A remote control unhooker for offshore equipment deployment

Abstract

This invention belongs to the technical field of remote-controlled release devices, specifically relating to a remote-controlled release device for deploying offshore equipment. A release hook is rotatably installed within the main body, with a load suspension hole formed between the release hook and the main body for suspending the load. The release hook is L-shaped with a wedge-shaped end. A stop pin is installed within the main body. A drive mechanism and a control system are installed inside the main body. The control system is connected to the drive mechanism. Based on received external commands, the control system controls the drive mechanism to retract the stop pin and disengage from the release hook. The load causes the release hook to rotate, achieving release. This invention achieves remote-controlled release by linking the control system, drive system, and release hook, and by improving the structure of the release hook. The release hook structure combines stable slinging with easy release; only a release command is needed to execute the release action, making operation simple. After release, the release hook automatically resets. The overall structure has good waterproof performance and is suitable for deployment of offshore equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of remote-controlled release devices, specifically relating to a remote-controlled release device for deploying marine equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid increase in human marine surveys, the deployment of various marine instruments and equipment, such as buoys, submersibles, and underwater robots, has also increased. All of these deployments require release devices. Currently, the deployment of marine instruments and equipment mainly uses mechanical release devices. These devices require operators to pull the release mechanism on the release device using ropes. This release method has the following problems: 1) Poor operational safety: Manual pulling of the rope is necessary, and in rough seas, personnel are easily tripped, strangled, or even dragged into the sea. There is also a possibility of the rope becoming entangled with other components, leading to mis-release or failed release. 2) Poor release accuracy: Relying solely on manual pulling makes precise positioning and timed release impossible, sometimes requiring multiple pulls for successful release. To address the problems of mechanical release devices, wireless remote-controlled release devices have emerged. However, currently available wireless remote-controlled release devices generally suffer from low waterproof ratings, poor resistance to seawater salt spray corrosion, susceptibility to mechanical jamming, and cumbersome operation, resulting in poor direct application effectiveness. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is as follows: A remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment, comprising: a main body; The release hook is rotatably mounted in the body, and a load suspension hole for suspending load is constructed between the release hook and the body. The release hook is L-shaped and the hook end is wedge-shaped. A stop pin, which is installed on the body, is used to disengage the release hook; The drive mechanism is installed inside the main body. The drive mechanism drives the stop pin to retract and disengage from the release hook. The control system is installed inside the main body and is connected to the drive mechanism. The control system controls the action of the drive mechanism according to the received external commands to make the stop pin retract and disengage from the release hook. The load causes the release hook to rotate and realize the disengagement and release.

[0005] Preferably, the body includes: a load-bearing connecting plate, a hook connection hole for fixing to the connecting shackle is opened on the top of the load-bearing connecting plate, a load-bearing shaft for rotating and installing the release hook is installed on the load-bearing connecting plate, and the hook connection hole, the load-bearing shaft and the load suspension hole are arranged coaxially.

[0006] Preferably, the body further includes an electrical box, which is watertightly installed between two load-bearing connecting plates.

[0007] Preferably, the control system and drive mechanism are installed inside the electrical box.

[0008] Preferably, the drive mechanism includes: a turbine motor, a lead screw, and a movable nut. The lead screw is installed at the output end of the turbine motor, and the movable nut is threaded onto the lead screw. The movable nut is connected to a stop pin, and the stop pin has a strip-shaped hole for installing and restricting the rotation of the movable nut.

[0009] Preferably, the stop pin is slidably mounted on the guide shaft, and a return spring is sleeved on the guide shaft.

[0010] Preferably, the body further includes a limiting mechanism, which includes an upper limit switch, a lever, and a lower limit switch. The lever is mounted on the stop pin and is located between the upper limit switch and the lower limit switch. The distance between the upper limit switch and the lower limit switch is greater than or equal to the extension stroke of the stop pin.

[0011] Preferably, the wedge angle of the release hook tip is 30~45°.

[0012] Preferably, the body is also provided with a blocking pin.

[0013] Preferably, the load suspension hole is a closed structure.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. This invention is conceived and designed based on remote-controlled unhooking. By linking the control system, drive system and release hook, and improving the structure of the release hook, remote-controlled unhooking is achieved, solving problems such as personnel safety and equipment safety during the deployment of offshore equipment.

[0015] 2. In this invention, the hook connection hole, the load-bearing shaft, and the load suspension hole are all on a vertical straight line, and the force between the load-bearing shaft and the load is on a straight line, which greatly increases the load-bearing capacity of the unhooking device, avoids the risk of the turbine motor stalling (mechanical jamming) when the load is too large, and ensures smooth release and high positioning accuracy.

