US 12,263,919 B2
Underwater device and underwater system
Vito Suppa, Sophia Antipolis (FR); and Michel Ricard, Sophia Antipolis (FR)
Assigned to THALES, Courbevoie (FR)
Appl. No. 17/615,022
Filed by THALES, Courbevoie (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 29, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/061831
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 29, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/239346, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1905720 (FR), filed on May 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0234693 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B63B 21/66 (2006.01); B63B 21/16 (2006.01); B63B 27/08 (2006.01); B63B 27/36 (2006.01); B63B 79/10 (2020.01); B65H 75/42 (2006.01); B65H 75/44 (2006.01); B66D 1/26 (2006.01); B66D 1/30 (2006.01); B66D 1/38 (2006.01); G01V 1/38 (2006.01)
CPC B63B 21/66 (2013.01) [B63B 21/16 (2013.01); B63B 27/08 (2013.01); B63B 27/36 (2013.01); B63B 79/10 (2020.01); B65H 75/425 (2013.01); B65H 75/4465 (2013.01); B66D 1/26 (2013.01); B66D 1/30 (2013.01); B66D 1/38 (2013.01); G01V 1/3843 (2013.01); B65H 75/4407 (2013.01); B65H 2701/534 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An underwater system comprising a handling device configured to be installed on a surface vessel to enable stowage and deployment of an underwater device intended to be towed by the surface vessel, the underwater device including a traction cable, a flexible elongate body and an assembly comprising at least one towed body situated between the flexible elongate body and the traction cable, the handling device comprising a winch comprising a frame intended to be attached to a structure of the surface vessel and a first drum capable of turning relative to the frame about a first rotation axis and an assembly comprising at least one second drum which surrounds the first drum and is capable of turning relative to the frame about a second rotation axis substantially parallel to the first rotation axis, the winch being capable of being in a decoupled state wherein the first drum and the second drum are rotationally decoupled about the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis so as to allow the traction cable to be wound around the first drum during a first winding step wherein the first drum is rotated about the first axis, the second drum being capable of being in an open state wherein the second drum has a receiving opening that the towed body is capable of passing through in order to enter the interior of the space that surrounds the first drum and that is surrounded by the second drum, the winch being capable of being in a coupled state wherein the first drum and the second drum are rotationally coupled about the second rotation axis so as to allow the flexible elongate body to be wound around the second rotation axis during a second winding step wherein the second drum is rotated about the second axis, wherein the underwater system is configured so that, during the first winding step, the towed body passes through the receiving opening in an orientation wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the first rotation axis and/or so that the towed body arrives in the vicinity of the carrier vessel in the orientation wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the first rotation axis.