Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
114244000 | Submerged object | 31 |
20080250998 | WINGED BODY HAVING A STOWED CONFIGURATION AND A DEPLOYED CONFIGURATION - A winged body has a wing structure with at least two wings coupled to a body structure, each wing having a wing tip. The wings wrap around the body structure when in a stowed configuration within a launch tube, and the wings spring outward from the body structure to a deployed configuration when the winged body is removed from the launch tube. The wings can take deformed-deployed configurations when the winged body is towed at a relatively high speed through the water. | 10-16-2008 |
20080289560 | SUBMERSIBLE CARGO CONTAINER - Various embodiments of this invention disclose a standard sized shipping container that is submersible, such that it may be towed behind a seagoing vessel as well as loaded and stored on the deck of a sea going vessel. Various embodiments of the invention allow standard shipping containers to be towed behind seagoing vessels and containers to be sealed and submerged in order to prevent tampering during transit. | 11-27-2008 |
20090025622 | DEVICE FOR CLOSING A FUSELAGE CONNECTED TO A TOWED SUBMARINE OBJECT AND THE APPLIANCE THUS EQUIPPED - A device for selectively opening and closing a fuselage coupled to a towed submarine object. The device comprises first and second shells articulatable with respect each other by a hinge assembly. A releasable locking system locks the shells on each other. Hinge members of the hinge assembly are slidable with respect to each other along the articulation axis of the shells in order to actuate the locking or unlocking of these shells. | 01-29-2009 |
20090050044 | Steerable paravane system for towed seismic streamer arrays - A paravane for a seismic acquisition system includes a float, a frame suspended from the float, deflectors affixed to the frame, and means for coupling a tow rope to a lead-in functionally extending between a forward end and an aft end of the frame. The paravane includes means for selectively changing an effective position along the lead-in of the means for coupling the tow cable. | 02-26-2009 |
20090194012 | Procedure for descent of equipment to bottom of sea - The present invention refers to a process to permit descent to sea bottom, with the use of two conventional tug boats, of equipment used in submarine field oil field exploration, especially descent of equipment of large size and mass in deep water fields. | 08-06-2009 |
20090211509 | POSITION CONTROLLER FOR A TOWED ARRAY - A position controller capable of controlling the depth or lateral position of a towed array. The position controller comprises a tubular fuselage from which a pair of wings may be extended over a range of sweep angles between fully open and stowed positions. In fully or partly open positions, two wings present a positive angle of attack relative to the axis of the fuselage. In the stowed position, the wings are fully retracted into a wing receptacle within the fuselage for unfettered passage into and out of a submarine on the array deployment and retrieval handling system. | 08-27-2009 |
20090293792 | TOWING AND SUBSEA INSTALLATION OF LONG ARTICLES - An elongate article ( | 12-03-2009 |
20110174207 | System and method for using copper coating to prevent marine growth on towed geophysical equipment - A system comprises towed marine seismic equipment marine seismic equipment, adapted for towing through a body of water; and a coating of copper particles covering the marine seismic equipment to protect from marine growth. A method comprises towing marine seismic equipment having a coating of copper particles thereon to protect from marine growth. | 07-21-2011 |
20110203509 | Tension management control system and methods used with towed marine sensor arrays - A method for towing a sensor streamer array in a body of water includes towing a plurality of sensor streamers behind a vessel in the water, measuring tension at a plurality of positions along the array and determining at least one of an optimum operating speed for the vessel, when the streamers and associated towing equipment have become affected by marine debris so as to require cleaning, and an optimum angle of attack of at least one paravane in the towing equipment. | 08-25-2011 |
20120006245 | CABLE CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR UNDERWATER VEHICLE - A system for interconnecting a mother ship with a submersible vehicle using a cable towed by the mother ship. The cable has a first cable end connected to the mother ship and a second cable end to be connected to the submersible vehicle. The second cable end is provided with a first connector. A capturing mast is arranged at the submersible vehicle for capturing the cable towed by the mother ship. A connector holder is arranged at the submersible vehicle for holding the first connector when it is to be connected to a second connector. The second connector is connected to the submersible vehicle. A first guide is arranged at the submersible vehicle for guiding the first connector towards the connector holder of the submersible vehicle. A second guide turns the connector to a well defined position into the connector holder. | 01-12-2012 |
20120145064 | Docking Apparatuses and Methods - An intercepting vehicle, which is being towed by a towing vehicle, may home in on and attach to a retrievable vehicle that catches up to the intercepting vehicle from behind. Then, the intercepting vehicle, with the retrievable vehicle docked thereto, may be brought to the towing vehicle by reeling in the intercepting vehicle with the retrievable vehicle docked thereto. | 06-14-2012 |
20130139742 | PARAVANE INCREASED LIFT, TOWING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and a marine towing system for towing streamers or sources. The towing system includes a connecting line; a first paravane connected to the connecting line, wherein the connecting line is configured to connect the first paravane to a vessel; a spur line connected to the first paravane and configured to provide a tension to maintain streamers apart from each other; and a second paravane connected to the connecting line, between the first paravane and the vessel. The second paravane is configured to increase an angle (α | 06-06-2013 |
