DYNAMIC TUG WINCH CONTROL

• US 20190315440A1
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kongsberg Maritime CM AS
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Marine As (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Callaway, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 11,052,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/56 Towing or pushing equipment tugs B63B35/66; towing arrangements for water sports use B63B34/60
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/66 Tugs towing or pushing equipment B63B21/56
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/68 for towing
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/42 Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements by jets B63H25/46; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/50 for maintaining predetermined rope, cable, or chain tension, e.g. in ropes or cables for towing craft, in chains for anchors; Warping or mooring winch-cable tension control
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 2700/0108 with devices for paying out or automatically tightening the cable
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a tug controller and a tug for maneuvering a towed vessel, comprising a dynamic positioning system, and a tow equipment comprising a towline connected to the towed vessel, wherein the tow equipment is automatically controlled by the dynamic positioning system based on a plurality of input parameters.

Claims

1. A tug for maneuvering a towed vessel, the tug comprising:

a dynamic positioning system; and

a tow equipment comprising a towline connected to the towed vessel, wherein the tow equipment is automatically controlled by the dynamic positioning system based on a plurality of input parameters.

2. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of:

length of the towline;

tension of the towline;

direction of the towline;

location of the towed vessel;

heading of the towed vessel;

speed of the towed vessel;

heading of the tug;

speed of the tug; and

relative height of a towline connector on the towed vessel to the tow equipment.

3. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment automatically spools in or out the towline to keep a slack of the towline and a tension of the towline within predefined thresholds.

4. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment automatically adjusts a direction of the tow equipment such that a direction of the towline is perpendicular to the tow equipment.

5. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to receive information of a length of the towline, a tension of the towline or a direction of the towline from the tow equipment.

6. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment comprises a tension sensor to measure the tension of the towline.

7. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment comprises a directional sensor to measure the direction of the towline.

8. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to receive information of a location of the towed vessel, heading of the towed vessel or speed of the towed vessel from the towed vessel via wireless communication.

9. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tug is adapted to be put in a tow mode by locking the towing equipment.

10. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment comprises a winch.

11. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the tow equipment is adapted to rotate around a vertical axis relative to the tug.

12. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to adjust a position of the tug to maintain the tow equipment within an operation range of the tow equipment.

13. Tug according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to determine a dangerous situation for the tug based on the plurality of input parameters, and the tow equipment automatically spools out the towline if the dangerous situation is determined.

14. Tug controller, comprising:

a dynamic positioning system; and

a tow equipment controller to control a tow equipment connected to a towed vessel by a towline, wherein the tow equipment controller is automatically controlled by the dynamic positioning system based on a plurality of input parameters.

15. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of parameters includes at least one of:

length of the towline;

tension of the towline;

direction of the towline;

location of the towed vessel;

heading of the towed vessel;

speed of the towed vessel;

heading of the tug;

speed of the tug; and

relative height of a towline connector on the towed vessel to the tow equipment.

16. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the tow equipment controller automatically spools in or out the towline to keep a slack of the towline and a tension of the towline within predefined thresholds.

17. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the tow equipment controller automatically adjusts a direction of the tow equipment such that a direction of the towline is perpendicular to the tow equipment.

18. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to receive information of a length of the towline, a tension of the towline or a direction of the towline from the tow equipment controller.

19. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the tow equipment controller receives a measure of tension of the towline from a tension sensor in the tow equipment.

20. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the tow equipment controller receives a measure of direction of the towline from a directional sensor in the tow equipment.

21. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to receive information of a location of the towed vessel, heading of the towed vessel or speed of the towed vessel from the towed vessel via wireless communication.

22. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the tug controller is adapted to put the tug in tow mode by locking the towing equipment.

23. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to adjust a position of the tug to maintain the tow equipment within an operation range of the tow equipment.

24. Tug controller according to claim 14, wherein the dynamic positioning system is adapted to determine a dangerous situation for the tug based on the plurality of input parameters, and the tow equipment controller automatically spools out the towline if the dangerous situation is determined.