Underwater unmanned vehicle emergency floating device, floating method and application

Abstract

The invention provides an emergency floating device for an underwater unmanned vehicle, a floating method and application, and belongs to the technical field of underwater unmanned vehicles, the emergency floating device comprises a group of air bag storage assemblies, an air bag, a high-pressure air cylinder, a control valve group and an air pressure pipeline; the air bag storage assembly comprises an air bag storage barrel, and the air bag storage barrel is connected with a barrel upper cover through a shear screw. The air inlet end of the lower portion of the air bag is fixed to the bottom of the air bag storage barrel. The air bags are respectively connected with a control valve group through air pressure pipelines, and the control valve group is connected with the high-pressure air cylinder. According to the emergency floating device for the underwater unmanned vehicle, the emergency floating function of the underwater unmanned vehicle under the emergency condition is achieved, the arrangement space and the structural dead weight of the emergency floating device for the underwater unmanned vehicle are reduced, and the reliability and economical efficiency of the emergency floating function of the underwater unmanned vehicle are improved; the device is compact in overall structure, low in dead weight, flexible in fitting-out position, capable of being repeatedly used and high in adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of underwater unmanned vehicles, and in particular relates to an emergency buoyancy device, a buoyancy method and an application of an underwater unmanned vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing complexity and specialization of tasks such as marine resource surveying, marine ecological environment monitoring, and marine information collection, underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) have become ideal platforms for carrying various payloads. However, this also raises the issue of UUV emergency safety in complex marine environments. When operating in complex marine environments, UUVs are inevitably exposed to emergencies such as reefs, turbulent currents, fishing nets, malfunctions, or underwater collisions, resulting in mission failures or loss of equipment, leading to significant losses.

[0003] At present, most of the solutions to this type of emergency buoyancy problem adopt emergency dumping of lead blocks, steel balls, etc., but this treatment method has some disadvantages such as complex structure of the dumping release mechanism, difficult installation of the dumping blocks and non-reusability. If the tonnage of the underwater unmanned vehicle increases, the dumping weight will also increase, resulting in a waste of the payload efficiency of the underwater unmanned vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an emergency floating device and floating method for underwater unmanned vehicles, and applications, which realize the emergency floating function of the underwater unmanned vehicle in an emergency situation, reduce the layout space and structural deadweight of the emergency floating device of the underwater unmanned vehicle, and improve the reliability and economy of the emergency floating function of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An emergency buoyancy device for an underwater unmanned vehicle, comprising: an air bag storage assembly, an air bag, a high-pressure gas cylinder, a control valve assembly, and an air pressure pipeline;

[0007] The airbag storage assembly includes an airbag storage cylinder, and the airbag storage cylinder is connected to the cylinder cover via shear screws;

[0008] The air inlet end of the lower part of the air bag is fixed to the bottom of the air bag storage cylinder;

[0009] The airbags are connected to the control valve group through air pressure pipelines respectively, and the control valve group is connected to the high-pressure gas cylinder.

[0010] Furthermore, the air inlet at the lower end of the airbag evacuates the airbag until the airbag shrinks into place, that is, the cylinder cover at the top of the airbag fits tightly with the airbag storage cylinder outfitting joint surface.

[0011] Furthermore, the cylinder cover is rotated to align the center of its circumferential fastening connection holes with the threaded holes on the circumference of the airbag storage cylinder, ensuring that the outer envelope surface of the top of the cylinder cover is consistent with the envelope surface of the underwater unmanned vehicle, and then the shear screws are fastened along the aligned holes.

[0012] Furthermore, the air pressure pipeline connects the airbag, high-pressure gas cylinder, and control valve group through a high-pressure gas circuit to form a high-pressure gas system of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device.

[0013] Furthermore, the lower air inlet end of the airbag is fixed to the outfitting interface at the bottom of the airbag storage cylinder through a connecting piece.

[0014] Furthermore, the top end of the airbag is fastened to the upper outfitting interface inside the upper cover of the cylinder through a connector.

