Ships – Building
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-07-03
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Ships
Building
C114S343000, C114S382000, C356S141300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253697
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ship and, more particularly, to a naval ship.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, ships have a limited rigidity. Modern naval ships in particular are of a thin-walled construction with a view to optimal weight reduction. A drawback of the limited rigidity is that the ship is liable to distortion caused by, for instance, sea state, differences in temperature or payload. This drawback particularly manifests itself if the ship is provided with a measuring instrument for performing angular position measurements of objects in relation to the ship. For an accurate angular position measurement, the angular position of the measuring instrument itself shall be accurately known. This angular position is usually determined in an alignment procedure. In the process of time, however, this angular position is apt to change as a result of the ship's distortions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The ship according to the invention has for its object to obviate this drawback and is thereto provided with a distortion sensor for at least substantially continuously measuring distortions of the ship.
An additional advantage is that the rigidity of the ship needs no longer be such that the measuring instrument is susceptible, in relation to the measuring error, to an angular displacement that is still acceptable. This means that the weight and, consequently, the cost of the ship can be reduced.
The distortion measurements can now, at least substantially continuously and during service conditions, be presented on a display or be used for any other purpose.
In an advantageous embodiment the distortion measurements are used to ascertain the ship's torsional and bending distortions as these largely affect the position of onboard equipment units. Particularly torsional distortions about the longitudinal axis and bending distortions about the transverse axis are relevant in this respect.
An advantageous embodiment in which the ship is provided with at least one target sensor and a processing unit for processing the measurement data supplied by the target sensor is characterized in that the processing unit or target sensor is provided with correction means for correcting the measurement data supplied by the target sensor with the aid of measurement data supplied by the distortion sensor.
In this embodiment, the target sensor accuracy is significantly enhanced.
A further advantageous embodiment in which the ship is further provided with a directional apparatus and control means for generating control signals for the directional apparatus is characterized in that the control means or the directional apparatus is provided with correction means for correcting the control signals with the aid of measurement data supplied by the distortion sensor.
The directional apparatus may comprise an optical tracker, a tracking radar or a gun system. In this embodiment, the aiming accuracy of the directional apparatus is significantly enhanced.
The invention additionally relates to a distortion sensor arrangement for measuring the distortion of a ship, comprising:
a light source for generating a narrow light beam to be connected to a first part of the ship;
a light sensor to be connected to a second part of the ship, designed to deliver a deflection signal of the light beam in response to incident light of the light beam on the light sensor.
The advantage of such an arrangement is its capability to continuously produce an electric signal that is representative of the ship's distortion, which signal can be used for any purpose required. The sensor arrangement's sensitivity can be adjusted as considered fit by varying the distance between the light source and the light sensor. Besides, the measurement is to a large extent temperature-insensitive.
In an advantageous embodiment the light source comprises a laser source and the light sensor comprises a CCD array. By means of a laser source, a narrow light beam can simply be generated. The CCD array is designed to register a distortion in two dimensions.
The invention furthermore relates to a system for measuring ship distortions. The system includes a plurality of distortion sensor arrangements including a light source and a light sensor.
The light source generates a narrow light beam and is connected to a first part of the ship. The light sensor is connected to a second part of the ship, and delivers a deflection signal in response to light incident on it.
The system also has a calculation device for calculating the ship's torsional distortion angles and bending distortion angles.
Thus, a system is obtained that is capable of measuring the ship's torsional distortion angles about the pitch axis, and the ship's bending distortion angles about the transverse and yaw axes.
A ship incorporating such an arrangement has the advantage that the distortion can be accurately measured and that the resulting measurements can be used for any purpose required.
An advantageous embodiment of such a ship is characterized in that the light sensor pertaining to one or to all distortion sensor arrangements is attached to a first frame of the ship with the light source, directed at the light sensor, attached to a second frame of the ship.
In this way, the severest distortion will always be registered, since it occurs between the comparatively rigid frames. Thus, a high degree of accuracy is achieved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3733134 (1973-05-01), Kadoya
patent: 3790276 (1974-02-01), Cook et al.
patent: 4562769 (1986-01-01), Heynau et al.
patent: 4639878 (1987-01-01), Day et al.
patent: 5038618 (1991-08-01), Malvern
patent: 32 09 582 (1983-09-01), None
patent: 4108729 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 2 132 740 (1984-07-01), None
patent: WO 82/04319 (1982-12-01), None
Hollandse Signaalapparaten B.V.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Swinehart Ed
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