DEVICE FOR THE SAFE TRANSFER OF PERSONNEL OR MATERIAL FROM AN OBJECT CONFIGURED AS A BOAT TO AN OBJECT MOVING RELATIVE THERETO, AND BOAT COMPRISING THE DEVICE

• US 20110038691A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stefan Leske
• Original Assignee: Stefan Leske
• Inventors: Leske, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US12/988,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20110038691A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/139.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/10 of cranes
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/30 Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/02 Devices for facilitating retrieval of floating objects, e.g. for recovering crafts from water handling live-boats B63B; salvaging, or hauling-out on slipways, waterborne vessels B63C; winding mechanism controls B66D1/52
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/08 and adapted to move the loads in predetermined paths
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 11/044 Working platforms suspended from booms

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the safe transfer of personnel or material from an object configured as a boat to an object moving relative thereto. The device comprises a dedicated loading or unloading device, a transfer element, and a regulating device for minimizing the relative movement of the transfer element relative to the other object. The loading or unloading device is configured as an industrial robot (4, 14, 34), and the robot arm thereof is configured as a support arm. For this purpose, the transfer element is attached to the free end of the support arm, or is configured such that it may be connected to the free end of the support arm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for safely transferring personnel or material from a watercraft to another object moving relative thereto, having a shipborne loading and unloading device, with a transfer element and a control system for minimizing movement of the transfer element relative to the other object, wherein the loading and unloading device is embodied as an industrial robot and its robot arm is a support arm, the transfer element being attached to the free end of the support arm or being embodied such that it can be connected to the free end of the support arm.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support arm can be moved in at least six degrees of freedom.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the support arm can be moved by servomotors, the servomotors being controllable by the control system.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising

a safety control unit that can be used to move the support arm to a safety position.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising

an adjusting apparatus on which the industrial robot is mounted on the watercraft such that it can be adjusted vertically, horizontally, and lengthwise.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising

a protective apparatus for the industrial robot and any transfer element.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transfer element is at least one platform and is attached to the free end of the support arm.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transfer element is a gangway.

12. An arrangement with a watercraft and an apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

6. The apparatus in accordance with 1, further comprising

an adjusting apparatus having a resetting unit on which the industrial robot is carried on the watercraft movable between a safety position and a working position.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the resetting unit has a tensioning unit that can move the industrial robot against a prestress into the working position and that can automatically release the industrial robot to move into the safety position.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising

an adjustment control unit with which the adjusting apparatus can be controlled.