Ships – Submersible device – Having attitude control
Patent
1989-10-31
1992-03-24
Sotelo, Jesus D.
Ships
Submersible device
Having attitude control
B63G 800
Patent
active
050977806
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a subsea vehicle and to a method of working on an underwater work site using such a vehicle.
Presently, a number of routine underwater tasks are performed by remotely operated vehicles. However, such vehicles cannot emulate the flexibility of movement of a diver and accordingly, more advanced and sophisticated tasks underwater still have to be undertaken by divers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a subsea vehicle having more flexibility of movement than known vehicles.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a subsea vehicle comprising a pressure vessel, and drive means supported by said pressure vessel for causing movement thereof, wherein said pressure vessel is arranged to be substantially astable, and said drive means are arranged to enable movement of said pressure vessel relative to six degrees of freedom.
Thus, the pressure vessel is displaceable in translational directions whose components can be defined in three orthogonal dimensions. Furthermore, the pressure vessel is also movable in angular directions whose components can be defined by a set of spherical co-ordinates.
The six degrees of freedom capability of the pressure vessel enables the pressure vessel to be moved in any direction at any attitude of pitch, roll or yaw.
Because the vehicle is able to achieve a full six degrees of freedom of movement it is able to emulate a diver and therefore is more flexible than prior art vehicles.
In an embodiment the astable pressure vessel is arranged to be able to roll through .+-.180.degree. and to pitch through .+-.90.degree.. Preferably, the vessel has the ability to roll through 360 degrees.
Preferably, the pressure vessel is substantially cylindrical. Electrical and electronic systems of the vehicle can be mounted within the pressure vessel.
Preferably, the drive means comprise a plurality of individual thrusters supported by the pressure vessel and arranged to provide movement thereof in the six degrees of freedom.
Whilst it would be possible to mount the thrusters to be pivotable or otherwise displaceable to different orientations, it is preferred that the thrusters should all be fixed in their alignment such that it is reliably ensured that movement relative to all of the six degrees of freedom is provided for.
In a preferred embodiment at least six thrusters are supported on the pressure vessel. Two of these thrusters are mounted on an end surface of the pressure vessel on a transverse axis of the pressure vessel. Preferably, these two end thrusters are equidistantly spaced on either side of the central longitudinal axis of the vessel at the aft end. Preferably, each end thruster is inclined at an angle to said transverse axis, for example, of substantially 30 degrees.
The other four thrusters, are mounted circumferentially of the pressure vessel. Preferably, these thrusters are equidistantly spaced around the circumference of the pressure vessel at a single longitudinal location of the vessel. In this embodiment, each of the circumferentially mounted thrusters is located on a radius of the vessel extending substantially at 45 degrees to the transverse axis thereof. Alternate ones of these thrusters face in opposite directions.
In a preferred embodiment two groups of four circumferentially arranged thrusters are provided, each group being located at opposite ends of the cylindrical pressure vessel. Thus, at least ten thrusters in all are provided.
Generally, the two aft thrusters provide longitudinal thrust forward and aft and give the pressure vessel a degree of yaw capability. The circumferentially mounted thrusters can be used in different combinations for rolling and pitching the pressure vessel and to translate the pressure vessel both transversely and along a third axis, which is generally vertical, which is orthogonal to both the longitudinal and transverse axes of the pressure vessel.
Preferably, the pressure vessel supports one or more manipulators. Where thrusters are supported at the aft end of the pr
REFERENCES:
patent: 826868 (1906-07-01), Neves
patent: 3521589 (1970-07-01), Kemp
Amerada Hess Limited
Sotelo Jesus D.
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