Device adapted for launching and recovering a marine craft, comprising a skirt for guiding the marine craft

Abstract

Device adapted for launching and recovering a marine craft, comprising a skirt for guiding the marine craft Device (16) for launching and recovering a marine craft (14), comprising a floating reception structure (20) defining a reception space (28) for the marine craft and an access opening (30), the reception structure comprising: - two lateral parts (32A, 32B) extending in an engagement direction (L) and located on either side of the reception space, - a tubular frame element (34A) connecting the two lateral parts and located under the reception space, the opening being delimited at least by the two lateral parts and the frame element.The device comprises a skirt (24) comprising an elastomeric material, the skirt having a front portion fixed to the frame element, two side portions fixed to the receiving structure, and a middle portion inclined downwards and forming a ramp (58) adapted to guide a bow of the marine craft towards the opening during recovery. Figure for abstract: Figure 2.

Description

Title of the invention: Device suitable for launching and recovering a marine vehicle, comprising a skirt for guiding the marine vehicle

[0001] The present invention lies in the field of devices for launching and recovering marine vehicles, such as autonomous or remotely piloted or conventionally piloted surface or underwater vehicles (known in English as USV, for Unmanned Surface Vehicle, and UUV for Unmanned Underwater Vehicle). Among the surface vehicles, some are rigid hull inflatable boats, or RHIB (in English Rigid Hull Inflatable Boal).

[0002] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising such a device and the marine vehicle.

[0003] Such a device is generally implemented from a surface vessel underway, and is part of a launch and recovery system known as LARS (LaunchAndRecoverySystem). This allows the marine craft to be launched from the surface vessel and recovered on board the surface vessel via the device.

[0004] The device comprises a receiving structure adapted to float on a body of water, such as a sea or an ocean, the receiving structure defining a receiving space for the marine craft and an access opening to the receiving space. The marine craft is intended, during recovery, to engage in the receiving space in a direction of engagement defined by the receiving structure, passing through the access opening.

[0005] The receiving structure comprises at least two lateral parts extending in the direction of engagement and located on either side of the receiving space, and tubular frame elements, or ribs, connecting the two lateral parts to each other transversely and located in the water under the receiving space. The frame elements are generally successive in the direction of engagement and form a gapped bottom of the device, on which the marine craft rests once received in the receiving space. The access opening is delimited in particular by the two lateral parts and the first of the frame elements.

[0006] Due to relative movements of the marine craft with respect to the device, in particular due to the state of the sea, there is a risk of impact, possibly quite violent, of the bow of the marine craft on the first of the frame elements when the marine craft enters the reception space, i.e. during a recovery. These impacts, repeated at each recovery, are likely to damage the device by creating cracks in the reception structure, and therefore to cause unavailability or a need for maintenance.

[0007] The aim of the invention is then to overcome this problem, that is to say to improve the availability of the device and reduce its need for maintenance.

[0008] For this purpose, the invention relates to a device suitable for launching and recovering a marine craft, the device comprising a receiving structure suitable for floating on a body of water, the receiving structure defining a space for receiving the marine craft and an opening for access to the receiving space, the marine craft being intended, during recovery, to engage in the receiving space in a direction of engagement defined by the receiving structure by passing through the opening in a forward direction, the receiving structure comprising:

[0009] - at least two lateral parts extending in the direction of engagement and located on either side of the reception space in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of engagement,

[0010] - at least one tubular frame element connecting the two lateral parts to each other the other transversely and located under the reception space, the opening being delimited at least by the two lateral parts and the frame element,

[0011] comprising a skirt comprising an elastomeric material, the skirt having a front portion fixed to the frame member, and two side portions fixed to the receiving structure, the skirt extending rearwardly in the engagement direction from the frame member and having at least one middle portion located between the side portions in the transverse direction, the middle portion being inclined downwards relative to the engagement direction and forming a ramp adapted to guide a bow of the marine craft towards the opening during recovery.