20130239863 | TETHERED TOW BODY, COMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS AND SYSTEM - The problem of providing a submerged vehicle with above-the-surface communications to a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite while traveling at operating speed is solved by an efficiently deployable tethered tow body having a hydrodynamic and buoyant hull body and incorporating a lift-generating wing that provides hydrodynamic lift to efficiently lift the tow body containing antennas and other communications devices to the surface. The tow body allows for stable operation during underwater tow, surface tow, and transitions between underwater tow and surface tow. Disclosed embodiments include communications apparatuses encompassing the principles of the tethered tow body, as well as various underwater systems that incorporate a tethered tow body or communications apparatus for establishing communications with a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite. | 09-19-2013 |
20140069313 | Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Cleaning Marine Survey Equipment - Techniques are disclosed relating to using a remote operated vehicle (ROV) to facilitate cleaning of a submerged geophysical equipment (e.g., a streamer) being towed behind a tow vessel. The ROV may, in one embodiment, attach a streamer cleaning unit (SCU) to the streamer, where the SCU is configured to clean the streamer. In another embodiment, the ROV may facilitate cleaning by cleaning the streamer itself using a cleaning attachment coupled to the ROV. | 03-13-2014 |
20140109818 | KNUCKLE DEFLECTOR FOR MARINE SEISMIC SURVEY SYSTEM - Deflectors configured to be attached to cables towed behind a vessel for performing a marine survey and associated methods are provided. A deflector has a body including a wing portion and a knuckle portion. The wing portion has substantially flat wings extending away from a position where the body is attached to the cable. The knuckle portion is configured to attach the wing portion to the cable so that the wing portion remains able to rotate about three rectangular axes while being towed underwater. | 04-24-2014 |
20140326170 | TOWING DEVICE WITH A HINGED FAIRLEAD - A towing device, intended to be fitted to the deck of a ship, comprises a winch, a cable and a fairlead, the cable running through the fairlead under the action of the winch. The fairlead comprises at least a first and a second sector, the sectors allowing the cable to be guided in a groove made in each of the sectors, a first articulation with a degree of freedom to rotate about an axis, the articulation connecting the two sectors, the axis being substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the cable runs substantially through the fairlead at the articulation, and limiting means that limit the angular travel of the articulation. The sectors and the limiting means are dimensioned so as to prevent the cable from exceeding a lower limit of radius of curvature. | 11-06-2014 |
20150020726 | LEAD-IN CABLE WITH A REPLACEABLE PORTION AND METHOD - A lead-in cable used to tow a streamer behind a vessel includes a replaceable portion removably connected between a portion of the lead-in cable attached to the vessel and the streamer. Alternatively a lead-in additional cable is inserted between a lead-in cable and a towed streamer. The replaceable portion or the lead-in additional cable covers a portion most likely to be damaged between the streamer and the towing vessel. | 01-22-2015 |
20160096595 | CUTTER DEVICE FOR MARINE SURVEY SYSTEM AND RELATED METHOD - Device, system and method for protecting towed marine survey equipment from line entanglement are provided. A cutter device has a mounting mechanism configured to fixedly attach at a predetermined position along a cable used for towing, and one or more cutting structures. The cutting structures are attached to and extend away from the mounting mechanism, being configured to cut lines that get caught by the cutting structures or slide along the cable to the predetermined position. | 04-07-2016 |
20160121973 | DEFLECTOR GRIP ADAPTER, DEFLECTOR AND SYSTEM FOR LAUNCHING AND HAULING OF SUCH A DEFLECTOR - A marine deflector handling system includes a seismic survey vessel with a deflector towing sheave with a towing line to a seismic deflector bridle block. The bridle block includes, as counted from its outer end to its inner end: two triple head arms with each its triple head in their outer ends for fore and aft sets of bridle lines to a deflector, wherein said triple head arms in their inner ends are coupled together in a hinge bearing block which further holds an outer end of a grip adapter stem, wherein said grip adapter stem in its opposite, inner end is provided with a grip adapter axle block with a transverse through extending and protruding grip adapter axle arranged for being gripped by a crane jaw, wherein said grip adapter axle further holds an outer end of a sheave block stem with an inner end provided with a sheave block for said towing line. | 05-05-2016 |
20170233041 | HITCHING A FISH UP TO A TOWED SONAR | 08-17-2017 |
114245000 | Having depth-control means | 11 |
20090025623 | Method of transporting an elongate member - The present invention provides a method for transporting an elongate member through water. The elongate member has a first end portion and a second end portion. The method comprises the steps of: adjusting the buoyancy of the elongate member to ensure that the elongate member is buoyant; providing at least one weight acting on each end portion of the elongate member; and transporting the elongate member through water in an inverted catenary configuration. The elongate member can be transported below the wave affected zone. The or each weight acting on each end portion of the elongate member can be detachably connected thereto. The elongate member can be transported by towing. | 01-29-2009 |
20100242823 | CONTROLLED TOWED ARRAY DEPRESSOR - A depressor for towed hydrophone arrays is contemplated having a remotely controllable tow point to allow array depth to be modified without requiring manual reconfiguration. The tow cable is attached to the depressor in an adjustable manner also providing improved depth control precision. | 09-30-2010 |
