Offshore unmanned ship recovery device

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of unmanned surface vessel (USV) recovery and discloses a marine USV recovery device, including a gantry. The gantry has an inclined structure with a lower front and a higher rear. The entrance of the gantry is equipped with a guide roller for guiding the USV in, and the entrance of the gantry is an outwardly expanding funnel-shaped structure. A rectangular lifting device is provided above the gantry, and a set of lifting ropes is provided at the four corners below the rectangular lifting device. A set of lifting hook ropes is provided on both sides above the rectangular lifting device. Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages: the entire gantry is lowered into the sea, and the USV moves towards the gantry by propeller propulsion. With the help of the funnel-shaped entrance structure, it aligns with the channel. When entering, the propulsion force drives the guide roller to rotate, and the rolling friction reduces the resistance. After fully entering, the front guard prevents the hull from moving forward, and the inclined structure of the gantry with a lower front and a higher rear forms a natural limit, preventing the hull from sliding out of the rear of the gantry and achieving stable parking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model specifically relates to a marine unmanned vessel recovery device, belonging to the field of unmanned vessel recovery technology. Background Technology

[0002] Nearshore surveying unmanned vessels can be equipped with side-scan sonar, multibeam echo sounders and other equipment to accurately collect data on water depth, seabed topography and sediment in nearshore areas. They can also monitor changes in nearshore water quality and coastline. They do not require manual navigation and can operate in shallow waters and narrow sea areas, avoiding personnel safety risks, improving surveying efficiency and data accuracy, and providing key data support for port construction, waterway planning and marine ecological protection.

[0003] By using a gantry crane in conjunction with lifting equipment, unmanned vessels can be recovered, reducing close-range operations such as manual boarding and pulling, and avoiding the risk of personnel falling into the water or being collided with vessels in rough sea conditions. However, the general-purpose gantry cranes currently on the market have problems such as inconvenience for vessels to enter, uneven force distribution during lifting, and poor stability, which not only affect the efficiency of deployment and recovery, but also pose great safety hazards.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application proposes a marine unmanned vessel recovery device. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a marine unmanned surface vessel (USV) recovery device. The device involves lowering the entire gantry into the sea, with the USV propelled towards the gantry by a propeller. The gantry aligns with the channel via an inlet funnel-shaped structure, and the propulsion force drives the guide rollers to rotate, reducing resistance through rolling friction. Once fully inside, the front guard prevents the hull from moving forward, and the gantry's tilted structure (lower at the front and higher at the rear) provides a natural limit, preventing the hull from sliding out towards the rear of the gantry and ensuring stable positioning. The lifting equipment hook is connected to two sets of lifting ropes, and the lifting equipment applies upward force. The rectangular lifting device evenly distributes the lifting force to the ropes, balancing the force on the gantry and preventing tilting. Finally, the USV is lifted smoothly from the sea surface along with the gantry, thus solving the problems mentioned in the background section.

[0006] A marine unmanned vessel recovery device includes a gantry, the interior of which is designed with an inclined structure that is lower at the front and higher at the back. The entrance of the gantry is provided with an inlet roller for guiding the unmanned vessel in, and the entrance of the gantry is designed with an outwardly expanding funnel-shaped structure.

[0007] The overhead frame is equipped with a rectangular lifting device, and a set of lifting ropes is provided at the four lower corners of the rectangular lifting device, and a set of lifting hook ropes is provided on both upper sides of the device.

[0008] The hanger is provided with a guide assembly at the rear. The guide assembly includes two sets of rotatable guide frames, and multiple sets of rotating rollers are installed in the guide frames.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the hanger includes a horizontally arranged base frame, a front guard frame fixedly installed at the front end of the base frame, and two sets of entrance frames fixedly installed at the rear end of the base frame. A counterweight is installed below the front end of the front guard frame.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the two sets of entrance frames are distributed in a mirror symmetrical manner, and each set of entrance frames extends outward at an angle away from the base frame. The two sets of entrance frames and the rear end of the base frame together enclose the funnel-shaped entrance.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the front guard is equipped with rubber cushioning pads on the side facing the base frame.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a set of rotating shafts are respectively installed on both sides of the inlet roller, and the rotating shafts are rotatably connected to the inlet frame.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the upper end of the lifting rope is fixedly connected to a rectangular lifting device, and the lower end of the rope is connected to a fixing block, which is fixedly connected to the base frame.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the rectangular lifting device includes a rectangular frame and two sets of reinforcing rods installed inside the rectangular frame.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the lower end of the hook rope is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the rectangular frame.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, a scale is vertically mounted on one side of the front guard, and the surface of the scale has uniformly distributed graduation lines along its length.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, an L-shaped upright is installed above each of the two sets of entrance frames. An adjusting motor is mounted on the upright, and a drive shaft is installed on the side of the guide frame near the upright. The lower end of the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the entrance frame, and its upper end is connected to the output shaft of the adjusting motor.

