Launcher for underwater vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10384753-B2
Application number	US-201816160467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 13, 2017
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a launcher for an underwater vehicle by which thrust force of a mover arranged movably in a water conducting tube can efficiently be obtained. The mover forms a plurality of magnetic circuits in which magnetic flux generated by a plurality of permanent magnets flows, and the plurality of magnetic circuits includes a first magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through one of a pair of circumferential magnets, a second magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through one of a pair of axial magnets, the second magnetic circuit being formed in parallel to the first magnetic circuit, and a third magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through a radial magnet, the third magnetic circuit being formed in parallel to the first magnetic circuit and the second magnetic circuit, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A launcher that launches an underwater vehicle by water pressure, the launcher comprising:
a launching tube on which the underwater vehicle is loaded;
a water conducting tube including a communication portion which communicates with said launching tube, the water conducting tube inside which water is charged; and
a linear electric motor including a mover movable in said water conducting tube in the direction in which said water conducting tube extends, and a stator that moves said mover by electromagnetic force, the linear electric motor that increases water pressure transmitted to the underwater vehicle in said launching tube through said communication portion by moving said mover toward said communication portion, wherein
said mover includes:
a yoke shaft extending in the direction in which said mover is movable;
a plurality of yoke members respectively arranged in line in the circumferential direction and the axial direction of said yoke shaft so as to enclose said yoke shaft; and
a plurality of permanent magnets respectively arranged in contact with said plurality of yoke members in such a manner that outside surfaces among surfaces of said plurality of yoke members, the outside surfaces being positioned on the outside in the radial direction of said yoke shaft are exposed as magnetic pole surfaces, the permanent magnets whose regions in contact with said yoke members are magnetized as the same magnetic pole,
said plurality of permanent magnets includes:
a pair of circumferential magnets positioned on the both sides of said yoke member in the circumferential direction of said yoke shaft, each of the circumferential magnets being in contact with said yoke member;
a pair of axial magnets positioned on the both sides of said yoke member in the axial direction of said yoke shaft, each of the axial magnets being in contact with said yoke member; and
a radial magnet positioned on the inside of said yoke member in the radial direction of said yoke shaft, the radial magnet being in contact with said yoke member,
said stator includes:
a plurality of iron core portions respectively arranged in line in the circumferential direction and the axial direction of said yoke shaft so as to enclose said mover, the iron core portions including teeth which are capable of opposing said magnetic pole surfaces respectively provided in said plurality of yoke members in the radial direction of said yoke shaft; and
a plurality of coils wound around said teeth respectively provided in said plurality of iron core portions,
with said stator, said mover forms a plurality of magnetic circuits in which magnetic flux generated by said plurality of permanent magnets flows, and
said plurality of magnetic circuits includes:
a first magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through one of said pair of circumferential magnets;
a second magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through one of said pair of axial magnets, the second magnetic circuit being formed in parallel to said first magnetic circuit; and
a third magnetic circuit in which the magnetic flux flows through said radial magnet, the third magnetic circuit being formed in parallel to said first magnetic circuit and said second magnetic circuit, respectively.

2. The launcher according to claim 1 , wherein
said linear electric motor further includes:
a guide mechanism that regulates rotation of said mover in the circumferential direction of said yoke shaft with respect to said stator.

3. The launcher according to claim 2 , wherein
said guide mechanism includes:
a guide groove formed in one of said mover and said stator, the guide groove extending in the axial direction of said yoke shaft; and
a guide projection formed in the remaining one of said mover and said stator, the guide projection being positioned in said guide groove so as to be brought into contact with an inner surface of said guide groove when said mover is rotated in the circumferential direction of said yoke shaft with respect to said stator, the guide projection being movable in said guide groove in the direction in which said guide groove extends.

4. The launcher according to claim 1 , wherein
said linear electric motor further includes:
a position detection device that detects a position of said mover in the direction in which said water conducting tube extends.

5. The launcher according to claim 4 , wherein
said position detection device includes:
a detector arranged in said mover; and
a detected member formed in said stator and arranged in a groove extending in the axial direction, the detected member extending in the direction in which the groove extends, the detected member to be detected by said detector.

6. The launcher according to claim 1 , wherein
the water conducting tube further includes:
a housing portion that allows an entry of said mover moved in said water conducting tube in such a manner that the water pressure transmitted to the underwater vehicle in said launching tube through said communication portion is increased, the housing portion having an end on the downstream side in the direction in which said mover enters, the downstream end being closed in such a manner that water charged inside the housing portion is compressed in accordance with the entry of said mover.

7. The launcher according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a deceleration stator arranged in said housing portion, the deceleration stator that generates electromagnetic force acting on said plurality of permanent magnets provided in said mover which enters said housing portion, and thereby decelerates said mover.

8. The launcher according to claim 2 , wherein
said linear electric motor further includes:
a position detection device that detects a position of said mover in the direction in which said water conducting tube extends.

9. The launcher according to claim 3 , wherein
said linear electric motor further includes:
a position detection device that detects a position of said mover in the direction in which said water conducting tube extends.

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Shimada Ryo
• Matsui Hiroyoshi
• Taira Tomohiro
• Hashimoto Hiroshi
• Hayashi Shumpei

Classifications

• F41F3/10

  from below the surface of the water · CPC title

• F41B6/00

  Electromagnetic launchers {; Plasma-actuated launchers (projectiles for electromagnetic or plasma guns F42B6/006)} · CPC title

• B63G8/001

  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 title

• H02K11/21

  Devices for sensing speed or position, or actuated thereby (specially adapted for machines having non-mechanical commutating devices H02K29/06, H02K29/14) · CPC title

• B63G8/08 Primary

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