A tether management system, an underwater vehicle launch and recovery system, and a launch and recovery method

Abstract

The application discloses a mooring line management system, an underwater robot launching and recovering system and a launching and recovering method. The mooring line management system comprises a base, a winding mechanism and a locking mechanism. The winding mechanism is arranged in the base and comprises a neutral cable and a winch. One end of the neutral cable is used for connecting an underwater robot, and the other end of the neutral cable is connected to the winch. The winch is used for releasing or winding the neutral cable. The locking mechanism is arranged in the base and is used for connecting or releasing the underwater robot. When the mooring line management system is lowered to underwater and the locking mechanism releases the underwater robot, the underwater robot can move in a range with the neutral cable as a radius around the base. The mooring line management system helps to reduce the influence of the umbilical cable on the underwater robot and improve the stability of the underwater robot in the operation process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of marine engineering technology, and in particular to a mooring management system, an underwater robot deployment and retrieval system, and a deployment and retrieval method. Background Technology

[0002] The ocean is rich in resources, and the rational development and utilization of these resources contributes to the sustainable development of human society. Underwater robots play a vital role in assisting humans in geological exploration, mineral resource development, and the laying of marine pipelines. Among them, ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) are currently widely used deep-sea robots. These robots are connected to a mother ship via an umbilical cable, allowing operators to control and operate them from the mother ship.

[0003] The umbilical cable is a crucial link connecting surface work platforms (such as support vessels) and underwater robots. It primarily transmits electrical energy, control commands, and data from various sensors, including high-definition cameras and sonar, playing a vital role in deep-sea operations. However, underwater robots are affected by complex marine environments such as currents, resulting in harsh operating conditions. This is especially true when performing deep-sea operations. The umbilical cable, being quite long and submerged, bears significant loads due to its own weight and the complex ocean currents. These loads are then transmitted to the underwater robot, restricting its range of motion and negatively impacting its operational capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a mooring management system, an underwater robot deployment and retrieval system, and a deployment and retrieval method, which helps to reduce the impact of the umbilical cable on the underwater robot and improve the stability of the underwater robot's operation. The technical solution adopted is as follows.

[0005] In a first aspect, the tethering management system provided in this application is used to connect to an umbilical cable. The tethering management system includes a base, a winding mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The winding mechanism is disposed in the base and includes a neutral cable and a winch. One end of the neutral cable is used to connect to an underwater robot, and the other end is connected to the winch. The winch is used to release or wind up and retrieve the neutral cable. The locking mechanism is disposed in the base and is used to connect to or release the underwater robot. When the tethering management system is lowered underwater and the locking mechanism releases the underwater robot, the underwater robot can move around the base within a range with the neutral cable as its radius.

[0006] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the cable management system further includes a cable laying mechanism disposed on the base. The cable laying mechanism includes a cable laying device, the neutral cable is slidably disposed on the cable laying device, the cable laying device is movable along the rotation axis direction of the winch, and the cable laying device is used to guide the neutral cable to be released or wound back along the rotation axis direction of the winch.

[0007] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the cable laying mechanism further includes a transmission screw, which is arranged along the shaft of the winch, and the cable laying device is connected to the transmission screw. The transmission screw rotates to drive the cable laying device to reciprocate along the shaft of the winch.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the winding mechanism includes a drive member and a transmission assembly. The drive member is connected to the winch to drive the winch to rotate. The transmission assembly is connected to the drive member and the transmission screw. The transmission assembly drives the transmission screw to rotate so that the moving speed of the cable distributor matches the release or retrieval speed of the neutral cable on the winch.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the mooring management system further includes a tensioning wheel disposed on the base and located below the winch, the tensioning wheel being used to tension the neutral cable when the winch retrieves the neutral cable.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the base includes a base plate and a side plate disposed on the base plate, the base plate and the side plate enclosing an installation space, the base plate having a cable release hole communicating with the installation space, the tensioning wheel being disposed at the edge of the cable release hole, the neutral cable passing through the cable release hole, the winding mechanism and the cable laying mechanism being located in the installation space, and the winch being disposed on the side plate.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the locking mechanism is disposed on the base plate, the locking mechanism includes a connecting channel and a clamp, the connecting channel communicates with the cable release hole, the clamp is disposed on the side wall of the connecting channel and at least a portion extends into the connecting channel, the clamp is used to engage and lock with the underwater robot or release the underwater robot.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the tether management system is connected to an umbilical cable, the umbilical cable including a communication cable and a power supply cable, the communication cable and the power supply cable being connected to a neutral cable, the neutral cable being used for communication connection and power supply with the underwater robot.

