Automatic mooring system

Abstract

The application provides an automatic mooring system, and relates to the technical field of port equipment, and aims to solve the problem of low mooring stability in the prior art. The automatic mooring system comprises a mounting base, a suction cup, a power assembly, a suction cup floating assembly and a controller. The mounting base is arranged on a wharf. The power assembly is arranged on the mounting base and connected with the controller. The suction cup is arranged on the power assembly, and the power assembly is configured to drive the suction cup to move. The suction cup floating assembly is arranged between the suction cup and the power assembly and connected with the controller, and is configured to adjust the posture to make the suction cup fit the hull when the suction cup contacts the hull. A signal is sent to the controller at the same time, and the controller is configured to control the power assembly to switch to a floating state. The application can automatically adjust the posture to adapt to the hull side wall, thereby automatically adapting to the fluctuation and shaking of the ship with waves, better coping with the complex wind and wave environment of the port, and improving the mooring stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of port equipment technology, and more particularly to an automatic mooring system. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of port equipment, ship mooring operations are a key link in ensuring the safe berthing of ships and facilitating cargo loading and unloading and personnel movement. With the increasing demands for port operational efficiency and the development of larger ships, automated mooring systems are gradually replacing traditional manual mooring methods, becoming an industry trend.

[0003] Existing automatic mooring systems are mainly divided into two categories: magnetic and vacuum chuck. Among them, the magnetic mooring system has significant drawbacks in use, as the strong magnetic field it generates can interfere with the normal operation of magnetic equipment in the ship and surrounding area. Although the vacuum chuck system avoids the problem of magnetic field interference, it lacks effective attitude self-adjustment capabilities and cannot cope well with the complex wind and wave environment of ports, resulting in low mooring stability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of this application provide an automatic mooring system that can automatically adjust its attitude to adapt to the sidewalls of the ship, thereby automatically adapting to the ship's undulations and swaying with the waves, better coping with the complex wind and wave environment of the port, and improving mooring stability.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of this application provide an automated mooring system, including: a mounting base, a suction cup, a power assembly, a suction cup floating assembly, and a controller, wherein the mounting base is used to be installed on a dock;

[0006] The power assembly is disposed on the mounting base and connected to the controller, the suction cup is disposed on the power assembly, and the power assembly is configured to drive the suction cup to move;

[0007] The suction cup floating component is disposed between the suction cup and the power component and connected to the controller. It is configured to adjust its attitude to make the suction cup fit against the hull when the suction cup contacts the hull. At the same time, it sends a signal to the controller, which is configured to control the power component to switch to a floating state.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the suction cup floating assembly includes a joint bearing, a first floating support, and a second floating support;

[0009] The spherical bearing is disposed between the suction cup and the power assembly and is configured to provide rotational freedom to the suction cup. The first floating support and the second floating support are disposed on the periphery of the spherical bearing and their extension directions are orthogonal to each other.

[0010] The first floating support and the second floating support are configured to stably maintain the suction cup in a midpoint between two orthogonal directions before the suction cup contacts the hull; and are configured to push the suction cup to correct the deviation when the suction cup approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the suction cup floating assembly further includes a suction cup return member, which is disposed on the side of the spherical bearing near the hull and configured such that when the suction cup contacts the hull, it drives the suction cup to rotate around the spherical bearing when the suction cup is tilted at an angle.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first floating support and the second floating support are each equipped with a compression spring and are configured to push the suction cup in the opposite direction by an elastic restoring force when the suction cup approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs.

[0013] The suction cup return mechanism has a built-in torsion spring or tension spring and is configured to deform when the suction cup is tilted at an angle to the hull, thereby generating an elastic restoring force to drive the suction cup to rotate around the joint bearing.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the power assembly includes a oscillating member, a pitching member, and a telescopic member, wherein the oscillating member is disposed on the mounting base and connected to the pitching member, and the oscillating member is configured to drive the pitching member to oscillate.

[0015] The suction cup is connected to the telescopic component, which is connected to the pitch component. The telescopic component is configured to reciprocate along the length direction of the pitch component to move the suction cup closer to or away from the hull.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the pitching member includes an outer sleeve, the telescopic member includes an inner sleeve, the outer sleeve has a cavity extending along its length, and the inner sleeve is housed within the cavity and slides along the axis of the cavity.

[0017] The automatic mooring system also includes a telescopic cylinder disposed in the cavity and configured to drive the inner sleeve to slide along the cavity.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the swinging component includes a slewing bearing and a plurality of swinging cylinders. The slewing bearing is disposed on the mounting base, with its outer ring rigidly connected to the mounting base and its inner ring rotating about the central axis of the slewing bearing.

[0019] Multiple swing cylinders are spaced apart on the periphery of the slewing bearing and are configured to drive the slewing bearing to swing; the pitching member is rigidly connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing and is configured to rotate synchronously with the inner ring when the slewing bearing swings.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the suction cup includes a suction cup sealing structure and a suction cup compression support, the suction cup sealing structure being configured to contact the hull, and the suction cup compression support being connected to the suction cup sealing structure and configured to provide cushioning when the suction cup contacts the hull.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the suction cup further includes a sealing strip and a positioning detection sensor. The sealing strip is disposed around the edge of the suction cup sealing structure that contacts the hull. The positioning detection sensor is electrically connected to the controller and is configured to detect the travel and position relationship when the hull approaches, and send a signal to the controller.

[0022] In one possible implementation, a vacuum system is also included, the vacuum system having a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump being provided in the vacuum system, the vacuum pump being connected to the suction cup via a vacuum line and configured to provide negative pressure to the suction cup; a filter is provided between the vacuum pump and the suction cup and is configured to prevent water vapor from entering the vacuum pump.

[0023] The automated mooring system provided in this application embodiment achieves fixed installation at the dock by setting up an installation base. A power component drives suction cups to move flexibly towards the ship's hull. A floating component of the suction cups precisely adjusts its posture when it contacts the ship to ensure a tight fit. Furthermore, a controller can be linked to switch the power component to a floating state to adapt to the ship's swaying with the waves. This achieves rapid and stable berthing of ships, adapts to the berthing needs of different types of vessels, ensures safety during the berthing process, and avoids frequent starts and stops, achieving energy efficiency and improving mooring stability.

[0024] The structure of this application, as well as its other objectives and beneficial effects, will become more apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic mooring system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the suction cup of the automatic mooring system provided in this application, in different swing states;

[0028] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an automated mooring system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the power component of the automated mooring system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 100 - Mounting base;

[0032] 200-suction cup;

[0033] 300-Power assembly; 310-Swing component; 311-Slewing bearing; 312-Swing cylinder; 320-Pitch component; 330-Telescopic component; 340-Telescopic cylinder;

[0034] 400 - Suction cup floating assembly; 410 - Spherical bearing; 420 - First floating support; 430 - Second floating support; 440 - Suction cup return assembly;

[0035] 500-Vacuum System. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Existing automatic mooring systems are mainly divided into two categories: magnetic and vacuum chuck. Among them, the magnetic mooring system has significant drawbacks in use, as the strong magnetic field it generates can interfere with the normal operation of magnetic equipment in the ship and surrounding area. Although the vacuum chuck system avoids the problem of magnetic field interference, it lacks effective attitude self-adjustment capabilities and cannot cope well with the complex wind and wave environment of ports, resulting in low mooring stability.

[0037] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this application provides an automated mooring system. By setting up an installation base, it achieves fixed installation at the dock. A power component drives suction cups to move flexibly towards the ship's hull. A floating component of the suction cups precisely adjusts its posture upon contact with the hull to ensure a tight fit. Furthermore, a controller can be linked to switch the power component to a floating state to adapt to the ship's swaying with the waves. This system achieves rapid and stable berthing, adapting to the berthing needs of different types of ships, ensuring safety during the berthing process, and avoiding frequent starts and stops, thus achieving energy efficiency and improving mooring stability.

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 4 The automatic mooring system of this application is described in detail.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of this application provides an automatic mooring system, including a mounting base 100, a suction cup 200, a power component 300, a suction cup floating component 400, and a controller. The mounting base 100 is used to install on a dock.

[0041] Among them, the mounting base 100 serves as the basic load-bearing component of the system. Its core function is to fix it at a preset position at the dock or port, providing stable installation support for other components such as the power component 300 and the suction cup floating component 400, ensuring that the entire system can withstand the impact force generated by the ship's swaying during the ship's docking process.

[0042] The suction cup 200, as an adsorption component that directly contacts the ship's hull, achieves stable gripping of the ship's hull after the suction cup floating assembly 400 is adjusted to a conforming posture, fixing the ship to a preset position on the dock and completing the berthing operation. For example, the suction cup 200 can be a vacuum suction cup.

