| 摘要 |
<p>A mooring robot (100), in a preferred dock-mounted embodiment, includes vacuum cups (1, 1') for engagement with the freeboard of a ship. The robot (100) can position the vacuum cups (1, 1') within a three-dimensional operating envelope. A parallel arm linkage having two parallel arms (2, 2') pivoted about respective axes which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ship are fixed to the dock (110) for extending and retracting the vacuum cups (1, 1') in the transverse direction. The parallel arms (2, 2') are fixed to a vertical elongate guide (10) to which the vacuum cups (1, 1') are slidably fixed, the parallel arms (2, 2') raising and lowering the vacuum cups (1, 1') and maintaining the guide substantially vertical. The vacuum cups (1, 1') are mounted for sliding in substantially horizontal track (22) aligned parallel with the longitudinal axis of the ship for fore and aft movement of the vacuum cups (1, 1'). Also disclosed is a mooring system comprised of a plurality of remotely controlled mooring robots.</p> |
