Autonomous sailing vessel

• US 9,003,986 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Saildrone, Inc.
• Inventors: Jenkins, Richard Elliott, Owens, Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US13/802,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 114/39.21, 114/39.23, 114/39.26, 114/39.29, 114/102.13, 114/102.16, 114/102.29, 114/39.31
• US Class Current: 114/39.23
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/10 with multiple hulls
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/12 the hulls being interconnected rigidly B63B1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/125 comprising more than two hulls B63B1/107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/007 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/00 Improving safety of vessels, e.g. damage control, not otherwise provided for fire-fighting in ships A62C3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/02 reducing risk of capsizing or sinking by means of watertight doors in bulkheads B63B43/24
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/20 using towing tanks or model basins for designing
• 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 8/22 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 8/28 Arrangement of offensive or defensive equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/38 Arrangement of visual or electronic watch equipment, e.g. of periscopes, of radar periscopes, optical aiming or sighting devices per se G02B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2009/082 Booms, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/045 making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/38 Rudders
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/061 Rigid sails; Aerofoil sails
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/0635 the panels being pivotable about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/08 Connections of sails to masts, spars, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0875 : specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 : Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

An unmanned ocean-going vessel including a primary hull, a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull where the rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of the rigid wing, a controller configured to maintain a desired heading, a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a position of the control surface element, where the controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position the control surface element based on the control surface angle, a rudder, where the controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position, and a keel including ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause the primary hull to passively right from any position.

Claims

1. An unmanned ocean-going vessel comprising;

a primary hull comprising a primary axis;

a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein said rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing;

a controller configured to maintain a desired heading;

a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element, wherein said controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element based on said control surface angle;

wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a plurality of control surface angles in real time during navigation to at least one waypoint location and generate a plurality of signals to position said control surface element based on said plurality of control surface angles;

a rudder, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said rudder position; and

a keel coupled with said primary hull at a first end of said keel, wherein said keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause said primary hull to passively right from any position.

2. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising:

a first outrigger hull configured to provide a first additional righting moment when said primary hull is rotated in a first direction about its primary axis; and

a second outrigger hull configured to provide a second additional righting moment when said primary hull is rotated in a second direction about its primary axis,

wherein said ballast is sufficient to passively right said primary hull from any position given said first additional righting moment and said second additional righting moment.

3. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device comprising an antenna,

wherein said controller is further configured to obtain said at least one waypoint location from said wireless communication device.

4. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication device is further configured to transmit data generated by said controller based on at least one device coupled with said controller.

5. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to periodically determine an updated rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said updated rudder position.

6. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said primary hull comprises a narrow bow with reduced buoyancy.

7. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said primary hull comprises at least one fully sealed compartment and at least one partially sealed compartment positioned above said at least one fully sealed compartment and above the water line when said primary hull is in an orientation where the rigid wing is capable of generating lift,

wherein said at least one partially sealed compartment comprises at least one drain positioned to allow substantially complete drainage of said at least one partially sealed compartment when said primary hull is positioned in said orientation.

8. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one payload bay.

9. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 8, wherein said at least one payload bay is disposed on said primary hull.

10. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising a lower bulb coupled with a second end of said keel and a second end of said rudder,

wherein said first end of said rudder is coupled with said primary hull, and

wherein said lower bulb is negatively buoyant.

11. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising a lower bulb coupled with a second end of said keel and a first end of said rudder,

wherein a second end of said rudder extends from said lower bulb, and

wherein said lower bulb is negatively buoyant.

12. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one buoyant wing compartment, wherein at least one of said primary hull and said rigid wing comprises at least one sealed compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge said primary hull and said rigid wing, leaving said at least one buoyant wing compartment above the water line.

13. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising at least one power source coupled with said controller,

wherein said at least one power source comprises at least one solar panel coupled with at least one battery.

14. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to estimate a wind direction based on a compass reading, said wing angle, said control surface angle and an estimated sailing model generated by said controller.

15. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said control surface element is disposed on said rigid wing toward a trailing edge of said rigid wing.

16. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1,

wherein said control surface element is disposed on a tail,

wherein said rigid wing is coupled with a boom comprising a first end and a second end,

wherein said second end of said boom extends from a trailing edge of said rigid wing, and

wherein said second end of said boom is coupled with said tail.

17. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 16,

wherein said first end of said boom extends from a leading edge of said rigid wing, and

wherein said first end of said boom is coupled with a counterweight configured to dynamically balance a wing system comprising said rigid wing, said boom, and said tail with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing.

18. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said rotational axis is selected to statically balance a wing system comprising said rigid wing with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing.

19. The unmanned ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein the rigid wing comprises at least one positively buoyant sealed compartment, wherein the sealed compartment provides a positive righting moment when the rigid wing is submerged.

20. An unmanned ocean-going vessel comprising;

a primary hull comprising a primary axis;

a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein said rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing;

a controller configured to maintain a desired heading;

a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element, wherein said controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element based on said control surface angle;

a rudder, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said rudder position; and

a keel coupled with said primary hull at a first end of said keel, wherein said keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause said primary hull to passively right from any position;

wherein said first end of said boom extends from a leading edge of said rigid wing, and

wherein said first end of said boom is coupled with a counterweight configured to dynamically balance a wing system comprising said rigid wing, said boom, and said tail with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing.