Submarine Container with Extendable Support Frame

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Submarine external containers face challenges in being both streamlined to minimize impact on diving behavior and noise emissions while providing a large, easily accessible storage volume for divers without requiring them to dive into the container.

Innovation Solution

A container design featuring a support frame that can be extended outside the container for loading and unloading, combined with a pressure-resistant, hermetically sealed structure and a telescopic spindle drive system for easy access and secure handling, allowing objects to be secured without needing to enter the container.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If the container is designed to be streamlined (elongated and narrow), then noise emissions and impact on diving behavior are reduced, but the storage volume and accessibility for divers are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise emissionsVSAvoidstorage volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The support frame is designed to be dynamically extendable from a retracted position inside the container to an extended position outside the container. This dynamic transformation allows the container to maintain a compact streamlined shape during diving while providing extended accessibility for loading and unloading operations when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the container is designed to be streamlined (elongated and narrow), then noise emissions and impact on diving behavior are reduced, but the accessibility for divers becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact on diving behaviorVSAvoidaccessibility for divers
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support frame transitions from a static internal structure to a dynamically extendable mechanism that can be deployed outward when divers need to access the container. This allows divers to work from a safe distance without needing to dive into the narrow container space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The extendable support frame acts as an intermediary structure between the container and the objects stored within. It provides a platform that divers can access and manipulate objects on, eliminating the need for divers to directly enter or reach into the constrained container interior

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If objects are stored in a pressure-resistant hermetically sealed container, then objects are protected from pressure changes and saltwater aggression, but the container complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from pressure changesVSAvoidcontainer complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container system is segmented into distinct functional components: a pressure-resistant hermetically sealed container body for protection, and a separate extendable support frame for accessibility. This segmentation allows the protective function to be maintained while the operational function is enhanced without compromising the simple sealed container design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2033890B1Container
Publication Date: 2016.10.26 THYSSENKRUPP MARINE SYST GMBH
  • EP2033890B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2033890B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2033890B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The container (1) which can be carried on the outside of a submarine is provided with a closing lid (8) which can be opened from the outside and with a support frame (20) stored inside the container (1), which can be extended at least partially from the container (1) when the lid (8) is open, so that, in particular during underwater loading or unloading, the cargo is freely accessible outside the container (1) on the support frame (20).