[0043] Furthermore, the shape of the suction cup 200 is not limited. For example, the suction cup 200 can be circular, which distributes force more evenly and avoids problems with loose adhesion at the corners. This embodiment does not limit this. Additionally, the size of the suction cup 200 can be selected according to actual needs, and the material of the suction cup 200 can be a suction cup sealing structure, possessing high strength and corrosion resistance. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0044] Among them, reference Figure 1 As shown, the power unit 300 is mounted on the mounting base 100 and connected to the controller. The suction cup 200 is mounted on the power unit 300, and the power unit 300 is configured to drive the suction cup 200 to move. It can be understood that when a ship approaches the dock, the controller can, based on the ship's position signal, control the power unit 300 to precisely push the suction cup 200 to the corresponding contact position on the ship's hull through movements such as extension, pitch, and swing, laying the foundation for subsequent suction actions.

[0045] Among them, reference Figure 1As shown, the suction cup floating component 400 is disposed between the suction cup 200 and the power component 300 and is connected to the controller. It is configured to adjust its attitude to make the suction cup 200 fit against the hull when it comes into contact with the hull; at the same time, it sends a signal to the controller, which is configured to control the power component 300 to switch to the floating state.

[0046] Specifically, when the suction cup 200 approaches and contacts the hull under the drive of the power component 300, if there is a curvature deviation on the surface of the hull or the contact angle between the suction cup 200 and the hull is tilted, the suction cup floating component 400 can automatically adjust the attitude of the suction cup 200 to ensure that the suction cup 200 is tightly attached to the surface of the hull and avoid adsorption failure due to loose attachment; at the same time, the suction cup floating component 400 will transmit the signal that the suction cup 200 has been attached to the hull to the controller to trigger the subsequent state switching of the power component 300.

[0047] It is understandable that "floating state" means that when the power unit 300 switches to floating state, it can make synchronous fine adjustments following the wave motion of the hull (such as up-and-down movement, left-and-right swaying). For example, when the hull moves upward, the pitch arm can be raised accordingly; when the hull sways left and right, the oscillation system can swing slightly accordingly. Through this "follow-up adjustment," the suction cup 200 can always maintain a tight fit with the hull, avoiding the generation of pulling forces, ensuring the stability of the suction force of the suction cup 200, and ensuring that the ship remains fixed to the dock during berthing.

[0048] Alternatively, the switching to "floating state" can be achieved as follows: After the suction cup 200 is tightly attached to the hull, the positioning sensor on the suction cup 200 detects this attachment and sends a signal to the controller. Upon receiving the signal from the positioning sensor, the controller determines that the suction cup 200 has successfully attached to the hull. As the control center of the entire system, the controller issues control commands based on preset programs and logic. The power unit 300 is connected to the controller. Upon receiving the switching command from the controller, the power unit 300 responds by releasing the rigid locking state of the pitch and oscillation cylinders, entering a floating state that can adaptively fine-tune with the movement of the hull. In this way, when the ship moves up and down or sways left and right due to waves or other factors, the pitch arm and oscillation system can respond and adjust to the movement of the hull, avoiding excessive pulling force between the suction cup 200 and the hull due to rigid connection, and ensuring the continuous and stable adhesion of the suction cup 200 to the hull.

[0049] The system workflow provided in this embodiment is as follows: When the ship approaches the dock, the controller first activates the power component 300 to drive the suction cup 200 to move towards the ship; once the suction cup 200 contacts the ship, the suction cup floating component 400 automatically adjusts the attitude of the suction cup 200 to fit tightly against the ship and sends a contact signal to the controller; after receiving the signal, the controller controls the power component 300 to switch to a floating state and simultaneously activates the vacuum system to allow the suction cup 200 to adhere to the ship; during the ship's berthing, the power component 300 makes minor adjustments with the ship's wave motion, and the suction cup 200 always remains in contact with the ship until the berthing operation is completed. Then, the controller controls the vacuum system to depressurize and the power component 300 drives the suction cup 200 to detach from the ship, completing one mooring cycle.

[0050] Therefore, the automatic mooring system provided in this embodiment not only enables ships to berth quickly and stably, adapting to the berthing needs of different types of ships, but also ensures the safety of the berthing process, while avoiding frequent starts and stops of ships to achieve energy-saving and high-efficiency effects and improve mooring stability.

