Thales

Olivier Jezequel

Michaël Jourdan

François Warnan

François Cadalen

Michael Jourdan

Didier Soreau

Jean-Philippe Longuet

Philippe Vicariot

Dominique Durand

Dominique Durant

A device for recovering a vessel at sea from a surface station, the recovery device includes a cradle intended to support the vessel, a lifting device comprising an upper frame and a set of hangers connecting the cradle to the upper frame, lengths of the hangers being variable so as to make it possible to hoist and lower the cradle, a first stabilizing hanger and a second stabilizing hanger being able to be in a stabilizing configuration wherein the first stabilizing hanger and the second stabilizing hanger are under tension and extend linearly, and wherein a first orthogonal projection of the first stabilizing hanger on a transverse plane (y, z) defined by an axis z, which is linked to the upper frame and extends substantially vertically in calm seas, and by an axis y orthogonal to the axis z, and a second orthogonal projection of the second stabilizing hanger on the transverse plane are inclined with respect to one another so as to make it possible to limit swaying of the cradle with respect to the upper frame.

Device for recovering a vessel at sea

A docking device includes a docking station capable of being connected to a carrying vessel by means of a cable, the docking station comprising a guide device which comprises a set of arms which are connected to the body and each comprise a distal end and a proximal end, the set of arms being capable of being in a deployed configuration wherein it defines a space flaring towards the rear so as to enable the underwater vehicle to be guided to the stop, the distal end of each arm being located behind the proximal end of the arm in the deployed configuration, the set of arms being capable of being in a collapsed configuration wherein a distal end of each arm of the set of arms is closer to the longitudinal axis than in the deployed configuration and wherein the distal end is located in front of the position occupied by the distal end in the deployed configuration, such that a length, along the axis x, of a space defined by the set of arms behind the stop is smaller in the collapsed configuration than in the deployed configuration.

Docking device for an underwater vehicle

A docketing device includes a docking station able to be hauled by a carrying vessel at a tow point (T), the docking station comprising a body comprising a beam extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (x) of the body and a stop allowing a movement of an underwater vehicle with respect to the body along the longitudinal axis (x) to be blocked, the dorsal beam extending longitudinally above the underwater vehicle in abutment against the stop, a center of gravity of the docking station and a center of buoyancy of the docking station being positioned, and the tow point (T) being able to occupy a docking position that is such that the docking station exhibits a predetermined docking negative pitch when it is fully submerged and hauled by the carrying vessel in the direction of the longitudinal axis at a predetermined speed.

A body towed by a cable behind a ship and commonly referred to as a towfish, the towfish includes a structure configured to move through the water in a horizontal main direction and at least one appendage configured to generate on the towfish a downwardly directed hydrodynamic lift (P) when the towfish is moving through the water under the effect of the towing, the appendage being orientable so as to modify its lift. The towfish comprises a bracket capable of rotational movement with respect the structure about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the horizontal main direction, the cable being attached to the bracket. An orientation (&#x3b3;) of the appendage, allowing it to alter the lift (P), is dependent on an angle (&#x3b2;) formed between the bracket and the structure about the horizontal axis.

Towfish with reversible variable hydrodynamic lift and towing line comprising the towfish

A fairing intended to fair an elongate object intended to be at least partially immersed, the fairing comprises a plurality of fairing portions, each fairing portion comprising a plurality of fairing elements, the fairing elements comprising a canal intended to accept the elongate object and being profiled in such a way as to reduce the hydrodynamic drag of the at least partially immersed elongate object, the fairing elements being intended to be pivot-mounted on the elongate element around the longitudinal axis of the canal, the fairing elements being joined together along the axis of the canal and articulated to one another, the portions of fairing rotating freely about the canal relative to one another.

