Submersible vehicle with swept hull

• US 8,677,921 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GO Science Group Ltd.
• Original Assignee: GO Science, Ltd. (Thalassa Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gosling, Harry George Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US13/096,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 114 201- 25, 114312-342, 114/151, 114/122, 114/59, 446153-155, 446/159, 446160-165
• US Class Current: 114/312
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/04 with single hull
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2241/12 annular or toroidal
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/04 Cable-laying vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/002 unmanned
• 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 8/08 Propulsion schnorkels B63G8/36; nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/22 Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00; stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/24 Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/26 Trimming equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 1/32 Flaps, pistons, or the like, reciprocating in propulsive direction
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 1/36 swinging sideways, e.g. fishtail type
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2001/005 using Magnus effect
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 5/14 characterised by being mounted in non-rotating ducts or rings, e.g. adjustable for steering purpose shrouding ring attached to blades B63H1/16; jet propulsion B63H11/00

Abstract

A submersible vehicle having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the annulus defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the vehicle is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct. At least part of the outer hull is swept with respect to the hull axis A buoyancy control system may be provided. Various methods of deploying and using the vehicle are described.

Claims

1. A submersible vehicle having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the outer hull defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the vehicle is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct, wherein the outer hull has a leading edge which is swept with respect to the hull axis and a trailing edge which is swept with respect to the hull axis.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the leading edge and trailing edge of the outer hull is swept forward with respect to the hull axis.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein at least part leading edge and trailing edge of the outer hull is swept with respect to the hull axis when viewed in plan and when viewed from the side.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the leading edge and trailing edge of the outer hull have a swept-forward shape when viewed in a first direction and a swept-back shape when viewed in a second direction transverse to the first direction.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the leading edge and trailing edge of the outer hull have a swept forward portion and a swept back portion.

8. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a center of gravity located in the duct and a center of buoyancy located in the duct.

6. A submersible vehicle having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the outer hull defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the vehicle is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct, wherein at least part of the outer hull is swept with respect to the hull axis, and wherein the hull has four bow vertices and four stern vertices which are separated by 90 degrees around the periphery of the hull.

7. A submersible vehicle having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the outer hull defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the vehicle is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct, further comprising one or more pressure vessels housed inside the outer hull, wherein at least one of the pressure vessels appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis.

9. A submersible toy glider having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the outer hull defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the toy glider is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct, wherein at least part of the outer hull has a leading edge which is swept with respect to the hull axis and a trailing edge which is swept with respect to the hull axis.