[0051] In one possible implementation, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the suction cup floating assembly 400 may include a spherical bearing 410, a first floating support 420, and a second floating support 430. The spherical bearing 410 is disposed between the suction cup 200 and the power assembly 300 and is configured to provide rotational freedom to the suction cup 200. The first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 are disposed on the periphery of the spherical bearing 410 and their extension directions are orthogonal to each other.

[0052] The first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 are configured to stably maintain the suction cup 200 in the middle position of two orthogonal directions before the suction cup 200 contacts the hull; and are configured to push the suction cup 200 to correct the deviation when the suction cup 200 approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs.

[0053] Among them, the spherical bearing 410, as the core component connecting the suction cup 200 and the power assembly 300, enables the suction cup 200 to rotate in three-dimensional space in multiple directions, such as fine-tuning the angle in the up-down and left-right directions. This design of rotational freedom can cope with the curvature differences of the hull surface of different ship types. When the suction cup 200 approaches the hull, even if the hull surface has a non-planar curved structure, the spherical bearing 410 can allow the suction cup 200 to adjust its angle with the hull curvature, avoiding local gaps between the suction cup 200 and the hull due to rigid connection, thus laying the foundation for subsequent tight bonding.

[0054] Among them, reference Figure 4As shown, the first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 are disposed on the periphery of the spherical bearing 410, and their extension directions are orthogonal to each other. It should be noted that the first floating support 420 can extend in the horizontal direction, and the second floating support 430 can extend in the vertical direction.

[0055] Specifically, when the suction cup 200 is not in contact with the hull, the two orthogonal floating support members use their own preload to stably restrict the suction cup 200 to the middle position in the horizontal and vertical directions. This ensures that when the power unit 300 drives the suction cup 200 to move, the suction cup 200 always approaches the hull in a preset posture, avoiding alignment deviation with the hull due to the initial position offset of the suction cup 200, reducing subsequent adjustment costs and improving mooring efficiency.

[0056] As the suction cup 200 approaches the ship, if the suction cup 200 deviates from its position due to factors such as ship swaying or driving error of the power component 300, such as horizontal deviation from the alignment point or vertical height deviation, the corresponding floating support component will undergo elastic deformation due to the compression or stretching caused by the deviation, thereby generating a reverse elastic restoring force.

[0057] For example, if the suction cup 200 is horizontally tilted to the left, the horizontally extending first floating support 420 will generate a rightward restoring force, pushing the suction cup 200 back to the aligned position; if the suction cup 200 is vertically tilted, the vertically extending second floating support 430 will generate an upward restoring force, adjusting the height of the suction cup 200. Through this bidirectional correction, positional deviations can be offset in real time, ensuring that the suction cup 200 ultimately makes precise contact with the preset adsorption area on the hull.

[0058] The system working logic provided in this embodiment is as follows: When the ship approaches the dock, the power component 300 drives the suction cup 200 to move towards the ship. First, the first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 maintain the suction cup 200 in the middle position in the orthogonal direction, ensuring that the suction cup 200 is aligned with the ship in a reference posture. As the suction cup 200 gradually approaches the ship, if a positional deviation occurs, the two floating supports correct the deviation in real time through elastic restoring force. When the suction cup 200 contacts the ship, the joint bearing 410 adjusts the angle of the suction cup 200 according to the curved surface of the ship, so that the suction cup 200 initially adheres to the surface of the ship. At this time, the floating supports continue to adapt to the angle change of the suction cup 200 through slight elastic deformation to help maintain the adhesion state until the suction cup 200 achieves stable adsorption through the vacuum system, completing the adhesion process. The entire collaborative process requires no manual intervention and relies entirely on the structure of the components themselves to achieve automated positioning and adjustment.

[0059] In one possible implementation, refer to Figure 3As shown, the suction cup floating assembly 400 may also include a suction cup return member 440, which is disposed on the side of the spherical bearing 410 near the hull and is configured such that the suction cup 200 contacts the hull and drives the suction cup 200 to rotate around the spherical bearing 410 when the suction cup 200 is tilted at an angle.

[0060] It should be noted that the overall structure of the suction cup return component 440 is generally a ring-shaped or cross-shaped symmetrical structure, mainly composed of three parts: a base connector, usually made of metal and a ring flange, which is fixed to the outer ring of the spherical bearing 410 by bolts, forming a rigid connection with the spherical bearing 410 to ensure stable force transmission; multiple sets of elastic reset units, such as torsion springs or tension springs, are evenly arranged circumferentially between the base connector and the suction cup 200, with one end of each elastic reset unit hinged to the base connector and the other end connected to the edge of the suction cup 200; and an arc-shaped limiting plate is set on the outside of the elastic reset unit to limit the maximum rotation angle of the suction cup 200 around the spherical bearing 410, so as to avoid excessive tilting that could damage the elastic reset unit or cause the suction cup 200 to detach from the adsorption area.

