초록 ▼

A device (1) for providing information on positioning of at least one moveable coupling (26) of a marine loading system (2), the system comprising at least one fluid transfer line having a line end fixed to a base (21), and a moveable line end provided with a coupling (26) adapted for connection to

A device (1) for providing information on positioning of at least one moveable coupling (26) of a marine loading system (2), the system comprising at least one fluid transfer line having a line end fixed to a base (21), and a moveable line end provided with a coupling (26) adapted for connection to a target duct, the coupling or a member immediately neighboring the coupling having at least one means for providing information on the positioning of the coupling (33) either adapted to cooperate directly with a means (34) for providing information on positioning of the base disposed on the base or on a member immediately neighboring the base to provide, on the basis of the information on positioning of the base, information on relative positioning of the coupling directly relative to the base, or adapted to provide information on absolute positioning of the coupling (26) in space, and, the base having a fixed position in space, the device has a calculating means making it possible to calculate on the basis of the information on absolute positioning of the coupling and data on positioning of the base fixed in space, information on relative positioning of the coupling directly relative to the base.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A device for providing information on the positioning of at least one moveable coupling which is located on a movable end of a fluid transfer line of a marine loading system and is adapted for connection to a target duct, the other end of the fluid transfer line being fixed to a base, the device

1. A device for providing information on the positioning of at least one moveable coupling which is located on a movable end of a fluid transfer line of a marine loading system and is adapted for connection to a target duct, the other end of the fluid transfer line being fixed to a base, the device comprising: at least one means positioned on or adjacent the coupling for providing information on the positioning of the coupling;means for calculating in real time the position of the coupling relative to the base from information on the positioning of the base and information provided by the coupling positioning information means;wherein the calculating means is configured to compare in real time the calculated position of the coupling relative to the base to data defining at least one authorized positioning zone for the coupling; andan optical device which is positioned on or adjacent one of the base and the coupling and is adapted to emit a luminous beam towards the other of the base and the coupling, detect the reflected beam from the base or the coupling, measure the travel time of the beam and deduce therefrom a first distance between the coupling and the base;wherein the calculating means is adapted to calculate a second distance between the coupling and the base from the position of the coupling relative to the base, compare the first distance to the second distance, and cause a perceptible alarm signal to be emitted when the second distance varies from the first distance by a predetermined amount. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the calculating means is adapted to trigger a first perceptible alarm signal when the coupling leaves the authorized positioning zone. 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the calculating means is adapted to calculate in real time a speed of movement of the coupling and to trigger a second perceptible alarm signal when the coupling approaches a limit of the authorized positioning zone with a speed greater than a predetermined speed. 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling positioning information means includes a first global positioning system (GPS) device which provides information on the absolute positioning of the coupling in space. 5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the information on the positioning of the base is provided by a second GPS device which is positioned on or adjacent the base and which provides information on the absolute positioning of the base in space, and wherein the calculating means is adapted to calculate, on the basis of the information provided by the first and second GPS devices, the position of the coupling relative to the base. 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first and second GPS devices include means for communicating with each other so as to provide information on the positioning of the coupling relative to the base directly to the calculating means. 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling positioning information means comprises an optical camera which is adapted to provide to the calculating means an image of one of the base and the coupling, or of a target that is fixed relative to the one of the base and the coupling, and wherein the calculating means is adapted to process the image provided by the camera and to calculate therefrom the position of the coupling relative to the base. 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling positioning information means comprises a cord which is held in tension between the coupling and the base by a reel, and at least one of a cord angle sensor and a cord unwound length sensor. 9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the calculating means is adapted to, when the loading system comprises several fluid transfer lines whose bases are disposed on a common quay and whose couplings are connected to corresponding target ducts disposed on a common ship at predetermined distances from each other, calculate on the basis of the predetermined distances, the distances between the couplings immediately after the couplings are connected to their corresponding target ducts, store said distances as reference distances, calculate, in real time, the distances between the couplings on the basis of the information provided by the coupling positioning information means, compare, in real time, the calculated distances with the reference distances, and emit a perceptible alarm signal when the calculated distances vary relative to the reference distances beyond a predefined threshold. 10. A device for providing information on the position of a coupling which is located on a movable end of a fluid transfer line of a marine loading system, the other end of the fluid transfer line being fixed to a base, the device comprising: a first global positioning system (GPS) device which is mounted on or adjacent the coupling and which provides information on the absolute position of the coupling in space;a calculator which is configured to (1) determine in real time the position of the coupling relative to the base from the information provided by the first GPS device and information on the absolute position of the base in space, and (2) compare in real time said determined position to data defining at least one authorized positioning zone for the coupling; andan optical device which is positioned on or adjacent one of the base and the coupling and which is adapted to emit a luminous beam toward the other of the base and the coupling, detect the reflected beam from the base or the coupling, measure the travel time of the beam and determine therefrom a first distance between the base and the coupling;wherein the calculator is configured to calculate a second distance between the base and the coupling from the position of the coupling relative to the base, compare the first distance to the second distance, and generate a perceptible signal when the second distance varies from the first distance by a predetermined amount. 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the calculator is configured to trigger a first perceptible alarm signal when the coupling leaves the authorized positioning zone. 12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the calculator is configured to calculate in real time a speed of movement of the coupling and to trigger a second perceptible alarm signal when the coupling approaches a limit of the authorized positioning zone with a speed greater than a predetermined speed. 13. The device according to claim 10, further comprising a second GPS device which is mounted on or adjacent the base and which provides the information on the absolute position of the base in space. 14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the marine loading system comprises a plurality of fluid transfer lines whose bases are mounted on a common quay and whose couplings are connected to corresponding target ducts mounted at predetermined distances from each other on a common ship; wherein each coupling is provided with a corresponding GPS device which provides information on the absolute position of said coupling in space; and wherein the calculator is configured to, after the couplings are connected to the target ducts, determine the distances between the couplings from said predetermined distances between the target ducts, store said distances between the couplings as reference distances, calculate the distances between the couplings from the information provided by the GPS devices, compare the calculated distances with the reference distances, and trigger a perceptible signal when the calculated distances vary from the reference distances by a predefined amount. 15. A device for providing information on the position of a coupling which is located on a movable end of a fluid transfer line of a marine loading system, the other end of the fluid transfer line being fixed to a base, the device comprising: a reel around which a cord is wound, the reel being mounted on one of the coupling and the base and the cord having an end which is connected to the other of the coupling and the base;means for measuring the inclination of the cord relative to at least two reference angles;means for measuring the length of cord unwound from the reel; anda calculator which is configured to (1) determine in real time the position of the coupling relative to the base from information provided by the inclination measuring means and the length measuring means, and (2) compare in real time said determined position to data defining at least one authorized positioning zone for the coupling. 16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the calculator is configured to trigger a first perceptible alarm signal when the coupling leaves the authorized positioning zone. 17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the calculator is configured to calculate in real time a speed of movement of the coupling and to trigger a second perceptible alarm signal when the coupling approaches a limit of the authorized positioning zone with a speed greater than a predetermined speed.