Pressure-Activated Locking Mechanism for Marine Sensor Streamers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Marine geophysical survey systems face issues with sensor streamers disconnecting due to coupling mechanism failures, leading to potential loss, especially when filled with alcohol or oil, causing them to become negatively buoyant and sink, necessitating an inflatable lifting bag system to retrieve them.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-activated releasable cover system for marine geophysical survey equipment that uses compressible gas-filled appendages within sealed internal volumes to maintain a locking mechanism, which releases at predetermined depths, allowing the lifting bag to inflate and retrieve the streamer by reducing the force needed to dislodge the cover from the streamer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism is used to secure the cover to the streamer, then the streamer is protected from detachment, but the force required to dislodge the cover increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is pre-loaded during assembly to provide strong coupling security. The spring applies continuous force to engage the locking tabs with the slots, ensuring the cover remains securely attached during normal operation and deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the gas-filled appendages from pressurized (providing locking force) to depressurized (releasing locking force). By controlling the pressure parameter of the gas, the system transitions between locked and unlocked states, resolving the contradiction between maintaining security and enabling easy release.
2Reliability
If the cover is securely locked to the streamer, then data acquisition integrity is maintained, but retrieval difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gas-filled appendages that can be selectively pressurized or depressurized. During normal operation, the pressurized gas maintains the locking mechanism engaged, ensuring data acquisition integrity. During retrieval, the gas is released, causing the locking mechanism to disengage and enabling easy cover removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter of the gas-filled appendages to control the locking state. High pressure maintains secure locking for data acquisition, while low pressure enables easy retrieval. This parameter change allows the system to switch between reliable operation and easy maintenance modes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the streamer is filled with alcohol or oil for buoyancy control, then depth control is improved, but the streamer becomes negatively buoyant and sinks when disconnected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inflatable lifting bag as a counterweight system to offset the negative buoyancy of the alcohol or oil-filled streamer. When the lifting bag is inflated with gas, it provides upward buoyant force that counteracts the sinking tendency, enabling the streamer to be retrieved to the surface even when disconnected from the cover.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents loss of sensor streamers by enabling easy retrieval through reduced latching force at specific pressures, allowing the lifting bag to inflate and surface the streamer without full disconnection, thus maintaining data acquisition integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The appendages are filled with a compressible gas and disposed within respective hollows defined on the locking portions. As hydrostatic pressure increases, the gas compresses and the appendages deform, reducing the locking force.
Implementation Method 2
an inflatable lifting bag system may trigger (i.e., a retriever system). During initial inflation each lifting bag dislodges a respective protective cover, and as the lifting bags continue to inflate the bag systems causes the sensor streamer to surface.
Data Source
AI summary
Pressure activated linear locking mechanisms and related methods. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems including: a cover member defining an inner surface, an outer surface, a length, and a first locking portion; a first hollow defined in the locking portion, the first hollow extending along the length of the cover member; a locking member defining a first appendage extending along a first side, the first appendage defines a cross-section and an internal volume; said first appendage disposed within the first hollow, and when the releasable cover is exposed to atmospheric pressure, the first appendage in an inflated condition; and the first appendage is configured to transition to a deflated condition in response to a predetermined pressure greater than the initial pressure.