Autonomous underwater vehicle with external, deployable payload

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065716-B2
Application number	US-201715619668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2017
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

An AUV is described that includes an external, deployable payload releasably attached to the exterior of the AUV. The release mechanism between the payload and the AUV is relatively simple and low cost. The payload is mounted external to the AUVs hull and does not significantly increase the cost of the AUV to which it is attached. There are no complex release mechanisms or intermediate launch systems attached to the AUV. Therefore, the described AUV can deploy payloads, such as sensors, that would normally be deployed from a manned platform. This can increase the payload capability of a small expendable AUV without increasing volume or cost of the AUV.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combination comprising:
an autonomous underwater vehicle having a vehicle hull with an exterior surface, a propulsion mechanism, and a vehicle power supply disposed within the vehicle hull;
an external payload that is releasably supported on the exterior surface of the autonomous underwater vehicle with a longitudinal axis of the autonomous underwater vehicle and a longitudinal axis of the external payload parallel to one another;
the external payload includes a payload hull, and a payload power supply within the payload hull;
at least one payload support between the vehicle hull and the payload hull that passively supports the external payload on the autonomous underwater vehicle without fastening the payload to the autonomous underwater vehicle; and
a releaseable mechanism that releasably fastens the external payload to the autonomous underwater vehicle, the releasable mechanism includes a burn wire and a wire that crosses over the autonomous underwater vehicle and the external payload.

2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the at least one payload support comprises a curved support bracket having a curvature that generally matches a curvature of the payload hull.

3. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the external payload further includes a mission package within the payload hull, and the mission package comprises one or more of a sensor package, a sonar package, a munitions package, a communications package, and ballast.

4. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the external payload does not include a propulsion mechanism.

5. The combination of claim 4 , wherein the autonomous underwater vehicle includes a steering mechanism and the external payload does not include a steering mechanism.

6. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the external payload is supported on the exterior surface of the vehicle hull in a vertically stacked configuration or a horizontal side-by-side configuration where the longitudinal axis of the autonomous underwater vehicle and the longitudinal axis of the external payload are parallel to and offset from one another.

7. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle hull is cylindrical, and the payload hull is cylindrical.

8. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the external payload includes a ballast tank.

9. A method comprising submerging the combination of claim 1 under water, and deploying the external payload from the autonomous underwater vehicle while the combination is submerged under the water.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Sylvia Russell M
• Gordon Jr Robert P
• Lewis Martin C

Classifications

• B63G8/22

  Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks ({conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00;} stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06) · CPC title

• B63G2008/004

  autonomously operating · 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

• B63G8/08

  Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12) · CPC title