[0061] This structural design ensures that when the suction cup 200 is tilted at an angle, the elastic reset unit in the corresponding direction is stretched or compressed, generating a reverse reset force to drive the suction cup 200 back to the correct position; at the same time, the symmetrically arranged elastic components can adapt to multi-directional tilt correction, and together with the rotational freedom of the spherical bearing 410, precise fitting is achieved.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 are each equipped with a compression spring and are configured to push the suction cup 200 in the opposite direction by an elastic restoring force when the suction cup 200 approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs.

[0063] The first floating support 420 and the second floating support 430 can be rod-shaped or column-shaped structures.

[0064] When the suction cup 200 is not in contact with the hull, the compression spring is in a pre-compressed state. The pre-tension of the spring keeps the suction cup 200 stably in the middle position of the two orthogonal directions of horizontal and vertical. This ensures that when the power unit 300 drives the suction cup 200 to move, the suction cup 200 is always aligned with the suction area of ​​the hull in a preset reference posture, avoiding alignment errors caused by initial position deviation.

[0065] In this embodiment, the suction cup return member 440 has a built-in torsion spring or tension spring, and is configured to deform when the suction cup 200 is in contact with the hull and the suction cup 200 is tilted at an angle, and generate an elastic restoring force to drive the suction cup 200 to rotate around the spherical bearing 410.

[0066] It should be noted that if a torsion spring is built in, the torsion spring is mounted on the central shaft of the spherical bearing 410, with both ends respectively snapped into the inner ring of the spherical bearing 410 and the suction cup 200; if a tension spring is built in, multiple sets of tension springs are evenly arranged along the circumference of the suction cup 200. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0067] When the suction cup 200 contacts the hull and is tilted (e.g., the suction cup end face is not parallel to the hull surface), the force in the tilt direction will cause the built-in torsion spring to undergo torsional deformation or the tension spring to undergo tensile / compressive deformation. After the torsion spring twists, it will generate a torque to restore its initial state; after the tension spring deforms, it will generate a reverse tensile or thrust force. The elastic restoring force will drive the suction cup 200 to rotate around the central axis of the spherical bearing 410 until the end face of the suction cup 200 is completely in contact with the hull surface, eliminating the tilt gap. At the same time, the deformation range of the torsion spring or tension spring is limited to a preset range to avoid excessive deformation that could damage the components, ensuring the stability and safety of the angle correction.

[0068] In one possible implementation, refer to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the power assembly 300 may include a swing member 310, a pitch member 320, and a telescopic member 330. The swing member 310 is disposed on the mounting base 100 and connected to the pitch member 320. The swing member 310 is configured to drive the pitch member 320 to swing. The suction cup 200 is connected to the telescopic member 330, which is connected to the pitch member 320. The telescopic member 330 is configured to reciprocate along the length direction of the pitch member 320 to move the suction cup 200 closer to or further away from the hull (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As indicated by arrow a).

[0069] For example, the pitch member 320 can be a pitch arm, and the telescopic member 330 can be a telescopic arm.

[0070] The bottoms of the swing component 310 and the pitch component 320 are rigidly connected by a pin. During operation, the swing component 310 receives instructions from the controller to generate driving force, which drives the slewing bearing 311 to rotate around the vertical axis of the mounting base 100, thereby driving the pitch component 320 and subsequent components (telescopic components, suction cups) connected to it to swing left and right in the horizontal direction. This function can adapt to the positional deviation along the length of the dock when the ship is docked, ensuring that the suction cup 200 can be accurately aligned with the preset adsorption area of ​​the ship's hull, avoiding the suction cup 200 failing to contact the ship's hull due to the ship's docking deviation.