[0013] Secondly, this application also provides an underwater robot deployment and retrieval system, including a mother ship, an umbilical cable, an underwater robot, and a mooring management system provided in the first aspect. One end of the umbilical cable is connected to the mother ship, and the other end is connected to the mooring management system. The neutral cable is connected to the underwater robot, and the underwater robot can move around the mooring management system.

[0014] Thirdly, this application also provides a method for deploying and retrieving an underwater robot, including...

[0015] The mooring management system is lowered to the target depth in the water using an umbilical cable;

[0016] The locking mechanism releases the underwater robot to separate it from the mooring management system.

[0017] The underwater robot moves within a radius centered on the base and with the maximum length of the neutral cable as the radius.

[0018] The winding mechanism retracts the underwater robot, and the underwater robot is locked in place by the locking mechanism;

[0019] The umbilical cable is retrieved to recover the mooring management system and the underwater robot back to the mother ship.

[0020] The embodiments of this application have at least the following beneficial effects: By setting up a mooring management system, an underwater robot and an umbilical cable can be indirectly connected, and then a neutral cable can be used to connect the umbilical cable and the underwater robot. Specifically, the neutral cable is used to realize the communication and power supply connection between the underwater robot and the umbilical cable. On the one hand, this enables the underwater robot to connect with the mother ship through the communication data transmission and power supply functions of the umbilical cable, ensuring that the underwater robot can obtain normal power supply and guarantee communication. On the other hand, the relay function of the mooring management system can also reduce the impact of the load on the underwater robot caused by the umbilical cable. The mooring management system can cut off the load transmitted from the umbilical cable to the underwater robot, so that the underwater robot can avoid being affected by the load of the umbilical cable during operation, reducing the interference of the umbilical cable's own weight or ocean currents on the underwater robot, and improving the stability and reliability of the underwater robot's operation. The locking mechanism can connect the mooring management system and the underwater robot into one unit when the mooring management system is deployed or retrieved, preventing relative swaying between the two and ensuring the operational stability and reliability of the mooring management system during deployment or retrieval. When the mooring management system is lowered to the target underwater depth, the locking mechanism releases the underwater robot, at which point the underwater robot separates from the mooring management system and can move freely. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The present application will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments illustrated in the following drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the cable management system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 A side view of the mooring management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the winding mechanism and cable laying mechanism of the cable management system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism of the mooring management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 AA section view;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the tethering management system and the underwater robot locked together in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the cable management system provided in this application embodiment, showing the cable winding mechanism and cable laying mechanism from a second perspective.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cable management system provided in the embodiments of this application, showing a different view of the structure after concealing the winding mechanism and the cable laying mechanism.

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cable management system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the tethering management system provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater robot deployment and retrieval system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating the underwater robot deployment and retrieval method provided in this application embodiment.

[0034] Reference numerals: 100, Mooring management system; 10, Base; 11, Base plate; 111, Cable laying hole; 12, Side plate; 13, Top plate; 131, Perforation; 20, Winding mechanism; 21, Neutral cable; 22, Winch; 24, Transmission assembly; 241, Sprocket; 242, Chain; 30, Locking mechanism; 31, Connecting channel; 32, Caliper; 40, Cable laying mechanism; 41, Cable laying device; 42, Drive screw; 50, Tensioner wheel; 51, Sling; 61, Electronics compartment; 62, LED; 63, Transponder; 64, Camera; 71, Hydraulic pump; 72, First valve box; 73, Hydraulic oil tank; 74, Hydraulic compensator; 75, Hydraulic pipeline; 76, Hydraulic quick coupling; 81, Second valve box;

[0035] 200. Underwater robot deployment and retrieval system; 201. Mother ship; 202. Umbilical cable; 203. Underwater robot. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0037] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "middle", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0038] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0039] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0040] In the description of this application, the use of terms such as "as one implementation," "an embodiment," "some examples," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," "some examples," etc., indicates that the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0041] Firstly, please refer to Figures 1 to 12 This application provides a tethering management system 100 for connection to an umbilical cable 202. The tethering management system 100 includes a base 10, a winding mechanism 20, and a locking mechanism 30. The winding mechanism 20 is disposed in the base 10 and includes a neutral cable 21 and a winch 22. One end of the neutral cable 21 is connected to an underwater robot 203, and the other end is connected to the winch 22. The winch 22 is used to release or wind up and retrieve the neutral cable 21. The locking mechanism 30 is disposed in the base 10 and is used to connect or release the underwater robot 203. When the tethering management system 100 is lowered underwater and the locking mechanism 30 releases the underwater robot 203, the underwater robot 203 can move around the base 10 within a radius of the neutral cable 21.

