Towed body with foiled depressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027806-B2
Application number	US-201916715329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed relating to a body towable behind a vessel in a body of water, an arm rotatably coupled to the body, and one or more foils disposed on the arm. The arm, when deployed, is configured to be free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water. The one or more foils are configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed. Due to the free rotation of the arm, the foils impart tension force to the body and not torque forces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a body towable behind a survey vessel in a body of water;
an arm rotatably coupled to the body such that the arm, when deployed, is free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
a first end stop and a second end stop, wherein the first end stop and the second end stop define a range of rotation of the arm when deployed;
a motor configured to adjust the range of rotation by adjusting a position of the first end stop; and
a plurality of foils disposed on the arm and configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end stop includes a first bracket, the second end stop includes a second bracket, one or more of the first bracket and the second bracket are configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the body, and a distance between the first bracket and the second bracket defines the range of rotation of the arm when deployed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured such that:
when the first end stop is disposed at a first position, the arm is in a stowed state;
when the first end stop is disposed at a second position, the arm is in a first deployed state in which a position of the arm relative to the body defines a first angle; and
when the first end stop is disposed at a third position, the arm is in a second deployed state in which the position of the arm relative to the body defines a second, different angle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when it is towed, at least a portion of the lift is directed along a y axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the arm is rotatably coupled to the body by a rotary coupling; and
the motor is configured to adjust the position of the first end stop by rotating a plate about the rotary coupling.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to adjust the position of the first end stop by inserting or moving a pin.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to adjust the position of the first end stop by moving the first end stop along a longitudinal axis of the body.

8. A method, comprising:
towing an apparatus behind a vessel in a body of water, wherein the apparatus includes a body and an arm having a plurality of foils disposed on the arm, and the towing is performed with the arm in an undeployed position;
controlling the apparatus to deploy the arm to a deployed position in which the arm is free to rotate and the plurality of foils generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water; and
towing the apparatus behind the vessel with the arm in the deployed position;
wherein the apparatus further includes a first end stop and a second end stop, the first end stop and the second end stop define a range of rotation of the arm when deployed, and controlling the apparatus to deploy the arm to a deployed position includes adjusting a position of the first end stop.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the lift is directed along a y axis.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the lift is directed away from the surface of the body of water along a vertical axis.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the body floats during the towing.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the body and arm are completely submerged during the towing.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
controlling the apparatus to deploy the arm from the deployed position to a second deployed position in which the arm is free to rotate and the plurality of foils generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water, wherein a position of the arm relative to the body defines an angle that changes as the arm is deployed from the deployed position to the second deployed position; and
towing the apparatus behind the vessel with the arm in the second deployed position.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein controlling the apparatus to deploy the arm to a deployed position includes adjusting an angle of attack of the plurality of foils to cause the arm to move into the deployed position.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
a body towable behind a survey vessel in a body of water;
an arm rotatably coupled to the body such that the arm, when deployed, is free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
a first end stop and a second end stop, wherein the first end stop includes a first bracket and the second end stop includes a second bracket, wherein one or more of the first bracket and the second bracket are configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the body, and wherein a distance between the first bracket and the second bracket defines a range of rotation of the arm when deployed; and
a plurality of foils disposed on the arm and configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a motor configured to adjust the range of rotation by adjusting a position of the first end stop.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the body includes a tow sled on which is mounted a piece of marine equipment; and
the apparatus is configured to be completely submerged in the body of water during towing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the piece of marine equipment comprises a marine vibrator.

19. An apparatus, comprising:
a body towable behind a survey vessel in a body of water;
an arm rotatably coupled to the body such that the arm, when deployed, is free to rotate about an axis of rotation as the apparatus is towed through the body of water; and
a plurality of foils disposed on the arm and configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
wherein a longitudinal member is coupled to the body, first and second attachment members couple the arm to the longitudinal member, and a position of the second attachment member along the longitudinal member is configured to be adjustable such that the position of the second attachment member along the longitudinal member adjusts a distance between the axis of rotation and the body.

20. An apparatus, comprising:
a body towable behind a survey vessel in a body of water;
an arm rotatably coupled to the body such that the arm, when deployed, is free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
a plurality of foils disposed on the arm and configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water; and
one or more motors configured to alter the angle of attack of one or more of the plurality of foils.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when it is towed, at least a portion of the lift is directed along a y axis.

22. An apparatus, comprising:
a first body towable behind a survey vessel in a body of water;
an arm rotatably coupled to the first body such that the arm, when deployed, is free to rotate as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
a plurality of foils disposed on the arm and configured to generate lift as the apparatus is towed through the body of water;
a float coupled to the first body; and
a second body coupled to the first body and configured to be submerged in the body of water during towing, wherein the second body includes one or more seismic sources.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when towe

Assignees

• Pgs Geophysical As

Inventors

• Voldsbekk Rune Sindre

Classifications

• G01V1/3826

  dynamic steering, e.g. by paravanes or birds · CPC title

• B63G8/18 Primary

  by hydrofoils · CPC title

• B63B21/66 Primary

  Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables ({paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; } salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42) · CPC title

• B63G8/001

  Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42) · CPC title

• B63B2211/02

  Oceanography · CPC title