Patent ID: 7983114

Claim:
A device for producing a towed linear submersible body, capable of adopting and keeping a rectilinear configuration in a vertical position even at high tow-speed, when it is towed at a total immersion depth and of adopting a curved configuration at rest, having a radius of curvature allowing it to be wound onto the drum of a winch, the device comprising: a plurality of juxtaposed rigid segments, articulated relative to one another, arranged so that at least a first rigid segment can pivot relative to an adjacent second rigid segment, between a first position and a second position, the first position being configured such that an axis of the first rigid segment is substantially colinear with an axis of the adjacent rigid segment, while the second position is configured such that an axis of the first rigid segment forms a predetermined angle β with the axis of the adjacent rigid segment; the device further comprising a first coupling segment for coupling the device and a towing cable and a second coupling segment for coupling the device and a trailing cable, wherein the first coupling segment and the second coupling segment are arranged along the device and respectively coupled to the towing cable or the trailing cable in such a way that: when the submersible body is towed in total submersion, the submersible body adopts a vertical rectilinear configuration under joint action of a first traction force exerted by the towing cable, a second traction force exerted by the trailing cable and a hydrodynamic drag applied by the water mass in which the submersible body is submerged; and when the submersible body is towed in a totally emerged position, the submersible body adopts a rectilinear configuration substantially colinear with the axis of the towing cable.