Autonomous unmanned sailing vessel

• US 9,381,985 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• 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:
  US14/682,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20150210369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 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, 114/121, 114/125, 701/21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, autonomous, ocean-going vessel including a primary hull and a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull that freely rotates about a rotational axis. At least one of the primary hull and the rigid wing includes at least one selectively floodable compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge the primary hull and at least a portion of the rigid wing. The vessel further includes at least one controller configured to maintain a desired heading. The vessel further includes a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on the control surface element. The vessel further includes a rudder. The at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder. The vessel further includes a keel coupled with the primary hull.

Claims

1. An unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel comprising:

a primary hull;

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

at least one selectively floodable compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge said primary hull and at least a portion of said rigid wing;

wherein the at least one selectively floodable compartment comprises a selectively floodable compartment located in the rigid wing;

at least one 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 force exerted by wind on said control surface element;

wherein said at least one controller is configured to generate a signal to cause the at least one selectively floodable compartment to selectively flood;

a rudder, wherein said at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder based on said rudder position.

2. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectively floodable compartment further comprises a selectively floodable compartment located in the primary hull.

3. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectively floodable compartment is configured to selectively flood to completely submerge the rigid wing.

4. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate a signal to cause selective flooding of one or more of the at least one selectively floodable compartment.

5. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 4, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate the signal to cause selective flooding of one or more of the at least one selectively floodable compartment when it is determined that a stealth mode is desired.

6. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 4, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate the signal to cause selective flooding of one or more of the at least one selectively floodable compartment based on one or more weather conditions at the sea surface.

7. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 4, wherein the signal to cause selective flooding causes the one or more selectively floodable compartments to unseal and fill with water to a desired level corresponding to a desired buoyancy.

8. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 1, further comprising 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.

9. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 8, 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.

10. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 1, wherein said at least one 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.

11. The unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel of claim 10, further comprising a wireless communication device comprising an antenna,

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

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

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

14. The unmanned, autonomous, 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.

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

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

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

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

a boom coupled with said rigid wing, said boom comprising a first end extending from a leading edge of said rigid wing and a second end extending from a trailing edge of said rigid wing; and

a tail coupled with said second end of said boom, wherein said control surface element is disposed on said tail;

a counterweight coupled with said first end of said boom, wherein said counterweight dynamically balances, with respect to mass, said rigid wing, said boom and said tail with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing.

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

19. An unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel comprising:

a primary hull;

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

at least one controller;

a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on said control surface element;

a first selectively floodable compartment located in the rigid wing, wherein said at least one controller is configured to generate a first signal to cause the first selectively floodable compartment to selectively flood;

a second selectively floodable compartment located in the primary hull, wherein said at least one controller is configured to generate a second signal to cause the second selectively floodable compartment to selectively flood,

a rudder, wherein said at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a third signal to position said rudder based on said rudder position.