[0042] By setting up a mooring management system 100, the underwater robot 203 and the umbilical cable 202 can be indirectly connected. Then, a neutral cable 21 connects the umbilical cable 202 and the underwater robot 203. Specifically, the neutral cable 21 enables communication and power supply connections between the underwater robot 203 and the umbilical cable 202. On one hand, this allows the underwater robot 203 to connect to the mother ship 201 through the communication and power transmission functions of the umbilical cable 202, ensuring the underwater robot 203 receives normal energy and maintains communication. On the other hand, the relay function of the mooring management system 100 reduces the impact of the load on the underwater robot 203 caused by the umbilical cable 202. Specifically, the load on the umbilical cable 202 includes its significant weight due to the long portion submerged in the water at greater deployment depths, and the disturbance caused by complex ocean currents acting on the umbilical cable 202. As can be seen, the mooring management system 100 can cut off the load transmitted from the umbilical cable 202 to the underwater robot 203. This prevents the underwater robot 203 from being affected by the load of the umbilical cable 202 during operation, reducing interference from the weight of the umbilical cable 202 or ocean currents, and improving the stability and reliability of the underwater robot 203's operation. The locking mechanism 30 connects the mooring management system 100 and the underwater robot 203 into a single unit during deployment or retrieval, preventing relative swaying and ensuring operational stability and reliability during deployment and retrieval. When the mooring management system 100 is lowered to the target depth, the locking mechanism 30 releases the underwater robot 203, separating it from the mooring management system 100, allowing the underwater robot 203 to move freely.

[0043] Understandably, the underwater robot 203 is self-powered, allowing it to move freely in the water during operation (e.g., surfacing, sinking, and moving). In this state, the neutral cable 21 can be slack, meaning it is not under stress (or only experiences slight tension) during the robot's free movement. Thus, the load on the umbilical cable 202 is at most transmitted to the tethering management system 100, and not through the neutral cable 21 to the underwater robot 203. The tethering management system 100 can then serve as a fulcrum for the robot's movement, helping to reduce the load on the robot during operation. Furthermore, this reduced load not only decreases energy consumption during movement and improves operational efficiency, but also reduces interference with the robot, enhancing its operational reliability.

[0044] Optionally, the mooring management system 100 can also anchor itself in the water using its own weight when it is lowered into the water. Specifically, the mooring management system 100 has a relatively large self-weight (e.g., around 1 to 3 tons), so it can withstand the swaying action of the umbilical cable 202 and maintain a relatively stable state in the water, which helps to further improve the stability of the underwater robot 203 during operation.

[0045] Understandably, the activity range of the underwater robot 203 can be a sphere, that is, a sphere formed with the base 10 as the center and the maximum release length of the neutral cable 21 as the radius. The underwater robot 203 can move freely within this sphere (including the spherical surface). Furthermore, the sphere is divided into an upper hemisphere and a lower hemisphere by the horizontal plane of the base 10. The underwater robot 203 can move within the lower hemisphere to meet operational needs at different underwater locations, and can avoid entanglement with the umbilical cable 202 when the underwater robot 203 moves to the upper hemisphere.

[0046] Optionally, since the mooring management system 100 can cut off the influence of the umbilical cable 202's self-weight load on the underwater robot 203, the lengths of the umbilical cable 202 and the neutral cable 21 can be set to be longer and shorter. For example, the length of the umbilical cable 202 can be 10 to 100 times the length of the neutral cable 21. For instance, when the underwater robot 203 operates at a depth of 4000 meters, the lowering length of the umbilical cable 202 can be 3800 meters, while the length of the neutral cable 21 can be set to several hundred meters, such as 200 to 500 meters. In this way, while meeting the operating depth requirements, the length of the neutral cable 21 can be shortened, thus reducing the self-weight of the neutral cable 21 and minimizing the impact of its gravity on the underwater robot 203. Therefore, the umbilical cable 202 can be used to lower the mooring management system 100 to near the target operating depth. That is, the umbilical cable 202 bears most of the lowering depth. At this time, the underwater robot 203 is released. The remaining distance between the mooring management system 100 and the target depth is connected by the neutral cable 21, thereby meeting the mobility requirements of the underwater robot 203.