[0016] 3. In this invention, the release hook is L-shaped and the hook end is wedge-shaped, unlike the ordinary hook end upturned design. The release hook achieves stable load hanging by constructing a closed load suspension hole between itself and the body. After the stop pin is disengaged from the release hook, the load gravity causes the release hook to rotate, thereby achieving release and disengagement.

[0017] 4. This invention adopts an integrated watertight structure, which solves the problem of low waterproof rating of existing remote control release devices; the use of stainless steel and engineering plastic materials solves the common problem of seawater salt spray corrosion in existing remote control release devices; the use of engineering plastic materials solves the problem of wireless signal penetration, allowing the remote control antenna on the control system to be installed inside the electrical box, thus improving the watertight performance of the equipment.

[0018] In summary, the remote-controlled release hook for offshore equipment deployment provided by this invention features a release hook structure that combines stable slinging with easy release. The release action can be executed simply by sending a release command, making the operation simple. After the release hook is released, it can automatically reset. The overall structure has good waterproof performance and is suitable for use in offshore equipment deployment. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 Left view of a remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment.

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Sectional view at point AA.

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the release status of a remote-controlled unhooking device used for deploying offshore equipment.

[0023] Figure 5 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the remote-controlled unhooking device used for deploying marine equipment in Example 1.

[0024] In the picture: 1. Connecting shackle; 2. Load-bearing connecting plate; 3. Electrical box; 4. Release hook; 5. Stop pin; 6. Drive mechanism; 7. Guide mechanism; 8. Limit mechanism; 9. Blocking pin. 201. Hook connection hole; 202. Load-bearing shaft; 203. U-hole; 204. First sealing ring; 205. Second sealing ring; 206. First bolt; 207. Mounting hole; 208. Load suspension hole. 301. Upper chamber; 302. Lower chamber; 303. Cover plate; 304. Second bolt. 401. Wedge-shaped end, 501, strip-shaped hole; 502, third sealing ring. 601. Control system; 602. Turbine motor; 603. Lead screw; 604. Moving nut. 701. Guide shaft; 702. Return spring; 703. Linear bearing. 801. Upper limit switch; 802. Toggle switch; 803. Lower limit switch. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, it will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the present invention.

[0026] Example 1: Combination Figure 1-5 A remote-controlled release device for deploying marine equipment includes: a body; a release hook 4, rotatably mounted in the body, with a load suspension hole 208 formed between the release hook 4 and the body for suspending a load, the release hook 4 being L-shaped with a wedge-shaped hook end; a stop pin 5, mounted on the body, used to stop or disengage the release hook 4; a drive mechanism 6, installed inside the body, the operation of the drive mechanism 6 causing the stop pin 5 to extend and retract; and a control system 601, installed inside the body, connected to the drive mechanism 6, the control system 601 controlling the operation of the drive mechanism 6 according to received external commands, the stop pin 5 extending to stop the release hook 4 and lock the release hook 4; the stop pin 5 retracting to disengage the release hook 4, and then the load causing the release hook 4 to rotate and achieve release.

[0027] The main body includes: a load-bearing connecting plate 2 and an electrical box 3. The load-bearing connecting plate 2 has a hook connection hole 201 on its upper part for fixing to the connecting shackle 1. The connecting shackle 1 passes through the hook connection hole 201 and connects to the lifting hook. A load-bearing shaft 202 is installed on the load-bearing connecting plate 2 for rotatably installing the release hook 4. The release hook 4 is mounted on the load-bearing connecting plate 2 via the load-bearing shaft 202 and rotates around the load-bearing shaft 202. The load-bearing shaft 202 and the release hook 4 are made of high-strength stainless steel to ensure the equipment has a large load-bearing capacity. A U-hole 203 is opened at the bottom of the load-bearing connecting plate 2 for constructing a load suspension hole 208 with the release hook 4. The load suspension hole 208 is a closed structure, ensuring the load is securely hung on the hook and will not fall off midway. The hook connection hole 201, the load bearing shaft 202, and the load suspension hole 208, or U-hole 203, are all on a vertical line. The force between the load bearing shaft 202 and the load is on the same line, which reduces the torque of the release hook 4 relative to the load bearing shaft 202, thereby reducing the pressure of the release hook 4 on the stop pin 5, and further reducing the friction force between the stop pin 5 and the release hook 4. This reduces the driving force of the turbine motor 602 and avoids the risk of the turbine motor 602 stalling when the load is too large.

