WO2019129853A1 - Submarine device - Google Patents

Abstract

Submarine device (E) comprising a submarine vehicle (1), the submarine vehicle (1) comprising a body (10) of the submarine vehicle (1), the submarine device (E) comprising a connection element (4) connected to the body (10) of the submarine vehicle (1) and being able to cooperate with a cable to react a traction force (F) exerted by the cable (3) on the submarine vehicle (1), the connection element being connected to the body of the vehicle and being configured such that the axis of the traction force (F) is able to move with respect to the body (10) of the vehicle and is able to have different orthogonal projections in a plane P that is fixed with respect to the body (10) passing through the center of mass (G) of the submarine vehicle (1).

Description

 SUBMARINE ENGINE

The field of the invention is that of submarine vehicles, that is to say vehicles capable of being completely submerged.

 It concerns in particular unmanned underwater vehicles also called UUV with reference to the Anglo-Saxon "Unmanned Underwater Vehicle".

 These vehicles can be equipped with synthetic antenna sonars (SAS) to explore the seabed. These sonars are used in particular in the field of mine warfare to detect, identify and possibly locate objects placed on the seabed.

 Currently, underwater acoustic imaging is performed:

- from a fish (submarine vehicle without propellant) equipped with sonar and towed by an electro-tractor cable, by a surface vessel, such as a surface vessel; the sonar is electrically powered by the surface vessel via the electro-tractor cable and the data is transmitted on the surface by the electro-tractor cable to enable real-time processing on board the surface vessel and / or transmission by radio to a land treatment center,

 - Or from a submarine vehicle with a thruster, used as a non-autonomous vehicle also called ROV acronym for the English expression "Remote Operated Vehicle". This vehicle is connected to a surface building by a cable. The surface vessel electrically supplies the submarine vehicle's thruster and sonar via the cable that transmits the sonar data to the surface via the cable to enable real-time processing onboard the surface vessel and / or radio transmission to the surface vessel. a land treatment center. This vehicle operates most often at slow speed because the cable exerts a traction force on the underwater vehicle even if the cable is not tensioned,

 - either aboard a submarine drone equipped with a thruster powered by batteries on board the vehicle, flying autonomously and recording the data on board, the data being transmitted to equipment outside the vehicle at the end of the mission.

Good vehicle stability is required to accurately detect, identify and locate objects on the seabed. Submarine vehicles are typically connected to the surface vessel by a cable attached to a longitudinal end of the underwater vehicle. The tensile force exerted by the cable on the underwater vehicle is exerted at the point of attachment of the cable, that is to say at the longitudinal end of the underwater vehicle. Thus, as soon as the surface vessel comes towing the underwater vehicle, it destabilizes the underwater vehicle whose attitude, including attitude, varies. It is necessary to provide means, for example control surfaces and / or a thruster, for stabilizing the underwater vehicle, for example to allow it to remain at a specific depth and to allow it to maintain a stable attitude when is towed by the surface building. The power dimensioning of these stabilization means must be all the more important that the weight of the underwater vehicle is important.

 A solution for limiting the problems of instability of the underwater vehicle is described in US Pat. No. 7,775,174. It consists in providing a coordinated control of the surface vessel and the underwater vehicle in order to decouple as much as possible. the movements of one and the other.

 An object of the invention is to provide a simplified solution.

For this purpose, the invention relates to an underwater vehicle comprising an underwater vehicle, the underwater vehicle comprising a body of the underwater vehicle, the underwater vehicle comprising a connecting element connected to the body of the underwater vehicle and being adapted to cooperate with a cable to take up a tensile force exerted by the cable on the underwater vehicle, the connecting element being connected to the body of the vehicle and being configured so that the axis the tensile force is movable relative to the body of the vehicle and capable of presenting different orthogonal projections in a plane P fixed relative to the body passing through the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle.

Advantageously, the connecting element is connected to the body of the underwater vehicle by a connection to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about an axis of rotation so that the tensile force exerted by the cable on the vehicle submarine is able to pivot about the axis of rotation, the projection of the axis of the tensile force on the plane P being radial to the axis of rotation. Advantageously, the connecting element is configured and connected to the body so that when the cable cooperates with the connecting element, the projection of the axis of the traction force on the plane passing through the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle irrespective of the orientation of the traction force around the axis in a predetermined non-zero opening working angle sector.

Advantageously, the underwater vehicle comprises at least one of the following characteristics taken alone or in combination:

 - the inertia center of the underwater vehicle and the underwater vehicle center of the underwater vehicle are located in plane P,

 a main axis of movement of the vehicle is parallel to the plane P and perpendicular to a straight line passing through the center of the hull and the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle,

 the body of the underwater vehicle extends longitudinally along the main axis of displacement,

 the axis of rotation is fixed relative to the body of the underwater vehicle,

the connecting element is connected to the body of the underwater vehicle by a link with a single degree of freedom,

 the axis of rotation can be displaced relative to the body of the underwater vehicle,

 the underwater vehicle comprises locking means for immobilizing the axis of rotation relative to the body of the underwater vehicle in a position in which the axis of rotation passes through the center of inertia,

the connection comprises a slide connection connecting the linkage to at least one degree of freedom in rotation with the body, the slide connection being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation,

 the direction of the slide link is parallel to the main axis of movement of the underwater vehicle,

the axis of rotation is distant from the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle and the axis of rotation is movable relative to the body of the underwater vehicle, the underwater vehicle comprising adjustment means configured to regulate the position of the axis of rotation so as to start from an orientation of an orthogonal projection of the axis of the tensile force so as to pass the orthogonal projection of the tensile force by the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle irrespective of its orientation in a predetermined angular sector of non-zero opening angle,

 the adjustment means comprise an actuator making it possible to move the axis of rotation relative to the body of the underwater vehicle and a control member able to control the actuator,

 the connection to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about the axis of rotation is a pivot connection,

 the connection to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about the axis of rotation is a two-axis finger-jointed connection with the axis of rotation and another axis of rotation of the plane P,

 the tensile force has a greater angular displacement around the axis of rotation than around the other axis of rotation,

 the different orthogonal projections of the axis of the traction force in the plane P are obtained by a movement of the connecting element relative to the body of the underwater vehicle without deformation of the connecting element,

 the underwater vehicle comprises a thruster,

 the thruster is a vector thruster.

 the underwater vehicle comprises attitude adjustment means making it possible to adjust at least one attitude angle of the underwater vehicle,

the underwater vehicle comprises an accumulator of electrical energy.

The invention will be better understood by studying a few embodiments described by way of non-limiting examples, and illustrated by appended drawings in which:

 FIG. 1a represents an underwater vehicle mechanically connected to a surface vehicle and FIG. 1b represents an autonomous underwater vehicle,

 FIG. 2 diagrammatically represents a first example of the first embodiment of the invention,

 FIG. 3 schematically represents a second example of a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 schematically represents a first example of a second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 5 schematically represents a second example of the second embodiment of the invention,

 - Figure 6 schematically shows means for adjusting the position of the axis of rotation of the second embodiment of the invention.

From one figure to another, the same elements are designated by the same references.

FIG. 1a shows a submarine vehicle 1 comprising a body 10 and a thruster 2. The thruster 2 is mounted on the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1. The thruster 2 is able to propel the underwater vehicle 1.

 The underwater vehicle 1 is capable of being mechanically connected to a surface vessel 100 as shown in FIG. 1a, the two vehicles being mechanically connected to each other by a cable 3.

 The surface building 100 is, for example, a surface vehicle, that is to say a surface-navigating vessel or an underwater vehicle navigating at a shallower depth than the underwater vehicle 1.

 The underwater vehicle 1 can be used as ROV, that is to say mechanically connected to a building surface 100 by means of the cable 3 without being towed by the surface vessel 100, the underwater vehicle 1 completely submerged itself ensuring its propulsion being propelled by its propellant 2. The relative speed of the underwater vehicle 1 and the surface building 100 is, for example, adjusted so that the surface vessel 100 and the sub-vehicle 1 are moving at the same speed, one of the vehicles being in front of the other without the cable 3 is stretched between the two vehicles 1 and 100. The thruster 2 of the ROV is supplied with electrical energy via the electro-tractor cable 3 either directly or via an electrical energy accumulator of the underwater vehicle.

 In a variant, the cable 3 is stretched between the two vehicles. This is, for example, the case when the underwater vehicle 1 tows the surface vessel 100 or vice versa.

