Transformable teleoperated amphibious fuel truck

• US 8,543,256 B1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Karafiath, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/157,754
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/21, 440 125- 127, 114/38, 114/321, 114330-333, 114/344, 114 611- 6113
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/00 Amphibious vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling both on land and on water; Land vehicles capable of travelling under water buoyant wheels B60B ; equipment forming part of, or attachable to vessels, facilitating transport over land B63C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0038 Flotation, updrift or stability devices for ships or other waterborne vessels B63B39/00, B63B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/008 remotely controlled

Abstract

According to typical practice of the present invention, a vehicle is remotely controlled and is travelable both in water and on land. The vehicle has two liquid-containment components that are situated generally one above the other. Pumping devices bring about transfer of cargo liquid (e.g., fuel or water) from either component to the other component. In accordance with the liquid transfer, the vehicle turns over, about its longitudinal axis, between two generally opposite buoyant positions, each of which is stable and viable for marine navigation. When the flow of the liquid sufficiently shifts weight from one component to the other, the vehicle inverts; that is, the emptying component flips from the bottom to the top, and the filling component flips from the top to the bottom. One of the buoyant positions of the vehicle is characterized by wheels for amphibiously transitioning the vehicle from water travel to land travel.

Claims

1. A watercraft comprising upper and lower compartments and upper and lower pumps for transferring liquid between said compartments so that the watercraft is right-side up when the liquid is at least predominately in the lower compartment and is upside down when the water is at least predominately in the upper compartment, wherein:

the watercraft is configured to perform water transportation while the watercraft is upside down;

the watercraft is configured to perform either water transportation or land transportation while the watercraft is right-side up;

the watercraft further comprises a set of wheels;

said wheels are configured to be out of the water during performance of water transportation while the watercraft is upside down;

said wheels are configured to be in the water during performance of water transportation while the watercraft is right-side up;

said wheels are configured to be rollable and on land during performance of land transportation while the watercraft is right-side up.

2. The watercraft of claim 1 wherein:

the watercraft is configured to transition from right-side-up to upside-down when the weight of the liquid is sufficiently shifted from the lower compartment to the upper compartment that an overturning moment is reached for effecting the transitioning from right-side-up to upside-down;

the watercraft is configured to transition from upside down to right-side up when the weight of the liquid is sufficiently shifted from the upper compartment to the lower compartment that an overturning moment is reached for effecting the transitioning from upside down to right-side up.

3. The watercraft of claim 1 wherein said wheels are configured to facilitate transitioning of the watercraft from water transportation to land transportation while the watercraft is right-side up.

4. The watercraft of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one device configured to propel and steer the watercraft during performance of water transportation when the watercraft is upside down;

at least one device configured to propel and steer the watercraft during performance of water transportation when the watercraft is right-side up.

5. The watercraft of claim 4 further comprising at least one device configured to rotate and steer said wheels during performance of land transportation.

6. The watercraft of claim 5 further comprising a radio frequency receiver configured to receive remote signals that control:

said at least one device configured to propel and steer the watercraft during performance of water transportation when the watercraft is right-side-up;

said at least one device configured to propel and steer the watercraft during performance of water transportation when the watercraft is upside-down;

said at least one device configured to rotate and steer said wheels during performance of land transportation.

7. A marine vessel comprising:

a hull characterized by approximately a geometric longitudinal axis and divided into two hull sections by approximately a geometric horizontal plane, said hull sections being a first hull section and a second hull section, said hull being capable of turning about said longitudinal axis so as to invert either from a first waterborne condition to a second waterborne condition or from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition, wherein according to said first waterborne condition said first hull section is at least substantially above water and said second hull section is at least substantially below water, and wherein according to said second waterborne condition said second hull section is at least substantially above water and said first hull section is at least substantially below water;

two chambers, said chambers being a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber encompassed by said first hull section, said second chamber encompassed by said second hull section;

two pumping mechanisms, said two pumping mechanisms being a first pumping mechanism and a second pumping mechanism, said first pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber, said first waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said first pumping mechanism from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said second pumping mechanism from said second chamber to said first chamber;

at least three wheels associated with said first hull section, said wheels enabling said hull to ride upon a solid surface during and following exit of said hull in said first waterborne condition from a body of water.