[0028] The electrical box 3 is watertightly installed between two load-bearing connecting plates 2. The load-bearing connecting plates 2 and the electrical box 3 are watertight using a first sealing ring 204. The load-bearing connecting plates 2 and the electrical box 3 are connected by a first bolt 206.

[0029] The electrical box 3 houses the control system 601 and the drive mechanism 6. The load-bearing connecting plate 2 has mounting holes 207 for easy installation of the control system 601, which are sealed with a cover plate 303. A second sealing ring 205 ensures a watertight seal between the cover plate 303 and the load-bearing connecting plate 2. The cover plate 303 and the load-bearing connecting plate 2 are connected by a second bolt 304. The cover plate 303 is made of engineering plastic to ensure that the wireless signal is not blocked, allowing remote control commands to penetrate the cover plate 303 and reach the control system 601.

[0030] The control system 601 includes a control circuit, a remote control antenna, and a battery. During operation, a control signal can be sent via remote control to control the rotation of the turbine motor 602, thereby controlling the release hook 4. The remote control antenna on the control system 601 can be installed inside the electrical box to improve the watertightness of the equipment.

[0031] The drive mechanism 6 includes a turbine motor 602, a lead screw 603, and a movable nut 604. The lead screw 603 is installed at the output end of the turbine motor 602, and the movable nut 604 is threaded onto the lead screw 603. The movable nut 604 is connected to a stop pin 5. The stop pin 5 has a slotted hole 501 in the middle to restrict the rotation of the movable nut 604, so that the movable nut 604 and the stop pin 5 can only slide up and down within the slotted hole 501 and cannot rotate.

[0032] The stop pin 5 is slidably mounted on the guide shaft 701, and a return spring 702 is fitted onto the guide shaft 701. Two linear bearings 703 are mounted on the stop pin 5, passing through the guide shaft 701 and engaging with it to prevent direct contact between the stop pin 5 and the guide shaft 701, which would generate excessive friction. The two guide shafts 701 restrict the rotation of the stop pin 5. A return spring 702 is fitted onto the guide shaft 701.

[0033] Working process: The control system 601 controls the operation of the drive mechanism 6 according to the received external instructions. The turbine motor 602 drives the lead screw 603 to rotate in the forward direction, pulling the movable nut 604 that cooperates with the lead screw 603 upward, which in turn drives the stop pin 5 to move upward. When the stop pin 5 retracts into the electrical box 3, the stop pin 5 moves out of the rotation range of the release hook 4, the rotation restriction of the release hook 4 is released, and the release hook 4 rotates under the downward force of the load in the load suspension hole 208 and achieves disengagement. The state of the release hook 4 is as follows. Figure 4 As shown, the load is released vertically with precise positioning. Afterwards, the turbine motor 602 reverses direction, and the moving nut 604 moves downward. When the moving nut 604 moves upward, it drives the stop pin 5 and the linear bearing 703 upward, compressing the return spring 702. When the moving nut 604 moves downward, the return spring 702 releases its elastic force, pushing the stop pin 5 and the linear bearing 703 downward. When the stop pin 5 extends out of the electrical box 3, it enters the rotation range of the release hook 4, contacts the release hook 4, and restricts the rotation of the release hook 4.

[0034] Example 2: Based on the structure of Example 1, the electrical box 3 is divided into an upper chamber 301 and a lower chamber 302. The upper chamber 301 is equipped with a control system 601 and a turbine motor 602, while the lower chamber 302 is equipped with a stop pin 5, a guide mechanism 7, and a limiting mechanism 8. This partitioned arrangement effectively improves the overall waterproofness of the unhooking device.

[0035] A third sealing ring 502 is installed between the stop pin 5 and the electrical box 3 to ensure water tightness. To improve the redundancy of water tightness, two third sealing rings 502 are used for water tightness.

[0036] The main body also includes a limiting mechanism 8, which includes an upper limit switch 801, a lever 802, and a lower limit switch 803. The distance between the upper limit switch 801 and the lower limit switch 803 is greater than or equal to the extension / retraction stroke of the stop pin 5. The lever 802 is mounted on the stop pin 5. When the stop pin 5 moves upward, it drives the lever 802 to move upward. After the lever 802 touches the upper limit switch 801, the turbine motor 602 stops rotating, and thus the stop pin 5 stops moving. When the stop pin 5 moves downward, it drives the lever 802 to move downward. After the lever 802 touches the lower limit switch 803, the turbine motor 602 stops rotating, and thus the stop pin 5 stops moving.