20110011323 | TETHERED TOW BODY, COMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS AND SYSTEM - The problem of providing a submerged vehicle with above-the-surface communications to a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite while traveling at operating speed is solved by an efficiently deployable tethered tow body having a hydrodynamic and buoyant hull body and incorporating a lift-generating wing that provides hydrodynamic lift to efficiently lift the tow body containing antennas and other communications devices to the surface. The tow body allows for stable operation during underwater tow, surface tow, and transitions between underwater tow and surface tow. Disclosed embodiments include communications apparatuses encompassing the principles of the tethered tow body, as well as various underwater systems that incorporate a tethered tow body or communications apparatus for establishing communications with a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite. | 01-20-2011 |
20120118213 | TETHERED TOW BODY, COMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS AND SYSTEM - The problem of providing a submerged vehicle with above-the-surface communications to a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite while traveling at operating speed is solved by an efficiently deployable tethered tow body having a hydrodynamic and buoyant hull body and incorporating a lift-generating wing that provides hydrodynamic lift to efficiently lift the tow body containing antennas and other communications devices to the surface. The tow body allows for stable operation during underwater tow, surface tow, and transitions between underwater tow and surface tow. Disclosed embodiments include communications apparatuses encompassing the principles of the tethered tow body, as well as various underwater systems that incorporate a tethered tow body or communications apparatus for establishing communications with a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite. | 05-17-2012 |
20120222607 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING FORCE DEVELOPED BY A PARAVANE SYSTEM - Controlling lateral force developed by a paravane system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: towing a paravane system through water, the towing by way of a bridle comprising a plurality of fixed-length forward lines coupled to a respective plurality of forward tow points, and a plurality of fixed-length aft lines coupled to a respective plurality of aft tow points; and while towing the paravane system through the water changing one or both of the lateral force supplied by the paravane or the direction of the force supplied by the paravane. | 09-06-2012 |
20130213291 | Control Device for Positioning an Instrumented Cable Provided With Buoyancy Means for Retrieving the Control Device and Instrumented Cable From Submerged Positioning - Control device ( | 08-22-2013 |
20140102347 | MARINE SEISMIC SURVEYING IN ICY OR OBSTRUCTED WATERS - A skeg mounts from the stern of a towing vessel and extends below the waterline. A channel in the skeg protects cables for steamers and a source of a seismic system deployed from the vessel. Tow points on the skeg lie below the water's surface and connect to towlines to support the steamers and source. A floatation device supports the source and tows below the water's surface to avoid ice floes. The streamers can have vehicles deployed thereon for controlling a position on the streamer. To facilitate locating the streamers, these vehicles on the streamers can be brought to the surface when clear of ice floes so that GPS readings can be obtained and communicated to a control system. After obtaining readings, the vehicles can be floated back under the surface. Deploying, using, and retrieving the system accounts for ice at the surface in icy regions. In addition, handling the seismic record can account for noise generated by ice impact events. | 04-17-2014 |
20140251198 | FOLDABLE WING FOR STREAMER STEERING DEVICE AND METHOD - A streamer steering device to be attached to a streamer or a source of a marine seismic survey system. The streamer steering device includes a casing configured to be attached to the streamer or to the source; a wing assembly connected to the casing and having an active surface used to control depth and/or lateral position of the streamer; and an actuating mechanism located inside the casing and connected to the wing assembly, the actuating mechanism being configured to change a state of the wing assembly from an operational state to a folded state. The active surface has substantially the same area during the operational state and the folded state. | 09-11-2014 |
20150096484 | Wing Releasing System for a Navigation Control Device - A wing releasing system is provided for releasing at least one wing of a set of wing or wings of a navigation control device. The navigation control device is adapted for controlling depth and/or lateral position of a towed acoustic linear antenna and includes a body to which is attached the set of wing or wings. The wing releasing system includes: a releasing decision circuit, for generating a release request signal when detecting that a foreign object is caught by at least one wing of the set of wing or wings; and an actuator comprised in the navigation control device, for releasing from the body the at least one wing of the set of wing or wings, when receiving the release request signal. | 04-09-2015 |
20150362613 | APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING OF SEISMIC EQUIPMENT TOWED BY A SURVEY VESSEL - There is provided an apparatus for positioning in water of seismic equipment towed by a survey vessel. The apparatus is made of an elongated body part for receiving a towed underwater cable. The body part is provided with wings and integrated wing flaps for stably holding the apparatus in the correct water position. | 12-17-2015 |
20160161622 | SEGMENTED-FOIL DIVERTOR - A segmented-foil divertor for marine towed application, such as marine seismic exploration, having a plurality of longitudinally stackable foil segments with an internal conduit extending along the span of each segment to receive a cable passing therethrough. | 06-09-2016 |