LAUNCH PLATFORM FOR AN UNMANNED VEHICLE
First Claim
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1. A carrier vehicle for carrying a secondary vehicle along an elongate body, the carrier vehicle comprising:
- a support structure configured to carry the secondary vehicle; and
a translation mechanism connected to the support structure for causing the carrier vehicle to translate along the elongate body,wherein the secondary vehicle is capable of movement independently of the carrier vehicle.
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Abstract
A carrier vehicle carries an unmanned subsea vehicle along an elongate body from a topside location to a subsea location. The carrier vehicle comprises a support structure configured to carry the unmanned subsea vehicle, and a translation mechanism comprising gripper arms connected to the support structure for causing the carrier vehicle to translate along the elongate body using a hand¬over-hand action. The carrier vehicle can carry the subsea vehicle through a region of turbulence, such as a splash zone. This removes the need for special launch equipment to be installed on the platform to use the subsea vehicle.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A carrier vehicle for carrying a secondary vehicle along an elongate body, the carrier vehicle comprising:
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a support structure configured to carry the secondary vehicle; and a translation mechanism connected to the support structure for causing the carrier vehicle to translate along the elongate body, wherein the secondary vehicle is capable of movement independently of the carrier vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22)
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11. (canceled)
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16. A method of performing an operation on a remote structure in the vicinity of an elongate body, the method comprising:
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carrying a secondary vehicle to a launch location along the elongate body using a carrier vehicle that translates along the elongate body; releasing the secondary vehicle from the carrier vehicle, such that the secondary vehicle is capable of movement independently of the carrier vehicle; and performing the operation on the remote structure using the secondary vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
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Specification