[0018] Beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. The entire gantry is lowered into the sea, and then the unmanned surface vessel (USV) is propelled by its propeller to move towards the gantry. The USV aligns itself with the channel using the funnel-shaped structure (outward expansion design) at the gantry entrance. During entry, the USV's propulsion drives the guide rollers inside the entrance to rotate synchronously. Rolling friction replaces sliding friction, significantly reducing the resistance to entry. Once the USV is fully inside the gantry, the front guard directly blocks the vessel from moving forward, preventing it from leaving the gantry. At the same time, the inclined structure inside the gantry, which is lower at the front and higher at the rear, forms a natural limit, effectively preventing the vessel from sliding out of the rear of the gantry before hoisting, thus achieving stable parking of the vessel inside the gantry.

[0020] 2. By designing lifting ropes, rectangular spreaders, and hook ropes, the hook of the lifting equipment is first connected to two sets of hook ropes. Then, the lifting equipment is started and applies upward force. The rectangular spreader has a frame structure with four sets of lifting ropes connected to the four corners at the bottom. This layout can evenly transfer the lifting force borne by the rectangular spreader to the four sets of lifting ropes and act on the gantry, so that the gantry is balanced in force and not easy to tilt. This design can significantly improve the stability of the gantry during lifting, so that the unmanned vessel can rise steadily with the gantry and leave the sea surface.

[0021] 3. By designing guiding components, the rotation and adjustment of the guiding frame can effectively expand the entry guidance range of the unmanned vessel, creating more relaxed initial conditions for the unmanned vessel to enter the position. When the unmanned vessel sails to contact the rotating roller, the rotating roller can play a guiding role, guiding the unmanned vessel to smoothly drive into the inside of the gantry along the path. At the same time, through the coordinated swing adjustment of the two sets of guiding frames, the bow of the unmanned vessel can be pushed to be straightened, so that it can maintain the correct posture, thereby more conveniently and accurately aligning with the gantry entrance to complete the driving action. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a top-down structural diagram of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified structural diagram of part A;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram of part B.

[0027] In the diagram, 1. Hanger; 11. Base frame; 12. Entrance frame; 13. Front guard frame; 2. Scale; 3. Lifting rope; 4. Rectangular lifting device; 5. Lifting hook rope; 6. Guide roller; 7. Fixing block; 8. Guide assembly; 81. Guide frame; 82. Rotating roller; 83. Adjusting motor; 84. Upright pole; 85. Drive shaft; 9. Rotating shaft; 10. Counterweight. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0029] Please see Figures 1-5 As shown, a marine unmanned vessel recovery device includes a gantry 1. The gantry 1 has an inclined structure with a lower front and a higher rear. The inclined structure with a lower front and a higher rear can form a natural limit, making it difficult for the unmanned vessel to slide backward during hoisting. The entrance of the gantry 1 is provided with an inlet roller 6 for guiding the unmanned vessel in. The entrance of the gantry 1 is designed as an outwardly expanding funnel-shaped structure. The funnel-shaped entrance expands the docking range and facilitates the alignment of the unmanned vessel.

[0030] A rectangular lifting device 4 is provided above the lifting frame 1. A set of lifting ropes 3 is provided at the four corners below the rectangular lifting device 4, and a set of lifting hook ropes 5 is provided on both sides above it.

[0031] A guide assembly 8 is provided at the rear of the hanger 1. The guide assembly 8 includes two sets of rotatable guide frames 81, and multiple sets of rotating rollers 82 are installed in the guide frames 81.

