The invention relates to the field of tethered-wing traction systems which are designed to deploy and fold a traction wing in relation to a base platform, this traction wing being designed to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind.
Such traction systems make it possible to deploy a flying traction wing used for the propulsion of a vehicle, notably a ship (as main propulsion or by way of support), for the generation of electricity, or for any application benefiting from such a traction force.
The French patent application FR3082184 describes a tethered-wing traction system and a process for deploying and folding the traction wing. The traction wing has folding lines fixed to its leading edge and the system has means for pulling on at least three folding lines in order to bring the leading edge against the mast at least at two different heights along this mast.
This traction system benefits from a more efficient and more reliable deployment and folding process.
An aim of the invention is to improve the tethered-wing traction systems of the prior art and the associated deployment and folding processes.
To that end, the invention concerns a tethered-wing traction system having:
This tethered-wing traction system also has:
According to another object, the invention concerns a process for folding the traction wing of a traction system as described above, this process having the following steps:
According to another object, the invention concerns a process for deploying the traction wing of a traction system as described above, this process having the following steps:
Throughout the text, the terms “one” or “a” in the formulations “one/a carriage” and “one/a line” are to be understood as meaning “at least one”.
In this instance, the engagement interface is designed to keep the leading edge of the traction wing moored, whether directly, or indirectly via a part.
Both for folding and for deployment of the traction wing, such a tethered-wing traction system, and the associated processes, utilize operations of folding/unfolding and furling/unfurling the traction wing that are controlled solely by the translation kinematics of the mooring, folding and furling carriages.
No complex device is necessary for these advanced folding/unfolding and furling/unfurling functions, by contrast to the prior art which generally provides winches, winders, return pulleys etc. for these same functions. These functions are therefore entirely automated without additional elements apart from the slide actuators and the control module.
Furthermore, the translation kinematics of the carriages may also be utilized for the storage/release of the traction wing before or after it is folded and furled.
The operations of folding, furling and possibly storing the traction wing are thus interlinked by the set of carriages. These functions are performed with little movable equipment (few lines, few transmissions, and few movable elements). These functions are still very complex to implement, notably in order to wind lines neatly and repeatably, especially when the tension is not perfectly managed. Frequent use is made of complex line guiding devices, tensioners etc.
These operations are, however, accelerated in relation to the prior art by virtue of the interlinking of the functions. Notably, if the wind speed rapidly increases, the folding of the traction wing is rapid and fluid, and the traction wing is rapidly put in a situation (folded and furled) in which it is sheltered from the wind.
The tethered-wing traction system according to the invention may have the following additional features, on their own or in combination:
Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following nonlimiting description with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Elements that are similar and shared by various embodiments bear the same reference numbers in the figures.
In the present example, the traction system 1 is mounted on the bow of the ship 2 and is actuated as a complementary propulsion means for the ship that makes it possible to save fuel. In this context, the traction system 1 is dimensioned depending on the tonnage of the ship to be hauled and is intended to be deployed and folded automatically.
In a variant, this traction system 1 may be used for any other application in which such an automatically foldable and deployable traction system is desired, for example as main propulsion means for a ship, for the propulsion of any other vehicle, for the generation of electricity, etc.
The traction system 1 has a base platform 3 which in this instance is fixed in place on the deck of the ship 2 and on which is mounted a mooring mast 4 provided for automatic folding and deployment operations of the system.
The traction system 1 also has a traction wing 5 which is designed to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind. In the present example, the traction wing 5 is a sail of the paraglider type. Any other flying equipment designed to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind can alternatively be employed, such as kites, gliding equipment, sails of the kite type, etc. The traction wing 5 conventionally has a leading edge 16 intended to be exposed to the ambient wind and an opposite edge, referred to as trailing edge 17.
The traction wing 5 is connected by an assembly of suspension lines 6 to a flying trajectory control device 7 which is designed to act on the suspension lines 6 to steer the flight of the traction wing 5.