Alternatively, the vehicle 1 can be detached from the surface building 100 and move independently in the water as shown in Figure 1b. The underwater vehicle 1 is then propelled by its own propellant 2 powered by an electric energy accumulator ACC, 300 of the underwater vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 2.

 The invention relates to an underwater vehicle E, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2, comprising the underwater vehicle 1 represented in the preceding figures provided with a connecting element 4, able to cooperate with the cable 3 so that to make it possible to mechanically connect the underwater vehicle 1 to a surface building 100, when the cable 3 is mechanically connected to the surface building 100. The cable 3 is then fixed to the connecting element 4.

 When the cable 3 mechanically connects the underwater vehicle 1 to the surface vessel 100 it is able to exert on the underwater vehicle 1, a traction force F, shown in Figure 2. This traction force F is directed along an axis I which is the longitudinal axis of the cable 3 in the vicinity of the connecting element 4. The connecting element 4 takes up the tensile force F exerted by the body 10 on the underwater vehicle 1.

 According to the invention, as shown in Figure 2, the connecting element 4 is connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 by a link 5 allowing a movement of the connecting element 4 relative to the body 10 of the vehicle Submarine 1. Thus, the connecting element 4 is movable relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 so that the tensile force F exerted by the cable 3 on the vehicle 1 is movable relative to the body 10.

According to the invention, the connecting element 4 is connected to the body 10 of the vehicle 1 and is configured so that the axis of the traction force F exerted by the cable 3 on the vehicle is capable of presenting orthogonal projections. different in the plane P fixed relative to the body 10 passing through the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1. In other words, there are plurality of orthogonal projections different from the axis of the tensile force F in the plane These projections pass through the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1. These different orthogonal projections passing through the plane P are obtained thanks to a movement of the connecting element 4 relative to the body 10 of the undercarriage. marine and thanks to the configuration of the connecting element. In other words, these different orthogonal projections are obtained for different positions of the connecting element 4 with respect to the body 10. The axis of the tensile force F is the axis of the tensile force taken up by the connecting element 4 and exerted by the connecting element 4 on the vehicle 1.

 In the embodiments of the figures, the connecting element 4 does not deform between these different positions. In other words, the connecting element 4 does not deform between the different orthogonal projections of the axis of the tensile force F. The connecting element 4 moves from one position to the other while moving relative to each other. to the body 10, that is to say by a translation and / or rotation of the connecting element relative to the body 10. In other words, the different axes of the tensile force giving the different orthogonal projections in the plane P are obtained by a movement of the connecting element 4 relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 without deformation of the connecting element 4.

 In the nonlimiting embodiment of the figures, the plane P is the vertical plane passing through the center of inertia G. The axis z is a vertical axis.

 The longitudinal axis I of the cable 3 in the vicinity of its point of attachment with the connecting element 4 is situated on the portion of the cable 3 between this point of attachment and the surface building 100, in the vicinity of the connecting element 4.

For different positions of the connecting element 4 with respect to the body 10, the projections, on the plane P, of the longitudinal axis I of the cable 3 in the vicinity of the fixing point of the cable 3 on the connecting element pass through the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1. For these different positions, the axis of the traction force F passes through the center of inertia G when the tensile force F, is located in the plane P Therefore, when the tensile force F is in the plane P and the connecting element 4 in these different positions, the point of application of the tensile force F on the underwater vehicle 1 is substantially the same. center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1. The connecting element 4 makes it possible to take up the forces of the cable 3 on the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1 when the traction force F is in the plane P and the connecting element is in these positions. This configuration allows the underwater vehicle 1 to minimize or even cancel the destabilization of the underwater vehicle 1 when, the vehicle being used in ROV, the traction force F is in the plane P for these different positions of the element 4, for example when the underwater vehicle 1 and the surface vessel are in the same plane P in the absence of power. The orientations of the underwater vehicle 1 and its speed vector are not modified by a change in the orientation of the cable, in the vicinity of the connecting element, in this plane P. This configuration makes it possible to avoid having providing sophisticated or powerful means or methods for controlling the two vehicles in a coordinated manner or oversized stabilizers (control surfaces, thrusters) to ensure stabilization of the underwater vehicle. This solution allows the underwater vehicle 1 to ensure alone its stability in the plane P, regardless of the surface building 100.

 The underwater vehicle 1 consumes little energy to stabilize in the plane P this stabilization does not require to compensate the lever arm between the point of application of the tensile force F of the cable 3 and the center of inertia G of the vehicle. This configuration allows this vehicle to be used both as a towed fish and ROV and, if it has the required batteries, as a UUV. This makes it possible to realize at high speed the acquisition of quality sonar images.

 Moreover, the position of the center of gravity, unlike the center of thrust and the center of pressure does not evolve according to the speed and forces involved. Thus, the torque generated by the gravity and thrust of Archimedes are fixed. The stabilizing device, for example the vector thruster, has no (or little) compensation for torque variations due to a variation of the speed.

The proposed configuration goes against the tendency of the person skilled in the art that, when an underwater vehicle 1 is to be towed by a surface vessel 100, to provide a point of application of the traction force F remote from the center of inertia G of the vehicle so that the attitude and trajectory of the vehicle are imposed by the trajectory of the building surface 100 and its speed.

Advantageously but not necessarily, the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1 and its center of hull are located in the plane P. The submerged underwater vehicle 1 is subject only to the hydrodynamic forces and the gravity, the vehicle comes in an equilibrium configuration in which the axis connecting the hull center of the underwater vehicle 1 and the center of gravity of the underwater vehicle is vertical, the plane P is then a vertical plane. The proposed solution then makes it possible to avoid a destabilization of the underwater vehicle 1 in the plane P by a relative speed change between the underwater vehicle 1 and the surface building 100 in the plane P.

 Advantageously, the underwater vehicle 1 is intended to move mainly along an axis, called the main axis x of displacement in the patent application, integral with the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1. This main axis of displacement x is advantageously parallel at the plane P or included in the plane P and perpendicular to the line passing through the center of the hull and the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle 1. This solution is particularly suitable for sonar imaging seabed that involve long journeys of the vehicle along its main axis of movement, in the same plane P as the surface building (in the absence of current), the surface building being at an altitude higher than that of the underwater vehicle in relation to the bottom marine. The vehicle is destabilized only during changes of course.

 In the examples shown in Figures 2 to 5, the underwater vehicle 1 extends longitudinally along the main axis of displacement x. In other words, the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 extends longitudinally along this axis. A change of direction of the tensile force F in the vertical plane then has no impact on the longitudinal attitude of the underwater vehicle 1. This configuration allows the underwater vehicle 1 to control its longitudinal attitude when a mission in which the underwater vehicle is used in ROV or towed fish. This configuration makes it easier to maintain the underwater vehicle at a predetermined depth or at a predetermined altitude with respect to a seabed even in case of change of depth or speed of the surface vehicle.

Advantageously, the connecting element 4 is connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 by a connection 5 to at least one degree of freedom in rotation around an axis of rotation y so that the traction force F exerted by the cable 3 on the underwater vehicle 1 is able to pivot about the axis of rotation y, the projection of the axis of the tensile force F on the plane P being radial to the axis of rotation y . Therefore, when the plane P is vertical at equilibrium, the axis of rotation is substantially horizontal as shown in the figures. Advantageously, the connecting element 4 is configured and connected to the body 10 so that when the cable 3 cooperates with the connecting element 4 itself connected to the body 10, the projection of the axis of the traction force F on the plane P passes through the center of inertia G of the vehicle irrespective of the orientation of the traction force F around the y axis in an angular working sector defining a non-zero angle, say non-zero opening. In this angular sector of work, the cable does not bear against the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1.

 Advantageously, the axis of rotation is connected to the body 10 so as to obtain this effect.

 In a first embodiment of which examples are shown in Figures 2 and 3, the axis of rotation y is likely to pass through the center of inertia G. It may be likely to occupy a single position relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 or more. In the latter case, the machine may include, but is not mandatory, drive means for moving this axis of rotation y relative to the body 10.

 In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 to 3, the connecting element 4 is connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 by a link 5 or 65 comprising a rotational axis pivot connection y so that when the connecting element 4 pivots about the axis of rotation y relative to the body 10, the tensile force F pivots around the axis of rotation y relative to the body 10.

 In the example of Figure 2, the connecting element 4 is connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 by a connection to a degree of freedom. In other words, the link 5 comprises only the y-axis pivot connection. The axis of rotation y is fixed relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1. It passes through the center of inertia G. The axis of the tensile force F is then radial to the axis of rotation y when the cable 3 is in a plane P perpendicular to the axis of rotation y in the vicinity of the connecting element 4.

