Telescopic Mast Enclosure with Movable Link for Underwater Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support devices for underwater vehicle equipment are bulky and heavy, making them unsuitable for small or medium-sized underwater vehicles, and the addition of motorization for opening hatches increases size and mass, hindering maneuverability.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic mast assembly with a support device where the enclosure is connected to a movable part of the mast via a mobile link, allowing the enclosure to change orientation and the hatches to be carried by the support member, reducing the size and mass of the enclosure and allowing free movement when hatches are open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed enclosure is provided to house equipment and protect it from underwater pressure, then equipment protection is improved, but the device becomes bulky and heavy, reducing maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the enclosure into multiple modular compartments (first enclosure for equipment, second enclosure for motorization, third enclosure for ballast). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and reduces the overall mass by eliminating the need for a single large protective structure, while still providing adequate protection against underwater pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a fixed, static enclosure to a dynamic, multi-position system using movable connections (pivot connections and sliding connections). This allows the enclosure to change orientation and configuration, reducing the effective mass that needs to be protected at any given moment while maintaining protection when needed.
2Ease of operation
If motorization is added to move the enclosure and open hatches, then maneuverability is improved, but the size and mass of the enclosure increase, hindering maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the motorization from the main equipment enclosure and places it in a separate second enclosure. This extraction reduces the mass of the primary enclosure that houses the equipment, while the motorization remains accessible and functional. The ballast system is also separated into its own enclosure, allowing independent optimization of each component's mass.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the enclosure size is reduced for small underwater vehicles, then vehicle compatibility is improved, but the ability to withstand underwater pressure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the enclosure into multiple smaller compartments (first, second, and third enclosures), each compartment can be optimized for pressure resistance at a smaller scale. Smaller compartments experience less structural stress from external pressure and can be more efficiently reinforced, while collectively providing the same total volume and protection as a larger single enclosure.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The support device (14) comprises an enclosure (20) for housing the equipment (16), capable of withstanding underwater environmental pressures, said enclosure (20) comprising at least one opening (24, 26) for access to the equipment (16), a closing hatch (28, 30), capable of closing said access opening (24, 26), and a member (22) for supporting the enclosure (20), arranged on a movable part (18) of the mast (12), connected on the one hand to the enclosure (20) by means of a first movable connection (32) capable of moving this enclosure (20) so as to modify its orientation, and on the other hand to the closing hatch (28, 30) by means of a second movable connection (34).