The traction system 1 also has a traction line 8 connecting the flying trajectory control device 7 to the base platform 3. The traction force generated by the traction wing 5 is transmitted by the traction line 8 to the ship 2 to propel the latter, and the traction line is dimensioned accordingly. Within the context of the traction of an ocean freight ship, the traction line may be for example a textile cable of which the diameter may reach several centimeters.
The flying trajectory control device 7 makes it possible to steer the flight of the traction wing 5 in order to orient and position the traction wing and possibly to cause the traction wing 5 to describe flight paths that make it possible to increase the traction force on the ship. The control of the trajectory of the traction wing 5 is obtained in this instance by controlling the length of certain movable suspension lines, in a way which is conventional in the field of flying wings. The set of suspension lines 6 specifically has fixed suspension lines (that is to say that have a fixed length between their attachment to the traction wing 5 and their attachment to the flying trajectory control device 7) and movable suspension lines of variable length. The flying trajectory control device 7 is thus designed to pull on certain movable suspension lines and/or to slacken other movable suspension lines such that the aerodynamic profile of the traction wing 5 is modified with a view to controlling its lift, its trajectory, etc. The modification of the profile of a traction wing to control its trajectory is performed conventionally and will not be described in more detail here.
The traction wing 5 also has a guide line 9 and multiple folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C, which are all secured to the leading edge 16 by at least one of their ends.
The traction line 8 is connected to the base platform 3 via a winch 11 controlled by a motor, for example an electric or hydraulic motor, which is designed to unwind the traction line 8 to allow the traction wing 5 to gain altitude, or conversely to wind up this traction line 8 in order to bring the traction wing 5 towards the base platform 3.
The traction wing 5 has a furling line 13 which is divided into multiple lines (shown in dashed lines in
The traction system 1 has carriages 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, five of them in the present example. These carriages are fixed slidingly on the mooring mast 4 and each has a drive such that the position of each carriage along the mooring mast 4 can be managed.
These carriages are provided to capture and guide the folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C and the furling line 13 during the deployment or folding phases described later on.
These carriages are arranged as follows:
In a variant, the traction system 1 has as many carriages as are necessary to capture the folding or furling lines, the number of which can vary in relation to the example described.
The traction system 1 also has a control module 64 which controls the movement of the carriages 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E and the devices of each of the carriages for capturing the folding or furling lines. This control module 64 is realized conventionally by electronic equipment and computer hardware that is suitable for this application and is programmed to implement notably the process for deploying and folding the traction wing 5.
The folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C are arranged in pairs, as illustrated in
In this
With reference again to
Taking the traction configuration of
From the positions of
This operation continues as far as the position of
The mooring line 20 enters the mooring carriage 12B and holds the leading edge 16 against the mooring carriage 12B by traction. The traction wing 5 is then locked in this moored position (as will be described later on), the tension on the mooring line 20 is no longer necessary, and the lines can be captured.
To capture the lines (these operations do not necessarily take place in this order):
The lines are captured by virtue of hooks on the carriages, and a capturing device, as set out below.
The folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E then start to descend along the mooring mast 4 by sliding their hooks along lines which have been caught.
The traction wing 5 is then folded along the mooring mast 4, that is to say that the two lateral portions 19 of the leading edge 16 extend vertically along the mooring mast 4, while the median zone 15 is kept moored to the mooring carriage 12B.
From this position in
With reference to
The capturing device 22 is connected to the leading edge 16 of the traction wing 15 in the median zone 15 by a pylon 23 (visible notably in the side view of
In a variant, the capturing device 22 may be connected to the leading edge 16 by any other flexible or stiff means, such as textile ties or any other element that makes it possible for traction on the capturing device 22 to cause traction on the leading edge 16.
The capturing device 22 has a body 24 and two fastening arms 25 mounted on this body 24 so as to be able to pivot each about a pin 26. Each of the fastening arms 25 has a first fastening rod 27A, a longer second fastening rod 27B, and an even longer third fastening rod 27C (the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C are seen in section in
In the present example, the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C are made up of tubes force-fitted in bores provided to that end in the fastening arms 25.
The fastening arms are movable in relation to the body 24 between a flight position (that of
Each fastening arm 25 moreover has a lever 28, that is to say a portion extending beyond the pin 26 and making it possible to act on the fastening arm 25 to fold it.
Each folding line 10A, 10B, 10D, 10C which joins the median zone 15 is connected to a fastening rod 27A, 27B, 27C so as to protrude in the continuation of this fastening rod. In other words, the end of the fastening rod is continued by the folding line.
In the present example, in which the fastening rods are formed by tubes, the folding line is advantageously inserted in the tube and passes all through the tube to a fixing zone 29 of the fastening arm 25.
The pivot connection between the fastening arms 25 and the body 24 allows the fastening arms 25 to naturally take the spaced-apart position illustrated in
The function of this spaced-apart position of the fastening arms 25 is to further secure the automatic fastening of the lines by limiting the risk of the fastening arms 25 and the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C becoming entangled with the other lines, such as the guide line 9 and the mooring line 20.
The shuttle 14 is also shown in section in
In this instance, the guide line 9 is made up of a pair of lines stretched between the body 24 and the flying trajectory control device 7. In the present example, the pair of guide lines 9 forms a loop around a stop 34 of the body 24.
The guide line 9 is thus attached to the median zone 15 via the capturing device 22.
The mooring line 20 passes through the shuttle 14 and is connected to the body 24. The shuttle 14 has a guide means through which the mooring line passes 20 and which makes it possible for the mooring line 20 to slide freely. This guide means is formed by any type of guide means, such as pulleys or low-friction elements. The mooring line 20 thus extends from the mooring carriage 12B and passes slidingly through the shuttle 14, being guided in the direction of the body 24.
The interlocking interface 35 has elements for mooring the capturing device 22 in a predefined position. In the present example, these elements have an indentation 39 which complements an indentation 40 in the body 24. The shuttle 14 is also part of these positioning elements, since it is intended to engage in an impression 41 in the interlocking interface 35. The indentation 40 moreover has a significant advantage in terms of reacting forces, since the interaction of the indentations 39 and 40 makes it possible to react all the vertical forces which are exerted on the capturing device 22 during the folding operations, it being possible for these forces to be greater than 15 kN.
The impression 41 has inner walls for receiving and positioning the shuttle 14. The ovoid shape of the shuttle 14 and the complementary shape of the impression 41 ensure the predefined positioning when the capturing device 22 is being moored to the interlocking interface 35.
Between its attachment to the furling line 42 and its journey toward the trailing edge 17, the furling line 13 forms a loop 55 and enters a ring 43 which is integral with the tube 42. The ring 43 is for example a low-friction ring, or may be formed by a tube or a pulley. Traction on the loop 55 thus causes traction on the furling line 13 and therefore furling of the traction wing 5.
Furthermore, the traction on the mooring line 20 during the phase of mooring the traction line causes the shuttle 14 to rise and ends with the shuttle 14 entering the receiving portion 36. The shuttle 14 is then immobilized in the receiving portion 36 by virtue of the dimensional fit that makes it possible for the surface of the flats 33, 38 to bear against the inner surfaces of the receiving portion 36.
The shuttle 14 is thus movable between a sliding configuration, in which it slides along the guide line 9, and a mooring configuration, in which the shuttle 14 is disposed in its receiving portion 36.
The entry of the shuttle 14 into the receiving portion 36 also activates the levers 28, this causing the fastening arms 25 to close, that is to say be transferred into the vertical position, and to be held in this position by way of the presence of the shuttle 14.
The traction on the mooring line 20 causes the capturing device 22 to move closer to the interlocking interface 35 until these two elements are coupled.
The mooring carriage 12B has an upper immobilizing hook 48 and a pair of lower immobilizing hooks 49, which are movable between a retracted position, in which they are spaced apart from the capturing device 22, and an immobilizing position (that shown in
Each of the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E has a pair of capturing hooks 46A, 46B, 46C, each of these pairs of capturing hooks being intended to hook the corresponding pair of folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C. These hooks 12C, 12D, 12E are in the retracted position in
The furling carriage 12A has a capturing hook 47 intended to actuate the furling line 13 by way of the loop 55. The capturing hook 47 is also retracted in
The hooks 46A, 46B, 46C, 47, 48 are hooks which can pivot in the integral yokes of the corresponding carriage.
