TRIMARAN HAVING OUTRIGGERS WITH PROPULSORS
First Claim
1. An unmanned trimaran for providing a survey instrument with a mobile platform for surveying a body of water, the trimaran comprising:
- a central hull defining an instrument well for housing the survey instrument,a starboard outrigger,a port rigger,a starboard crossbar for attaching said starboard outrigger laterally to the starboard of said central hull,a post crossbar for attaching port outrigger laterally to the port of said central hull,a starboard propulsor attached to said starboard outrigger for propelling the trimaran;
a port propulsor attached to said port outrigger for propelling the trimaran; and
a motor controller connected to both said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling the combined propulsion of said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering,said motor controller including a remote controller with a remote control transmitter/receiver connected to a mixed electronic speed controller (ESC) connected to said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for remote single stick control of both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steeringsaid central hull, said port outrigger and said starboard outrigger each having hull conformations and buoyancy, and weigh distribution for wave-piercing,said central hull said port outrigger and said starboard outrigger each having a topside deck submersible during wave-piercing,the trimaran lacking a common deck or platform simultaneously overlaying, at least in part the central hull and both the port and starboard outriggers.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved trimaran of a type having a central hull, a starboard outrigger, a port outrigger, a starboard crossbar for attaching the starboard outrigger laterally to the starboard of the central hull, and a port crossbar for attaching the port outrigger laterally to the port of the central hull is provided. The improvement comprises a starboard propulsor attached to the starboard outrigger for propelling the trimaran, a port propulsor attached to the port outrigger for propelling the trimaran; and a motor controller connected to both the starboard and port propulsors for controlling the combined propulsion of the starboard and port propulsors for controlling both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering.
13 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An unmanned trimaran for providing a survey instrument with a mobile platform for surveying a body of water, the trimaran comprising:
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a central hull defining an instrument well for housing the survey instrument, a starboard outrigger, a port rigger, a starboard crossbar for attaching said starboard outrigger laterally to the starboard of said central hull, a post crossbar for attaching port outrigger laterally to the port of said central hull, a starboard propulsor attached to said starboard outrigger for propelling the trimaran; a port propulsor attached to said port outrigger for propelling the trimaran; and a motor controller connected to both said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling the combined propulsion of said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering, said motor controller including a remote controller with a remote control transmitter/receiver connected to a mixed electronic speed controller (ESC) connected to said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for remote single stick control of both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering said central hull, said port outrigger and said starboard outrigger each having hull conformations and buoyancy, and weigh distribution for wave-piercing, said central hull said port outrigger and said starboard outrigger each having a topside deck submersible during wave-piercing, the trimaran lacking a common deck or platform simultaneously overlaying, at least in part the central hull and both the port and starboard outriggers. - View Dependent Claims (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14)
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2. (canceled)
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4. (canceled)
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5. (canceled)
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6. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
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13. (canceled)
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15. A method for steering an unmanned trimaran having port and starboard propulsors in port and starboard outriggers respectively, the method comprising the step of:
Step A;
exerting differential control of the propulsion from the port and starboard propulsors with, a motor controller employing mixed steering for controlling the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering, the motor controller including a remote controller with a remote control transmitter/receiver connected to a mixed electronic speed controller (ESC) connected to said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for remote single stick control of the trimaran.- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An unmanned trimaran for providing a survey instrument with a mobile platform for surveying a body of water, the trimaran comprising;
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a central hull defining an instrument well for housing the survey instrument, a starboard outrigger, a port outrigger, said central hull, said port outrigger, and said starboard outrigger each having hull conformations and buoyancy, and weight distribution for wave-piercing, said central hull, said port outrigger, and said starboard outrigger each having a topside deck submersible during wave-piercing, the trimaran lacking a common deck or platform simultaneously overlaying, at least in part, the central hull and both the port and starboard outriggers, a starboard crossbar for attaching said starboard outrigger laterally to the starboard of said central hull, a port crossbar for attaching said port outrigger laterally to the port of said central hull, a starboard propulsor attached to said starboard outrigger for propelling the trimaran; a port propulsor attached to said port outrigger for propelling the trimaran; and a motor controller connected to both said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling the combined propulsion of said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for controlling both the speed and direction of the trimaran by tank steering, said motor controller including an autonomous controller with an autonomous guidance system electronically connected said starboard propulsor and said port propulsor for guiding the trimaran along a pre-planned path of navigation by tank steering, said central hull, said port outrigger, and said starboard outrigger each having hull conformations and buoyancy, and weight distribution for wave-piercing, said central hull, said port outrigger, and said starboard outrigger each having a topside deck submersible during wave-piercing, the trimaran lacking a common deck or platform simultaneously overlaying, at least in part, the central hull and both the port and starboard outriggers. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification