Anchor Containing a Self Deploying Mooring System and Method of Automatically Deploying the Mooring System from the Anchor
First Claim
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1. An anchor, comprising:
- a frame;
a capstan coupled to the frame, wherein the capstan comprises a capstan shaft and a capstan hub coupled to the capstan shaft, wherein the capstan hub is configured to rotate about the capstan shaft;
a riser cable in contact with the capstan hub, wherein the capstan is configured to deploy the riser cable from the anchor around the capstan hub;
a least one brake coupled to the capstan shaft or to the capstan hub;
a processor configured to provide a braking control signal to the at least one brake, wherein the at least one brake is configured, in response to the braking control signal, to retard a speed of rotation of the capstan hub, resulting in at least one of a retardation of a speed of deployment of the riser cable or a retardation of a speed of decent of the anchor; and
a float, wherein the anchor is configured to hold the float, wherein the anchor is configured to deploy the float from the anchor.
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Abstract
An anchor holds a variety of mooring system elements, including processor-controlled cable brakes, prior to deployment of the anchor. The anchor is configured to automatically deploy the elements of the mooring system into a desired underwater configuration. A method of deploying an ocean anchor includes controlling cable brakes and results in the elements of the mooring system being deployed into a desired underwater configuration.
12 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An anchor, comprising:
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a frame; a capstan coupled to the frame, wherein the capstan comprises a capstan shaft and a capstan hub coupled to the capstan shaft, wherein the capstan hub is configured to rotate about the capstan shaft; a riser cable in contact with the capstan hub, wherein the capstan is configured to deploy the riser cable from the anchor around the capstan hub; a least one brake coupled to the capstan shaft or to the capstan hub; a processor configured to provide a braking control signal to the at least one brake, wherein the at least one brake is configured, in response to the braking control signal, to retard a speed of rotation of the capstan hub, resulting in at least one of a retardation of a speed of deployment of the riser cable or a retardation of a speed of decent of the anchor; and a float, wherein the anchor is configured to hold the float, wherein the anchor is configured to deploy the float from the anchor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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12-21. -21. (canceled)
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27. A method of deploying an ocean anchor, comprising:
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releasing a float; measuring a rate of decent of the anchor; measuring a depth of the anchor; measuring a payout rate or a payout length of a riser cable coupled at one end to the anchor; selecting a braking value in accordance with at least one of the rate of decent, the payout rate, or the payout length; generating a braking signal in accordance with the braking value; and applying the braking signal to one or more brakes associated with the riser cable. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification