Deep-sea device for recovering at least one deep-sea object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9180946-B2
Application number	US-201113979771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2011
Priority date	Jan 14, 2011
Publication date	Nov 10, 2015
Grant date	Nov 10, 2015

Abstract

The invention relates to a deep-sea device for recovering at least one deep-sea object, in particular at least one organism and/or cell material. The deep-sea device comprises a capturing system ( 14 ) for accommodating at least one deep-sea object, and a drive unit ( 16 ) for driving the deep-sea device. The deep-sea device is designed and equipped in particular to be advanced at least in sections substantially in the buoyancy direction (Ar) toward the water surface. The deep-sea device is designed in particular like a torpedo.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for recovering at least one object from a body of water, having a surface and a bed, at a depth greater than 1000 meters beneath the surface, comprising:
a catching device configured to retrieve and contain at least one object at a depth greater than 1000 meters, and
a drive unit configured to propel the—device,

wherein
the device has a forward and an aft end with said drive unit located at said aft end and configured to be propelled forward from a submersed location either directly or in stages towards the surface by the drive unit,
wherein the device is configured to be driven forward oriented at least in stages substantially perpendicular to the surface,
and wherein the catching device comprises at least one of the following:
a temperature control device configured to control a temperature of at least one of the catching device and the at least one object, or
a pressure adjusting device configured to adjust a pressure in the catching device or for the at least one object.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to be oriented with said forward end substantially facing the surface.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to be driven forward oriented at least in stages substantially perpendicular to the surface.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a droppable weight.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a weight configured to let the deep-sea device sink with said forward end facing the bed.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the device comprises a buoyancy unit configured to orient the device with said forward end substantially facing the surface.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein
at least one of the weight and the buoyancy unit is arranged in said forward end of the device, and
the device is substantially oriented with said forward end facing the surface after the weight has been dropped.

8. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the device returns to the surface due to positive buoyancy after the weight has been dropped.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the catching device is closable in a water-proof and pressure resistant manner suitable for water depths below 1000 meters.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the catching device is configured to ensure a pressure, substantially equal to an external pressure at a depth to which the device has been exposed, in the catching device or for the at least one object.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the catching device comprises at least one of the following:
a chamber in which at least one object can be caught,
a determination unit configured to determine whether at least one object is in the chamber,
a closable chamber which is closed when a determination unit has determined the existence of at least one object in the chamber,
an attractant for attracting at least one object into the chamber,
a suction device for sucking at least one of at least one object and water into the chamber, and
a screening device, against which at least object that has been sucked into the catching device is impingeable.

12. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a preparation device configured to at least one of dismantle and fix the at least one object in the catching device.

13. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a preparation device configured to supply at least one active agent to the at least one object in the catching device.

14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a catching device and a preparation device, which is configured to substantially isolate the at least one object from the surrounding water or to recover the at least one object surrounded by surrounding water.

15. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one object in the catching device can be fixed by penetration or dismantled by cutting.

16. The device according claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an elongated main body and the catching device is integrated into an interior of the elongated main body such that the catching device is at least partially removable and reattachable.

17. The device according claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a connecting device for a pressure system.

18. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the—device comprises at least one spacer device configured to prevent an inlet opening of the catching device being closed by a bed of the body of water.

19. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises at least one of the following:
a propeller drive unit,
a screw drive unit, and
a recoil drive unit.

20. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is formed and configured to propel the device with a speed, which is greater than 50 km/h.

21. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following:
an adjustment system configured for adjusting at least one of the speed and the direction of movement of the device, and
a sensor configured for detecting a directional beam.

22. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a determining means configured to determine at least one of a position, a depth and an orientation of the device.

23. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one object comprises at least one of at least one organism and cell material.

24. A method for recovering at least one object from a depth below 1000 meters in a body of water having a surface and a bed using a device, comprising:
retrieving and housing the at least one object is by use of a catching device housed in the device,
propelling the device at least in stages substantially in a direction towards a the water surface with a drive unit,
wherein the device is configured to be driven forward oriented at least in stages substantially perpendicular to the surface,
and wherein the catching device comprises at least one of the following:
a temperature control device configured to control a temperature of at least one of the catching device and the at least one object, or
a pressure adjusting device configured to adjust a pressure in the catching device or for the at least one object.

25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein
the device is elongate and is oriented when at a depth below 1000 meters substantially perpendicular to the water surface, and
is driven forward at least in stages oriented substantially perpendicular to the water surface.

26. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising dropping a weight from the device.

27. The method according to claim 24 , wherein the device is oriented by use of a buoyancy unit substantially perpendicular to the water surface.

28. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the device is substantially oriented perpendicular to the water surface after the weight has been dropped.

29. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the device returns to the surface by positive buoyancy after the weight has been dropped.

30. The method according to claim 24 , wherein in the catching device at least one of the following is ensured:
the object is maintained at a temperature, which substantially corresponds to the temperature of the surrounding water where the

Assignees

• Fuhr Guenter R
• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Fuhr Guenter R

Classifications

• B63C7/20 Primary

  using grabs {(cable grapnels with grabs B63C11/50)} · CPC title

• B63C11/52 Primary

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · 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

• B63G8/00 Primary

  Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; {Equipment specially adapted therefor}(submarine hulls B63B3/13; diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base B63C11/34; divers' sleds B63C11/46; torpedoes F42B19/00) · CPC title