[0015] Furthermore, the two airbag storage assemblies are respectively installed on the bow and stern of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

[0016] The present invention also includes:

[0017] A method for buoying an underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device as described above, the method comprising the following steps:

[0018] Step 1: When the underwater unmanned vehicle encounters an emergency and needs to be surfaced, the emergency surfaced device receives an emergency surfaced instruction, and the control valve group opens the normally closed valve of the air circuit;

[0019] Step 2: The high-pressure gas passage is opened and the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas cylinder is rapidly inflated to the airbags located at the bow and stern in the retracted state through the air pressure pipeline;

[0020] Step 3: The bow and stern airbags are inflated and expand rapidly until they fill the internal space of the airbag storage assembly. The shear screws are squeezed and sheared by the inflated airbags and break.

[0021] Step 4: The airbag continues to inflate and moves axially with the top cover of the cylinder until all the bow and stern airbags are in the expanded state.

[0022] The present invention may also include:

[0023] An application of the above-mentioned underwater unmanned vehicle emergency surfacing device includes the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency self-rescue, salvage, recovery, and functional surfacing after capturing the target payload.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency surfacing device of the present invention realizes the function of emergency surfacing of the underwater unmanned vehicle in an emergency situation, and also greatly reduces the layout space and structural deadweight of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency surfacing device, improves the reliability and economy of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency surfacing function, and meets the requirements of rapidity and stability of the emergency surfacing work of the underwater unmanned vehicle in an emergency situation; it has a compact structure, flexible layout, good adaptability, reusability and low deadweight.

[0026] The present invention provides a better solution for the emergency surfacing function of underwater unmanned vehicles, and realizes the rapid response capability, stable posture control capability and safe self-rescue capability of the emergency surfacing function of underwater unmanned vehicles.

[0027] The present invention performs adaptive design of the emergency floating device according to the constraints of the underwater unmanned vehicle's tonnage, outfitting space, envelope surface, etc., thereby reducing the difficulty of outfitting the emergency floating device and improving the utilization rate of the underwater unmanned vehicle's envelope volume.

[0028] The airbag and the upper cover of the cylinder of the present invention can be recycled and reused after the emergency surfacing of the underwater unmanned vehicle is completed. It only needs to replace the shear screws and re-outfit to perform the mission again, which greatly reduces the cost of emergency surfacing of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

[0029] The present invention adopts a design of airbag inflation to provide positive buoyancy for emergency buoyancy. The device has a compact structure and low deadweight, which is particularly evident in large-tonnage underwater unmanned vehicles. It maximizes the load-carrying efficiency of the underwater unmanned vehicle while meeting the emergency buoyancy function of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

[0030] When the emergency buoyancy device of the present invention receives a buoyancy command, the normally closed high-pressure air channel of the control valve group is opened and the airbag in the contracted state is quickly inflated to the expanded state, providing sufficient positive buoyancy for the emergency buoyancy of the underwater unmanned vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Attachment Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0032] Attachment Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the airbag of the present invention in a relaxed state;

[0033] Attachment Figure 3 It is attached Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of middle A;

[0034] Attachment Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the airbag of the present invention in a deflated state.

[0035] In the attached figure: 1. Airbag storage assembly; 2. Airbag; 3. High-pressure gas cylinder; 4. Control valve group; 5. Air pressure pipeline; 1-1. Airbag storage cylinder; 1-2. Cylinder upper cover; 1-3. Shear screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] The present invention provides an emergency floating device for underwater unmanned vehicles, as shown in the attached Figure 1-4 As shown, it includes: an air bag storage assembly 1, an air bag 2, a high-pressure gas cylinder 3, a control valve group 4, and an air pressure pipeline 5, which are respectively installed at the bow and stern of the underwater unmanned vehicle;

[0038] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the airbag storage assembly 1 includes an airbag storage cylinder 1-1, and the airbag storage cylinder 1-1 is connected to the cylinder cover 1-2 through shear screws;

