LAUNCH PLATFORM FOR AN UNMANNED VEHICLE

• Main Authors: Luis Fidel DE LA TORRE UGARTE DEL CASTILLO, Bert PASOP
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: 13.09.2019
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT CARRIERS; BLASTING; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HAND TOOLS; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MANIPULATORS; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PIPES; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; SUBMARINES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A carrier vehicle carries an unmanned subsea vehicle along an elongate body from a topside location to a subsea location. The carrier vehicle comprises a support structure configured to carry the unmanned subsea vehicle, and a translation mechanism comprising gripper arms connected to the support structure for causing the carrier vehicle to translate along the elongate body using a hand¬ over-hand action. The carrier vehicle can carry the subsea vehicle through a region of turbulence, such as a splash zone. This removes the need for special launch equipment to be installed on the platform to use the subsea vehicle. Un vehículo de transporte que transporta un vehículo submarino no tripulado a lo largo de un cuerpo alargado desde una ubicación superficial a una ubicación submarina. El vehículo de transporte comprende una estructura de soporte configurada para transportar el vehículo submarino no tripulado, y un mecanismo de traslación que comprende unos brazos de sujeción conectados a la estructura de soporte para hacer que el vehículo de transporte se traslade a lo largo del cuerpo alargado utilizando una acción del tipo mano sobre mano. El vehículo de transporte puede transportar el vehículo submarino a través de una región de turbulencia, tal como una zona de salpicadura. Esto elimina la necesidad de que un equipo de lanzamiento especial sea instalado en la plataforma para utilizar el vehículo submarino.