Amphibious robot devices and related methods

• US 20050027412A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nekton Research LLC (iRobot Corporation)
• Inventors: Vosburgh, Frederick, Kemp, Mathieu, Pell, Charles A., Moody, Ryan, Hobson, Brett W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,974,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0007 Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles marine propulsion or steering B63H
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 1/36 swinging sideways, e.g. fishtail type
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/006 adapted for working ground under water not otherwise provided for E02F3/081, E02F3/4131, E02F3/8833, E02F5/104, E02F5/125, E02F7/005, E02F7/023, E02F7/065, E02F9/026, E02F9/045, E02F9/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/365 Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means F42B12/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 19/00 Marine torpedoes, e.g. launched by surface vessels or submarines having additional propulsion means for movement through air F42B17/00; Sea mines having self-propulsion means F42B12/00 takes precedence; launching means F41F; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; automatic control of course G05D1/00; firing directors or calculators G06G

Abstract

Devices for navigating in a fluid medium having a solid boundary include a vehicle body and a fin attached to the vehicle body. The fin is configured to oscillate relative to the body such that interaction between the fin and the fluid medium produces propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in a desired direction in the fluid medium. The fin is also configured to rotate relative to the body along a transverse axis such that engagement between the fin and the solid boundary propels the vehicle body in a desired direction on the solid boundary.

Claims

1. A device for navigating in a fluid medium having a solid boundary, the device comprising:

a vehicle body; and

a fin attached to the vehicle body, wherein the fin is configured to oscillate relative to the body such that interaction between the fin and the fluid medium produces propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in a desired direction in the fluid medium, and wherein the fin is also configured to rotate relative to the body along a transverse axis such that engagement between the fin and the solid boundary propels the vehicle body in a desired direction on the solid boundary.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the fin comprises a flexible portion having an elongated shaft therein and a rigid tine coupled to the elongated shaft, wherein the flexible portion is movable from a first position adjacent the tine and a second position extended away from the tine such that the tine is exposed.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the fin is configured to propel the device through water when the flexible portion is in the first position.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the tine is configured to engage and move portions of the solid boundary when the flexible portion is in the second position.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a payload mounted within the vehicle body.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a propeller attached to the vehicle body and configured to propel the vehicle body through water.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a propeller attached to the vehicle body and configured to create a current with respect to the solid boundary so as to displace portions of the solid boundary.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the propeller is configured to fluidize portions of the solid boundary.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is configured for propulsion along a first axis by the fins and wherein the vehicle further comprises a propeller positioned to produce forces along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis so as to move portions of the solid boundary.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the vehicle body comprises an aperture extending through the vehicle body along the second axis, and wherein the propeller is positioned in the aperture.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a navigational controller configured to move the fin to navigate the device.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a mine sensor configured to sense electromagnetic fields indicative of a mine, wherein the navigational controller is further configured to navigate the device towards a mine.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the device further comprises a payload and herein the navigational controller is configured to activate the payload to neutralize the mine.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the navigational controller is configured to activate the fin to move a portion of the solid boundary prior to releasing the payload.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor selected from the group consisting of an oceanographic sensors, air sensor, depth sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, accelerometers, surge sensors, gravitational sensors, orientation sensors, obstacle detectors, velocity sensors, direction finders, sonar devices, compasses, and inertial navigational sensors.

16. A device for navigating in a fluid medium having a solid boundary, the device comprising:

a vehicle body;

a fin attached to the vehicle body, wherein the fin comprises;

a flexible portion having an elongated shaft therein; and

a rigid tine coupled to the shaft, wherein the flexible portion is movable from a first position adjacent the tine and a second position extended away from the tine such that the tine is exposed.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the fin is configured to propel the device through water when the flexible portion is in the first position.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the tine is configured to engage and move portions of the solid boundary when the flexible portion is in the second position.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the fluid medium is water.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the fin is configured to oscillate to propel the vehicle body through the water.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the fluid medium is air.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the fin is configured to rotate with respect to a generally transverse axis such that engagement between the rotating fin and the solid boundary propel the vehicle body along the solid boundary.

23. The device of claim 16, further comprising a payload mounted within the vehicle body.

24. The device of claim 16, further comprising a propeller attached to the vehicle body and configured to propel the vehicle body through water.

25. The device of claim 16, further comprising a propeller attached to the vehicle body and configured to confront the solid boundary so as to move portions of the solid boundary.

26. The device of claim 16, further comprising a propeller attached to the vehicle body and configured to move with respect to the fluid medium to remove portions of the solid boundary.