[0047] In some embodiments, the cable management system 100 further includes a cable laying mechanism 40 disposed on the base 10. The cable laying mechanism 40 includes a cable laying device 41, on which the neutral cable 21 is slidably disposed. The cable laying device 41 is movable along the rotation axis of the winch 22. The cable laying device 41 is used to guide the neutral cable 21 to be released or wound back along the rotation axis of the winch 22. By utilizing the guiding effect of the cable laying mechanism 40 on the neutral cable 21, the neutral cable 21 can be guided to be laid along the axial direction of the rotation axis of the winch 22 during the release or winding back of the neutral cable 21, avoiding tangling of the neutral cable 21, improving the orderly arrangement of the neutral cable 21, and improving the reliability of the winch 22.

[0048] In some embodiments, the cable laying mechanism 40 further includes a transmission screw 42, which is arranged along the rotation axis of the winch 22. The cable laying device 41 is connected to the transmission screw 42, and the transmission screw 42 rotates to drive the cable laying device 41 to reciprocate along the rotation axis of the winch 22. By utilizing the rotation of the transmission screw 42, its own rotational motion can be converted into the linear motion of the cable laying device 41, thereby achieving the effect of moving the cable laying device 41 along the rotation axis of the winch 22 to lay cables. The reciprocating motion of the cable laying device 41 can be achieved by rotating the screw forward or backward. Of course, in other embodiments, the cable laying device 41 can also be configured as a slider. The cable laying mechanism 40 can use a guide rail to guide the slider to slide. The extension direction of the guide rail is parallel to the rotation axis of the winch 22, which can also achieve the cable laying effect.

[0049] In some embodiments, the winding mechanism 20 includes a drive member and a transmission assembly 24. The drive member is connected to the winch 22 to drive the winch 22 to rotate. The transmission assembly 24 is connected to the drive member and the transmission screw 42, and the transmission assembly 24 drives the transmission screw 42 to rotate so that the moving speed of the cable puller 41 matches the release or retrieval speed of the neutral cable 21 on the winch 22. By setting the transmission assembly 24, the rotation of the winch 22 and the movement of the cable puller 41 can be linked together. Specifically, the moving speed of the cable puller 41 matches the release or retrieval speed of the neutral cable 21 on the winch 22. Taking the retrieval of the neutral cable 21 as an example, for every revolution of the neutral cable 21 on the winch 22, the cable puller 41 can move one pitch of the neutral cable 21. The release process of the neutral cable 21 is similar. On the one hand, this allows the movement of the cable puller 41 to be synchronized with the rotation of the winch 22, and the two movements are synchronized and coordinated to achieve a better cable pulling effect. On the other hand, using a single drive unit to simultaneously drive the winch 22 and the transmission screw 42 helps reduce the number of drive structures, making the mooring system simpler and more compact. It is understood that the relationship between the moving speed of the cable puller 41 and the rotational speed of the winch 22 can be controlled by the transmission ratio of the transmission assembly 24. This relationship depends on the actual diameter of the neutral cable 21 and the diameter of the winch 22, and can be flexibly set according to the specific parameters of the neutral cable 21 and the winch 22; no specific limitations are made here. The control of the transmission ratio is already described in related technologies for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0050] Optionally, the transmission assembly 24 may include a sprocket 241 and a chain 242. The driving component includes a hydraulic motor, which connects the winch 22 and the sprocket 241 and simultaneously drives the winch 22 and the sprocket 241 to rotate. The chain 242 is meshed with the sprocket 241 and is also connected to the transmission screw 42. The sprocket 241 drives the chain 242 to rotate, thereby driving the screw to rotate, achieving the effect of the cable laying device 41 moving on the screw. Of course, in other examples, the driving component may also be a motor, cylinder, or other structure. In addition to the combination of sprocket 241 and chain 242, the transmission assembly 24 may also be a combination of one or more gears, racks, belts, etc., which is not limited here.

