System and methods of using unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) along with tethers and tethered devices

• US 9,440,718 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rujing Tang
• Original Assignee: Rujing Tang
• Inventors: Tang, Rujing
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US14/689,932
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 114/312, 114/316, 114/318, 114/322, 114/382, 114/240.C, 114/21.2, 89/11.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/005 remotely controlled
• 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 9/00 Other offensive or defensive arrangements on vessels against submarines, torpedoes, or mines
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/05 Net barriers for harbour defence arrangement of mines F42B22/24; protective nets used with ships B63G9/04
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 19/00 Marine torpedoes, e.g. launched by surface vessels or submarines having additional propulsion means for movement through air F42B17/00; Sea mines having self-propulsion means F42B12/00 takes precedence; launching means F41F; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; automatic control of course G05D1/00; firing directors or calculators G06G

Abstract

The present invention comprises a plurality of UUVs, tethers and tethered devices. The devices that are tethered comprise explosive devices or acoustic devices. The UUV provides mobility and controllability for the tethers and the tethered devices. The tether is also used as a means to entangle target vessel'"'"'s propeller. The entangled propeller'"'"'s revolution moves the explosive device closer to the target vessel for denotation. The tether is made with high strength material whereby once entangled, it is difficult for the propeller itself or intervention to disentangle. The system has a detachable housing with fluid dynamic shape. The whole system is designed to submerge during operation. The system can be wirelessly controlled by a remote command center via satellite link, or by a nearby command center directly.

Claims

1. A system for navigating and positioning tethers and tethered devices into desired locations for military and civil applications, comprising:

at least one UUV;

at least one device; and

,

at least one tether that links the at least one UUV and the at least one device;

at least two strands running in parallel and spaced by a plurality of separating structures between them;

wherein the separating structure comprises a propulsion unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, the tether further comprising:

a material that has at least 200 MPa in tensile strength.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises explosive devices or acoustic devices.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising the at least one UUV, the at least one tether and the at least one device housed in a detachable structure.

5. A method of navigating and positioning a plurality of tethers and a plurality of tethered devices to desired locations, comprising moving the plurality of tethers and the plurality of tethered devices by movements of a plurality of UUVs;

wherein two of the plurality of UUVs move around a vessel in differing directions to encircle the vessel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) providing at least one of a tethered UUV;

(b) moving the at least one of the plurality of tethers to the proximity of a sea going vessel'"'"'s propeller; and

(c) entangling the sea going vessel'"'"'s propeller with the at least one of the plurality of tethers.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising dragging of the plurality of tethers by any portion of a vessel.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(a) the at least one of the tethered UUV navigating to desired positional coordinates; and

(b) detonating an explosive device by its own detonation mechanism, or a signal from the at least one of the tethered UUV, or a signal from a Command Center.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) moving at least one of the tethered UUVs so that the plurality of tethers are underneath ice to be cleared; and

(b) detonating a plurality of explosive devices.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) the UUVs moving in differing directions, such that the plurality of tethers are securely around an iceberg; and

(b) the UUVs dragging the plurality of tethers to prescribed locations.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) moving a plurality of explosive devices to the proximity of an iceberg by the movement of the UUVs; and

(b) detonating the plurality of explosive devices.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) the plurality of tethers being extended at a desired depth, orientation and length by the movements of the UUVs; and

(b) a plurality of acoustic devices emitting sound signals sequentially along the tethers to mimic moving underwater objects.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps:

(a) the acoustic device emitting a jamming sound to mask a sound emanated from an underwater object.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) an acoustic device being sonar detectors;

(b) the sonar detectors detecting a plurality of sonar signals; and

(c) a plurality of detected signals being transmitted to the UUV or a Command Center.

15. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) each of the UUVs navigating in coordination with the other UUVs;

(b) dragging the plurality of tethers by the movement of the each of the UUVs; and

(c) affixing the plurality of tethers to structures during the movement of the UUVs.

16. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps:

(a) a Command Center sending instructions to the UUVs using satellite links, or underwater acoustic signals, or direct wireless communication or through a cable; and

(b) the UUVs sending information gathered from their sensors and GPS location coordinates to the Command Center using satellite links, or underwater acoustic signals, or direct wireless communication or through a cable.