Floating unit and assembly for producing a modular floating structure comprising such floating units

Abstract

A system includes a first floating unit and at least one second floating unit. The first floating unit includes at least one system of connection to the second floating unit, this connecting system including a projectile connected to a free end of a mooring line and at least one male and/or female coupling element placed at a first of its ends. The second floating unit includes at least one element for receiving-retaining the projectile from the first floating unit, these receiving-retaining elements including a housing, the shape of the projectile ensuring its placement in the housing in a non-destructive manner, and a female and/or male coupling element complementary to the male and/or female coupling element of the first floating unit, the at least one complementary female and/or male coupling element being separate from the projectile, so as to immobilize degrees of freedom of movement between floating units thus coupled.

1 . A method for assembling at least two floating units in order to produce a floating structure, characterized in that the following steps are performed:
 a) a projectile ( 15 ) placed at the end of a mooring line ( 16 ) is launched from a first floating unit ( 10 ) in the direction of means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said projectile ( 15 ) placed on a second floating unit ( 11 ),   b) said projectile ( 15 ) being received in a non-destructive manner in said receiving-retaining means ( 19 ), said mooring line ( 16 ) is positioned along or substantially along a traction axis of said second floating unit ( 11 ) and traction is exerted on said mooring line ( 16 ) from said first floating unit ( 10 ) to move said second floating unit ( 11 ) toward said first floating unit ( 10 ),   c) said first floating unit ( 10 ) including at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) placed on the external surface of its hull and said second floating unit ( 11 ) including at least one female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) complementary to said male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) of said first floating unit ( 10 ), said at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) of said first unit and said at least one complementary coupling element of said second unit are coupled to immobilize degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units ( 10 ,  11 ) coupled in this way,   d) the assembly comprising said first and second floating units ( 10 ,  11 ) is locked.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said at least one complementary female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) of said second floating unit ( 11 ) is guided toward said at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) of said first floating unit ( 10 ) when moving said second unit ( 11 ) toward said first floating unit ( 10 ). 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that said means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said projectile ( 15 ) are placed on said or one of said complementary female and/or male coupling elements ( 14 ) of said second floating unit ( 11 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that at least steps a) to d) are repeated with another floating unit to enlarge said floating structure, said other floating unit including means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining a projectile ( 15 ) from said first floating unit ( 10 ) or from said second floating unit ( 11 ), said projectile ( 15 ) being placed at the end of a mooring line ( 16 ) so that it can be launched from said first floating unit ( 10 ) or from said second floating unit ( 11 ) assembled in this way to said first floating unit ( 10 ) and at least one female and/or male coupling element complementary to another male and/or female coupling element of said first floating unit ( 10 ) or of second floating unit ( 11 ). 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the hull of at least one of said floating units including at least one watertight compartment defining a housing that can be at least partly flooded in which is placed a male coupling element fastened to a base able to float and said hull including an opening for the passage of said male coupling element, said watertight compartment is at least partly flooded so that said male coupling element moves from its stowed position in which it is entirely placed inside said compartment to its deployed position in which it is placed projecting from said hull to couple said floating unit with another floating unit including a complementary female coupling element. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that each receiving-retaining means ( 19 ) includes an opening for the passage of said projectile ( 15 ), at least one wall including a face forming a stop for immobilizing the projectile ( 15 ) when the latter, having passed through said opening, is placed in contact with said face forming a stop, said wall including a passage freeing at least a portion of the end of the mooring line ( 16 ) connected to said projectile ( 15 ), said passage not allowing the passage of said projectile ( 15 ). 
     