During the process of folding the traction wing 5, once the capturing device 22 is coupled to the interlocking interface 35, the immobilizing hooks 48, 49 of the mooring carriage 12B are activated toward their immobilizing position to fix the capturing device 22 to the interlocking interface 35, as illustrated in
The upper immobilizing hook 48 clamps the upper part of the body 24 while the lower immobilizing hooks 49 clamp the fastening arms 25 at the fixing zone 29, that is to say above the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C.
The hooks 48, 49 can be activated by any means, such as a pivot means controlled by an electric motor, or remote-controlled magnetic actuating means. In the present example, the hooks 48, 49 are actuated by virtue of the movement of the furling carriage 12A.
The same type of mechanism makes it possible, with continued movement of the furling carriage 12A away from the mooring carriage 12B, to also drive the furling hook 47 toward its capturing position by virtue of a control shaft interacting with a helical camway.
In the same way as before, the capturing hooks 46A, 46B, 46C of the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E may also be managed by any means that make it possible to close them over the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C. In the present example, the capturing hooks 46A, 46B, 46C are preferably made to transfer to their capturing position by moving the corresponding folding carriage away from the preceding carriage, by virtue of the same type of control as above: with a control shaft, lug and helical camway.
Thus, with reference to
The folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E then each start to descend along the mooring mast 4 while moving away from one another such that the pairs of hooks 46A, 46B, 46C close over the fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C, as illustrated in
Each hook 46A of the first folding carriage 12C closes over the three fastening rods 27A, 27B, 27C, that is to say just above the ends of the first fastening rods 27A.
Each hook 46B of the second folding carriage 12D closes over two fastening rods 27B, 27C, that is to say just above the ends of the second fastening rods 27B.
Each hook 46C of the third folding carriage 12E closes solely over a third fastening rod 27C, just above the ends of the third fastening rods 27C.
In this position in
From the position in
As the carriages descend, the hooks 46A, 46B, 46C thus slide on their corresponding folding line, making this folding line run vertically along the mooring mast 4.
This descent continues until the folded position in
Once the folded position has been reached, the traction wing 5 can then be furled. The traction wing 5 is furled by moving the mooring carriage 12B and the furling carriage 12A away from one another, this first of all causing the furling hook 47 to close over the furling rod 42 (see
The process of folding the traction wing 5 will now be summarized with reference to the profile views of
Starting from the flight position in
The folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E then capture the folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C by virtue of their respective hooks 46A, 46B, 46C.
Then, the control module 64 controls the sliding of the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E along the mooring mast 4 so as to reach the folded position in
To this end, the programming of the control module 64 includes a first mode of operation, referred to as “folding mode”, in which the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E are moved away from the mooring carriage 12B. In the present example, the mooring carriage 12B remains fixed in place on the mooring mast 4 while the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E each descend along the mooring mast 4 down to the folded position illustrated in
The independent control of the carriages furthermore makes it possible to perform additional functions, such as windsock-type folding of the traction wing 5 (by closing its trailing edges) by exerting traction on the closing lines (not shown) that are connected to the trailing edge 17, it being possible to optimize and manage this traction by way of the movements of the carriages.
Starting from the folded position in
With reference to
When the traction wing 5 is folded along the mooring mast 4, and once the furling loop 55 is captured by the furling carriage 12A, all four of the mooring carriage 12B and the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E will be made simultaneously to move downward in translation. In other words, these four carriages 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E will each slide downward along the mooring mast 4 while still maintaining their respective mutual spacings.
To this end, the programming of the control module 64 includes a second mode of operation, referred to as “furling mode”, in which the mooring carriage 12B and the furling carriage 12A are moved away from one another. In the present example, the furling carriage 12A remains fixed in place on the mooring mast 4 while the mooring carriage 12B slides downward. Moreover, the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E also descend along the mooring mast 4 conjointly with the mooring carriage 12B.
