Hull robot

• US 9,440,717 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• 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, Longley, Jonathan T., Harris, Joel N., Smith, Fraser, Jacobsen, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/313,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20100126403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,853 Days
• Field of Search: 114/222, 700/245, 901/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/10 using trolleys or the like driven along the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 Maritime or waterways transport

Abstract

A hull cleaning robot includes at least one cleaning apparatus for cleaning the hull of a vessel, at least one drive track holding the robot on the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull, and at least one turbine actuatable by water flowing past the hull for operating the at least one drive track and, optionally, the cleaning apparatus.

Claims

1. A hull cleaning robot comprising:

a body;

at least one cleaning apparatus for cleaning the hull of a vessel;

at least one drive track holding the robot on the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull; and

at least one turbine driven by water flowing into the body of the robot as generated by the vessel being in motion and underway, the turbine being oriented substantially parallel to the hull, and in a direction of the water flow within the body, the turbine operating the at least one cleaning apparatus and the at least one drive track,

wherein the robot is adapted to operate underwater and within the water flow to maneuver about and clean the hull of the vessel.

2. The robot of claim 1 further including a generator drivable by the turbine.

3. The robot of claim 2 further including a motor for the at least one drive track and a power source for the motor and chargeable by the generator.

4. The robot of claim 2 further including a motor for the at least one cleaning apparatus and a power source for the motor and chargeable by the generator.

5. The robot of claim 1 further including a drive train between the turbine and the at least one drive track.

6. The robot of claim 1 further including a drive train between the turbine and the at least one cleaning apparatus.

7. The robot of claim 1 in which the cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning brush.

8. The robot of claim 7 in which there are two side brushes and a third brush between the two side brushes.

9. The robot of claim 8 in which the brushes are drivable together.

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

11. The robot of claim 10 in which the belt includes magnets encapsulated therein.

12. The robot of claim 10 further including a steering subsystem for the belt.

13. The robot of claim 12 in which the steering subsystem includes a motor driving an actuator linked to one roller to change its orientation.

14. The robot of claim 1 further including a communication subsystem on board the robot for communicating with the robot.

15. The robot of claim 14 in which the communication subsystem includes a transmitter imparting vibrations into the hull and/or a receiver responsive to vibrations transmitted through the hull.

16. The robot of claim 1 further including a navigation subsystem for the robot.

17. The robot of claim 16 in which the navigation subsystem includes at least one receiver responsive to acoustic signals transmitted through the hull.

18. The robot of claim 16 in which the navigation subsystem includes a probe on the robot responsive to variations in the hull.

19. The robot of claim 1 further including a controller configured to control the at least one drive track.

20. The robot of claim 19 in which the controller is configured to operate the at least one drive track in a first direction so that the robot proceeds along the hull in the direction of the water flowing past the hull and to then reverse the operation of the at least one drive track in an opposite direction so that the robot proceeds along the hull in a direction opposite the direction of the water flowing past the hull.

21. The robot of claim 1 in which the robot has a hydrodynamic shape configured to urge the robot against the hull by water flowing past the hull over the robot while the vessel is underway.

22. A method for cleaning a hull of a vessel, comprising:

obtaining a hull cleaning robot, comprising;

a body;

at least one cleaning apparatus,

at least one drive track to hold the robot on a hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull, and

at least one turbine driven by water flowing into the body of the robot as generated by the vessel being in motion and underway, the turbine being oriented substantially parallel to the hull, and in a direction of the water flow within the body, wherein the robot is adapted to operate underwater and within the water flow to maneuver about and clean the hull of the vessel,

disposing the hull cleaning robot about an underwater portion of a hull of a vessel; and

operating the vessel, wherein water is caused to flow past the hull to actuate the turbine and operate the at least one cleaning apparatus and the at least one drive track.