[0012] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the device comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0013] - the skirt comprises a tarpaulin, and / or a network of straps;

[0014] - the skirt has a free rear edge having a given shape when the device floats on the body of water and is stationary relative to the body of water, and has a rigidity suitable so that no point on the trailing edge moves more than 50 mm relative to the receiving structure when the device is moving at 5.0 knots relative to the body of water in the forward engagement direction;

[0015] - the skirt has a flexibility suitable for the skirt to collapse vertically when the device is stored on a horizontal flat surface, such that the device occupies substantially the same position relative to the surface in the presence or absence of the skirt;

[0016] - the front portion of the skirt defines with the direction of engagement an angle at level of the reinforcement element in a median plane of the device perpendicular to the transverse direction, said angle being less than 30°; and / or the median portion of the skirt has a curved shape whose convexity is turned downwards, the skirt comprising a free rear edge, the median portion defining with the direction of engagement an angle at a rear edge in the median plane, said angle being less than 10°;

[0017] - the elastomeric material is polyurethane, polychloroprene or silicone;

[0018] - the skirt has a thickness of between 15 and 45 mm at all points;

[0019] - the device comprises two arms extending from the frame element towards the rear in the engagement direction, the two arms being located on either side of the skirt in the transverse direction, the two lateral portions of the skirt being fixed respectively on the two arms; and

[0020] - the reinforcement element comprises two lateral portions, and a middle portion mechanically connecting the two lateral portions together, the front portion of the skirt being fixed only to a middle portion of the reinforcement element and being free relative to the two lateral portions of the reinforcement element.

[0021] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a device as described above, and a marine craft adapted, in the event of recovery, to engage in the reception space in the direction of engagement by passing through the opening in the forward direction, the ramp formed by the middle portion of the skirt guiding the bow of the marine craft towards the opening.

[0022] The invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0023] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a schematic top view of an assembly according to the invention, the assembly being in a lateral position relative to a mother ship,

[0024] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic, perspective view of a device according to the invention included in the assembly shown in [Fig.l],

[0025] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a partial schematic view, in perspective, of the device re shown in Figures 1 and 2, the view being centered on a skirt of the device,

[0026] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a partial schematic view of the assembly shown in the [Fig.l], in section along a median plane of the device, the view being centered on a reinforcement element, the median plane being perpendicular to the reinforcement element, and

[0027] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a partial view from below of a device constituting a variant of the device shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0028] With reference to [Fig.l], an assembly 10 according to the invention is described.

[0029] The assembly 10 is positioned lateral to a mother ship 12. The mother ship 12 and the assembly 10 form a launch and recovery system (or LARS) of a marine craft 14.

[0030] As a variant (not shown), the assembly 10 is for example in a rear position relative to the mother ship 12.

[0031] The assembly 10 comprises the marine craft 14, and a device 16 (figures 2 to 4) adapted to launch and recover the marine craft, which is advantageously stored in or on the mother ship 12 after recovery.

[0032] The mother ship 12 is advantageously adapted to store other marine craft (not shown), adapted to be launched and recovered by the device 10 or another similar device (not shown), then possibly stored again in the mother ship.

[0033] The marine vehicle 14 is advantageously an autonomous or remotely piloted vehicle, surface or underwater, for example of the USV, UUV or RHIB type mentioned above. The marine vehicle 14 may also be a conventionally piloted vehicle.

[0034] For example, the device 16 is connected to the mother ship 12 by cables 18 (symbolized in [Fig.l]).

[0035] Advantageously, the device 16 can itself be transported in or on the mother ship 12, in particular when the latter is underway. The device 16 is advantageously launched when it is necessary to launch or recover one or more marine vehicles.

[0036] As visible in [Fig.2], the device 16 comprises a receiving structure 20 adapted to float on a body of water 22, for example an ocean or a sea, and a skirt 24. In the example, the device 16 further comprises two arms 26A, 26B on which the skirt 24 is fixed.

