System for recovering autonomous underwater or surface water vehicles
A system for recovering, in a support and storage structure, an autonomous aquatic vehicle. The structure includes an access opening through which the autonomous vehicle can pass to enter into a housing of the structure or leave the housing in a main access direction. At least one drive member of the autonomous vehicle is arranged in the access opening, the drive member including at least one movable motorized drive element, which can be engaged with the shell of the autonomous vehicle and which enables the autonomous vehicle to be driven into or out of the structure.
1 . A system for recovering, in a receiving and storage structure ( 3 ), an autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) in an aquatic environment, the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) having an external shell, the receiving and storage structure ( 3 ) comprising an access opening ( 12 ) through which the autonomous vehicle passes to enter a housing of said receiving and storage structure ( 3 ) or to exit therefrom along a main direction of access ( 13 ) to the receiving and storage structure ( 3 ), wherein between two and six drive members ( 4 ) for driving the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) are arranged in the access opening ( 12 ), each drive member ( 4 ) comprising at least one motorized movable drive element ( 7 ), which comes against the shell of the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) and which enables the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) to be driven into or out of the receiving and storage structure ( 3 ),
said at least one motorized movable element of each drive member ( 4 ) being a track ( 7 ) consisting of an endless belt extending between an internal end and an external end of each drive member ( 4 ) and configured to be set in motion, wherein for each drive member the internal end is located in the housing of the receiving and storage structure ( 3 ) and the external end is located outside the receiving and storage structure ( 3 ),
wherein each drive member ( 4 ) is swivelling between a recovery waiting position and a drive position, the recovery waiting position of each drive member ( 4 ) being obtained passively, each drive member ( 4 ) being urged by a resilient element ( 14 ) toward the recovery waiting position in the absence of any other stress:
in the recovery waiting position, each drive member ( 4 ) is inclined with respect to the direction of access ( 13 ), the internal end of each drive member ( 4 ) being closer to the direction of access ( 13 ) than the external end of each drive member ( 4 ), and in the absence of applied stress other than the resilient element ( 14 ), the drive members ( 4 ) are then inclined in such a way that the separation/distance between their facing internal ends is lower than the width or diameter of the autonomous vehicle,
in the drive position, each drive member ( 4 ) is positioned in such a way as to be applied against the shell of the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) in order to drive the autonomous vehicle,
wherein each drive member further has a vehicle storage position in which the autonomous vehicle has entered the receiving and storage structure and is stored thereinto, in the vehicle storage position each drive member being inclined with respect to the direction of access, the external end of each drive member being closer to the direction of access than the internal end of each drive member in order to close the access opening on the rear,
wherein the endless belt part of the track that comes opposite the autonomous vehicle shell is longitudinally curved between the internal end and the external end of each drive member, in the absence of an application against the shell of the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ), and
wherein the endless belt part of the track that comes opposite the autonomous vehicle shell between the internal end and the external end of each drive member rests on a frame of each drive member through wheels mounted on springs or shock absorbers.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the track ( 7 ) has an external side intended to be applied against the shell of the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) and the external side of the track ( 7 ) includes indents.
3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the shell of the autonomous vehicle ( 1 , 6 ) comprises notches into which the indents may be engaged.
4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein each drive member ( 4 ) is moreover movable in translation perpendicular to the direction of access ( 13 ).
5 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein the motorized movable element ( 7 ) of each drive member ( 4 ) is driven by a hydraulic, electric or pneumatic motor ( 8 ).
6 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein several drive members ( 4 ) are equiangularly distributed on the perimeter of the access opening ( 12 ).
7 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein the system further includes passive rolling rolls on which the autonomous vehicle shell can circulate.
8 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein each drive member is further rendered swivelable with an actuator toward the vehicle storage position once the autonomous vehicle is introduced and stored inside said housing.
9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each drive member ( 4 ) is moreover movable in translation perpendicular to the direction of access ( 13 ).
10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the motorized movable element ( 7 ) of each drive member ( 4 ) is driven by a hydraulic, electric or pneumatic motor ( 8 ).
11 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein several drive members ( 4 ) are equiangularly distributed on the perimeter of the access opening ( 12 ).
12 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein each drive member is further rendered swivelable with an actuator toward the vehicle storage position once the autonomous vehicle is introduced and stored inside said housing.
13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the motorized movable element ( 7 ) of each drive member ( 4 ) is driven by a hydraulic, electric or pneumatic motor ( 8 ).
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the motor of the motorized movable element of each drive member is protected against overloads.
15 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein several drive members ( 4 ) are equiangularly distributed on the perimeter of the access opening ( 12 ).
16 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system includes shock absorbers in the drive members.
17 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further includes passive rolling rolls on which the autonomous vehicle shell can circulate.
18 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each drive member is further rendered swivelable with an actuator toward the vehicle storage position once the autonomous vehicle is introduced and stored inside said housing.
19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein each drive member ( 4 ) is moreover movable in translation perpendicular to the direction of access ( 13 ).