A suction bucket trunk lid

Abstract

A suction bucket trunk lid for being fitted in or on an outlet opening of a trunk of a suction bucket of an anchoring system for soft ocean floors includes a locking arrangement that is moveable between an unlocked state, in which the suction bucket trunk lid is arranged to be removable from the trunk, and a locked state, in which the suction bucket trunk lid is arranged to be secured to the trunk. The locking arrangement has a lock control interface for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked state, and the suction bucket trunk lid is a detached unit.

1 . A suction bucket trunk lid for being fitted in or on an outlet opening of a trunk of a suction bucket of an anchoring system for soft ocean floors, wherein the suction bucket trunk lid comprises a locking arrangement that is moveable between an unlocked state, in which the suction bucket trunk lid is arranged to be removed from the trunk, and a locked state, in which the suction bucket trunk lid is arranged to be secured to the trunk, wherein the locking arrangement has a lock control interface for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked state, and wherein the suction bucket trunk lid is a detachable unit. 
     
     
         2 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction bucket trunk lid further comprises a holding interface configured for being engaged by a lid hoist mechanism of a suction pump skid for holding the suction bucket trunk lid while the suction bucket trunk lid is being placed in or on said outlet opening of the trunk by said lid hoist mechanism, and wherein the lock control interface of the locking arrangement is configured for being engaged by a locking actuator of the suction pump skid for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked state. 
     
     
         3 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement does not protrude outside of a periphery of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is set in the unlocked state, and wherein the locking arrangement protrudes outside of a periphery of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is set in the locked state. 
     
     
         4 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least one moveable locking member that is configured to be displaced outwards or inwards in a plane of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is moved from the unlocked state to the locked state. 
     
     
         5 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one moveable locking member is configured to be:
 displaced outwards into an interior groove of the trunk when the locking arrangement is moved from the unlocked state to the locked state, or   displaced inwards under a trunk flange or trunk collar when the locking arrangement is moved from the unlocked state to the locked state.   
     
     
         6 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least two locking members that are pivotally fastened to the suction bucket trunk lid, and wherein displacement of the lock control interface for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked states results in pivotal outwards motion of each locking member in a plane of the lid. 
     
     
         7 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction bucket trunk lid has a flow passage extending through the lid for enabling evacuation of water from the interior of the suction bucket via said flow passage through the lid. 
     
     
         8 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 7 , wherein the suction bucket trunk lid has a valve for controlling a flow area of the flow passage extending through the suction bucket trunk lid. 
     
     
         9 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve has a valve control interface for controlling motion of the valve. 
     
     
         10 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the holding interface comprises a recess in the suction bucket trunk lid configured for being engaged by the lid hoist mechanism of the suction pump skid, in particular by an expanding clamping member of the lid hoist mechanism, for holding the suction bucket trunk lid while the lid is being placed in or on said outlet opening of the trunk by said lid hoist mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the holding interface comprises two recesses located on opposite sides of a central hole of the lid, wherein the central hole defines a flow passage through the lid. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly comprising:
 a trunk of a suction bucket for an anchoring system for soft ocean floors; and   the detached suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 ,   wherein the suction bucket trunk lid is removable from the trunk in the unlocked state of the locking arrangement, and   wherein the suction bucket trunk lid is secured to the trunk in the locked state of the locking arrangement.   
     
     
         13 . An assembly comprising:
 the detached suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 1 ; and   a suction pump skid comprising a lid hoist mechanism, wherein the lid hoist mechanism comprises a lid hoist actuator connected to a lid holding tool, wherein the lid hoist actuator is configured for raising and lowering a vertical position of the lid holding tool, wherein the lid holding tool holds the detached suction bucket trunk lid, and wherein the lid hoist mechanism is configured for placing the detached suction bucket trunk lid in or on the outlet opening of the trunk.   
     
     
         14 . A method for mounting a suction bucket trunk lid on a trunk of a suction bucket of an anchoring system on a soft ocean floor, the method comprising:
 loading a detached suction bucket trunk lid into a suction pump skid;   releasably connecting the skid on the trunk of a suction bucket;   fitting the suction bucket trunk lid in or on an outlet opening of the trunk; and   shifting a locking arrangement of the suction bucket trunk lid from an unlocked state to a locked state for detachably fastening the lid to the trunk.   
     
     
         15 . A method for installing a suction bucket of an anchoring system on a soft ocean floor, the method comprising:
 mounting a detached suction bucket trunk lid on a trunk of a suction bucket according to claim  14 , wherein a step of lowering the suction bucket to the ocean floor is performed after the step of releasably connecting the skid on the trunk of a suction bucket but before the step of fitting the suction bucket trunk lid in or on an outlet opening of the trunk;   after the step of shifting the locking arrangement of the suction bucket trunk lid from an unlocked state to a locked state, activating a suction pump of the skid for evacuating water from the interior of the suction bucket via said trunk and a suction pipe of the skid; and   releasing the skid from the trunk and lifting the skid out of the water.   
     
     
         16 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking arrangement does not protrude outside of a periphery of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is set in the unlocked state, and wherein the locking arrangement protrudes outside of a periphery of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is set in the locked state. 
     
     
         17 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least one moveable locking member that is configured to be displaced outwards or inwards in a plane of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is moved from the unlocked state to the locked state. 
     
     
         18 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least one moveable locking member that is configured to be displaced outwards or inwards in a plane of the suction bucket trunk lid when the locking arrangement is moved from the unlocked state to the locked state. 
     
     
         19 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least two locking members that are pivotally fastened to the suction bucket trunk lid, and wherein displacement of the lock control interface for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked states results in pivotal outwards motion of each locking member in a plane of the lid. 
     
     
         20 . The suction bucket trunk lid according to  claim 3 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises at least two locking members that are pivotally fastened to the suction bucket trunk lid, and wherein displacement of the lock control interface for shifting the locking arrangement from the unlocked state to the locked states results in pivotal outwards motion of each locking member in a plane of the lid.