Starting from the position in
This conjoint descent of the carriages 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E is illustrated in
As the thus-folded traction wing 5 descends, the mooring winch 21 is moreover controlled by the control module 64 so as to gradually wind up the mooring line 20. The mooring line 20 thus always has a small amount of tension, ensuring that no unwanted loop will form over the distance covered by the mooring line 20. This is because slack in the mooring line 20 at the start would run the risk of causing unintended locking of this mooring line 20, for example around one of the movable elements of the system.
As the traction wing 5 descends, the control module 64 keeps the furling carriage 12A fixed in place on the mooring mast 4. Moving the furling carriage 12A and the mooring carriage 12B away from one another causes traction on the furling loop 55. Since the furling carriage 12A has slidingly captured the furling loop 55 by way of the hook 47, this movement causes direct traction on the furling line 13, and therefore the furling of the traction wing 5.
The wing is thus furled at the same time as it is descending into the storage container 65 down to the maximally furled position illustrated in
The control module 64 then transfers to another mode of operation referred to as “storage mode”, by virtue of which the traction wing will be stowed in the container 65.
With reference to
In the present example, the furling carriage 12A and the mooring carriage 12B descend conjointly along the mooring mast 4, the control module 64 maintaining their mutual spacing, while the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E are moved close to one another. The mooring carriage 12B therefore moves close to at least one folding carriage 12A, 12B, 12C. In practice, in this example, the mooring carriage 12B and the two first folding carriages 12C, 12D together are moved close to the third folding carriage 12E (which is kept fixed in its bottom abutment position), and then the second folding carriage 12D meets the third folding carriage 12E (this is the position illustrated in
Then, the movement continues the carriage 12C, which moves close to the carriage 12D (conjointly with the carriages 12A and 12B, which follow while keeping their spacing constant), which remains fixed in place against (or close to) the carriage 12E. The first folding carriage 12C then meets the second folding carriage 12D, down to a position in which the four carriages 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E come into abutment close to one another (the configuration illustrated in
In a variant, all the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E can be simultaneously moved close to the mooring carriage 12B when the latter is sliding downward.
In another variant for the storage mode, the furling carriage 12A and the mooring carriage 12B slide downward while keeping their mutual spacing constant, and at least one of the folding carriages 12C, 12D, 12E slides downward at a slower speed than the sliding speed of the mooring carriage 12B.
During all the operations above, the mooring line 20 is kept under a small amount of tension as mentioned above by virtue of the control of the mooring winch 21. Moreover, the maintenance of the mutual spacing between the furling carriage 12A and the mooring carriage 12B makes it possible to keep the sail furled while it is in storage.
The sail may thus be stored in the storage container 65 in this position of
The operations of folding, furling and storing the traction wing 5 are thus interlinked by the set of carriages 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E. Other functions may also be performed by this set of carriages, such as the closure of the trailing edge of the traction wing by way of traction on the closing lines.
The process for folding the traction wing 5 is thus finished and the wing remains stored in its storage container 65 until it is next deployed.
The deployment of the traction wing 5 is obtained by the same operations as those described above, in reverse order. The control module 64 thus includes, in reversed fashion in relation to the furling mode, the folding mode and the storage mode:
Variant embodiments of the traction system and the associated processes can be implemented. Notably, any other means for capturing the furling lines 13 and the folding lines 10A, 10B, 10C can be envisaged.
Similarly, the slide actuators 66A, 66B, 66C, 66D, 66E may be individual actuators for each corresponding carriage, or be shared by a single common actuator associated with suitable transmission means for each of the carriages.
The modes of operation of the control module may be optionally implemented sequentially in a different order, or simultaneously.
Notably, starting from the folded position in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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FR2102791 | Mar 2021 | FR | national |
This application is a national stage entry of PCT/EP2022/056811 filed Mar. 16, 2022, under the International Convention and claiming priority over French Patent Application No. FR2102791 filed Mar. 19, 2021.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2022/056811 | 3/16/2022 | WO |