27. The device of claim 16, wherein the vehicle body is configured for propulsion along a first axis by the fins and wherein the vehicle further comprises a propeller positioned to produce forces along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the vehicle body comprises an aperture extending through the vehicle body along the second axis, and wherein the propeller is positioned in the aperture.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the propeller is configured to fluidize portions of the solid boundary.

30. The device of claim 16, further comprising a navigational controller configured to move the fin to navigate the device.

31. The device of claim 30, further comprising a mine sensor configured to sense electromagnetic fields indicative of a mine, wherein the navigational controller is further configured to navigate the device towards a mine.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the device further comprises a payload and wherein the navigational controller is configured to activate the payload to neutralize the mine.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the navigational controller is configured to activate the fin to move a portion of the solid boundary prior to releasing the payload.

34. The device of claim 16, further comprising a sensor selected from the group consisting of oceanographic sensors, air sensor, depth sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, accelerometers, surge sensors, gravitational sensors, orientation sensors, obstacle detectors, velocity sensors, direction finders, sonar devices, compasses, and inertial navigational sensors.

35. A method of navigating a device in a fluid medium having a solid boundary, the method comprising:

releasing a device to a fluid medium, the device comprising;

a vehicle body;

a fin attached to the vehicle body; and

a controller for controlling and/or driving the fin;

moving the fin with the controller such that interaction between the fin and the fluid medium produces propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in a desired direction in the fluid medium;

propelling the device to a solid boundary of the fluid medium; and

moving the fin with the controller such that engagement between the fin and the solid boundary propels the vehicle body in a desired direction on the solid boundary to a predetermined location.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the device comprises two fins, further comprising, after the device is at the predetermined location, moving the fins in counter-oscillating or counter-rotating directions to engage with the solid boundary such that portions of the solid boundary are moved.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising oscillating the fin to produce propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in a desired direction in the fluid medium.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising rotating the fin with respect to a generally transverse axis such that engagement between the fin and the solid boundary propel the vehicle in a desired direction on the solid boundary.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising activating a payload carried by the device at the predetermined location.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the fluid medium is water, the method further comprising oscillating the fin to produce propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in the desired direction in the fluid medium.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the fluid medium is air, the method further comprising rotating the fin with respect to a generally transverse axis to propel the vehicle body in the desired direction on the solid boundary.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the fin comprises a flexible portion having an elongated shaft therein and a rigid tine coupled to the flexible portion, wherein the flexible portion is movable from a first position adjacent the tine and a second position extended away from the tine such that the tine is exposed.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising moving the tine as the flexible portion is in the second position to interact with the solid boundary such that portions of the solid boundary are moved.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the flexible portion is in the first position when the fin moves such that interaction between the fin and the fluid medium produces propulsive forces that propel the vehicle body in the desired direction in the fluid medium.

45. The method of claim 35, wherein the device further comprises a propeller attached to the vehicle body, the method further comprising moving the propeller with respect to the fluid medium to propel the vehicle body in the desired direction.

46. The method of claim 35, wherein the device further comprises a propeller attached to the vehicle body, the method further comprising moving the propeller with respect to the fluid medium to remove portions of the solid boundary.

47. The method of claim 35, wherein the device further comprises a propeller, the method further comprising propelling the vehicle body with fins along a first axis to produce forces along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis with the propeller.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the vehicle body comprises an aperture extending through the vehicle body along the first axis, and wherein the propeller is positioned in the aperture.

49. The method of claim 35, wherein the device further comprises a mine sensor, the method further comprising sensing electromagnetic fields indicative of a mine with the mine sensor, and propelling the device towards the mine.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the device further comprises a payload and the method further comprises activating the payload proximate the mine.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising moving a portion of the solid boundary prior to releasing the payload.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising fluidizing the solid boundary and releasing the payload into the solid boundary.

53. A device for neutralizing a mine at least partly covered with sediment in a fluid medium, the device comprising:

a body;

a sediment displacing unit attached to the body, wherein the sediment displacing unit is configured to interact with the fluid medium and/or the sediment to displace the sediment covering the mine; and

a neutralizing unit attached to the body and configured to neutralize a mine.

54. The device of claim 53, wherein the sediment displacing unit is configured to fluidize the sediment.

55. The device of claim 53, wherein the sediment displacing unit comprises a pump configured to fluidize the sediment.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein the sediment displaying unit comprises a current outlet, wherein the pump is configured to direct the fluid medium away from the sediment through the current outlet.