Stacked Container Crane for Underwater Vehicle Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems for deploying and recovering underwater vehicles are costly due to limited flexibility, high operational costs, and inefficiencies in handling multiple vehicles, especially in adverse weather conditions, and require ships with on-board cranes, limiting vessel choices and increasing costs.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a crane in a first container stacked on a second container for underwater vehicles, allowing for flexible positioning and operation, enabling deployment and recovery in various locations, accommodating multiple vehicles, and reducing the need for ships with permanent cranes by using standard ISO containers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a container is used for deploying and recovering an underwater vehicle with a crane inside it, then the system is compact and can be mounted on the stern of a ship, but only a single underwater vehicle can be accommodated and the crane's operating area is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer sizeVSAvoidcrane operating area

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate containers: a first container for the crane and a second container for storing multiple underwater vehicles. This segmentation allows the crane to have a larger operating area while the storage container can accommodate multiple vehicles, resolving the contradiction between compactness and versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first container is positioned vertically above the second container, utilizing the vertical dimension to separate the crane's operating space from the vehicle storage space. This dimensional arrangement allows the crane to operate over the water while vehicles are stored below, expanding both the crane's reach and the storage capacity without increasing the horizontal footprint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the crane is positioned at the stern of the ship, then deployment is straightforward, but deployment from starboard or port side is not possible without rotating the entire ship

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment simplicityVSAvoiddeployment location flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The first container with the crane is designed to be movable along the second container, allowing the crane to be dynamically repositioned between the stern, starboard, and port side of the ship. This dynamic positioning capability enables deployment from any side without rotating the entire ship, maintaining operational simplicity while enhancing deployment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If a ship with an on-board crane is used, then underwater vehicles can be deployed and recovered, but the choice of available mother ships is limited and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem integrationVSAvoidship selection range

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The crane system is segmented into a separate, movable first container that can be transported and mounted on any suitable ship, rather than being permanently integrated into the ship's structure. This allows the system to be adapted to various ship types without requiring expensive custom modifications, expanding the range of available mother ships while maintaining full deployment and recovery functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If the underwater vehicle moves three-dimensionally relative to the mother ship due to sea conditions, then the vehicle can handle waves and wind, but the relative movements cannot be compensated if wave height is too high or mother ship's rolling motion becomes excessive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle autonomyVSAvoidsea conditions impact

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The crane acts as an intermediary system between the mother ship and the underwater vehicle during deployment and recovery operations. It provides a stable interface that compensates for relative movements caused by sea conditions, allowing the vehicle to be safely deployed and recovered even when the ship experiences rolling or when wave heights are significant, without compromising vehicle autonomy during the mission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3423344B1System for deploying and recovering an underwater vehicle

Publication Date: 2020.02.26 FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV

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AI summary

The invention relates to a system for deploying and recovering an underwater vehicle (18), which comprises a crane (16) and a holding space for at least one underwater vehicle (18), said crane (16) being secured to the base of a first container (12) and the holding space being provided in a second container (14), wherein the first container (12) is positioned on the second container (14) during a deployment or recovery procedure.