UNDERWATER CABLE AND SENSOR UNIT Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC G01V1/38 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions includes a cable segment of an underwater cable, an underwater cable and a sensor unit for the underwater cable. The underwater cable consists of a series coaxially placed cable segments which alternate with sensor units. Each sensor unit has an outer housing with an interior cavity in which a sensor module is suspended by a cradle. Vanes on the sensor module pass through axially elongated openings in the outer housing to dig into the seabed to provide good seismic coupling between the seabed and pressure sensors and motion sensors housed in the sensor module. The outer housing is removable and consists of two complementary parts which clamp firmly onto the ends of adjacent cable segments. Axial channels are formed in outer housing on opposite sides of the sensor module for receiving stress members, which, along with the cradle, provide seismic isolation between the cable segments and the sensor modules.

EFFECT: improved coupling between sensors and the seabed, providing cable cushioning, easier connection with sensor units, easier access to sensor units for removal thereof from the underwater cable, easier maintenance of the underwater cable.

25 cl, 10 dwg