For this purpose, the connecting element 4 comprises a fork 14 comprising two branches 14a and 14b mounted in pivot connection on a fixed arm 15 relative to the vehicle body and whose longitudinal axis is the y-axis. The fork 14 comprises a handle 14c. The two branches extend to a handle 14c extending longitudinally radially relative to to the y axis. The handle is intended to cooperate with the cable 3 so that the cable 3 passes through the longitudinal axis of the handle 14c.

 The arm 15 passes through the body of the vehicle perpendicular to the x axis and the two branches 14a, 14b each extend opposite one of the sides of the underwater vehicle.

 Advantageously, the connecting element 4 is configured and connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 so that the tensile force F is located substantially in the plane P when the cable 3 is in a plane perpendicular to the axis rotation in the vicinity of the connecting element 4. In other words, in Figure 2, the handle 14c extends longitudinally in the plane P.

 Thus, if the underwater vehicle 1 and the surface vessel 100 are in the same vertical plane, the traction force axis F permanently passes through the center of inertia G. If the traction force F leaves this plane, that is to say if the axis I of the cable 3 inclines with respect to this plane P, then the cable 3 generates a roll torque on the vehicle.

 In a variant, the handle 14c extends in a plane parallel to the plane P and distant from the plane P or in a plane not coincident with the plane P. However, this generates a torque in roll and / or yaw on the undercarriage. marine, it is necessary to counter these couples so that the submarine vehicle retains its stability

 Alternatively, the connecting element is connected to the body of the vehicle by a connection to more than 1 degree of freedom in rotation. For example, the axis of rotation is able to pivot relative to the body of the underwater vehicle around the x axis. This limits the roll torque when changing course of one of the two vehicles.

 The example of Figure 3 differs from that of Figure 2 in that the axis of rotation y is likely to be displaced relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1 of the underwater vehicle E1.

The underwater vehicle E1 comprises locking means comprising, for example, stops B, making it possible to immobilize the axis of rotation y with respect to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1a in a position visible in FIG. 3, in which the axis of rotation y passes through the center of inertia G. In this position the axis of rotation y is perpendicular to the plane P. The stops B are movable so as to fix the axis of rotation y relative to to the body 10 in several positions with respect to 10. This configuration makes it possible to adjust the position of the axis of rotation y as a function of the position of the center of inertia G and thus to be able to obtain the stabilization effect desired for different configurations of the underwater vehicle in which the position of the center of inertia of the underwater vehicle varies. For example, the position or number of submarine equipment of the underwater vehicle can be modified with an impact on the position of its center of inertia.

 In the nonlimiting example of FIG. 3, the link 65 making it possible to connect the connecting element 4 to the body 10 comprises the pivot connection 5 and an x-axis sliding link 66 connecting the pivot connection 5 to the body 10. configuration allows to adapt to variations in the position of the center of gravity G according to the direction of the link slide. For this purpose, the vehicle 1a comprises for example guides GG for guiding the axis of rotation y in the direction of the slide. Only one guide is visible in Figure 3, the other being located on the other side of the vehicle.

 In the particular example of FIG. 3, the direction of the slide connection is that of the main axis x of displacement of the vehicle which is also that of the longitudinal axis x of the vehicle, in which direction the position of the center of Inertia will mainly vary when changing the number of equipment in the vehicle.

 In a variant, the axis of rotation y is connected to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1a by a link with more than one degree of freedom in translation, which makes it possible to obtain greater positioning accuracy of the axis. y if the position of the center of gravity changes in a direction other than the direction of the x-axis.

 Alternatively, the connecting element is connected to the body of the vehicle by a connection to more than 1 degree of freedom in rotation. For example, the axis of rotation is able to pivot relative to the body of the underwater vehicle around the x axis.

 As an alternative to the stops, the underwater vehicle may comprise an actuator for driving the y axis in translation along the axis X along the guides GG. This actuator may comprise a brake for blocking the translation of the axis of rotation y along the x axis.

The locking means may be included in the underwater vehicle or not. In Figures 4 and 5, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention. This embodiment differs from that of Figures 2 and 3 in that the axis of rotation, reference yo in Figures 4 and 5, is remote from the center of gravity G of the vehicle. Therefore, the axis of rotation yo is movable relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1b or 1c.