[0032] Please see Figures 1-3 As shown, the hanger 1 includes a horizontally arranged base frame 11, a front guard frame 13 fixedly installed at the front end of the base frame 11, and two sets of entrance frames 12 fixedly installed at the rear end of the base frame 11. A counterweight 10 is installed below the front end of the front guard frame 13. The counterweight 10 can increase the weight of the front end of the hanger 1, thereby balancing the weight of the roller 82 and the guide frame 81 behind it.

[0033] Please see Figures 1-3 As shown, the two sets of entrance frames 12 are distributed in a mirror symmetrical manner, and each set of entrance frames 12 extends outward in a direction away from the base frame 11. The two sets of entrance frames 12 and the rear end of the base frame 11 together form a funnel-shaped entrance. The funnel-shaped entrance can greatly expand the docking range of the unmanned vessel. Even when the unmanned vessel is slightly deviated due to the disturbance of the near-shore water current, it can still be guided to smoothly align with the entry channel.

[0034] Rubber buffer pads are installed on the side of the front guard frame 13 facing the base frame 11. The rubber buffer pads can buffer the collision impact between the unmanned vessel and the front guard frame 13 when the unmanned vessel is fully driven into the gantry 1 and comes into contact with the front guard frame 13, so as to avoid damage to the hull of the unmanned vessel or the front guard frame 13 due to rigid collision.

[0035] Please see Figure 4 As shown, a set of rotating shafts 9 are installed on both sides of the inlet roller 6, and the rotating shafts 9 are rotatably connected to the entrance frame 12. The rotatable connection between the rotating shafts 9 and the entrance frame 12 allows the inlet roller 6 to rotate freely around its own axis. When the unmanned vessel propels in, the inlet roller 6 can rotate synchronously with the movement of the vessel, converting the sliding friction between the vessel and the entrance frame 12 into rolling friction, which greatly reduces the resistance of the unmanned vessel entering.

[0036] Please see Figures 1-3As shown, the upper end of the lifting rope 3 is fixedly connected to the rectangular lifting device 4, and the lower end of the rope is connected to the fixing block 7, which is fixedly connected to the base frame 11.

[0037] Please see Figures 1-3 As shown, the rectangular lifting device 4 includes a rectangular frame and two sets of reinforcing rods installed inside the rectangular frame. The rectangular frame provides a stable connection carrier for the lifting rope 3 and the hook rope 5, ensuring the stability of the foundation structure for the transmission of lifting force; the two sets of reinforcing rods inside can enhance the structural strength of the rectangular frame.

[0038] Please see Figures 1-3 As shown, the lower end of the hook rope 5 is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the rectangular frame.

[0039] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a scale 2 is vertically installed on one side of the front guard 13. The surface of the scale 2 has uniformly distributed scale lines along its length. The scale 2 can assist the operator in monitoring the draft of the unmanned vessel after entering the gantry 1 or the lowering depth of the gantry 1.

[0040] Each of the two sets of entrance frames 12 has an L-shaped upright 84 installed above it. An adjusting motor 83 is installed on the upright 84. A drive shaft 85 is installed on the side of the guide frame 81 near the upright 84. The lower end of the drive shaft 85 is rotatably connected to the entrance frame 12, and its upper end is connected to the output shaft of the adjusting motor 83.

[0041] In practical use, the working principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0042] By hooking the lifting equipment's hook onto two sets of hook ropes 5, the entire lifting frame 1 is lowered into the sea using the lifting equipment. The funnel-shaped entrance formed by the two sets of entrance frames 12 and the rear end of the base frame 11 provides a docking channel for the unmanned vessel. The unmanned vessel moves towards the lifting frame 1 via propeller propulsion. An external controller can be connected to the regulating motor 83 for convenient control. During the unmanned vessel's entry phase, the controller drives the regulating motor 83 to operate, which in turn drives the two sets of guide frames 81 to rotate to both sides of the outside of the lifting frame 1 via the drive shaft 85, thereby expanding the initial guidance range of the unmanned vessel. When the unmanned vessel sails into the area within the guide frames 81... When the roller 82 makes contact, the roller 82 plays a guiding role by rolling characteristics, reducing the resistance of the unmanned vessel entering and guiding it to move smoothly into the gantry 1 along a preset path. During this process, the two sets of guide frames 81 can swing in coordination, gradually reducing the entry space to strengthen the constraint on the unmanned vessel, and simultaneously pushing the bow of the unmanned vessel to straighten, ensuring that it always maintains the correct posture aligned with the entrance of the gantry 1. If a slight deviation occurs during the entry process, the angle of either guide frame 81 can be adjusted by rotating it individually to specifically push the unmanned vessel to correct its position, ultimately achieving a more convenient and precise entry action.