Fairing, elongate faired element and towing assembly

A fairing element to fair an elongate element comprising a canal to accept the elongate object and being profiled in such a way as to reduce the hydrodynamic drag of the elongate object when the elongate object is at least partially immersed, the fairing element comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, the fairing element being intended to be pivot-mounted on the elongate element around the longitudinal axis of the canal, the fairing element comprising a bearing edge comprising a first bearing edge which is mitered with respect to the leading edge, the first bearing edge being arranged in such a way that the distance between the leading edge and the bearing edge, considered perpendicular to the leading edge, decreases continuously, along an axis parallel to the leading edge, from a first end of the first bearing edge to a second end of the bearing edge, the fairing element being referred to as a mitered fairing element, the mitered fairing element comprising a first part and a second part which are joined together along a first bearing edge so that the fairing element can pass from a deployed configuration in which the trailing edge is parallel to the leading edge to a folded configuration in which the fairing element is folded along the first bearing edge.

Fairing element, fairing, elongate faired element and towing assembly

A towing assembly comprising a towing and handling device intended to tow a faired elongate element, the towing device comprises a winch allowing the faired elongate element to be wound in and paid out through a guide device that allows the elongate element to be guided, the guide device comprising a first groove the bottom of which is formed by the bottom of the groove of a pulley, the first groove being delimited by a first surface having a profile that is concave in a radial plane of the pulley, the width of the first groove and the curvature of the profile of the first curved surface in the radial plane being determined in such a way as to allow the fairing element, under the effect of the rotation of the fairing element about the axis of the elongate element under the effect of the traction of the elongate element with respect to the guide device along the longitudinal axis thereof, to flip from a turned-over position in which the fairing element is oriented with its trailing edge toward the bottom of the first groove into an acceptable position in which it is oriented with the leading edge toward the bottom of the first groove.

Towing assembly

A system for automatically launching and recovering marine or underwater vehicles from a carrier ship which remains under way to limit pitching and rolling movements. The system includes an inclinable articulated ramp including a bottom and edges, and hauling means for controlling sliding of the vehicle along the ramp during launch and for hoisting the vehicle up along the ramp during recovery. The ramp has a free end which varies between an immersed position in water and an emerged position in a horizontal position. The system includes buoyancy means allowing the free end of the ramp to float at the surface or near the surface of the water when lowered. The bottom of the articulated ramp also has an external face that is configured to form streamlining ensuring fluidity of the end of the ramp with the water and limiting vertical dynamic movements caused by waves.

System for launching and recovering underwater vehicles, notably towed underwater vehicles

A system for launching and recovering marine or underwater vehicles from a carrier ship which remains under way which limits the amplitude of pitching and rolling movements. The system includes an inclinable articulated ramp including a bottom and edges, and hauling means for controlling sliding of the vehicle along the ramp during launch and for hoisting the vehicle up along the ramp. The ramp has a free end which varies between an immersed position in the water and an emerged position in a horizontal position. The system also includes buoyancy means allowing the free end of the ramp to float at or near the surface of the water when the ramp is lowered. The bottom of the articulated ramp also has an external face configured to form streamlining thus ensuring fluidity of the end of the ramp in contact with the water and limiting vertical dynamic movements caused by waves.

The present invention relates to a means for mutually aligning the scales of a rope streamlined by means of scales articulated to rotate about its axis, the alignment being necessary to enable such a rope to be wound onto the drum of a winch. It mainly consists of a device presenting a bevelled front face and comprising a cavity extending from front to rear, inside which passes the rope before it is wound. The cavity presents a longitudinal opening with two lateral edges, each edge following, from front to back, a profile in helical form, the two helices being coaxial to each other and with the axis of symmetry of the cavity. The wall of the cavity is also configured so as to follow the cross-sectional profile of the scale all along its path in the device. The device is arranged relative to the drum on which the rope is wound so that, given the length of the edges of the opening, regardless of the orientation of a scale on entering the device, the latter, on exiting, assumes the desired orientation, in the alignment of the adjacent scales. The invention applies notably to the systems for handling tractor ropes streamlined by means of scales, used on a ship to pull a submersible body cast off at sea.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Thonan, France

Olivier Jezequel