[0039] The lower air inlet end of the airbag 2 is fixed to the bottom of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1;

[0040] The airbags 2 are connected to the control valve group 4 through the air pressure pipelines 5, and the control valve group is connected to the high-pressure gas cylinder 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, the airbag assembly 1 is respectively fitted and fixed at the bow and stern ends of the underwater unmanned vehicle through connectors; the high-pressure gas cylinder 3 and the control valve group 4 are also fitted and fixed on the corresponding outfitting interfaces through connectors; the air pressure pipeline connects the airbag 2, the high-pressure gas cylinder 3, and the control valve group 4 in sequence to complete the construction of the high-pressure gas circuit of the emergency buoyancy device, thus completing all the outfitting work of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device.

[0042] As attached Figure 2-3 As shown, the air inlet at the lower end of the airbag evacuates the airbag 2 until the airbag shrinks into place, that is, the cylinder cover 1-2 at the top of the airbag fits tightly with the outfitting joint surface of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1.

[0043] In this embodiment, the lower air inlet end of the airbag 2 is fitted and fixed to the outfitting interface at the bottom of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1 through a connecting piece; the top of the airbag 2 is fastened to the outfitting interface on the upper inside of the cylinder cover 1-2 through a connecting piece; the airbag 2 is evacuated through the air inlet at the lower end of the airbag until the airbag shrinks into place, that is, the cylinder cover 1-2 at the top of the airbag is tightly fitted with the outfitting joint surface of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1; the cylinder cover 1-2 is rotated to align the circumferential fastening connection hole position with the circumferential threaded hole of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1 to ensure that the outer envelope surface of the top of the cylinder cover 1-2 is consistent with the envelope surface of the underwater unmanned vehicle, and then the shear screws 1-3 are fastened along the aligned hole position; at this point, the process of fitting and fixing the airbag 2 in the airbag storage assembly 1 is the assembly process of the airbag assembly.

[0044] The air pressure pipeline 5 connects the air bag 2, the high-pressure gas cylinder 3, and the control valve group 4 through a high-pressure gas circuit to form a high-pressure gas system of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device.

[0045] Specifically, the air inlet end of the airbag 2 is fixed to the outfitting interface at the bottom of the airbag storage cylinder 1-1 through a connector. The top of the airbag 2 is fastened to the outfitting interface on the upper inner side of the cylinder cover 1-2 through a connector.

[0046] As attached Figure 4 As shown, the airbag is in a contracted state under normal circumstances, and is in a dilated state after being inflated when emergency surfacing is required, thereby providing sufficient positive buoyancy for the underwater unmanned vehicle to emergency surfacing; the airbag storage assembly provides space for outfitting, fixing and storing the airbag, and forms an airbag assembly with the airbag outfitted inside it. The airbag assembly is respectively arranged in one set at the bow and stern of the underwater unmanned vehicle, ensuring that the underwater unmanned vehicle can perform emergency surfacing in a relatively stable posture in an emergency situation.

[0047] When an underwater unmanned vehicle encounters an emergency and needs emergency surfacing, the emergency surfacing device receives the surfacing command, and the normally closed control valve group of the air circuit opens the high-pressure gas channel, so that the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas cylinder passes through the air pressure pipeline and quickly enters the bow and stern contracted airbags at the same time, and quickly inflates the contracted airbags to the expanded state, providing sufficient positive buoyancy for the emergency surfacing of the underwater unmanned vehicle, and completing the emergency surfacing of the underwater unmanned vehicle quickly and smoothly.

[0048] This embodiment also includes:

[0049] A method for floating the above-mentioned underwater unmanned vehicle emergency floating device, the method comprising the following steps:

[0050] Step 1: When the underwater unmanned vehicle encounters an emergency and needs to be surfaced, the emergency surfaced device receives an emergency surfaced instruction, and the control valve group 4 opens the normally closed valve of the air circuit;

[0051] Step 2: The high-pressure gas passage is opened and the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas cylinder 3 is rapidly inflated to the airbags 2 located in the bow and stern contracted states through the air pressure pipeline;

[0052] Step 3: The bow and stern airbags are inflated and expanded rapidly to fill the internal space of the airbag storage assembly 1, and the shear screws 1-3 are squeezed and sheared by the inflated airbags and break;

[0053] Step 4: The airbag 2 continues to inflate and moves axially with the top cylindrical cover 1-2 until all the bow and stern airbags are in the expanded state.