[0037] The receiving structure 20 defines a receiving space 28 for the marine craft 14 and an opening 30 for access to the receiving space 28, the marine craft 14 being intended, during recovery, to engage in the receiving space in an engagement direction L passing through the opening.

[0038] The engagement direction L is defined by the receiving structure 20 and is a longitudinal direction of the device 16 in the example, advantageously substantially horizontal when the device is in equilibrium on the expanse of water 22. For example, the engagement direction L is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction L' of the mother ship 12.

[0039] The direction of engagement defines a forward direction A in the direction of engagement L, the forward direction making it possible to define a front side and a rear side of the device 16.

[0040] A transverse direction T is also defined, perpendicular to the engagement direction L and intended to be substantially horizontal when the device 16 is in equilibrium on the expanse of water 22, and a direction V perpendicular to the engagement direction L and to the transverse direction T, and vertical in the example when the device is in equilibrium.

[0041] The receiving structure 20 comprises two lateral parts 32A, 32B extending in the engagement direction L and located on either side of the receiving space 28 in the transverse direction T. The receiving structure 20 comprises a frame element 34A, or floor joist.

[0042] In the example, the receiving structure 20 comprises other frame elements 34B to 34D structurally similar to the frame element 34A. The frame elements 34A to 34D define a gapped bottom 36 of the device 16, advantageously forming with the two lateral parts 32A, 32B a cradle defining at least in part the receiving space 28.

[0043] Advantageously, the receiving structure 20 comprises gantries 38A, 38B to allow the device 16 or the assembly 10 to be lifted by means not shown, and also comprises protections 40 arranged on the frame elements 34A to 34D. The receiving structure 20 advantageously comprises other elements that are conventional in this type of structure and which will not be described here.

[0044] The frame element 34A, the two lateral parts 32A, 32B, and in the example the gantry 38A, define the opening 30.

[0045] According to variants not shown, the other reinforcement elements 34B to 34D are not analogous to the reinforcement element 34A, and the bottom 36 is for example not as lacunar as in the example.

[0046] The two lateral parts 32A, 32B advantageously form floats and join in the example towards the front of the device 16 to form a prow.

[0047] The opening 30 extends for example perpendicular to the direction of engagement L.

[0048] The armature element 34A is tubular and connects the two lateral parts 32A, 32B to each other transversely and is located under the receiving space 28. The armature element 34A comprises for example several successive tubes 42, and advantageously fixing panels 44 attached to at least some of the tubes 42 of the armature element.

[0049] For example, the armature element 34A comprises two lateral portions 46A, 46B advantageously inclined relative to the transverse direction T, and a middle portion 44C mechanically connecting the two lateral portions together.

[0050] In the example, the two arms 26A, 26B extend from the frame element 34A towards the rear in the engagement direction L. The two arms 26A, 26B are located on either side of the skirt 24 in the transverse direction T. The two arms 26A, 26B are for example tubular and advantageously comprise fixing panels 48.

[0051] The skirt 24 comprises an elastomeric material, advantageously resistant to sea water, and to abrasion and repeated impacts from a bow 50 of the marine craft 14.

[0052] The skirt 24 comprises a front portion 52 fixed to the frame element 34A, and two lateral portions 54A, 54B fixed to the receiving structure 20, in the example respectively on the two arms 26A, 26B.

[0053] The skirt 24 extends rearwardly in the engagement direction L from the frame element 34A and comprises at least one middle portion 56 located between the lateral portions 54A, 54B in the transverse direction T, the middle portion 56 being inclined downwards relative to the engagement direction L and forming a ramp 58 adapted to guide the bow 50 of the marine craft 14 towards the opening 30 during recovery.

[0054] The skirt 24 comprises for example a tarpaulin 60 (forming a sheet), and / or a network of straps 62 (symbolized in [Fig.3]).

[0055] The skirt 24 comprises for example a free rear edge 64 having a given shape when the device 16 floats on the body of water 22 and is stationary relative to the body of water. The skirt 24 advantageously has a rigidity adapted so that no point of the rear edge 64 moves more than 50 mm relative to the receiving structure 20 when the device 16 moves at 5.0 knots relative to the body of water 22 in the engagement direction L in the forward direction A.

