Unmanned watercraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891159-B2
Application number	US-201916970957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2019
Priority date	Feb 21, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides an unmanned watercraft capable of sufficiently cooling equipment that generates a large amount of heat, capable of cooling such equipment without using energy in the watercraft, and capable of improving mean time between failures (MTBF) of a cooling device. An unmanned watercraft 1 has a cooling structure CS for cooling a central processing unit CPU1 for image recognition and a central processing unit CPU2 for control that constitute a central processing unit CPU as a heat-generating body. The cooling structure CS includes a waterproof container 7 that accommodates the heat-generating body (an insulating envelope that surrounds the heat-generating body in an electrically insulated state). The waterproof container 7 is arranged outside a submerged part 3 of the unmanned watercraft 1 so as to be in contact with water present outside the unmanned watercraft 1, the submerged part 3 being submerged in water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned watercraft having a cooling structure for cooling a heat-generating body that includes electrical equipment and/or electronic equipment, wherein
the cooling structure includes an insulating envelope, being a waterproof envelope, that surrounds the heat-generating body in an electrically insulated state,
the insulating envelope is arranged outside a submerged part of the unmanned watercraft so as to be in contact with water present outside the unmanned watercraft, the submerged part being submerged in water,
the submerged part of the unmanned watercraft has a recess that is opened outward, and
the insulating envelope is accommodated in the recess, and
the recess and the insulating envelope together configure a front opening and a rear opening to form a water channel.

2. An unmanned watercraft having a cooling structure for cooling a heat-generating body that includes electrical equipment and/or electronic equipment, wherein
the cooling structure includes an insulating envelope that surrounds the heat-generating body in an electrically insulated state,
the insulating envelope is arranged outside a submerged part of the unmanned watercraft so as to be in contact with water present outside the unmanned watercraft, the submerged part being submerged in water,
the insulating envelope is accommodated in a recess in the submerged part, and
the recess and the insulating envelope together configure a front opening and a rear opening to form a water channel.

3. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 2 , wherein
the insulating envelope is a waterproof envelope.

4. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 3 , wherein
the insulating envelope is constructed of a waterproof container that accommodates the heat-generating body.

5. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 4 , wherein
the submerged part of the unmanned watercraft has a recess that is opened outward.

6. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 5 , wherein
equipment mounted on the unmanned watercraft and the heat-generating body in the insulating envelope are electrically connected via a connector arranged in the recess.

7. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 5 , wherein
the insulating envelope is fixed in the recess so as to be separable from a hull of the unmanned watercraft.

8. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 5 , wherein
at least a part of the insulating envelope that comes in contact with water is formed of a metal member, and
the heat-generating body is fixed in the insulating envelope in a manner that the heat-generating body is able to transfer heat to the part of the insulating envelope that comes in contact with water.

9. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 5 , wherein
shapes and structures of the recess and the insulating envelope are configured to suction water into the recess, to generate a water flow around the part of the insulating envelope that comes in contact with water, and to thereafter discharge the water in the generated water flow to outside the recess when the unmanned watercraft sails.

10. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 9 , wherein
in a state where the insulating envelope is accommodated in the recess, a front clearance, a rear clearance, and a connection clearance are provided between the recess and the insulating envelope, the front clearance being provided on a front side of the unmanned watercraft in a sailing direction and having the front opening that communicates with the outside, the rear clearance being provided on a rear side of the unmanned watercraft in the sailing direction and having the rear opening that communicates with the outside, and the connection clearance connecting the front clearance and the rear clearance, and
the water channel is formed from the front opening to the rear opening through the front clearance, the connection clearance, and the rear clearance.

11. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 10 , wherein
width dimensions of the front opening, the front clearance, the rear opening, and the rear clearance are determined such that a pressure of water flowing through the front opening and the front clearance becomes higher than a pressure of water flowing through the rear opening and the rear clearance.

12. The unmanned watercraft according to claim 10 , wherein
a part of the insulating envelope near the front opening is higher in temperature than a part of the insulating envelope near the rear opening by the heat of the heat-generating body.

Assignees

• Japan Agency Marine Earth Sci

Inventors

• Yoshida Hiroshi
• Hyakudome Tadahiro
• Suga Ryotaro
• Yoshioka Takashi
• Sugiura Hisashi
• Endou Hideki
• Ueda Yasuhiro
• Dake Yuichiro
• Fukukawa Tomoya
• NAKAZONO Ryuji

Classifications

• B63H21/38 Primary

  Apparatus or methods specially adapted for use on marine vessels, for handling power plant or unit liquids, e.g. lubricants, coolants, fuels or the like ({in outboard drives B63H20/001; } lubricating or cooling machines or engines in general F01 - F04) · CPC title

• H05K5/04

  Metal casings · CPC title

• H05K7/20272

  Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title

• H05K7/20872

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• H05K7/20927 Primary

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title