[0071] One end of the pitch arm is connected to the slewing bearing 311 of the swing member 310, and the other end is movably assembled with the telescopic member 330. A pitch cylinder can also be provided between the pitch arm and the swing member 310, with both ends of the pitch cylinder hinged to the housing of the swing member 310 and the middle of the pitch member 320, respectively. When the ship's draft is different, resulting in a difference in the height of the hull adsorption position, the pitch cylinder drives the pitch member 320 to rotate up and down around the pin connected to the swing member 310 through telescopic movement, thereby adjusting the pitch angle. This, in turn, drives the telescopic member 330 and the suction cup 200 to rise and fall in the vertical direction, allowing the suction cup 200 to adapt to the adsorption needs of hulls of different heights and avoiding improper contact position of the suction cup 200 due to hull height deviation.

[0072] For example, the vertical lifting and lowering of the suction cup 200 can be as follows: Figure 2 As shown by arrow b, the pitch angle of the pitch component 320 can be adjusted as follows: Figure 3 The direction of arrow c is shown.

[0073] The telescopic component 330 is a nested arm-shaped structure, slidably assembled within the internal cavity of the pitching component 320. One end of the telescopic component near the hull is connected to the suction cup 200 via a suction cup floating assembly 400, while the other end is connected to a telescopic cylinder, which contains a pressure sensor. During operation, the telescopic cylinder drives the telescopic component 330 to reciprocate linearly along the length of the pitching component 320, directly causing the suction cup 200 to approach or move away from the hull. When the ship approaches the dock, the telescopic component 330 extends, pushing the suction cup 200 towards the hull until contact is made. After docking, the telescopic component 330 retracts, causing the suction cup 200 to detach from the hull.

[0074] For example, the telescopic member 330 reciprocates linearly along the length direction of the pitch member 320, which can be referred to as Figure 1 The direction of arrow 'a' is indicated in the diagram.

[0075] In one possible implementation, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the pitching member 320 includes an outer sleeve, and the telescopic member 330 includes an inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has a cavity extending along its length, and the inner sleeve is built into the cavity and slides along the axis of the cavity. The automatic mooring system also includes a telescopic cylinder 340, which is disposed in the cavity and configured to drive the inner sleeve to slide along the cavity.

[0076] Among them, the pitch component 320 and the telescopic component 330 can be sleeve structures. On the one hand, the outer sleeve provides a stable sliding guide path for the inner sleeve, effectively limiting the radial displacement of the inner sleeve during the sliding process. On the other hand, the nested structure can form a "double cylindrical support", which greatly improves the overall structural rigidity of the pitch component 320 and the telescopic component 330. Furthermore, the integrated design eliminates the need for additional external guide rails or support structures, reducing the number of parts and installation space, and improving the compactness of the overall structure.

[0077] For example, both the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve can be made of high-strength metal materials, such as low-alloy high-strength steel.

[0078] In one possible implementation, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the swing member 310 may include a slewing bearing 311 and a plurality of swing cylinders 312. The slewing bearing 311 is disposed on the mounting base 100, with its outer ring rigidly connected to the mounting base 100 and its inner ring rotating about the central axis of the slewing bearing 311. The plurality of swing cylinders 312 are spaced apart on the periphery of the slewing bearing 311 and are configured to drive the slewing bearing to swing. The pitch member 320 is rigidly connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311 and is configured to rotate synchronously with the inner ring when the slewing bearing 311 swings.

[0079] The slewing bearing 311, as the core load-bearing component of the swing member 310, has an overall ring structure. Its outer ring is rigidly connected to the mounting base 100 by high-strength bolts, ensuring that the slewing bearing 311 remains stationary during operation. The inner ring can rotate freely around the central vertical axis of the slewing bearing 311, and the upper surface of the inner ring is rigidly connected to the bottom of the pitch member 320 through a flange. This provides stable support for the pitch member 320 and, through the rotation of the inner ring, drives the pitch member 320 and subsequent telescopic members 330 and suction cup 200 to swing horizontally synchronously, ensuring that the suction cup 200 is aligned with the hull in a lateral position.

[0080] The number of swing cylinders 312 is not limited and can be set according to actual needs. The swing cylinders 312 can be hydraulically driven, and all swing cylinders 312 are controlled by the same hydraulic circuit to ensure synchronous extension and retraction during operation. When it is necessary to drive the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311 to rotate, the hydraulic system supplies oil to the swing cylinders 312, pushing the piston rod to extend or retract. The piston rod applies a circumferential driving force to the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311, causing the inner ring to rotate around the central axis. Since the swing cylinders 312 are evenly distributed along the circumference, the driving force can be evenly applied to the inner ring, avoiding the inner ring from jamming or shifting due to uneven force, thus ensuring the smoothness of the swing process.