[0054] The applicable scenarios of the present invention are not limited to emergency self-rescue, but also include underwater unmanned vehicle salvaging, recovery, and functional surfacing after capturing the target payload.

[0055] The emergency buoyancy device for underwater unmanned vehicles of the present invention adopts a design of airbag inflation to provide positive buoyancy for emergency buoyancy. The device has a compact structure and a low deadweight, which is particularly evident in large-tonnage underwater unmanned vehicles. It maximizes the load-carrying efficiency of the underwater unmanned vehicle while meeting the emergency buoyancy function of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

[0056] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An emergency buoyancy device for underwater unmanned vehicles, characterized in that: include: Two air bag storage assemblies (1), an air bag (2), a high-pressure gas cylinder (3), a control valve assembly (4), and an air pressure pipeline (5); The airbag storage assembly (1) comprises an airbag storage cylinder (1-1), and the airbag storage cylinder (1-1) is connected to the cylinder upper cover (1-2) via a shear screw (1-3); The lower air inlet end of the air bag (2) is fixed to the bottom of the air bag storage cylinder (1-1); The airbags (2) are connected to the control valve group (4) via air pressure pipelines (5), and the control valve group (4) is connected to the high-pressure gas cylinder (3).

2. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet at the lower end of the airbag evacuates the airbag (2) until the airbag shrinks to its proper position, i.e., the cylinder upper cover (1-2) at the top end of the airbag is tightly fitted with the outfitting joint surface of the airbag storage cylinder (1-1).

3. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cylinder upper cover (1-2) is rotated to align the hole centers of its circumferential fastening connection holes with the threaded holes on the circumference of the airbag storage cylinder (1-1), ensuring that the outer envelope surface of the top of the cylinder upper cover (1-2) is consistent with the envelope surface of the underwater unmanned vehicle, and then the shear screws (1-3) are fastened along the aligned hole positions.

4. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air pressure pipeline (5) connects the air bag (2), the high-pressure gas cylinder (3), and the control valve group (4) through a high-pressure gas circuit to form a high-pressure gas system of the underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device.

5. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower air inlet end of the air bag (2) is fixed to the outfitting interface at the bottom of the air bag storage cylinder (1-1) through a connecting piece.

6. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The top end of the air bag (2) is tightly connected to the upper outfitting interface inside the cylinder upper cover (1-2) via a connecting piece.

7. The underwater unmanned vehicle emergency buoyancy device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The two airbag storage assemblies (1) are respectively installed on the bow and stern of the underwater unmanned vehicle.

8. A method for floating an underwater unmanned vehicle emergency floating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Step 1: When the underwater unmanned vehicle encounters an emergency and needs to be floated up, the emergency float device receives an emergency float instruction, and the control valve group (4) opens the normally closed valve of the air circuit; Step 2: The high-pressure gas passage is opened and the high-pressure gas in the high-pressure gas cylinder (3) is rapidly inflated to the air bags (2) located at the bow and stern in the contracted state through the air pressure pipeline; Step 3: The bow and stern airbags are inflated and expanded rapidly until they fill the internal space of the airbag storage assembly (1), and the shear screws (1-3) are squeezed and sheared by the inflated airbags and break; Step 4: The airbag (2) continues to inflate and moves axially with the top cylinder cover (1-2) until the bow and stern airbags are all in the expanded state.

9. An application of the emergency buoyancy device for underwater unmanned vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: It includes emergency self-rescue, salvage, recovery, and functional surfacing of underwater unmanned vehicles after capturing the target payload.

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