Sea vessel retrieval of unmanned underwater vehicles

• US 7,025,014 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chief of Naval Research
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Forgach, Kenneth M, Kasselas, Christos, Mayer, Emily K., Mulhern, Francis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BASINGER, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US10/960,718
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 114/242, 114/244, 114/245, 114/253, 114/254
• US Class Current: 114/244
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/66 Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/19 Other loading or unloading equipment involving an intermittent action, not provided in groups B63B27/04 - B63B27/18
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/36 Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for floating cargo deployment or recovery of underwater vehicles using lifts of hoists B63B27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/008 Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42

Abstract

One or more docking cages releasably attached to a tow line extending from the stern of a retrieval ship, emit tracking beacon beams picked up by sensors in unmanned underwater sea craft vehicles being approached, for steered propulsion thereof into rammed hook attachment to the cages. A sea craft vehicle thereby releasably attached to a cage, is towed onboard the retrieval ship by storage reel-in of the tow line, which is then disconnected from the cage and the retrieved vehicle for subsequent use in retrieval of other unmanned sea craft vehicles.

Claims

1. In combination with a seawater retrieval ship, a system for onboard retrieval of an unmanned sea craft vehicle located at an underwater location adjacent the retrieval ship, comprising:

docking means ejected from the retrieval ship for releasable attachment to the vehicle by hooking means when the vehicle is positioned at said underwater location adjacent to the retrieval ship;

signal emitting means on said docking means for controllably maneuvering the vehicle to said underwater location; and

towing means extending from the docking means for transferring the vehicle releasably attached thereto by the hooking means onboard the retrieval ship;

said docking means comprising;

at least one cage of a generally spherical shape within which the signal emitting means is mounted emitting the tracking signal received by a steering control sensor within the vehicle to effect steering thereof;

said cage having wiring defining an outer surface thereof to which said hooking means releasably attaches the vehicle;

said signal emitting means being centrally positioned within the cage.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said towing means comprises:

an elongated flexible tow line extending from a stern end of the retrieval ship; and

storage means within the retrieval ship for reel in of the tow line with the docking means releasably attached thereto from the underwater location.