[0056] For this purpose, the skirt 24 is advantageously retained by one or more straps 67 extending between the frame element 34A, in particular its middle portion 46C, and a lower surface 68 of the skirt. This helps the skirt 24 to retain its shape.

[0057] The skirt 24 advantageously has a flexibility suitable for the skirt 24 to collapse vertically by a distance D when the device 16 is stored on a horizontal plane surface S ([Fig.4]), for example in a hangar (not shown) of the mother ship 12, so that the device 16 occupies substantially the same position relative to the surface S in the presence or absence of the skirt 24.

[0058] For example, the skirt 24 has at all points a thickness E of between 15 and 45 mm.

[0059] Advantageously, the skirt 24 is fixed using plates 65 bolted to the fixing panels 44, 48, the skirt being sandwiched between the plates 65 and the fixing panels 44, 48. The plates 65 are for example received in grooves or shoulders (not shown) defined by the skirt 24, so that the plates 65 and the bolts 66 do not protrude relative to the skirt.

[0060] The front portion 52 of the skirt 24 advantageously defines with the direction of engagement L an angle α at the level of the armature element 34A in a median plane M of the device 16 perpendicular to the transverse direction T, said angle α being less than 30°, preferably less than 25°. This makes it possible to limit the drag of the skirt 24 in the water and to prevent the skirt from coming loose.

[0061] Advantageously, the middle portion 56 of the skirt 24 has a curved shape. whose convexity is turned downwards. In other words, the angle of attack of the skirt 24 decreases as it approaches the rear edge 64. For example, the median portion 56 of the skirt 24 defines with the direction of engagement L an angle [3 at a rear edge 64 in the median plane M, said angle [3 being less than 10°, preferably less than 5°. This also has the effect of reducing drag and preventing the skirt 24 from stalling.

[0062] The elastomeric material is for example polyurethane, polychloroprene or silicone.

[0063] According to a variant shown in [Fig.5], the front portion 52 of the skirt 24 is fixed only to the middle portion 46C of the frame element 34A and is free relative to the two lateral portions 46A, 46B of the frame element. This facilitates the fixing of the skirt 24 and the obtaining of the curved shape described above.

[0064] According to a variant not shown, the two arms 26A, 26B do not exist and the two lateral portions 54A, 54B of the skirt 24 are for example fixed respectively on the two lateral parts 32A, 32B of the receiving structure 20.

[0065] The protections 40 are located on top of at least some of the tubes 42 of the frame elements 34A to 34D and are adapted to avoid direct contact between the bow 50 of the marine craft 14 and the tubes 42. The protections 40 fixed on the frame element 34A are advantageously located in the extension of the skirt 24 around the frame element 34A.

[0066] Thanks to the characteristics described above, the skirt 24 makes it possible to guide the bow 50 of the marine vehicle 14 towards the opening 30, thus avoiding repeated and violent impacts on the frame element 34A. The skirt 24 acts as a ramp 58 or pseudo-ramp. This reduces the need for maintenance of the device 16 and improves its availability.

[0067] The skirt 24 is made of material(s) advantageously resistant to sea water, and to abrasion and repeated impacts of the bow 50 of the marine vehicle 14.

[0068] The skirt 24 makes it possible to enlarge the entry cone of the marine vehicle 14 in the structure reception 20, and thus to capture the marine vehicle despite potentially significant relative movements, in particular the pitching and heaving of the bow 50.

[0069] Thanks to its relative flexibility, the skirt 24 also cushions the arrival of the marine craft 14 before the latter passes over the frame element 34A and enters the reception space 28. The skirt 24 can also collapse vertically in the event of storage of the device 16 on the surface S, for example in the hangar of the mother ship 12.

[0070] Thanks to its relative rigidity and to the possible strap(s) 67, the skirt 24 does not change shape too much, even when the device 16 advances at 5.0 knots on the expanse of water 22 in the direction of engagement L in the forward direction A.

