Hull robot with rotatable turret
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hull robot comprising:
- a drive subsystem for maneuvering the robot about the hull;
a turbine subsystem movable relative to the drive subsystem and actuatable by fluid moving past the hull as the hull moves through the fluid, the turbine subsystem comprising a turbine intake, wherein an orientation of the turbine intake is maintained in alignment with a direction of fluid flowing outside the hull robot and past the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull in different directions along multiple axes;
an adjustment subsystem for either the turbine subsystem or the drive subsystem; and
a controller configured to operate the adjustment subsystem to adjust the orientation of the turbine subsystem relative to the drive subsystem.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hull robot includes a turbine subsystem actuatable by fluid moving past the hull, a drive subsystem for maneuvering the robot about the hull, and an adjustment subsystem for either the turbine subsystem or the drive subsystem. A controller is configured to operate the adjustment subsystem to adjust the position of the turret subsystem relative to the drive subsystem until fluid flowing past the hull results in an optimal flow of fluid with respect to the turbine subsystem.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A hull robot comprising:
-
a drive subsystem for maneuvering the robot about the hull; a turbine subsystem movable relative to the drive subsystem and actuatable by fluid moving past the hull as the hull moves through the fluid, the turbine subsystem comprising a turbine intake, wherein an orientation of the turbine intake is maintained in alignment with a direction of fluid flowing outside the hull robot and past the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull in different directions along multiple axes; an adjustment subsystem for either the turbine subsystem or the drive subsystem; and a controller configured to operate the adjustment subsystem to adjust the orientation of the turbine subsystem relative to the drive subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A hull cleaning robot comprising:
-
a robot body; a turret rotatable with respect to the robot body; a drive track mounted to the turret for maneuvering the robot about the hull; an actuator for adjusting the position of the turret relative to the robot body; at least one cleaning brush rotatable with respect to the robot body; at least one turbine attached to the robot body movable relative to the drive track and actuatable by water flowing past a hull as the hull and the turbine move through the water, the at least one turbine operating the at least one cleaning brush, wherein an orientation of a turbine intake of the at least one turbine is adjustable relative to the drive track, such that an orientation of the turbine intake is maintained in alignment with a direction of fluid flowing outside the hull robot and past the hull, and such that optimal output of the turbine is maintained as the robot maneuvers about the hull in different directions along multiple axes; a sensor subsystem for measuring an output of the at least one turbine; and a controller responsive to the sensor subsystem configured to control the actuator to adjust the orientation of the turret. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A hull robot comprising:
-
a drive subsystem for maneuvering the robot about the hull; and a turbine subsystem movable relative to the drive subsystem and responsive to fluid flowing past the hull as the hull moves through the fluid, the turbine subsystem operating the drive subsystem and comprising a turbine intake, wherein an orientation of the turbine intake is maintained in alignment with a direction of the fluid flowing outside the hull robot and past the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull in different directions along multiple axes. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
-
Specification