Underwater vehicle docking system
View Patent ↗Apparatuses, systems, and methods for the docking of an underwater vehicle (such as a ROV) to a subsea structure (such as a basket or cage) for the transfer of payload devices, such as ocean bottom seismic nodes. The ROV may have a docking probe that is rotatable between an extended and retracted position by a rotatory actuator. The subsea structure may have a docking receptacle that receives the docking probe while the probe is in an extended position. The docking probe and receptacle can latch and/or be secured together by a variety of mechanisms. Once secured, the docking probe can rotate thereby changing the relative positions (horizontal and/or vertical) of the ROV and the subsea structure. The underwater vehicle may have an elevator mechanism that may move vertically and/or horizontally and that is coupled to a handler or grabber for handling and/or transfer of the payload devices.
1. A subsea docking apparatus, comprising
a rotatable docking probe located on an underwater vehicle that is configured to couple with a docking receptacle located on a second subsea device,
wherein the rotatable docking probe comprises a latching system for coupling with the docking receptacle,
wherein the rotatable docking probe comprises a retractable hydraulic cylinder for actuating the latching system.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable docking probe is coupled to a rotary actuator.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable docking probe comprises a tapered end and a slotted groove for coupling with the docking receptacle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable docking probe is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position by rotation of the docking probe.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the retracted position is substantially upright and the extended position is substantially horizontal.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the underwater vehicle and the second subsea device is changeable based on a rotation of the docking probe after the docking receptacle and docking probe have coupled.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a camera located in an eye of the docking probe.
8. A subsea docking system, comprising
a rotatable docking probe located on a first subsea device; and
a docking receptacle located on a second subsea device that is configured to couple with the rotatable docking probe,
wherein a distance between the first subsea device and the second subsea device is changeable based on a rotation of the docking probe after the docking receptacle and docking probe have coupled,
wherein the first subsea device is an underwater vehicle and the second subsea device is a node transfer device configured to hold a plurality of seismic nodes.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the docking receptacle comprises a latching pin and the rotatable docking probe comprises a latching system that attaches to the latching pin.
10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of secondary alignment guides on the first subsea device or the second subsea device to facilitate coupling of the first and second subsea devices.
11. A subsea docking system, comprising
a rotatable docking probe located on a first subsea device; and
a docking receptacle located on a second subsea device that is configured to couple with the rotatable docking probe,
wherein a distance between the first subsea device and the second subsea device is changeable based on a rotation of the docking probe after the docking receptacle and docking probe have coupled,
wherein the docking receptacle comprises a latching pin and the rotatable docking probe comprises a latching system that attaches to the latching pin.
12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an elevator mechanism located on the underwater vehicle that is configured to move between a plurality of vertical positions, wherein one or more node handlers is coupled to the elevator mechanism.
13. A method for subsea docking, comprising
coupling an underwater vehicle to a subsea structure with a docking probe;
rotating the docking probe to move the subsea structure relative to the underwater vehicle; and
transferring a plurality of payload devices between the subsea structure and the underwater vehicle.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotating step moves the subsea structure vertically and horizontally relative to the underwater vehicle.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the coupling step comprises
rotating the docking probe from a retracted position to an extended position, and
inserting the docking probe into a docking receptacle.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the coupling step comprises
latching a portion of the docking probe to a portion of a docking receptacle, wherein the docking probe is located on the underwater vehicle and the docking receptacle is located on the subsea structure.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the transferring step comprises operating an elevator mechanism on the underwater vehicle.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first subsea device is an underwater vehicle and the second subsea device is a node transfer device configured to hold a plurality of seismic nodes.