Patent ID: 8322296

Claim:
Submersible apparatus ( 10 ) adapted to be submerged entirely in a liquid medium comprising: a hollow body ( 12 ) closed in a fluid tight manner, having a main longitudinal axis (A); at least one driving member ( 14 , 36 ,) for moving the apparatus ( 10 ) in horizontal displacement and/or in vertical displacement, which is movable with respect to the hollow body ( 12 ) through an opening ( 22 , 44 ,) arranged in the wall of the body ( 12 ) and which comprises at least one planar palette ( 16 , 38 , 100 ), of longitudinal main orientation, which extends outside the hollow body ( 12 ) and which is arranged at an axial end ( 12 a , 12 b ) of the body ( 12 ) to cooperate with the medium in which the apparatus ( 10 ) is submerged; actuating means ( 18 , 40 , 64 ) for actuating the driving member ( 14 , 36 , 52 ), which is arranged inside the hollow body ( 12 ); a flexible membrane ( 24 , 50 , 58 ) to seal the opening ( 22 , 44 , 56 ) in a fluid tight manner, which is adapted to deform and to cooperate with the driving member ( 14 , 36 , 52 ) during the movement of the driving member ( 14 , 36 , 52 ) through the opening ( 22 , 44 , 56 ), for the displacement of the apparatus ( 10 ), the driving member ( 14 , 36 ,) comprising a connecting portion ( 20 , 42 ) of the palette ( 16 , 38 , 100 ), connecting the palette to the actuating means ( 18 , 40 ), which extends through the flexible membrane ( 24 , 50 ) in a fluid tight manner, characterized in that the driving member ( 14 , 36 ) is guided in oscillation with respect to the body ( 12 ), around at least one pivoting axis (B, C, C 2 ) perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis (A), via the flexible membrane ( 24 , 50 ), said at least one pivoting axis (B, C, C 2 ) located at the flexible membrane ( 24 , 50 ); and another driving member ( 52 ) which is movable with respect to the body ( 12 ) so as to modify the total volume of the apparatus ( 10 ), characterized in that the said other driving member ( 52 ) comprises a central plunger ( 87 ) which is mounted movable with respect to the hollow body ( 12 ) along a vertical axis (D) and which is connected to the flexible membrane ( 58 ) to deform the membrane ( 58 ) generally along the said vertical axis (D).