 As can be seen in FIG. 6, the underwater vehicle Eb or Ec comprises adjustment means 50 configured to adjust the position of the axis of rotation y 0 as a function of an orientation O of the projection of the axis of the vehicle. tensile force F on the plane P so as to move this projection so that it passes through the center of inertia G of the underwater vehicle regardless of the direction of the orthogonal projection of the traction force in the plane P in a predetermined angular sector.

 The underwater vehicle may comprise a sensor 51 for measuring the orientation of the orthogonal projection of the traction force. This measurement can be performed directly by an angle sensor on the connecting element for example or on the cable or indirectly, for example, by a strain gauge.

 The adjustment means 50 comprise, for example, as represented in FIG. 6, an actuator A making it possible to move the axis of rotation yo with respect to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 1b or 1c and control means C capable of control the actuator A and configured to control the actuator according to an orientation O of an orthogonal projection of the axis of the tensile force on the plane P. The orientation O may be the oc angle formed between the tensile force F and the x-axis in the plane P. The control means are configured to control the actuator so as to move the axis yo to move the orthogonal projection of the axis of the effort of traction on the plane P so that it passes through the center of gravity G.

 In a variant, the adjustment means comprise passive means comprising, for example, a calibrated spring for ensuring the desired positioning of the connecting element as a function of the orientation.

The example of FIG. 4 differs from that of FIG. 3 in that the axis of rotation y 0 of the connection with at least one rotational degree of freedom is distant from the center of inertia G. The link 70 connecting the connecting element 4b to body 10 of vehicle 1b comprises a pivot connection 71 of y axis and a slide link 72 of axis xo parallel to the x axis, connecting the y axis to the body of vehicle. The axis xo advantageously belongs to the plane P The connecting element 4b has the same fork shape as the connecting element 4 with two branches 14a 'and 14b' connected to a handle 14c 'a sleeve 14c' extending longitudinally radially with respect to the yo axis. The handle is intended to cooperate with the cable 3 so that the cable 3 passes through the longitudinal axis of the handle 14c '.

 The two branches 14a 'and 14b' are mounted in pivot connection on a stud 73 around a longitudinal arm 74 of longitudinal axis yo. The fork comprises a handle 14c '.

 The vehicle 1b comprises a guide GU for guiding the stud 73 in translation along an axis xo parallel to the axis x.

 Advantageously, as in FIG. 3, the longitudinal axis of the handle 14c 'belongs to the plane P.

 The example of FIG. 5 differs from that of FIG. 4 in that the connecting element 4c is connected to the body of the underwater vehicle by a link 80 comprising a finger-ball link 81 with two axes of rotation of which the axis of rotation yo and another axis parallel to the axis x. This makes it possible to avoid pitching the vehicle during course changes. The ball joint connection is connected to the body of the underwater vehicle by a slide connection 72 as the pivot connection of the embodiment of FIG. 4. The connecting element 4c comprises a loop 85 connected to a pad 83 by a link finger ball 81. The stud 83 is connected to the vehicle by the slide link 72. The vehicle 1c comprises a GU guide for guiding the stud 83 in translation along the axis of the slide connection. The connecting element 4c comprises a handle 86 intended to cooperate with the cable so that the axis I is substantially the longitudinal axis of the cable.

 The handle 86 extends longitudinally radially with respect to the axis yo. The handle 86 is intended to cooperate with the cable 3 so that the cable 3 passes through the longitudinal axis of the handle 86.

 Advantageously, the connecting element 4c has a greater angular deflection around the axis of rotation y than around the other axis of rotation of the finger joint connection.

Advantageously, the connecting element is configured and connected to the body of the vehicle so that the handle 86 is pivotable on both sides of the plane P. In each of the embodiments, the link member may be releasably connected to the underwater vehicle. Alternatively the connecting element is adapted to be arranged in a storage position relative to the body of the underwater vehicle in which it is disposed within the volume defined by the body of the underwater vehicle.

 The cable can be removably attached to the connecting element or permanently attached to the connecting element.

 The underwater vehicle advantageously comprises attitude adjustment means for varying at least one attitude angle of the underwater vehicle. In one example, the adjustment means make it possible to adjust the attitude of the underwater vehicle. These means allow the vehicle to adjust itself this angle of attitude.

