Hull robot with rotatable turret

• US 9,254,898 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rooney, James H. III, Mann, Timothy I., Kornstein, Howard R., Harris, Joel N., Longley, Jonathan T., Allen, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/583,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: 114/222, 166/250.01, 180/9.1, 700/245, 700/248, 700/258, 700/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/10 using trolleys or the like driven along the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

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.

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.

2. The hull robot of claim 1 in which the adjustment subsystem includes a rotatable turret and the drive subsystem is mounted on the turret.

3. The hull robot of claim 2 in which the adjustment subsystem further includes a motor for rotating the turret.

4. The hull robot of claim 3 in which the motor is controlled by the controller.

5. The hull robot of claim 3 in which the turret includes a peripheral gear and the motor is connected to a worm gear driving the peripheral gear.

6. The hull robot of claim 1 further including a sensor subsystem configured to monitor the output of the turbine subsystem.

7. The hull robot of claim 6 in which the controller is responsive to the sensor subsystem and is configured to control the adjustment subsystem in response to the monitored output of the sensor subsystem.

8. The hull robot of claim 6 in which the turbine subsystem includes two spaced turbines each driving a generator and the sensor subsystem includes sensors monitoring the voltage output of each generator and a comparator responsive to the sensors.

9. The hull robot of claim 7 further including a rotatable vane and a sensor responsive to movement of the vane, and wherein the controller is responsive to the sensor.

10. The hull robot of claim 1 in which the drive subsystem includes at least one endless magnetic belt about spaced rollers.

11. The hull robot of claim 1 further including at least one cleaning apparatus.

12. The hull robot of claim 11 in which the cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning brush.

13. The robot of claim 11 further including a generator drivable by the turbine subsystem.

14. The hull robot of claim 13 further including a motor for the drive subsystem and a power source for the motor chargeable by the generator.

15. The hull robot of claim 13 further including a motor for the at least one cleaning apparatus and a power source for the motor chargeable by the generator.

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.

17. The hull cleaning robot of claim 16 in which the sensor subsystem is configured to measure the revolutions per minute of the turbine.

18. The hull cleaning robot of claim 16 in which the at least one turbine includes a generator and the sensor subsystem is configured to measure the output of the generator.

19. The hull cleaning robot of claim 16 in which the actuator includes a peripheral gear on the turret and a motor driving a worm gear meshed with the peripheral gear.

20. The hull cleaning robot of claim 16 in which there are two spaced turbines each driving a generator and the sensor subsystem includes sensors monitoring the voltage output of each generator and a comparator responsive to the sensors.

21. The hull cleaning robot of claim 20 further including a rotatable vane and a sensor responsive to movement of the vane, wherein the controller is responsive to the sensor.

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.

23. The hull robot of claim 22 in which the drive subsystem is associated with a moveable turret.

24. The hull robot of claim 22 further including a sensor configured to detect the direction of the flowing fluid with respect to the robot.

25. The hull robot of claim 24 in which the sensor includes a vane rotatable with respect to the robot and having a center of pressure configured to align the vane with the direction of the flowing fluid.