[0051] In some embodiments, the cable management system 100 further includes a tensioning wheel 50, which is disposed on the base 10 and located below the winch 22. The tensioning wheel 50 is used to tension the neutral cable 21 when the winch 22 retrieves it. By providing the tensioning wheel 50, tension can be applied to the neutral cable 21, thus maintaining a certain tension when the winch 22 winds the neutral cable 21. This prevents the neutral cable 21 from becoming loose and tangled, and helps to improve the orderliness of the neutral cable 21 winding, ensuring that the neutral cable 21 is neatly and orderly wound on the winch 22.

[0052] In some embodiments, the base 10 includes a base plate 11 and a side plate 12 disposed on the base plate 11. The base plate 11 and the side plate 12 enclose an installation space. The base plate 11 has a cable release hole 111 communicating with the installation space. A tensioning wheel 50 is disposed at the edge of the cable release hole 111. The neutral cable 21 passes through the cable release hole 111. The winding mechanism 20 and the cable laying mechanism 40 are located in the installation space. The winch 22 is disposed on the side plate 12. By providing an installation space for installing the winding mechanism 20 and the cable laying mechanism 40, the management system can achieve the orderly retrieval, storage, and release of the neutral cable 21, and make the structure of the mooring management system 100 more compact. By passing the neutral cable 21 through the cable release hole 111, the neutral cable 21 can be released from the bottom of the mooring management system 100, and the distance between the neutral cable 21 and the underwater robot 203 is shortened, which contributes to the compact design of the mooring management system 100.

[0053] In some embodiments, the base 10 further includes a top plate 13 disposed at the end of the side plate 12 away from the bottom plate 11. A through hole 131 may be provided on the top plate 13, the through hole 131 communicating with the installation space, through which the umbilical cable 202 enters the installation space and is connected to the neutral cable 21. In this way, the top of the base 10 is connected to the umbilical cable 202, and the bottom of the base 10 is used to release or retrieve the neutral cable 21. The umbilical cable 202 and the neutral cable 21 can be distributed in the vertical direction of the base 10. On the one hand, this avoids the tangling between the released part of the neutral cable 21 and the umbilical cable 202, so that the two can work independently without interfering with each other, improving the orderliness and reliability of the use of the umbilical cable 202 and the neutral cable 21. On the other hand, the umbilical cable 202 can be connected from the top of the base 10 to the working mother ship 201, and the neutral cable 21 can be connected from the bottom of the base 10 to the underwater robot 203. That is, the arrangement of the neutral cable 21 and the umbilical cable 202 on the base 10 is adapted to the actual use scenario, making the arrangement in the mooring management system 100 more reasonable.

[0054] It is understandable that the base 10 can be arranged in a frame structure, such as an open frame structure formed by the top plate 13, bottom plate 11, and side plates 12 enclosing each other, or it can be a closed structure. In addition to the above arrangement, the base 10 can also adopt other forms of frame structure, which are not limited here.

[0055] In some embodiments, the mooring management system 100 further includes a sling 51, which can be connected to the top plate 13 or the side plate 12. The sling 51 facilitates the lifting of the mooring management system 100 by the mother ship 201, at which time the mooring management system 100 and the underwater robot 203 can be locked together.

[0056] In some embodiments, the locking mechanism 30 is disposed on the base plate 11. The locking mechanism 30 includes a connecting channel 31 and a clamp 32. The connecting channel 31 communicates with the cable release hole 111. The clamp 32 is disposed on the side wall of the connecting channel 31, and at least a portion of it extends into the connecting channel 31. The clamp 32 is used to engage and lock with the underwater robot 203 or to release the underwater robot 203. By providing the connecting channel 31, a portion of the underwater robot 203 can enter the connecting channel 31 and engage and lock with the clamp 32, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the underwater robot 203 and the locking mechanism 30. The connecting channel 31 communicates with the cable release hole 111, which can further shorten the connection distance of the neutral cable 21, making the overall structure of the mooring management system 100 and the underwater robot 203 more compact and stable after interconnection.

[0057] For example, the connecting channel 31 may be formed by a tubular connecting seat. The caliper 32 is driven to rotate by a hydraulic cylinder to change the opening angle of the caliper 32, thereby enabling the caliper 32 to engage or disengage with the underwater robot 203. The part of the underwater robot 203 used to connect with the search mechanism may have a slot, hook, tooth, ring, or other structure, which is not limited here. Of course, in other examples, the caliper 32 may also achieve self-locking or unlocking through the movement of a mechanical structure (such as a spring) instead of relying on a hydraulic cylinder for driving, which is not limited here.

[0058] In some embodiments, the tether management system 100 is connected to an umbilical cable 202, which includes a communication cable (not shown) and a power supply cable (not shown). The communication cable and the power supply cable are connected to a neutral cable 21, which is used for communication and power supply to the underwater robot 203. Utilizing the connection function of the neutral cable 21, electrical and communication connections between the underwater robot 203 and the umbilical cable 202 can be achieved.

[0059] In some embodiments, the mooring management system 100 further includes a detection mechanism, which includes, but is not limited to, temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors, water ingress detection environment sensors, and a camera 64. One or more detection mechanisms can be flexibly configured according to actual operational needs. The detection mechanism can be housed in the electronic compartment 61, which can be mounted on the side plate 12 of the base 10. The electronic compartment 61 helps to improve the integration of the detection mechanism.

[0060] In some embodiments, the mooring management system 100 also includes LED lights, which can be positioned near the camera 64 to provide sufficient light for the camera 64 to capture images. The mooring management system 100 may also include a transponder 63, which can be mounted on the side plate 12 of the base 10. The transponder 63 is used to receive acoustic signals emitted by the underwater positioning system of the mother vessel 201 and to feed back position coordinate information to the mother vessel 201.

[0061] In some embodiments, the mooring management system 100 further includes a hydraulic system, comprising a hydraulic pump 71 and a first valve box 72. A hydraulic motor is installed in the first valve box 72 to provide power for the rotation of the winch 22 and the movement of the cable laying device 41. The first valve box 72 is filled with hydraulic oil, which serves as insulation while ensuring pressure balance inside and outside the first valve box 72 during underwater operations, preventing water ingress due to pressure damage and potential short circuits in electrical equipment. The hydraulic system also includes a hydraulic oil tank 73, a hydraulic compensator 74, hydraulic lines 75, and a hydraulic quick-connect coupling 76. The hydraulic oil tank 73 stores the necessary hydraulic oil for the entire hydraulic system. The hydraulic compensator 74 compensates for the pressure of deep-sea pressure, eliminating the impact of deep-sea pressure on the hydraulic system. The hydraulic lines 75 transmit hydraulic oil and form a closed-loop circuit. The hydraulic quick-connect coupling 76 adds or replaces hydraulic oil in the entire hydraulic system. Other components and operations of the hydraulic system are described in related art for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0062] In some embodiments, the mooring management system 100 further includes an electrical control system, which includes a second valve box 81. The second valve box 81 contains control devices for the mooring management system 100, used to control the winch 22, the cable puller 41, and the tensioning wheel 50, as well as to control the opening and closing of the locking mechanism 30. Similar to the first valve box 72, the second valve box 81 is also filled with hydraulic oil to balance internal and external pressures under deep-water conditions. Other configurations and operations of the electrical control system are already described in the relevant art by those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0063] Secondly, this application also provides an underwater robot deployment and retrieval system 200, including a mother ship 201, an umbilical cable 202, an underwater robot 203, and a mooring management system 100 provided in the first aspect. One end of the umbilical cable 202 is connected to the mother ship 201, and the other end is connected to the mooring management system 100. A neutral cable 21 is connected to the underwater robot 203, and the underwater robot 203 is movable around the mooring management system 100. It is understood that since the underwater robot deployment and retrieval system 200 includes the mooring management system 100 described in the first aspect, the underwater robot deployment and retrieval system 200 has the beneficial effects described in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0064] Thirdly, this application also provides a method for deploying and retrieving an underwater robot, comprising:

[0065] S100. The mooring management system 100 is lowered into the water to the target depth using the umbilical cable 202;

[0066] S200. Locking mechanism 30 releases underwater robot 203 to separate underwater robot 203 from mooring management system 100;

[0067] S300. The underwater robot 203 moves within a radius centered on the base 10 and with the maximum length of the neutral cable 21 as the radius;

[0068] S400. The winding mechanism 20 recovers the underwater robot 203, and the underwater robot 203 is locked to the locking mechanism 30.

[0069] S500. Recover umbilical cable 202 to retrieve mooring management system 100 and underwater robot 203 to mother ship 201.