[0081] The working logic of the swing component 310 is as follows: When the ship approaches the dock, the controller sends a command to the hydraulic system of the swing component 310 based on the ship's position signal. For example, if the ship moves forward, the controller controls the right swing cylinder 312 to extend and the left swing cylinder 312 to retract. Through the pushing and pulling action of the piston rod, the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311 rotates clockwise, thereby causing the pitch component 320, the telescopic component 330, and the suction cup 200 to swing to the right synchronously. If the ship moves backward, the controller controls the left cylinder to extend and the right cylinder to retract, causing the inner ring to rotate counterclockwise, thus causing the suction cup 200 to swing to the left. During the entire swing process, the rotation angle of the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311 can be fed back to the controller in real time through the encoder. The controller adjusts the extension and retraction of the cylinders according to the feedback signal to precisely control the swing angle and ensure that the suction cup 200 can accurately align with the preset suction area on the ship's hull. Once the suction cup 200 is aligned, the swing member 310 stops moving, and the inner ring of the slewing bearing 311 remains fixed, providing a stable foundation for the subsequent height adjustment by the pitch member 320 and the push-pull member 330 to push the suction cup 200 closer to the hull.

[0082] In one possible implementation, the suction cup 200 may include a suction cup sealing structure and a suction cup 200 compression support, the suction cup sealing structure being configured to contact the hull, and the suction cup 200 compression support being connected to the suction cup sealing structure and configured to provide cushioning when the suction cup 200 contacts the hull.

[0083] Understandably, the suction cup sealing structure is the core skeleton of the suction cup 200. The overall structure can be disc-shaped or arc-shaped, and is made of high-strength steel, possessing sufficient structural strength and rigidity.

[0084] The suction cup 200 compression support can be an elastic structural component. For example, it can be a columnar structure with a built-in compression spring, or it can be composed of multiple layers of rubber pads stacked alternately. When the suction cup 200 approaches and contacts the hull under the drive of the power component 300, the reaction force generated by the hull on the suction cup sealing structure is transmitted to the suction cup 200 compression support, causing it to undergo elastic compression. This compression deformation absorbs the impact force at the moment of contact, preventing rigid collisions from causing scratches on the suction cup sealing structure or the hull surface, while ensuring the sealing effect.

[0085] In one possible implementation, the suction cup 200 may further include a sealing strip and a position detection sensor. The sealing strip is disposed around the edge of the suction cup sealing structure that contacts the hull. The position detection sensor is electrically connected to the controller and is configured to detect the travel and position relationship when the hull approaches, and send a signal to the controller.

[0086] For example, the sealing strip can be made of seawater-resistant and high- and low-temperature-resistant rubber material. Its overall shape is a ring structure, which is adapted to the edge contour of the suction cup sealing structure in contact with the hull. It can be fixed in the sealing groove of the suction cup sealing structure facing the hull by means of a slot or adhesive.

[0087] For example, the positioning sensor can be a contact limit switch or a non-contact laser displacement sensor, with its detection direction facing the hull. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0088] By setting up sealing strips and positioning detection sensors, ships can be quickly and stably docked, adapting to various ship types and complex dock environments, reducing the risk of adsorption failure and component damage, and improving mooring efficiency and safety.

[0089] In one possible implementation, refer to Figure 1 As shown, it may also include a vacuum system 500, which has a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is connected to the suction cup 200 through a vacuum line and is configured to provide negative pressure to the suction cup 200. A filter is provided between the vacuum pump and the suction cup 200 and is configured to prevent water vapor from entering the vacuum pump.

[0090] The vacuum chamber is a sealed metal cavity used to store vacuum energy. Specifically, the vacuum pump is located outside the vacuum chamber and is connected to the internal space of the suction cup 200 through a sealed pipeline. When the controller receives a signal from the positioning sensor, it starts the vacuum pump. The vacuum pump extracts the air inside the suction cup 200, creating a sealed negative pressure space between the suction cup 200 and the hull. Atmospheric pressure is used to firmly press the suction cup 200 onto the hull surface, achieving the initial fixation of the vessel.

[0091] The filter can be installed on the pipeline between the vacuum pump and the suction cup 200. It can have multiple layers of filter media inside and has the characteristic of preventing water vapor from penetrating, thereby preventing water vapor on the surface of the suction cup 200 from entering the vacuum pump with the airflow and ensuring the long-term stable operation of the vacuum pump.