[0043] Subsequently, the unmanned vessel can enter the gantry 1 through the funnel-shaped entrance. During the entry process, the unmanned vessel's propulsion drives the guide roller 6 to rotate synchronously, replacing sliding friction with rolling friction to significantly reduce the resistance of the vessel entering. After the unmanned vessel has completely entered the gantry 1, the front guard 13 of the base frame 11 is aligned with the rubber buffer pad on one side of the base frame 11 to buffer the impact of the vessel. At the same time, the front guard 13 prevents the vessel from moving forward and avoids it from leaving the gantry 1. The inclined structure inside the gantry 1, which is lower at the front and higher at the rear, forms a natural limit, effectively restricting the vessel from sliding out of the rear of the gantry 1 before hoisting, thus achieving stable parking of the vessel inside the frame.

[0044] When the lifting equipment starts to exert upward force, the rectangular spreader 4 will evenly transfer the lifting force it bears to the gantry 1 through four sets of lifting ropes 3, so that the gantry 1 is balanced by the force and is not easy to tilt. Finally, the unmanned vessel rises steadily with the gantry 1 and leaves the sea surface, completing the recovery.

[0045] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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 utility model; the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances. Moreover, the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A marine unmanned vessel recovery device, characterized in that, Includes a gantry (1), the interior of which is an inclined structure with a lower front and a higher rear, and the entrance of the gantry (1) is provided with an inlet roller (6) for guiding the unmanned vessel into the gantry, and the entrance of the gantry (1) is a funnel-shaped structure that expands outward. The bracket (1) is provided with a rectangular lifting device (4) above it. A set of lifting ropes (3) is provided at the four corners below the rectangular lifting device (4), and a set of lifting hook ropes (5) is provided on both sides above it. The hanger (1) is provided with a guide assembly (8) at the rear. The guide assembly (8) includes two sets of rotatable guide frames (81) and multiple sets of rotating rollers (82) are installed in the guide frames (81).

2. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The hanger (1) includes a horizontally arranged base frame (11), a front guard frame (13) fixedly installed at the front end of the base frame (11), and two sets of entrance frames (12) fixedly installed at the rear end of the base frame (11). A counterweight block (10) is installed below the front end of the front guard frame (13).

3. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The two sets of entrance frames (12) are distributed in a mirror symmetrical manner, and each set of entrance frames (12) extends outward in a direction away from the base frame (11). The two sets of entrance frames (12) and the rear end of the base frame (11) together enclose the trumpet-shaped entrance.

4. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The front guard (13) is equipped with rubber buffer pads on the side facing the base frame (11).

5. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 4, characterized in that: A set of rotating shafts (9) are installed on both sides of the inlet roller (6), and the rotating shafts (9) are rotatably connected to the inlet frame (12).

6. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the sling (3) is fixedly connected to the rectangular lifting device (4), and the lower end is connected to a fixing block (7), which is fixedly connected to the base frame (11).

7. A marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The rectangular lifting device (4) includes a rectangular frame and two sets of reinforcing rods installed inside the rectangular frame.

8. The marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The lower end of the hook rope (5) is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the rectangular frame.

9. A marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 4, characterized in that: A scale (2) is vertically installed on one side of the front guard (13), and the surface of the scale (2) is provided with uniformly distributed scale lines along its length.

10. A marine unmanned vessel recovery device as described in claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the two sets of entrance frames (12) is equipped with a set of L-shaped uprights (84). An adjusting motor (83) is installed on the uprights (84). A drive shaft (85) is installed on the side of the guide frame (81) near the uprights (84). The lower end of the drive shaft (85) is rotatably connected to the entrance frame (12), and its upper end is connected to the output shaft of the adjusting motor (83).

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