Hull robot with hull separation countermeasures

• US 9,038,557 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Fraser M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US13/769,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 828 Days
• Field of Search: 114/221.R, 114/222, 901/1, 901/44
• US Class Current: 114/222
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/265 having magnetic or pneumatic adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/32 Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/00 Vessels parts, details, or accessories, not otherwise provided for vehicle fittings for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles in general B60R25/00; propeller guards, line cutters or other means for protecting propellers or rudders B63H5/165; protection of power legs of outboard propulsion units B63H20/36; locking devices for boats, surfboards or parts or accessories thereof E05B73/007
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/06 Cleaning devices for hulls
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/08 of underwater surfaces while afloat B63B59/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/10 using trolleys or the like driven along the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/00 Designing vessels; Predicting their performance
• 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: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/44 inspection

Abstract

A hull robot is disclosed for operation on a surface of a hull of a vessel. The robot can include a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving and maneuvering the robot about the hull. A sensor subsystem onboard the robot can sense an attachment state of the robot to the hull. The attachment state can include at least one of attached and detached. A signal generation subsystem onboard the robot can emit a distress signal when the attachment state is detached.

Claims

1. A hull robot configured to operate on a surface of a hull of a vessel, comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving and maneuvering the robot about the hull;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot configured to sense an attachment state of the robot relative to the hull, the attachment state comprising at least one of attached and detached;

a signal generation subsystem onboard the robot configured to emit a distress signal when the attachment state is detached; and

a robot surfacing device configured to cause the robot to float to a fluid surface when the attachment state is detached.

2. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the robot surfacing device comprises a buoyant material.

3. The robot as in claim 2, wherein the buoyant material is selected from the group consisting of foam, wood, composite structural materials, and any combination of these.

4. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the robot surfacing device comprises an inflatable flotation device and an inflation element in fluid communication with the inflatable flotation device, wherein the inflation element is operable to inflate the inflatable flotation device upon separation of the robot from the hull.

5. The robot as in claim 3, wherein the inflation element comprises a compressed gas coupled to the inflatable flotation device to inflate the inflatable flotation device when the attachment state is detached.

6. The robot as in claim 4, wherein the inflation element comprises a carbon dioxide cartridge.

7. The robot as in claim 4, wherein the inflation element comprises a refrigerant dispenser.

8. The robot as in claim 4, wherein the inflation element comprises a chemical operable to react to generate or release a gas.

9. The robot as in claim 8, wherein the chemical comprises one sufficient to react with water to produce a gas.

10. The robot as in claim 8, further comprising a second chemical operable to mix with and react with the chemical.

11. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises an optical detector configured to optically detect the hull.

12. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a fluid flow detector configured to detect the flow of fluid past the robot.

13. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a gravity vector detector configured to detect an angular orientation of the robot relative to gravity.

14. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a pressure detector configured to detect a pressure of fluid surrounding the robot.

15. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a global positioning system device configured to track a. location of the robot relative to the vessel.

16. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a. noise detector configured to detect at least one of noise of the vessel and noise of a fluid in contact with the vessel.

17. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a magnetic sensor configured to sense a magnetic field between the robot and the hull of the vessel.

18. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises a non-destructive hull inspection system, and wherein the signal generation subsystem is operable with the non-destructive hull inspection system.

19. The robot as in claim 1, wherein the non-destructive hull inspection system comprises a system is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic inspection system, an eddy current detection system, a. magnetic field detection system, a displacement gauge system, an optical interferometry system, a paint integrity inspection system, an acoustic emission-based inspection system, and any combination of these.

20. A method of detecting detachment of a hull robot from a surface of a hull of a vessel, comprising:

positioning the robot about the hull;

sensing an attachment state of the robot to the hull using a sensor subsystem onboard the robot, the attachment state comprising at least one of attached and detached;

emitting a distress signal using a signal generation subsystem onboard the robot when the attachment state is detached; and

buoying the robot to float to a fluid surface when the attachment state is detached.

21. The method as in claim 20, wherein buoying the robot comprises inflating an inflatable flotation device coupled to the robot using a compressed gas tank carried by the robot.

22. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises optically detecting the presence of the hull using an optical detector.

23. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises detecting the flow of fluid past the robot using a fluid flow detector.

24. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises detecting an angular orientation of the robot relative to gravity using a gravity vector detector.

25. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises detecting a pressure of fluid surrounding the robot using a pressure detector.

26. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises tracking a location of the robot relative to the vessel using a global positioning system device.

27. The method as in claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises detecting at least one of a noise of the vessel and a noise of a fluid contacting the hull of the vessel, using a noise detector.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein sensing an attachment state of the robot comprises operating a. non-destructive inspection system, and monitoring an output of the non-destructive inspection system.

29. A system for detecting detachment of a hull robot from a surface of a hull of a vessel, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing hull property data;

a sensor carried by the hull robot and configured to detect an attachment state of the robot relative to the hull, the attachment state comprising at least one of attached and detached; and

a distress module carried by the hull robot and configured to identify a distress situation when the attachment state of the robot relative to the hull is detached, wherein the hull robot is caused to float to a fluid surface.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a power supply for providing power to the processor, memory, sensor and distress module.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the power supply is solar powered.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the power supply comprises a salt-water electrolyte battery activated by flow of salt water into dry cells of the salt-water electrolyte battery when the distress module identifies the distress situation.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising a signal generation subsystem comprising the distress module, the signal generation subsystem configured to emit a distress signal when the attachment state is detached.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the signal generation subsystem comprises a satellite phone operable to send the distress signal.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the signal generation subsystem and distress module is operable with a global positioning system, such that the distress signal comprises coordinates of the hull robot.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the signal generation subsystem comprises a radio transmitter operable to send the distress signal, the distress signal being a radio signal transmitted at a given frequency.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the signal generation subsystem and distress module is operable with a. global positioning system, such that the radio signal comprises coordinates of the hull robot.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the distress signal comprises a signal type selected from the group consisting of wired, wireless, radio, optical, acoustical, and a combination of these.