8. The marine vessel of claim 7, wherein:

said hull is configured to invert from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition when the proportion of liquid between said first chamber and said second chamber is sufficiently shifted in favor of said second chamber that a moment of force associated with the mass of the liquid causes said hull to turn over from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition;

said hull is configured to invert from said first waterborne condition to said second waterborne condition when the proportion of liquid between said first chamber and said second chamber is sufficiently shifted in favor of said first chamber that a moment of force associated with the liquid causes said hull to turn over from said first waterborne condition to said second waterborne condition.

9. The marine vessel of claim 8, further comprising a teleoperational system configured to:

remotely control speed and direction of said hull, said teleoperational system including a radio frequency receiver associated with said hull and a radio frequency transmitter distanced from said hull;

cause said hull to invert from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition;

cause said hull to invert from said first waterborne condition to said second waterborne condition.

10. The marine vessel of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one first-condition device, configured to perform at least one of propelling and steering of said hull, while said hull is in said first waterborne condition;

at least one second-condition device, configured to perform at least one of propelling and steering of said hull, while said hull is in said second waterborne condition;

said at least one first-condition device includes at least one device selected from the group consisting of waterjet, airjet, propeller, and rudder;

said at least one first-condition device includes at least one device selected from the group consisting of waterjet, airjet, propeller, and rudder.

11. A marine vessel comprising:

a hull characterized by approximately a geometric longitudinal axis and divided into two hull sections by approximately a geometric horizontal plane, said hull sections being a first hull section and a second hull section, said hull being capable of turning about said longitudinal axis so as to invert either from a first waterborne condition to a second waterborne condition or from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition, wherein according to said first waterborne condition said first hull section is at least substantially above water and said second hull section is at least substantially below water, and wherein according to said second waterborne condition said second hull section is at least substantially above water and said first hull section is at least substantially below water;

two chambers, said chambers being a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber encompassed by said first hull section, said second chamber encompassed by said second hull section;

two pumping mechanisms, said two pumping mechanisms being a first pumping mechanism and a second pumping mechanism, said first pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber, said first waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said first pumping mechanism from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said second pumping mechanism from said second chamber to said first chamber;

a teleoperational system configured to remotely control speed and direction of said hull, said teleoperational system including a radio frequency receiver associated with said hull and a radio frequency transmitter distanced from said hull;

at least three wheels associated with said first hull section, wherein said wheels are configured to;

move said hull from said second waterborne condition to a land-borne condition;

move said hull while said hull is in said land-borne condition.

12. A marine vessel comprising:

a hull characterized by approximately a geometric longitudinal axis and divided into two hull sections by approximately a geometric horizontal plane, said hull sections being a first hull section and a second hull section, said hull being capable of turning about said longitudinal axis so as to invert either from a first waterborne condition to a second waterborne condition or from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition, wherein according to said first waterborne condition said first hull section is at least substantially above water and said second hull section is at least substantially below water, and wherein according to said second waterborne condition said second hull section is at least substantially above water and said first hull section is at least substantially below water;

two chambers, said chambers being a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber encompassed by said first hull section, said second chamber encompassed by said second hull section;

two pumping mechanisms, said two pumping mechanisms being a first pumping mechanism and a second pumping mechanism, said first pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second pumping mechanism being configured to pump liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber, said first waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said first pumping mechanism from said first chamber to said second chamber, said second waterborne condition resulting from pumping of liquid via said second pumping mechanism from said second chamber to said first chamber;

a teleoperational system configured to;

remotely control speed and direction of said hull, said teleoperational system including a radio frequency receiver associated with said hull and a radio frequency transmitter distanced from said hull;

cause said hull to invert from said second waterborne condition to said first waterborne condition;

cause said hull to invert from said first waterborne condition to said second waterborne condition;

at least three wheels associated with said first hull section, wherein said wheels are configured to;

move said hull from said second waterborne condition to a land-borne condition;

move said hull while said hull is in said land-borne condition.