[0070] Optionally, the underwater robot deployment and retrieval method in this example employs the mooring management system 100 provided in the first aspect of this application. Deploying the underwater robot 203 in this manner allows the mooring management system 100 to cut off the disturbance transmitted from the umbilical cable 202 to the underwater robot 203, preventing the umbilical cable 202 from interfering with the underwater robot 203 and improving the independence and stability of the underwater robot 203 during operation. The neutral cable 21 enables electrical or communication connections between the underwater robot 203 and the umbilical cable 202. Provided the deployment depth of the underwater robot 203 is met, the underwater robot 203 can move around the mooring management system 100 to meet operational requirements. Before retrieving the mooring management system 100, the underwater robot 203 is interconnected and locked to the mooring management system 100, preventing shaking of the underwater robot 203 during the retrieval process and improving the stability and reliability of the retrieval operation. The underwater robot deployment and retrieval method includes the mooring management system 100 described in the first aspect above. Therefore, the underwater robot deployment and retrieval method has the beneficial effects described in the first aspect above, which will not be repeated here.

[0071] Optionally, before the mooring management system 100 is launched, the mooring management system 100 can be lifted from the mother vessel 201 using the slings 51 connected to the base 10, and the underwater robot 203 can be connected to the bottom of the mooring management system 100 and locked. This helps to ensure a tight connection between the underwater robot 203 and the mooring management system 100, avoids relative displacement or swaying during the water-based deployment process, and improves the reliability of the deployment operation.

[0072] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A cable management system, characterized in that: The tethering management system is used to connect to the umbilical cable, and the tethering management system includes: Base; A winding mechanism is disposed in the base. The winding mechanism includes a neutral cable and a winch. One end of the neutral cable is used to connect to an underwater robot, and the other end is connected to the winch. The winch is used to release or wind up and retrieve the neutral cable. A locking mechanism is provided in the base, and the locking mechanism is used to connect or release the underwater robot; When the mooring management system is lowered underwater and the locking mechanism releases the underwater robot, the underwater robot can move around the base within a range with the neutral cable as the radius. The mooring management system further includes a tensioning wheel, which is mounted on the base and located below the winch. The tensioning wheel is used to tension the neutral cable when the winch retrieves it. The base includes a bottom plate and side plates mounted on the bottom plate, which together form an installation space. The bottom plate has a cable release hole communicating with the installation space. The tensioning wheel is located at the edge of the cable release hole, through which the neutral cable passes. The winding mechanism and cable laying mechanism are located in the installation space, and the winch is mounted on the side plates. A locking mechanism is mounted on the bottom plate and includes a connecting channel and a clamp. The connecting channel communicates with the cable release hole, and the clamp is located on the side wall of the connecting channel, with at least a portion extending into the connecting channel. The clamp is used to engage and lock with the underwater robot or to release the underwater robot.

2. The cable management system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable management system further includes a cable laying mechanism disposed on the base. The cable laying mechanism includes a cable laying device, on which the neutral cable is slidably disposed. The cable laying device is movable along the rotation axis of the winch. The cable laying device is used to guide the neutral cable to be released or wound back along the rotation axis of the winch.

3. The cable management system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cable laying mechanism also includes a transmission screw, which is arranged along the shaft of the winch. The cable laying device is connected to the transmission screw, and the transmission screw rotates to drive the cable laying device to reciprocate along the shaft of the winch.

4. The cable management system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The winding mechanism includes a drive unit and a transmission assembly. The drive unit is connected to the winch to drive the winch to rotate. The transmission assembly is connected to the drive unit and the transmission screw. The transmission assembly drives the transmission screw to rotate so that the moving speed of the cable distributor matches the release or retrieval speed of the neutral cable on the winch.

5. The mooring management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The tethering management system is connected to the umbilical cable, which includes a communication cable and a power supply cable. The communication cable and the power supply cable are connected to the neutral cable, which is used for communication and power supply to the underwater robot.

6. An underwater robot deployment and retrieval system, characterized in that: The system includes a mother ship, an umbilical cable, an underwater robot, and a mooring management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one end of the umbilical cable is connected to the mother ship and the other end is connected to the mooring management system, the neutral cable is connected to the underwater robot, and the underwater robot is movable around the mooring management system.

7. A method for deploying and retrieving an underwater robot, employing the mooring management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: include The mooring management system is lowered to the target depth in the water using an umbilical cable; The locking mechanism releases the underwater robot to separate it from the mooring management system. The underwater robot moves within a radius centered on the base and with the maximum length of the neutral cable as the radius. The winding mechanism retracts the underwater robot, and the underwater robot is locked in place by the locking mechanism; The umbilical cable is retrieved to recover the mooring management system and the underwater robot back to the mother ship.

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