 These means comprise, for example, means for varying at least one attitude angle of the vehicle, for example its attitude, and means for controlling the means for varying the attitude angle so as to adjust this angle of attitude. . This is for example the control member.

 The thruster 2 is for example a vector thruster. In other words, the thruster 2 is a vector thruster capable of generating a vector thrust, that is to say a steerable thrust relative to the body 10 of the underwater vehicle 11. This thruster is an omnidirectional vector thruster. It is able to generate an orientable thrust on 4p steradians. An example of such a thruster is a thruster comprising two counter-rotating propellers each comprising blades 17 whose collective and cyclic incidence around a neutral position is variable. The thruster 2 thus makes it possible to adjust the three attitude angles of the underwater vehicle. In a variant, the means for varying at least one attitude angle of the vehicle comprise control surfaces.

The vehicle comprises at least one energy accumulator for accumulating electrical energy and supplying electrical equipment to the vehicle, for example the thruster, at least one thruster sensor, for example a sonar antenna, the adjustment means at least one attitude, the possible means for adjusting the position of the axis of rotation, etc. ... The underwater vehicle 1 can then be used in towed fish, ROV and AUV. Advantageously, the connecting element 4 is provided with an electrical interface electrically connecting the cable 3 and the underwater vehicle when the cable 3 cooperates with the connecting element 4 so as to allow electrical energy transmission of the cable. to the underwater vehicle 1, for example to supply the electrical equipment directly or via at least one electrical energy accumulator.

 Advantageously, the connecting element 4 is provided with a data interface allowing a data transmission from the cable 3 to the underwater vehicle 1, for example to a sonar antenna or a sonar data storage memory, and or conversely, when the cable 3 cooperates with the connecting element 4.

 For clarity, it is shown only in Figures 2 and 3, a global interface to ensure both types of interface. This global interface comprises an interface cable connected to the connecting element 4 and to the vehicle.

 The possibility of using the underwater vehicle as a towed fish, ROV and possibly UUV makes it possible to obtain the advantages of the different uses with the same vehicle.

 The towed fish equipped with an SAS requires the use of a surface vessel strong enough to tow the fish and to put it in the water and recover it (it must therefore be equipped with a hooking system). water and towed fish recovery), whereby the speed of the fish can be relatively fast (of the order of 10 knots) and the imaging time coverage is relatively high. Technically, the high speed requires a long SAS antenna (of the order of 2m) well suited to fast speeds. The cable makes it possible to reassemble the SAS data in real time on the surface and also makes it possible to feed the ROV in power.

The use of ROV is generally linked to a low speed imposed by the joint navigation of the craft and the surface vessel. The ROV being implemented from the ship, the use of this solution often requires surface ships to accommodate the ROV on board and deploy it and recover it on demand. The ROV is under powered relative to the surface vessel, the speed of operation is slow (a few knots) and the SAS antenna by nature rather short (of the order of 1 m). The UUV equipped with a SAS has a limited energy reserve that requires it to navigate slowly to optimize the duration of mission. The area covered by the imagery is generally all the more limited as the speed of the AUV is high because the propulsion then becomes the dominant factor of consumption of the batteries. In addition, this solution requires data processing at the end of the mission because they are only available when the UUV goes back to the surface. However this solution makes it possible to carry out a mission in all autonomy and thus without being spotted and at important depths.

 The invention makes it possible to equip the underwater vehicle with an ability to operate at high speed as an ROV without destabilizing the vehicle and to allow the analysis of its data in real time while retaining its deep intervention capability. .

 The underwater vehicle advantageously comprises at least one ANT sensor, shown only in FIG. 5 for the sake of clarity, intended to acquire data on a vehicle environment such as for example at least one sonar antenna and / or at least one sensor. 'picture. The vehicle is advantageously equipped with a synthetic antenna sonar comprising an acoustic wave emission antenna and at least one linear antenna for receiving acoustic waves. The transmitting antenna may be the receiving antenna or a separate antenna. Advantageously, the SAS comprises two acoustic wave reception antennas disposed on either side of the plane P.

 The invention makes it possible to prevent the drag of the cable exerting a too high restoring torque on the underwater vehicle at the level of the connecting element and does not generate instabilities of navigation which is beneficial for the quality of the acoustic images obtained by means of an SAS. The vehicle can thus be used at high speed and thus makes it possible to obtain a significant hourly coverage (size of the image area per unit of time) and by providing a sufficiently long reception antenna.

