US 8,757,083 B2 · Coupling head, coupling device with coupling head, rendezvous head couplable thereto, rendezvous device with rendezvous head and underwater vehicle therewith, coupling system, coupling method and deployment method for an underwater vehicle

Abstract

A coupling head 8, coupled to an autonomous underwater vehicle 4 via a rendezvous head 18 that is connectable to or part of the underwater vehicle 4. The coupling head 8 has an alignment stabilizing arrangement 12 for stabilizing its alignment and position in the water below the water surface. The invention further relates to a coupling device 2 having the coupling head 8 and having a cable 10 which is detachably connectable, mechanically, electrically and in a signal-connecting manner, to the coupling head 8, and to a rendezvous device 16 having the rendezvous head 18. The underwater vehicle 4 has the rendezvous head 18 and/or the rendezvous device 16, and a coupling system 1, which comprises at least the coupling and rendezvous heads. The invention further relates to a coupling method 58 and a deployment method 56 of an autonomous underwater vehicle 4 which includes the coupling method 58.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A rendezvous device comprising:

a coupling head for coupling to a rendezvous head, wherein the coupling head comprises position stabilizing means for stabilizing its alignment and position in the water below the water surface, wherein the rendezvous head is either connectable to an underwater vehicle or is part of an underwater vehicle;
an underwater modem including a receiving device for signals or data sent by the coupling head;
a calculating device for calculating the direction and/or distance from the rendezvous head to the coupling head and a rendezvous position;
and
a control device configured for calculating an approach trajectory for driving the underwater vehicle in the direction of the rendezvous position according to the calculated direction and/or distance from the rendezvous head to the coupling head and for steering the underwater vehicle along the approach trajectory to the rendezvous position.

2 more elements

A method for coupling together a coupling head and a rendezvous head of an underwater vehicle, wherein the coupling head and the rendezvous head are elements of a rendezvous device, the rendezvous device stabilizes the coupling head while underwater in for alignment and in position, the rendezvous device couples the coupling head and the rendezvous head of the underwater vehicle, and the rendezvous device is provided with a control device, an underwater modem including a receiving device, and a calculating device, the method comprising the steps of:

sending signals or data from the coupling head to the receiving device;
receiving by means of the receiving device signals or data sent by the coupling head;
calculating by means of the calculating device, the direction and/or distance from the rendezvous head to the coupling head and a rendezvous position;
and
calculating by means of the control device an approach trajectory for driving the underwater vehicle in the direction of the rendezvous position according to the calculated direction and/or distance from the rendezvous head to the coupling head and steering the underwater vehicle along the approach trajectory to the rendezvous position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coupling head, coupling device with coupling head, rendezvous head couplable thereto, rendezvous device with rendezvous head and underwater vehicle therewith, coupling system, coupling method and deployment method for an underwater vehicle

Life of this patent

Coupling head, coupling device with coupling head, rendezvous head couplable thereto, rendezvous device with rendezvous head and underwater vehicle therewith, coupling system, coupling method and deployment method for an underwater vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16