Apparatus and method for joining modules in a field configurable autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745840-B1
Application number	US-202016974043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2020
Priority date	Sep 12, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The joints connecting the modules are designed such that power and data connections between modules are reliably made.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for joining a first component to a second component in a field configurable autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a. a male end having:
i. a plurality of pins;
ii. a first data bus terminal; and
iii. a first power bus terminal;

b. a single piece female end having:
i. a plurality of slots sized for receiving said plurality of pins;
ii. a second data bus terminal, wherein said second data bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first data bus terminal when said female end is joined with said male end; and
iii. a second power bus terminal, wherein said second power bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first power bus terminal when said female end is joined with said male end; and,

c. a sealing gasket, wherein at least one of the male and female ends further comprise the sealing gasket, wherein the male end is adapted to join to the female end by rotating the male end into the female end, whereby the first and second data bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end, and whereby the first and second power bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
a. said first data bus terminal further comprises a first terminal located at a first position and a second terminal located at a second position;
b. said second data bus terminal further comprises a third terminal located at a third position and a fourth terminal located at a fourth position;
c. said first power bus terminal further comprises a fifth terminal located at fifth position and sixth terminal located at a sixth position; and
d. said second power bus terminal further comprises a seventh terminal located at a seventh position and an eighth terminal located at an eighth position.

3. The connector of claim 2 , wherein:
a. said plurality of slots further comprise a channel for receiving and securing said plurality of pins; and
b. wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth, said fifth, said sixth, said seventh and said eighth positions are located such that when said male end joins to said female end by inserting said plurality of pins into said plurality of slots and rotating said male end to guide said pins in said slots:
i. said first position aligns with said third position;
ii. said second position aligns with said fourth position;
iii. said fifth position aligns with said seventh position; and
iv. said sixth position aligns with said eighth position.

4. The connector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a visual indicator for indicating when said first component is properly connected to said second component.

5. The connector of claim 4 , wherein said visual indicator comprises an LED.

6. The connector of claim 5 , wherein said LED is coupled to receive a signal from said first data bus indicative of a status of said first component.

7. The connector of claim 5 , wherein said LED is coupled to said first power bus terminal.

8. A connector for joining a first component to a second component in a field configurable autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a. a male end having:
i. a male thread;
ii. a first data bus terminal; and
iii. a first power bus terminal;

b. a single piece female end having:
i. a female thread;
ii. a second data bus terminal, wherein said second data bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first data bus terminal when said female end is joined with said male end; and
iii. a second power bus terminal, wherein said second power bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first power bus terminal when said female end is joined with said male end; and,

c. a sealing gasket, wherein at least one of the male and female ends further comprise the sealing gasket, wherein the male end is adapted to join to the female end by rotating the male end into the female end, whereby the first and second data bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end, and whereby the first and second power bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end.

9. The connector of claim 8 , wherein:
a. said first data bus terminal further comprises a first terminal located at a first position and a second terminal located at a second position;
b. said second data bus terminal further comprises a third terminal located at a third position and a fourth terminal located at a fourth position;
c. said first power bus terminal further comprises a fifth terminal located at a fifth position and sixth terminal located at a sixth position; and
d. said second power bus terminal further comprises a seventh terminal located at a seventh position and an eighth terminal located at an eighth position.

10. The connector of claim 9 , wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth, said fifth, said sixth, said seventh and said eighth positions are located such that when said male end joins to said female end by inserting said male thread into said female thread:
a. said first position aligns with said third position;
b. said second position aligns with said fourth position;
c. said fifth position aligns with said seventh position; and
d. said sixth position aligns with said eighth position.

11. The connector of claim 8 , further comprising:
a visual indicator for indicating when said first component is properly connected to said second component.

12. The connector of claim 11 , wherein said visual indicator comprises an LED.

13. The connector of claim 12 , wherein said LED is coupled to receive a signal from said first data bus indicative of a status of said first component.

14. The connector of claim 12 , wherein said LED is coupled to said first power bus terminal.

15. A modular component for a field configurable autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a. a male end having:
i. a plurality of pins;
ii. a first data bus terminal; and
iii. a first power bus terminal;

b. a single piece female end having:
i. a plurality of slots sized for receiving said plurality of pins;
ii. a second data bus terminal, wherein said second data bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first data bus terminal; and
iii. a second power bus terminal, wherein said second power bus terminal is positioned on said female end to align with said first power bus terminal; and,

c. a sealing gasket, wherein at least one of the male and female ends further comprise the sealing gasket, wherein the male end is adapted to join to the female end by rotating the male end into the female end, whereby the first and second data bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end, and whereby the first and second power bus terminals align as the female end is joined with the male end.

16. The modular component of claim 15 , wherein:
a. said first data bus terminal further comprises a first terminal located at a first position and a second terminal located at a second position;
b. said second data bus terminal further comprises a third terminal located at a third position and a fourth terminal located at a fourth position;
c. said first power bus terminal further comprises a fifth terminal located at a fifth position and sixth terminal located at a sixth position; and
d. said second power bus terminal further comprises a seventh terminal located at a seventh position and an eighth terminal located at an eighth position.

17. The modular component of claim 16 , wherein:
a. said plurality of slots further comprise a channel sized to rece

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Seeley Eric
• Snow Jacob

Classifications

• B63G8/04 Primary

  Superstructure · CPC title

• B63G2008/002

  unmanned · 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

• H01R13/5219

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title

• H01R24/86

  Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis · CPC title