Passive mechanical system for docking and payload transfer for unmanned underwater vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046463-B1
Application number	US-201815903140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2018
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A base member comprising a vertical fin member, a vertical fin stopper surface, a trigger arm recess, and a base guidance slot. A left jaw member comprising a left jaw portion, a left lever portion, a left guidance slot, a left fastening hole, and a trigger release screw. A right jaw member comprising a right jaw portion, a right lever portion, and a right guidance slot. A trigger arm member comprising a trigger hook and a curved trigger end. A top member comprising a top guidance slot, a left spring hole, a right spring hole, a left bottom recess, a right bottom recess, a left spring recess, and a right spring recess. A left spring tension screw received through the left spring hole and a left spring spacer retained in the left spring recess. A bumper member with a bumper surface, a left elongated member, and a right elongated member.

First claim

We claim:

1. A device for docking unmanned underwater vehicles comprising:
a base member comprising a vertical fin member, wherein the vertical fin member further comprises a vertical fin stopper surface, wherein the base member has a base guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the vertical fin member has a trigger arm recess formed thereon;
a left jaw member comprising a left jaw portion and a left lever portion, wherein the left lever portion has a left guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the left jaw member is pivotally connected to the base member, wherein the left jaw member has a left fastening hole formed therethrough, wherein a trigger release screw is received in the left fastening hole;
a right jaw member comprising a right jaw portion and a right lever portion, wherein the right lever portion has a right guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the right jaw member is pivotally connected to the base member;
a trigger arm member comprising a trigger hook portion and a curved trigger arm end, wherein the trigger arm member has a trigger arm actuation hole formed therethrough, wherein the trigger hook portion is connected to the trigger release screw;
a top member having a top guidance slot formed therethrough, a left spring hole formed therethrough, a right spring hole formed therethrough, a left bottom recessed formed thereon, a right bottom recess formed thereon, a left spring recess formed thereon, a right spring recess formed thereon;
a guide bolt is received through the top guidance slot;
a left spring tension screw received through the left spring hole;
a left spring spacer retained in the left spring recess;
a bumper member comprising a front bumper surface, a left elongated member, and a right elongated member, wherein the left elongated member is slidably received in the left bottom recess; and
wherein the bumper member further comprises a rear bumper surface, wherein the left spring abuts the rear bumper surface, and wherein the left elongated member abuts the trigger actuation screw.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base member has a base spring recess formed thereon, wherein the base member has a left base fastening hole formed therethrough, and wherein the base member has a right base fastening hole formed therethrough.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the left jaw portion has a left locking projection, wherein the left jaw member has a left pivot hole formed therethrough, and wherein the left jaw member has a left spring slot formed thereon.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the right jaw portion has a right locking projection, wherein the right jaw member has a right pivot hole formed therethrough, and wherein the right jaw member has a right spring slot formed thereon.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the curved trigger arm end is received in the trigger arm recess.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate member with an intermediate guidance slot formed therethrough, a left intermediate fastening hole formed therethrough, and a right intermediate fastening hole formed therethrough.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the intermediate member is pivotally connected to the left jaw member, and wherein the intermediate member is further pivotally connected to the right jaw member.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the guide bolt is further received through the intermediate guidance slot.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top member has a left top fastening hole formed therethrough, and wherein the top member has a right top fastening hole formed therethrough.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bumper member has a left bumper spring hole formed therethrough, and where the bumper member has a right bumper spring hole formed therethrough.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the right elongated member is slidably received in the right bottom recess.

12. A device for docking unmanned underwater vehicles comprising:
a base member comprising a vertical fin member, wherein the vertical fin member further comprises a vertical fin stopper surface, wherein the base member has a base guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the vertical fin member has a trigger arm recess formed thereon;
a left jaw member comprising a left jaw portion and a left lever portion, wherein the left lever portion has a left guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the left jaw member is pivotally connected to the base member, wherein the left jaw member has a left fastening hole formed therethrough, wherein a trigger release screw is received in the left fastening hole;
a right jaw member comprising a right jaw portion and a right lever portion, wherein the right lever portion has a right guidance slot formed therethrough, wherein the right jaw member is pivotally connected to the base member;
a trigger arm member comprising a trigger hook portion and a curved trigger arm end, wherein the trigger arm member has a trigger arm actuation hole formed therethrough, wherein the trigger hook portion is connected to the trigger release screw;
an intermediate member with an intermediate guidance slot formed therethrough, a left intermediate fastening hole formed therethrough, and a right intermediate fastening hole formed therethrough;
a top member having a top guidance slot formed therethrough, a left spring hole formed therethrough, a right spring hole formed therethrough, a left bottom recessed formed thereon, a right bottom recess formed thereon, a left spring recess formed thereon, a right spring recess formed thereon;
a guide bolt is received through the top guidance slot;
a left spring tension screw received through the left spring hole;
a left spring spacer retained in the left spring recess;
a bumper member comprising a front bumper surface, a left elongated member, and a right elongated member, wherein the left elongated member is slidably received in the left bottom recess; and
wherein the bumper member further comprises a rear bumper surface, wherein the left spring abuts the rear bumper surface, and wherein the left elongated member abuts the trigger actuation screw.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the base member has a base spring recess formed thereon, wherein the base member has a left base fastening hole formed therethrough, and wherein the base member has a right base fastening hole formed therethrough.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the left jaw portion has a left locking projection, wherein the left jaw member has a left pivot hole formed therethrough, and wherein the left jaw member has a left spring slot formed thereon.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the right jaw portion has a right locking projection, wherein the right jaw member has a right pivot hole formed therethrough, and wherein the right jaw member has a right spring slot formed thereon.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the curved trigger arm end is received in the trigger arm recess.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate member is pivotally connected to the left jaw member, wherein the intermediate member is further pivotally connected to the right jaw member, wherein the top member has a left top fastening hole formed therethrough, wherein the top member has a right top fastening hole formed therethrough, and wherein the guide bolt is further received through the intermediate guidance slot.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the bumper member has a left bumper spring hole formed therethrough, and where the bumper member has a right bumper spring hole formed therethrough.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Jones Anthony D
• Liu Wayne P

Classifications

• B25J15/0028 Primary

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title

• B63G2008/002

  unmanned · CPC title

• B63G2008/008

  Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like · CPC title

• B63G8/001 Primary

  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 title