[0037] Working process: In the initial state of the equipment, the movable nut 604 is located at the lowest end of the lead screw 603, and the return spring 702 presses against the stop pin 5. The stop pin 5 can be pressed down by hand or with a tool and retracted into the electrical box 3. After the load is suspended on the release hook 4, the stop pin 5 is released. Under the action of the return spring 702, the stop pin 5 pops out and blocks the release hook 4. When the control system 601 receives the release signal sent by the remote control, the turbine motor 602 drives the lead screw 603 to rotate, pulling the movable nut 604, which cooperates with the lead screw 603, to move upward. This, in turn, drives the stop pin 5 to move upward, compressing the return spring 702. The stop pin 5 retracts into the electrical box 3 and moves out of the rotation range of the release hook 4. The rotation restriction of the release hook 4 is released. The release hook 4 rotates under the downward force of the load in the load suspension hole 208 and is released. When the control system 601 receives a signal from the upper limit switch 801, the turbine motor 602 drives the lead screw 603 to rotate in the opposite direction, which in turn drives the moving nut 604 to move downward. The return spring 702 releases its elastic force to push the stop pin 5 downward until the control system 601 receives a signal from the lower limit switch 803. Then the turbine motor 602 stops rotating, and the stop pin 5 stops moving, completing one working cycle.

[0038] In one embodiment, the release hook 4 is designed with a wedge-shaped end 401 where the load is suspended, with a wedge angle preferably 30~45°, so that the load can slide off the release hook 4 under the action of gravity.

[0039] In one embodiment, to prevent the release hook 4 from loosening when the device is not under force, a blocking pin 9 is also provided on the body to prevent the release hook 4 from rotating in the opposite direction.

[0040] In one embodiment, the release hook 4 is installed between two load-bearing connecting plates 2. The end of the release hook 4 is either hidden between the load-bearing connecting plates 2 or slightly protrudes from the load-bearing connecting plates 2. It is necessary to ensure that the load suspension hole 208 is a closed structure so that the load is securely hung on the hook and will not fall off midway.

[0041] In one embodiment, the load-bearing connecting plate 2, the electrical box 3, and the stop pin 5 are made of ordinary stainless steel, and the equipment is corrosion resistant.

[0042] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment, characterized in that, include: ontology; Release hook (4) is rotatably mounted in the body, and a load suspension hole (208) for suspending load is constructed between the release hook (4) and the body. The release hook (4) is L-shaped and the hook end is wedge-shaped. A stop pin (5) is installed on the body and is used to disengage the release hook (4). The drive mechanism (6) is installed inside the body. The drive mechanism (6) drives the stop pin (5) to retract and disengage from the release hook (4). The control system (601) is installed inside the main body. The control system (601) is connected to the drive mechanism (6). The control system (601) controls the action of the drive mechanism (6) according to the received external instructions to make the stop pin (5) retract and disengage from the release hook (4). The load causes the release hook (4) to rotate and realize the disengagement and release.

2. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The entity includes: The load-bearing connecting plate (2) has a hook connection hole (201) on its upper part for fixing to the connecting shackle (1). The load-bearing connecting plate (2) is equipped with a load-bearing shaft (202) for rotating and installing the release hook (4). The hook connection hole (201), the load-bearing shaft (202) and the load suspension hole (208) are arranged coaxially.

3. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main body also includes an electrical box (3), which is watertightly installed between two load-bearing connecting plates (2).

4. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control system (601) and drive mechanism (6) are installed in the electrical box (3).

5. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (6) includes: a turbine motor (602), a lead screw (603) and a movable nut (604). The lead screw (603) is installed at the output end of the turbine motor (602), and the movable nut (604) is threaded onto the lead screw (603). The movable nut (604) is connected to a stop pin (5), and the stop pin (5) has a strip hole (501) for installing and restricting the rotation of the movable nut (604).

6. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The stop pin (5) is slidably mounted on the guide shaft (701), and a return spring (702) is sleeved on the guide shaft (701).

7. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body also includes a limiting mechanism (8), which includes an upper limit switch (801), a lever (802) and a lower limit switch (803). The lever (802) is mounted on the stop pin (5) and is located between the upper limit switch (801) and the lower limit switch (803). The distance between the upper limit switch (801) and the lower limit switch (803) is greater than or equal to the extension stroke of the stop pin (5).

8. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wedge angle of the release hook (4) is 30~45°.

9. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body is also equipped with a blocking pin (9).

10. The remote-controlled unhooking device for deploying marine equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The load suspension hole (208) is a closed structure.

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