Unmanned marine vehicle retrieval apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148769-B2
Application number	US-202016779553-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 retrieving an unmanned marine vehicle from water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The apparatus includes a buoyant frame having spaced frame arms defining a receiving bay sized to receive the float, and the buoyant frame includes a front end defining an opening of the receiving bay. A glider recovery assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and includes a first tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, and a second tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, 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 inlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for retrieving an unmanned marine vehicle from 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, and the buoyant frame includes a front end defining an opening of the receiving bay;
a glider recovery assembly coupled to the buoyant frame, the glider recovery assembly including:
a first tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame; and
a second tether guide coupled to 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 inlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , in which the glider recovery assembly further comprises a capture arm positioned adjacent the tether stop and movable between a receiving position, in which the capture arm is retracted from the tether capture gap, and a securing position, in which the capture arm extends across the tether capture gap.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , in which the glider recovery assembly further comprises a tether block assembly positioned below the tether stop, the tether block assembly including:
a tether block body defining a tether channel extending along a longitudinal axis and sized to receive the tether, the tether channel having open end extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis;
a tether block door coupled to the tether block body and movable between an open position, in which the tether block door is retracted from the open end of the tether channel, and a closed position, in which the tether block door closes the open end of the tether channel; and
a gripper coupled to at least one of the tether block body or the tether block door, the gripper configured to couple to the glider; and
wherein the tether block assembly is movable between a stowed position, in which the tether block assembly is positioned near the tether stop, and a deployed position, in which the tether block assembly is positioned away from the tether stop with the gripper coupled to the glider.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , in which the tether block assembly further includes a winch coupled to the tether block body and operable to retract the tether block assembly from the deployed position toward the stowed position.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , in which the tether block door is pivotably coupled to the tether block body with a hinge.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first float capture rail coupled to the first frame arm of the buoyant frame, the first float capture rail extending forward of and laterally outwardly from the opening of the receiving bay; and
a second float capture rail coupled to the second frame arm of the buoyant frame, the second float capture rail extending forward of and laterally outwardly from the opening of the receiving bay.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising 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, and a retracted configuration, in which the float clamp assembly is configured to disengage from the float.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , 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.

9. A method of retrieving an unmanned marine vehicle from water using an apparatus, the unmanned marine vehicle including a float and a glider connected by a tether, the method comprising:
guiding the tether through a tether capture gap to a tether stop defined by a first tether guide and a second tether guide coupled to a buoyant frame of the apparatus;
holding the tether at the tether stop with a capture arm of the apparatus;
sliding a tether block assembly along the tether from a stowed position, in which the tether block is positioned near the tether stop, to a deployed position, in which the tether block is positioned away from the tether stop;
engaging the glider with the tether block assembly at the deployed position;
raising the tether block assembly to a position adjacent a bottom of the buoyant frame of the apparatus, thereby to raise the glider;
guiding the float into a receiving bay defined by the buoyant frame; and
securing the float within the receiving bay.

10. The method of claim 9 , in which the first tether guide and the second tether guide are cooperatively shaped to define the tether capture gap, the tether capture gap having a tether inlet adjacent a front end of the buoyant frame, and the tether stop is positioned rearward of the tether inlet, and in which guiding the tether through the tether capture gap to the tether stop comprises advancing the apparatus forward with the tether aligned with tether inlet of the tether capture gap.

11. The method of claim 9 , in which the capture arm is positioned adjacent the tether stop and is movable between a receiving position, in which the capture arm is retracted from the tether capture gap, and a securing position, in which the capture arm extends across the tether capture gap, and in which holding the tether at the tether stop with a capture arm comprises moving the capture arm from the receiving position to the securing position.

12. The method of claim 11 , in which:
the tether block assembly comprises:
a tether block body defining a tether channel extending along a longitudinal axis and sized to receive the tether, the tether channel having an open end extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis;
a tether block door coupled to the tether block body and movable between an open position, in which the tether block door is retracted from the open end of the tether channel, and a closed position, in which the tether block door closes the open end of the tether channel; and
a gripper coupled to at least one of the tether block body or the tether block door, the gripper configured to couple to the glider; and

engaging the glider with the tether block assembly at the deployed position comprises engaging the glider with the gripper.

13. The method of claim 12 , in which the apparatus further includes a winch coupled to the tether block assembly, and in which raising the tether block as

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Childress Jamie

Classifications

• B63B27/16

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

• B63B2027/165

  Deployment or recovery of underwater vehicles using lifts or hoists · CPC title

• B63B35/305

  discharging by mechanical means · CPC title

• B63C1/02 Primary

  Floating docks ({externally attached cofferdams and the like B63B17/0018; } ship transporters with adjustable draught B63B35/42) · CPC title

• B63B35/40 Primary

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