AUTONOMOUS UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLES
First Claim
1. An unmanned underwater vehicle, comprising:
- a disk-shaped hull having a perimeter edge, a top surface, and a bottom surface;
in a side view, the disk-shaped hull has a maximum lateral dimension that is larger than a maximum thickness dimension that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface;
a plurality of horizontal thrusters for horizontal propulsion of the unmanned underwater vehicle, the horizontal thrusters are disposed within a boundary defined by the perimeter edge; and
a single vertical thruster that extends vertically through the disk-shaped hull from the bottom surface to the top surface for vertical propulsion of the unmanned underwater vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Autonomous underwater vehicles are described that are stackable with other like autonomous underwater vehicles on a suitable launch platform, such as within a vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, waiting to be deployed into the water. The underwater vehicles can be deployed or launched individually, in groups, or all together into the water. While stacked together, the stacked autonomous underwater vehicles can connect to one another or to external structure of the launch platform. In addition, the underwater vehicles can be positively buoyant or can be made to have controllable buoyancy to allow the underwater vehicles to float up and out of the launch platform during deployment without an external deployment force.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An unmanned underwater vehicle, comprising:
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a disk-shaped hull having a perimeter edge, a top surface, and a bottom surface; in a side view, the disk-shaped hull has a maximum lateral dimension that is larger than a maximum thickness dimension that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface; a plurality of horizontal thrusters for horizontal propulsion of the unmanned underwater vehicle, the horizontal thrusters are disposed within a boundary defined by the perimeter edge; and a single vertical thruster that extends vertically through the disk-shaped hull from the bottom surface to the top surface for vertical propulsion of the unmanned underwater vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification