Underwater line cutting tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11478945-B2
Application number	US-202117210996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 24, 2021
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

An underwater line cutting tool includes a cutter. The cutter includes a blade holder and a rotating manipulator arm. The blade holder includes two stationary arms in a V-shaped configuration including at least one blade attached to one of two stationary arms. The blade holder is attached to the rotating manipulator arm of a rotating manipulator that is attached to an underwater remotely operated vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating manipulator, comprising:
four rotating manipulator arms, wherein two rotating manipulator arms of the four rotating manipulator arms are parallel to each other and form a first set of rotating manipulator arms and two other rotating manipulator arms of the four rotating manipulator arms are parallel to each other and form a second set of rotating manipulator arms opposite the first set of rotating manipulator arms;
a rotating manipulator attachment, wherein the rotating manipulator attachment is capable of attaching to an underwater remotely operated vehicle and the four rotating manipulator arms are attached to the rotating manipulator attachment; and
a blade holder with two stationary arms in a V-shaped configuration including at least one blade attached to one of two stationary arms, wherein the blade holder is attached parallel, via one stationary arm, to the first set or second set rotating manipulator arms and the V-shaped configuration of the blade holder opens towards the rotating manipulator attachment.

2. The rotating manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the rotating manipulator moves the first set of rotating manipulator arms and the second set of rotating manipulator arms between an open position and a close position to guide an underwater line into the at least one blade.

3. The rotating manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is two blades attached to each individual stationary arm of the blade holder.

4. The rotating manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is two blades attached to each individual stationary arm of the blade holder and one blade that is capable of being attached to the first set or second set of rotating manipulator arms that does not have the blade holder attached.

5. The rotating manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the blade holder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of high-density polyethylene, aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and combinations thereof.

6. The rotating manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is a utility blade.

7. A rotating manipulator, comprising:
a first rotating manipulator arm, wherein the first rotating manipulator arm includes a set of two rotating manipulator arms parallel to each other;
a cutter, wherein the cutter is a second rotating manipulator arm that includes:
a blade pocket with two pocket arms in a V-shaped configuration and a pocket arm attachment port at an end of one of the two pocket arms and at least one blade attached to the blade pocket;
a connector with two casing arms in a V-shaped configuration including a casing arm attachment port at an end of one of the two casing arms, wherein the connector is attached to the blade pocket; and
a blade cover with two stationary arms in a V-shaped configuration, wherein the blade cover is located within the connector and attached to the blade pocket, thereby attaching the at least one blade to the blade pocket;
wherein the casing arm attachment port and the pocket arm attachment port are located parallel to each other at the same end of the casing arm and pocket arm, respectively; and
wherein the V-shaped configuration of the blade pocket, the connector, and the blade cover opens towards the casing arm attachment port and the pocket arm attachment port; and

a rotating manipulator attachment, wherein the rotating manipulator attachment attaches to the casing arm and pocket arm via the casing arm attachment port and pocket arm attachment port and is capable of attaching to an underwater remotely operated vehicle.

8. The rotating manipulator of claim 7 , wherein the rotating manipulator moves the cutter and the first rotating manipulator arm between an open position and a close position to guide an underwater line into the at least one blade.

9. The rotating manipulator of claim 7 , wherein the at least one blade is two blades attached to each individual pocket arm of the blade pocket.

10. The rotating manipulator of claim 8 , wherein the at least one blade is two blades attached to each individual pocket arm of the blade pocket and one blade attached to first rotating manipulator arm.

11. The underwater line cutting tool of claim 7 , wherein the cutter is made from a material selected from the group consisting of high-density polyethylene, aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and combinations thereof.

12. The underwater line cutting tool of claim 7 , wherein the at least one blade a utility blade.

Assignees

• Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Burgoa Robert David

Classifications

• B25J11/0055

  Cutting · CPC title

• B26D1/0006 Primary

  Cutting members therefor · CPC title

• B26D7/2614

  Means for mounting the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D1/26 Primary

  moving about an axis substantially perpendicular to the line of cut · CPC title

• B26D2001/002

  Materials or surface treatments therefor, e.g. composite materials · CPC title