Multiplex-thruster systems for delivering thrusting flow

• US 8,082,870 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Shen, Wei-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US12/392,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20090211511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 114/151, 114/330, 114/337, 114/312, 440/40
• US Class Current: 114/337
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 3/00 Arrangement or mounting of steam or gaseous-pressure propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; gaseous-pressure transmission arrangements B60K17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2231/30 Magnetic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2241/14 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/002 unmanned
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/16 by direct use of propellers or jets
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/24 Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/107 Direction control of propulsive fluid B63H11/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/12 the propulsive medium being steam or other gas
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/46 Steering or dynamic anchoring by jets or by rudders carrying jets steering or dynamic anchoring by deflecting or directing main propulsion jets B63H11/00

Abstract

Designs and techniques for fluid thrusters and vehicles that are powered by propelling fluids with fluid thrusters. Multiplex-thruster (MT) systems are disclosed that include a single thruster and a flow multiplexer with multiple channels to deliver thrusting flow in various directions.

Claims

1. An underwater vehicle, comprising:

a multiplex-thruster (MT) system for delivering thrusting flow comprising;

a thruster having a first end and a second end and configured to propel fluid flow in a direction from the first end to the second end and in a direction from the second end to the first end; and

a first connector assembly having three or more connectors and in fluid communication with the first end of the thruster and a second connector assembly having three or more connectors and in fluid communication with the second end of the thruster, each connector being configured to allow fluid flow through the connector when the connector is in an open state and to block fluid flow from the connector when the connector is in a closed state;

wherein the MT system is configured to thrust fluid flow from one or more connectors in the first connector assembly to one or more connectors in the second connector assembly or vice versa by setting the one or more connectors in the first connector assembly and the one or more connectors in the second connector assembly at an open state and all other connectors at a closed state and by controlling the thruster to propel fluid flow in a direction from the first end to

the second end or vice versa;

a pair of vertical bi-directional channels configured to provide up-down movement for the vehicle, and a pair of starboard bi-directional channels and a pair of port bi-directional channels configured to provide forward and backward movement for the vehicle when fluid flows through said pair of starboard channels and said pair of port channels in the same direction and to provide spinning movement for the vehicle when fluid flows through said pair of starboard channels and said pair of port channels in the opposite directions;

wherein one of said pair of vertical, starboard, or port channels is connected to one or more connectors in the first connector assembly and the other of said pair of vertical, starboard, or port channels is connected to one or more connectors in the second connector assembly, wherein said pairs of vertical, starboard and port channels are connected to different connectors; and

a thruster controller to control the thruster to control the fluid flow direction of the thruster and opening and closing of the connectors at the first and second connector assemblies to move the underwater vehicle up, down, forward, backward, spin-left, and spin-right by controlling the MT system to selectively control thrust fluid flow from the one or more connectors in the first connector assembly connected to said pair of vertical, starboard, or port channels to the one or more connectors in the second connector assembly connected to said pair of vertical, starboard, or port channels, or vice versa.

2. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more connectors comprise an adjustable valve to control the amount of fluid flown through said one or more connectors.

3. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one connector in each of the first and second assemblies is used not to actuate the vehicle.

4. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more pairs of vertical, starboard, or port channels.

5. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a modularized architecture having one or more battery modules, embedded computers, thruster controllers, underwater communication units, water samplers and sensor modules.

6. The underwater vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more battery modules comprise at least one smart battery.

7. The underwater vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more sensor modules comprise at least one pressure sensor to measure and maintain the vehicle at a predetermined depth from water surface.

8. The underwater vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more sensor modules comprise at least one altimeter to measure and maintain the vehicle at a predetermined distance to water bottom.

9. The underwater vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more underwater communication units comprise a radio modem in communication with a wireless Ethernet at a remote station to allow for remote access and control of the vehicle.

10. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnet configured to allow the vehicle to stay mutually buoyant when the electromagnet is activated to hold a predetermined weight and to float the vehicle up to water surface when the electromagnet is deactivated to drop the predetermined weight.

11. The underwater vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a sphere shell in which the MT system resides.

12. The underwater vehicle of claim 11, wherein the vehicle has a turning radius of less than about 0.1 m.

13. The underwater vehicle of claim 11, wherein the sphere is free-flooded to eliminate pressure difference in and out the vehicle.