Deployment apparatus for an unmanned marine vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148766-B2
Application number	US-202016779559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for deploying an unmanned marine vehicle into water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The float is selectively retained in a buoyant frame by a float clamp assembly. A glider retainer assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and selectively retains the glider. The glider retainer assembly and the float clamp assembly execute a deployment sequence for deploying the unmanned marine vehicle from the apparatus. In some embodiments, the apparatus is self-propelled to permit remote operation and deployment of the unmanned marine vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for deploying an unmanned marine vehicle into water, the unmanned marine vehicle including a float and a glider connected by a tether, the apparatus comprising:
a buoyant frame including a first frame arm, and a second frame arm spaced from the first frame arm to define a receiving bay between the first frame arm and the second frame arm, wherein the receiving bay is sized to receive the float;
a float clamp assembly coupled to the buoyant frame and having an extended configuration, in which the float clamp assembly is configured to retain the float within the receiving bay, and a retracted configuration, in which the float clamp assembly is configured to disengage from the float; and
a glider retainer assembly coupled to the buoyant frame and having a secured configuration, in which the glider retainer assembly is configured to hold the glider below the buoyant frame, and a released configuration, in which the glider retainer assembly is configured to disengage from the glider.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the float clamp assembly comprises:
a first float clamp including:
a first stationary float clamp coupled to the first frame arm of the buoyant frame and extending into the receiving bay; and
a first movable float clamp coupled to the first frame arm of the buoyant frame and movable between an extended position, in which the first movable float clamp extends into the receiving bay and is spaced from the first stationary float clamp by a first clamp distance sized to receive a first lateral edge of the float, and a retracted position, in which the first movable float clamp is withdrawn from the receiving bay; and

a second float clamp including:
a second stationary float clamp coupled to the second frame arm of the buoyant frame and extending into the receiving bay; and
a second movable float clamp coupled to the second frame arm of the buoyant frame and movable between an extended position, in which the second movable float clamp extends into the receiving bay and is spaced from the second stationary float clamp by a second clamp distance sized to receive a second lateral edge of the float, and a retracted position, in which the second movable float clamp is withdrawn from the receiving bay.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the glider retainer assembly comprises:
a first front glider arm and a second front glider arm, each of the first front glider arm and the second front glider arm having a base end coupled to the buoyant frame and a free end;
a first rear glider arm and second rear glider arm, each of the first rear glider arm and the second rear glider arm having a base end coupled to the buoyant frame and a free end;
a front glider arm retainer configured to couple the free end of each of the first front glider arm and the second front glider arm to a front portion of the glider;
a rear glider arm retainer configured to couple the free end of each of the first rear glider arm and the second rear glider arm to a rear portion of the glider.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , in which the glider defines a longitudinal axis, and in which each of the front glider arm retainer and the rear glider arm retainer is configured to permit rotation of the glider about the longitudinal axis relative to the first front glider arm, the second front glider arm, the first rear glider arm, and the second rear glider arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , in which:
each of the first front glider arm, the second front glider arm, the first rear glider arm, and the second rear glider arm has a retain position, in which the free end is positioned relatively nearer to a longitudinal centerline of the receiving bay, and is biased to a release position, in which the free end is positioned relatively farther from the longitudinal centerline of the receiving bay;
the front glider arm retainer secures each of the first front glider arm and the second front glider arm in the retain position; and
the rear glider arm retainer secures each of the first rear glider arm and the second rear glider arm in the retain position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a front glider arm release operatively coupled to the front glider arm retainer and selectively operable to release the front glider arm retainer, thereby allowing each of the first front glider arm and the second front glider arm to automatically move to the release position; and
a rear glider arm release operatively coupled to the rear glider arm retainer and selectively operable to release the rear glider arm retainer, thereby allowing each of the first rear glider arm and the second rear glider arm to automatically move to the release position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , in which:
the front and rear glider arm retainers respectively comprise front and rear flexible cords; and
the front and rear glider arm releases respectively comprise front and rear shackles.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a rigid cage defining a cage chamber, wherein the buoyant frame is disposed within the cage chamber and is coupled to the rigid cage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , in which the rigid cage comprises:
an upper hull having a front end defining a nose bay and a bottom end defining a launch bay;
a pair of front doors pivotably coupled to the upper hull and selectively movable between a closed position, in which the pair of front doors extends across the nose bay, and an open position, in which the pair of front doors permits access through the nose bay to the cage chamber; and
a pair of bottom doors pivotably coupled to the upper hull and selectively movable between a closed position, in which the pair of bottom doors extends across the launch bay, and an open position, in which the pair of bottom doors permits access through the launch bay to the cage chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , in which a plurality of fluid access ports extend through the rigid cage.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , in which the rigid cage further comprises a pair of buoyant pontoons coupled to opposite lateral sides of the upper hull.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a planar deployment base coupled to the first frame arm or the second frame arm of the buoyant frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of lifting lugs coupled to each of the first frame arm and the second frame arm of the buoyant frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a pair of retractable support legs coupled to each of the first frame arm and the second frame arm of the buoyant frame, wherein each retractable support leg is selectively moveable to a support position, in which a bottom end of the retractable support leg is below a bottom of the buoyant frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a motor coupled to the buoyant frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a payload deployment assembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the buoyant frame includes a front end defining an opening of the receiving bay, and the apparatus further comprises a glider recovery assembly coupled to the buoyant frame, the glider recovery assembly including:
a first tether guide coupled to the first frame arm of the buoyant frame; and
a second tether guide coupled to the second frame arm of the buoyant frame; and
wherein the first tether guide and the second tether guide are cooperatively shaped to define a tether capture gap having a tether inlet adjacent the front end of the buoyant frame and a tether stop positioned rearward of the tether

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Childress Jamie

Classifications

• B63B23/34

  Guiding means for lowering by cables, e.g. for listing ships · CPC title

• B63B35/40 Primary

  for transporting marine vessels {(load accommodation for floating barges and the like B63B25/006)} · CPC title

• B63B27/16 Primary

  of lifts or hoists {(pilot lifts B63B27/146)} · CPC title

• B63B35/305

  discharging by mechanical means · CPC title

• B63B2035/007

  autonomously operating · CPC title