Each member or control means may comprise one or more dedicated electronic circuits or a general purpose circuit. Each electronic circuit may comprise a reprogrammable calculation machine (a processor or a microcontroller for example) and / or a computer executing a program comprising a sequence of instructions and / or a dedicated computing machine (for example a set of logical gates such as an FPGA, a DSP or an ASIC, or any other hardware module).

 In the field of submarine applications, the gravitational constant is assumed to be fixed. The center of inertia of the vehicle is substantially its center of gravity.

 Advantageously, the main axis of rotation is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation y or yo.

Claims

1. Underwater vehicle (E) comprising a submarine vehicle (1), the underwater vehicle (1) comprising a body (10) of the underwater vehicle (1), the underwater vehicle (E ) comprising a connecting element (4) connected to the body (10) of the underwater vehicle (1) and being able to cooperate with a cable to take up a traction force (F) exerted by the cable (3) on the vehicle underwater (1), the connecting element being connected to the body of the vehicle and being configured so that the axis of the traction force (F) is movable relative to the body (10) of the vehicle and adapted to have different orthogonal projections in a fixed plane P relative to the body (10) passing through the center of inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1), the connecting element (4) is connected to the body (10). ) of the underwater vehicle (1) by a connection (5) to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about an axis of rotation (y; yo) so that the traction force (F) exerts by the cable (3) on the underwater vehicle (1) is pivotable about the axis of rotation (y; yo), the projection of the axis of the tensile force (F) on the plane (P) being radial to the axis of rotation (y; yo), the connecting element (4) being configured and connected to the body (10) so that when the cable (3) cooperates with the connecting element (4), the projection of the axis of the tensile force (F) on the plane (P) passing through the center of inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1) irrespective of the orientation of the traction force (F) around the axis (y; yo) in a predetermined angular working sector of predetermined opening nothing. 2. underwater vehicle (E) according to the preceding claim, wherein the axis of rotation (y) is fixed relative to the body (10). 3. underwater vehicle (E) according to the preceding claim, wherein the connecting element is connected to the body of the underwater vehicle by a link with a single degree of freedom. 4. underwater vehicle (E) according to claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation (yo) is distant from the center of inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1 b, 1c), and wherein l axis of rotation (yo) is movable relative to the body (10) of the underwater vehicle, the underwater vehicle comprising adjustment means configured to adjust the position of the axis of rotation (yo) from an orientation of an orthogonal projection of the axis of the tensile force so as to pass the orthogonal projection of the tensile force by the center of inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1b, 1c) regardless of its orientation in the angular sector. The underwater vehicle (E) according to claim 4, wherein the adjusting means comprises an actuator for moving the axis of rotation (yo) relative to the body (10) of the underwater vehicle (1 b, 1c) and a control member adapted to control the actuator. 6. underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the connection to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about the axis of rotation is a pivot connection. 7. underwater vehicle (E) according to any one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the connection to at least one degree of freedom in rotation about the axis of rotation is a two-axis finger joint connection of which the axis of rotation and another axis of rotation of the plane P. 8. underwater vehicle according to the preceding claim, wherein the tensile force has a greater angular movement around the axis of rotation around the other axis of rotation. 9. underwater vehicle (E) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the center of inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1) and the hull center of the underwater vehicle are located in the plane P. 10. underwater vehicle (E) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main axis (x) of movement of the vehicle is parallel to the plane P and perpendicular to a line passing through the center of the hull and the center inertia (G) of the underwater vehicle (1). 11. underwater vehicle (E) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (10) of the underwater vehicle (1) extends longitudinally along the main axis of movement (x). 12. underwater vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the different orthogonal projections of the axis of the tensile force in the plane P are obtained by a movement of the connecting element (4) relative to the body of the underwater vehicle without deformation of the connecting element. 13. Underwater vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a propellant. 14. underwater vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the propellant is a vector propellant. 15. underwater vehicle (E) according to the preceding claim, wherein the underwater vehicle (1) comprises attitude adjustment means for adjusting at least one attitude angle of the underwater vehicle. 16. underwater vehicle according to the preceding claim, wherein the underwater vehicle (1) comprises an electric energy accumulator.