Underwater Vehicle Bouyancy System
First Claim
1. A multi-stage buoyancy changing system for an autonomous underwater vehicle, the system comprising:
- an internal reservoir configured to hold a fluid;
an external bladder connected to the internal reservoir via one or more channels and configured to exchange fluid with the internal reservoir via the one or more channels;
a first device configured to move fluid through a first channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of a first segment of a dive profile to increase an apparent displacement and a buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle;
a second device configured to move fluid through a second channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of a second segment of the dive profile to increase an apparent displacement and a buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle, wherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged in parallel rather than in series; and
a third channel configured to allow fluid to move from the external bladder to the internal reservoir, the third channel including a solenoid valve that can be selectively opened to allow water to pass from the external bladder to the internal reservoir,wherein the first segment of the dive profile includes a different ambient pressure range than the second segment of the dive profile, andwherein a check valve is located in each of the first channel and the second channel and is configured to prevent fluid from moving from the external reservoir to the internal reservoir through either of the first channel and the second channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple stage buoyancy changing system, or variable buoyancy device, for an underwater vehicle. The multiple stage buoyancy changing system comprises: a pressure hull containing a flexibly-sized internal fluid reservoir; a flexibly-sized external fluid reservoir attached to the pressure hull and connected to the internal reservoir; a system of devices and channels configured to move fluid between the internal fluid reservoir and the external fluid reservoir to change a displaced volume of the vehicle. Each stage of the variable buoyancy device can be optimized for maximum energy efficiency while changing the vehicle'"'"'s displaced volume within an ambient pressure range. A control system for the variable buoyancy device engages different stages depending on ambient external pressure such that maximum energy efficiency is achieved over a large range of pressures/depths.
40 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A multi-stage buoyancy changing system for an autonomous underwater vehicle, the system comprising:
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an internal reservoir configured to hold a fluid; an external bladder connected to the internal reservoir via one or more channels and configured to exchange fluid with the internal reservoir via the one or more channels; a first device configured to move fluid through a first channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of a first segment of a dive profile to increase an apparent displacement and a buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle; a second device configured to move fluid through a second channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of a second segment of the dive profile to increase an apparent displacement and a buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle, wherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged in parallel rather than in series; and a third channel configured to allow fluid to move from the external bladder to the internal reservoir, the third channel including a solenoid valve that can be selectively opened to allow water to pass from the external bladder to the internal reservoir, wherein the first segment of the dive profile includes a different ambient pressure range than the second segment of the dive profile, and wherein a check valve is located in each of the first channel and the second channel and is configured to prevent fluid from moving from the external reservoir to the internal reservoir through either of the first channel and the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for employing a multi-stage buoyancy changing system for an autonomous underwater vehicle having an internal reservoir connected to an external bladder via one or more channels, the method comprising:
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in a first segment of a dive profile, increasing an apparent displacement and buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle by moving water from the internal reservoir to the external bladder using a first device configured to move fluid through a channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of the first segment of the dive profile; and in a second segment of the dive profile, increasing an apparent displacement and buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle by moving water from the internal reservoir to the external bladder using a second device configured to move fluid through a channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of the second segment of the dive profile, wherein the first segment of the dive profile includes a different ambient pressure range than the second segment of the dive profile, wherein the first device moves fluid from the internal reservoir to the external bladder through a first channel and the second device moves fluid from the internal reservoir to the external bladder through a second channel that is different than the first channel and is arranged in parallel with the first channel, and wherein a check valve is located in each of the first channel and the second channel and is configured to ensure that fluid does not move from the external reservoir to the internal reservoir through the first channel and the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A multi-stage buoyancy changing system for an autonomous'"'"'underwater vehicle, the system comprising:
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an internal reservoir configured to hold a fluid;
an external bladder connected to the internal reservoir via one or more channels and configured to exchange fluid with the internal reservoir via the one or more channels;a pump motor in combination with a continuous variable transmission that can adapt to a torque-speed curve to obtain an optimal pressure/pumping rate needed for a current ambient pressure of the autonomous underwater vehicle, the pump motor and continuous variable transmission being configured to move fluid through a first channel from the internal reservoir to the external bladder at an optimized efficiency for an ambient pressure of more than one segment of a dive profile to increase an apparent displacement and a buoyancy of the autonomous underwater vehicle; and a third channel configured to allow fluid to move from the external reservoir to the internal reservoir, the third channel comprising a solenoid valve that can be selectively opened to allow water to pass from the external bladder to the internal reservoir.
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Specification