adjustable support assemblies. Two locking cavities are located inside the sidewall of the underwater vehicle and are on the same plane. Locking holes are provided on the sidewalls of the locking cavities. The distance between the two locking cavities matches the range of motion of the two locking heads. The locking holes are divided into a passage section through which the locking head can pass and a limiting section through which it cannot pass. The limiting section is located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes. Under the action of the adjustable support assembly, the locking head enters the locking cavity from the passage section and moves to the limiting section. The adjusting bracket assembly includes a telescopic cylinder and a rotary cylinder. One end of the telescopic cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the telescopic cylinder is equipped with a locking head. One end of the rotary cylinder is hinged to the platform, and the other end of the rotary cylinder is hinged to the non-telescopic area of ​​the telescopic cylinder. The angle between the telescopic cylinder and the platform is controlled by the extension and retraction of the rotary cylinder. A support plate is also provided on the adjusting bracket assembly, and the support plate is fixedly installed on the non-telescopic section of the telescopic cylinder; the minimum gap between the locking head and the support plate is less than the wall thickness of the locking cavity located at the locking hole. The distance between the two telescopic cylinders is equal to the distance between the two locking hole limit sections. When the locking head is located at the limit section, the telescopic cylinder is perpendicular to the side of the platform. A spring assembly, including a spring and a guide plate, is provided in the locking cavity. The size of the guide plate matches the size of the locking cavity. When the underwater vehicle is mounted on the platform, the guide plate is located between the spring and the clamping head, and the spring is in a compressed state.

2. The underwater vehicle deployment and recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Replace the limiting section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes with the passage section located at the adjacent ends of the two locking holes.

3. The underwater vehicle deployment and recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shape of the side of the support plate near the locking head matches the shape of the periphery of the locking hole of the underwater vehicle near the other locking hole; a rubber buffer pad is provided on the side of the support plate near the locking head.

4. The underwater vehicle deployment and recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking hole is gourd-shaped, with the larger hole area serving as the passage section and the smaller hole area serving as the limiting section; the size of the locking head is smaller than the larger hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole, and the size of the locking head is larger than the smaller hole area of ​​the gourd-shaped hole.

5. A method for carrying, deploying, and recovering an underwater vehicle, characterized in that: The underwater vehicle deployment and recovery device as described in any one of claims 1-4 includes: Carrying method: The adjusting bracket assembly inserts the locking head into the two locking cavities to limit the length of the underwater vehicle; the gap between the locking head and the adjusting bracket assembly limits the width of the underwater vehicle; together, they fix the underwater vehicle to the platform and allow the underwater vehicle to move with the platform. Deployment method: The underwater vehicle is pushed out along the width direction by the adjustment bracket assembly, then the locking head is controlled to slide out from the locking hole, and finally the adjustment bracket assembly controls the locking head to retract and start the underwater vehicle; Recovery method: When the underwater vehicle moves to the docking range, the locking head is extended by the adjustment bracket assembly and enters the locking cavity through the passage section of the locking hole. Then it moves to the limit section of the locking hole and finally retracts the locking head along the width direction to fix the underwater vehicle.

6. The method for carrying, deploying, and recovering an underwater vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The docking range is the height range of the locking head in the passage section of the locking hole, and the horizontal movement range of the locking head in the locking hole.

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