Measuring device intended to be immersed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11550071-B2
Application number	US-201816755878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A measurement device intended to be immersed in water, includes a set of arms and a reference axis, the measurement device being able to be in a deployed configuration, the measurement device comprising a set of measurement units borne by arms of the set of arms and each comprising an acoustic-waves sensor, the set of measurement units being configured and arranged in such a way as to generate a torque on the measurement device about the reference axis upon a vertical translational movement of the measurement device in the deployed configuration, the measurement device comprising compensation means configured and arranged in such a way as to generate another torque on the measurement device about the reference axis during the vertical translational movement, the other torque being directed in the opposite direction to the torque and having an intensity less than twice that of the torque.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measurement device intended to be immersed in water, comprising a set of arms and a reference axis, the measurement device being able to be in a deployed configuration wherein the arms extend radially about the reference axis, the measurement device comprising a set of measurement units borne by arms of the set of arms and each comprising an acoustic-waves sensor, the set of measurement units being configured and arranged in such a way as to generate a torque on the measurement device about the reference axis upon a vertical translational movement of the measurement device in the deployed configuration, each measurement unit of the measurement set comprising a first water-contact surface intended to be in direct physical contact with the water and oriented, in the deployed configuration, in such a way that it experiences, under the effect of the flow of water over the first water-contact surface during the vertical translational movement, a first force comprising a vertical component and a horizontal component comprising a tangential component generating an individual torque on the measurement device about the reference axis, the individual torques generated by the measurement units of the measurement set being oriented in the direction of the torque, the measurement device comprising compensation means configured and arranged in such a way as to generate another torque on the measurement device about the reference axis during the vertical translational movement, the other torque being directed in the opposite direction to the torque and having an intensity less than twice that of the torque, the compensation means comprising a set of at least one compensation unit comprising a second water-contact surface intended to be in direct physical contact with the water and oriented, in the deployed configuration, in such a way that it experiences, under the effect of the flow of water over the second water-contact surface during the vertical translational movement, a second force comprising a vertical component and a horizontal component comprising a tangential component generating an individual compensation torque on the measurement device about the reference axis, the individual compensation torque being oriented in the opposite direction to the torque.

2. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the other torque has an intensity substantially equal to the intensity of the torque.

3. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compensation unit is arranged and configured in such a way that the force experienced by the compensation unit has a horizontal component comprising only a tangential component.

4. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set of at least one compensation unit and the set of measurement units is fixed to the set of arms.

5. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one compensation unit is associated with each measurement unit, the compensation unit associated with a measurement unit being fixed to the one same arm as the measurement unit and being configured and arranged in such a way as to generate, during the vertical translational movement, an individual torque on the measurement device substantially in the opposite direction to an individual torque generated by the measurement unit during the vertical translational movement.

6. The measurement device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the individual torque generated by the compensation unit is substantially the opposite of the individual torque generated by the measurement unit.

7. The measuring device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the arms are telescopic and each comprise several segments able to slide relative to one another, the compensation unit being fixed to the one same segment as the associated measurement unit.

8. The measurement device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the measurement unit is one piece with the associated compensation unit.

9. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compensation unit occupies, about the reference axis r, an angular sector subtending a smaller angle than an angular sector occupied by the measurement device with which it is associated.

10. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the set of measurement units comprises a subset of measurement units which are mounted on the one same arm, the measurement units of the subset being positioned on the one same side of the plane radial to the reference axis containing the axis of the arm.

11. The measurement device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each compensation unit mounted on the arm is positioned on the other side of the radial plane.

12. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second water-contact surface has a mean normal that is inclined, in the deployed configuration, with respect to the reference axis and with respect to an axis tangential to the reference axis, so as to generate the individual compensation torque on the measurement device about the reference axis.

13. The measurement device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the second water-contact surface is oriented in the direction of the vertical translational movement.

14. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compensation unit has the form of a parallelepipedal plate.

15. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a straight line passing through a leading edge and a trailing edge of the compensation unit has a normal that is inclined, in the deployed configuration, with respect with respect to the reference axis and with respect to a tangential axis, defined with respect to the reference axis, so as to generate the individual torque on the measurement device about the reference axis.

16. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first water-contact surface has a mean normal that is inclined, in the deployed configuration, with respect to the reference axis and with respect to a tangential axis, defined with respect to the reference axis, so as to generate the individual torque on the measurement device about the reference axis.

17. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one compensation unit incorporates a measurement element other than an acoustic sensor.

18. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compensation unit has no acoustic sensor.

19. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measurement device is able to be in a stowed configuration wherein the arms are inscribed inside a cylinder the axis of which is the reference axis, the measurement units and the compensation means being configured and arranged in such a way as to be housed inside said cylinder when the measurement device is in the stowed configuration.

20. The measurement device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the arms extend in a plane substantially perpendicular to the reference axis in the deployed configuration.

21. A sonobuoy comprising a measurement device as claimed in claim 1 .

22. The sonobuoy as claimed in claim 21 , comprising a buoyant body and a dunking line to which the buoyant body and the arm are connected, the buoy being configured in such a way that the buoyant body floats on the water surface and the dunking line extends longitudinally along a vertical axis that substantially coincides with the reference axis when the measurement device is in the deployed configuration.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Prevel Florian
• Galet Alain

Classifications

• B63B22/003

  adapted for being launched from an aircraft or water vehicle;, e.g. with brakes deployed in the water · CPC title

• G01V1/186 Primary

  Hydrophones · CPC title

• G01V1/3843

  Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers (equipment for marine deployment in general B63B) · CPC title

• G01V1/38

  specially adapted for water-covered areas (G01V1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G10K11/008 Primary

  Arrays of transducers (seismic streamers, see G01V1/20) · CPC title