Claims

Claims

1. Device (16) adapted for launching and recovering a marine craft (14), the device (16) comprising a receiving structure (20) adapted to float on a body of water (22), the receiving structure (20) defining a receiving space (28) for the marine craft (14) and an opening (30) for access to the receiving space (28), the marine craft (14) being intended, during recovery, to engage in the receiving space (28) in an engagement direction (L) defined by the receiving structure (20) by passing through the opening (30) in a forward direction (A), the receiving structure (20) comprising: - at least two lateral parts (32A, 32B) extending in the engagement direction (L) and located on either side of the receiving space (28) in a transverse direction (T) perpendicular to the engagement direction (L), - at least one tubular frame element (34A) connecting the two lateral parts (32A,32B) to each other transversely and located under the receiving space (28), the opening (30) being delimited at least by the two lateral portions (32A, 32B) and the armature element (34A), characterized in that it comprises a skirt (24) comprising an elastomeric material, the skirt (24) comprising a front portion (52) fixed on the armature element (34A), and two lateral portions (54A, 54B) fixed on the receiving structure (20), the skirt (24) extending rearwardly in the direction of engagement from the armature element (34A) and comprising at least one middle portion (56) located between the lateral portions (54A, 54B) in the transverse direction (T), the middle portion (56) being inclined downwards relative to the direction of engagement (L) and forming a ramp (58) adapted to guide a bow (50) of the marine craft (14) towards the opening (30) during recovery.,

2. Device (16) according to claim 1, in which the skirt (24) comprises: - a tarpaulin (60), and / or - a network of straps (62).

3. Device (16) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the skirt (24): - comprises a free rear edge (64) having a given shape when the device (16) floats on the body of water (22) and is stationary relative to the body of water (22), and - has a rigidity adapted so that no point of the rear edge (64) moves more than 50 mm relative to the receiving structure (20) when the device (16) moves at 5.0 knots relative to the body of water (22) in the direction of engagement (L) in the forward direction (A).

4. Device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the skirt (24) has a flexibility adapted so that the skirt (24) collapses vertically when the device (16) is stored on a horizontal plane surface (S), so that the device (16) occupies substantially the same position relative to the surface (S) in the presence or absence of the skirt (24).

5. Device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: - the front portion (52) of the skirt (24) defines with the direction of engagement (L) an angle (a) at the level of the reinforcement element (34A) in a median plane (M) of the device (16) perpendicular to the transverse direction (T), said angle (a) being less than 30°, and / or - the median portion (56) of the skirt (24) has a curved shape whose convexity is turned downwards, the skirt (24) comprising a free rear edge (64), the median portion (56) defining with the direction of engagement (L) an angle (|3) at a rear edge (64) in the median plane (M), said angle (|3) being less than 10°.

6. A device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastomeric material is polyurethane, polychloroprene or silicone.

7. Device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the skirt (24) has at all points a thickness (E) of between 15 and 45 mm.

8. Device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising two arms (26A, 26B) extending from the frame element (34A) rearwardly in the engagement direction (L), the two arms (26A, 26B) being located on either side of the skirt (24) in the transverse direction (T), the two lateral portions (54A, 54B) of the skirt (24) being fixed respectively on the two arms (26A, 26B).

9. Device (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the frame element (34A) comprises two lateral portions (46A, 46B), and a middle portion (46C) mechanically connecting the two lateral portions (46A, 46B) together, the front portion (52) of the skirt (24) being fixed only on a middle portion (46C) of the reinforcement element (34A) and being free relative to the two lateral portions (46A, 46B) of the reinforcement element (34A).

10. Assembly (10) comprising a device (16) as described by any one of claims 1 to 9, and a marine craft (14) adapted, in the event of recovery, to engage in the reception space (28) in the direction of engagement (L) passing through the opening (30) in the forward direction (A), the ramp (58) formed by the middle portion (56) of the skirt (24) guiding the bow (50) of the marine craft (14) towards the opening (30).

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