[0092] The automated mooring system provided in this application embodiment achieves fixed installation at the dock by setting up an installation base. A power component drives suction cups to move flexibly towards the ship's hull. A floating component of the suction cups precisely adjusts its posture when it contacts the ship to ensure a tight fit. Furthermore, a controller can be linked to switch the power component to a floating state to adapt to the ship's swaying with the waves. This achieves rapid and stable berthing of ships, adapts to the berthing needs of different types of vessels, ensures safety during the berthing process, and avoids frequent starts and stops, achieving energy efficiency and improving mooring stability.

[0093] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and 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.

[0094] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “having” as used herein, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are expressly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not expressly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0095] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the connection within two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0096] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An automatic mooring system, characterized in that, include: The mounting base includes a suction cup, a power assembly, a suction cup floating assembly, and a controller. The mounting base is used for installation on a dock. The power assembly is disposed on the mounting base and connected to the controller, the suction cup is disposed on the power assembly, and the power assembly is configured to drive the suction cup to move; The suction cup floating assembly is disposed between the suction cup and the power assembly and is connected to the controller. It is configured to adjust its attitude to make the suction cup fit against the hull when the suction cup contacts the hull. At the same time, it sends a signal to the controller, which is configured to control the power assembly to switch to a floating state. The suction cup floating assembly includes a spherical bearing, a first floating support, and a second floating support. The spherical bearing is disposed between the suction cup and the power assembly and is configured to provide rotational freedom to the suction cup. The first floating support and the second floating support are disposed on the periphery of the spherical bearing and their extension directions are orthogonal to each other. The first floating support and the second floating support are configured to stably maintain the suction cup in the middle position of two orthogonal directions before the suction cup contacts the hull; and are configured to push the suction cup to correct the deviation when the suction cup approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs; The suction cup floating assembly also includes a suction cup return member, which is disposed on the side of the spherical bearing near the hull and configured such that when the suction cup contacts the hull, it drives the suction cup to rotate around the spherical bearing when the suction cup is tilted at an angle.

2. The automatic mooring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first floating support and the second floating support are each equipped with a compression spring and are configured to push the suction cup in the opposite direction by an elastic restoring force when the suction cup approaches the hull and a positional deviation occurs. The suction cup return mechanism has a built-in torsion spring or tension spring and is configured to deform when the suction cup is tilted at an angle to the hull, thereby generating an elastic restoring force to drive the suction cup to rotate around the joint bearing.

3. The automatic mooring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The power assembly includes a swing component, a pitch component, and a telescopic component. The swing component is disposed on the mounting base and connected to the pitch component. The swing component is configured to drive the pitch component to swing. The suction cup is connected to the telescopic component, which is connected to the pitch component. The telescopic component is configured to reciprocate along the length direction of the pitch component to move the suction cup closer to or away from the hull.

4. The automatic mooring system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pitching component includes an outer sleeve, and the telescopic component includes an inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has a cavity extending along its length, and the inner sleeve is housed within the cavity and slides along the axis of the cavity. The automatic mooring system also includes a telescopic cylinder disposed in the cavity and configured to drive the inner sleeve to slide along the cavity.

5. The automatic mooring system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The swing component includes a slewing bearing and multiple swing cylinders. The slewing bearing is disposed on the mounting base, with its outer ring rigidly connected to the mounting base and its inner ring rotating around the central axis of the slewing bearing. Multiple swing cylinders are spaced apart on the periphery of the slewing bearing and are configured to drive the slewing bearing to swing; the pitching member is rigidly connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing and is configured to rotate synchronously with the inner ring when the slewing bearing swings.

6. The automatic mooring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The suction cup includes a suction cup sealing structure and a suction cup compression support. The suction cup sealing structure is configured to contact the hull, and the suction cup compression support is connected to the suction cup sealing structure and configured to provide a cushioning effect when the suction cup contacts the hull.

7. The automatic mooring system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The suction cup also includes a sealing strip and a positioning detection sensor. The sealing strip is arranged around the edge of the suction cup sealing structure that contacts the hull. The positioning detection sensor is electrically connected to the controller and is configured to detect the travel and position relationship when the hull approaches, and send a signal to the controller.

8. The automatic mooring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a vacuum system having a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump, which is connected to the suction cup via a vacuum line and configured to provide negative pressure to the suction cup; A filter is provided between the vacuum pump and the suction cup, and is configured to prevent water vapor from entering the vacuum pump.

Images