     
         7 . A system for implementing the method as claimed in  claim 1  of producing a floating structure, including a first floating unit ( 10 ) and at least one second floating unit ( 11 ) intended to be assembled together to form said floating structure, characterized in that
 said first floating unit ( 10 ) including a hull, it includes at least one system for connecting it to said second floating unit ( 11 ), said at least one connecting system including a projectile ( 15 ) connected to a free end of a mooring line ( 16 ), and at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) placed on said hull of said floating unit, 
 said second floating unit ( 11 ) includes at least one means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining at least said projectile ( 15 ) from said first floating unit ( 10 ), said receiving-retaining means ( 19 ) including an opening for the passage of said projectile, at least one wall including a face forming a stop to immobilize the projectile when the latter, having passes through said opening, is placed in contact with said face forming a stop, said wall including a passage freeing at least a portion of the end of the mooring line ( 16 ) connected to said projectile ( 15 ), said passage not allowing the passage of said projectile ( 15 ), and a female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) complementary to said male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) of said first floating unit ( 10 ), said at least one complementary female and/or male coupling element being separate from said projectile ( 15 ), so that said at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) of said first floating unit ( 10 ) engages and cooperates with the complementary female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) of said second floating unit ( 11 ) when coupling said floating units to immobilize degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units ( 10 ,  11 ) coupled in this way. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the hull of at least said first floating unit ( 10 ) including at least n faces where n  3 , at least one of said faces includes a male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) for coupling said first floating unit ( 10 ) with a complementary female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) of another floating unit so as to couple said floating units and to immobilize degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units coupled in this way, and in that said first floating unit ( 10 ) includes for each face of said hull including a male and/or female coupling element, a connecting system including a projectile ( 15 ) connected to a free end of a mooring line ( 16 ) for connecting it to the corresponding floating unit, or means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining a projectile ( 15 ) from the corresponding floating unit, said at least one complementary female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) of said other floating unit being separate from said projectile ( 15 ). 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that said or each of said means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said at least one projectile ( 15 ) opens into the upper portion of said corresponding floating unit, said upper portion being placed opposite the lower portion of said floating unit intended to be at least partially immersed and providing the buoyancy of said floating unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that said or each of said means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said at least one projectile ( 15 ) includes an orifice ( 20 ) placed in the upper portion of said corresponding floating unit, said orifice ( 20 ) being in communication with said housing ( 22 ) placed inside said floating unit, said orifice being delimited over at least a portion of the latter by a wall having a funnel shape to guide said at least one projectile ( 15 ) toward said housing ( 22 ). 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , characterized in that said passage ( 23 ) leads on the one hand to said orifice ( 20 ) placed in the upper portion of said corresponding floating unit and on the other hand to the perimeter of said corresponding floating unit, said passage ( 23 ) being intended to receive a portion of said mooring line ( 16 ). 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the lower end of said passage ( 23 ) is centered on a corresponding coupling element or on the face of said floating unit carrying said at least one corresponding coupling element. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that at least one of said floating units including means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said projectile ( 15 ) further includes means for diverting said projectile ( 15 ) toward said receiving-retaining means ( 19 ), said diverting means being retractable between an inactive position and an active position in which they are placed projecting from the deck surface of said floating element. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the mooring line ( 16 ) or said or each of said connecting systems has its other end connected to a device for winding up or unwinding out said mooring line ( 16 ) and passes through a coupling element of said floating unit, preferably at the center of said element. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that at least one of said floating units including a connecting system includes a device for launching and/or a device for depositing said projectile ( 15 ). 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that said male coupling element ( 12 ) is prism-shaped with an isosceles triangle base, the lateral faces of this prism being rectangular or trapezoidal, the female coupling element having a complementary shape so that said elements fit together when coupled. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that at least some of said floating units include a hydraulic and/or electric circuit including at least one connection port the end of which is placed at the level of the external hull surface of said corresponding floating unit, said port engaging end-to-end with a connection port of another floating unit when they are coupled to ensure the continuity of the hydraulic and/or electric circuit of said units coupled in this way. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that said means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said projectile ( 15 ) are placed on said or on one of said complementary female and/or male coupling elements of said second floating unit ( 11 ). 
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the hull of at least one of said floating units includes:
 at least one watertight compartment defining a housing that can be at least partly flooded in which is placed a male coupling element fastened to a base able to float,   an opening leading into said compartment for the passage of said male coupling element if said watertight compartment is at least partly flooded with water, and   means for at least partly flooding said compartment with water.   
     
     
         20 . A modular floating structure including at least two floating modules assembled together, characterized in that at least some of said floating modules are floating units of the system as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         21 . A floating unit for the system as claimed in  claim 1  including:
 at least one connecting system including a projectile ( 15 ) connected to a free end of a mooring line ( 16 ), the shape of said projectile ( 15 ) ensuring its placement in means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining said projectile ( 15 ) in a non-destructive manner, 
 at least one means ( 19 ) for receiving and retaining at least one projectile ( 15 ) from another floating unit, said receiving-retaining means ( 19 ) including an opening for the passage of said projectile, at least one wall including a face forming a stop for immobilizing said projectile ( 15 ) when the latter, having passed through said opening, is placed in contact with said face forming a stop, said wall including a passage freeing at least a portion of the end of the mooring line ( 16 ) connected to said projectile ( 15 ), said passage not allowing the passage of said projectile ( 15 ), 
 at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) placed on the hull of said floating unit, 
 said at least one male and/or female coupling element ( 12 ) being intended to engage and cooperate with a complementary female and/or male coupling element ( 14 ) of another floating unit when coupling said floating units to immobilize degrees of freedom of movement between said floating units coupled in this way. 
 
     
     
         22 . The floating unit as claimed in  claim 21 , characterized in that said unit includes a parallelepipedal body having the dimensions of all or part of an ISO container, said body including arrangements for holding, manipulating and fixing said unit, each of said arrangements being placed at a corner of said body.