Underwater robot for underwater glider recovery and underwater glider recovery method using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026028099-A1
Application number	US-202319099004-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 26, 2023
Priority date	Aug 2, 2022
Publication date	Jan 29, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider according to the present invention for retrieving an underwater glider for exploring the underwater to a ship comprises a main body module; a gripping module provided on the main body module, gripping the underwater glider to prevent damage to the underwater glider by restricting movement of the underwater glider while adjacent to the underwater glider; a connecting module connected to the main body module so that the underwater glider is lifted by the gripping module to the ship in a fixed state; and a control module for controlling the main body module and the gripping module by receiving location information from a receiver provided on the underwater glider and determining a distance from the underwater glider.

First claim

1 . An underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider for underwater exploration to a ship, the underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider comprising:
a main body module; a gripping module provided on the main body module, gripping the underwater glider to prevent damage to the underwater glider by restricting movement of the underwater glider while adjacent to the underwater glider; a connecting module connected to the main body module so that the underwater glider is lifted by the gripping module to the ship in a fixed state; and a control module for controlling the main body module and the gripping module by receiving location information from a receiver provided on the underwater glider and determining a distance from the underwater glider.

2 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 1 , wherein the gripping module grips a retrieving hook provided on the underwater glider preferentially to prevent breakage of the underwater glider due to the flow of the water surface.

3 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 2 , wherein the gripping module comprises
a first gripper unit for gripping the retrieving hook while the main body module is positioned lower relative to the underwater glider; and a second gripper unit for gripping and fixing the body of the underwater glider while the retrieving hook is gripped by the first gripper unit.

4 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 3 , wherein the first gripper unit determines the position of the retrieving hook while in contact with the retrieving hook to grip the retrieving hook while a part of the retrieving hook is positioned inwardly.

5 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 4 , wherein the first gripper unit comprises
a grip part comprising a pair of members that move in a direction approaching each other and grip the retrieving hook; a sensor part which is located between a pair of members of the grip part and transmits the position of the retrieving hook determined by contacting the retrieving hook to the control module; and a guide part which connects each other between the pair of members of the grip part, has the sensor part provided in the center, and guides the retrieving hook to the sensor part.

6 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 5 , wherein the guide part is formed such that the diameter gradually increases from the center toward both ends, and guides the retrieving hook to the sensor part by the inclined portion while in contact with the retrieving hook.

7 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 5 , wherein the control module determines that the retrieving hook is located inside the grip part when the retrieving hook comes into contact with the sensor part, and controls the grip part to hold the retrieving hook, in order to prevent the underwater glider from being swayed and damaged by the flow of water.

8 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 3 , wherein the second gripper unit grips the front section relative to the underwater glider center section to prevent breakage of a wing part provided in the underwater glider.

9 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 3 , wherein the second gripper unit comprises
a bending part comprising a pair of members that is lifted toward the underwater glider and positioned the body of the underwater glider inside; and a closing part which is provided at one end of the bending part and engages with the pair a pair of members of bending part in a lifted state to fix the underwater glider.

10 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 9 , wherein the closing part comprises
a protruding member that protrudes to interlock with each other and close the inside; and a depressed member that is formed to correspond to the protruding member and into which the protruding member is inserted.

11 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 9 , wherein the second gripper unit further comprises a prevention part that protrudes from the bending part and contacts the body of the underwater glider to fix the underwater glider in order to prevent damage caused by being moved the body of the underwater glider located inside the bending part.

12 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 2 , wherein the control module determines the distance between the underwater glider and the main body module, and the control module controls the operating speed of the main body module if the distance between the retrieving hook provided on the underwater glider and the main body module is determined to be within the first distance.

13 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 12 , wherein the control module controls the underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider to approach the retrieving hook while maintaining the second distance between the underwater glider and the upper part of the main body module if it is determined that the distance between the lower part of the underwater glider and the upper part of the main body module is within the second distance.

14 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 12 , wherein the control module controls the second gripper unit to grip the body of the underwater glider if the distance between the lower part of the underwater glider and the upper part of the main body module is determined to be within the second distance while restricting the flow of the underwater glider by gripping the retrieving hook through the first gripper unit.

15 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 1 , wherein the connecting module is connected to the main body module so that the main body module is lifted by the driving force provided by the ship while connected to the ship during the process of retrieving the underwater glider through the main body module and then lifting it onto the ship.

16 . The underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 1 , wherein the connecting module comprises
a wire unit that is inserted into the inside of the main body module and forms a path along which the main body module moves; and a weight unit that is detachably formed from the main body module, is connected to the wire unit, and is separated from the main body module to prevent swaying of the wire unit when the underwater glider is lifted.

17 . A method for retrieving the underwater glider using the underwater robot for retrieving an underwater glider of claim 1 in order to retrieve an underwater glider exploring the underwater, the method for retrieving the underwater glider comprising:
a location identification step for determining the location of the underwater glider by receiving location information of the underwater glider that explores the underwater and drifts on the sea surface;
an approach step for confirming the location of the underwater glider through the location identification step and approaching the lifting device toward the underwater glider;
a fixing step for fixing the underwater glider through the gripping module provided in the lifting device while the lifting device approaches the underwater glider; and
a lifting step for moving the underwater glider toward the ship while fixing the underwater glider to the lifting device through the gripping module and lifting the underwater glider through the connecting module.

18 . T

Assignees

• Nat Univ Pukyong Ind Univ Coop Found
• Korea Inst Of Robot & Convergegence
• Kyungpook Nat Univ Ind Academic Coop Found

Inventors

• Suh Jin Ho
• Lee Mun Haeng
• Lee Jungwoo
• Park Ji Hyun
• Hwang Jung Hwan
• Noh Kyoung Seok
• Park Jongjin

Classifications

• B63C11/48

  Means for searching for underwater objects (means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S {; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006}) · CPC title

• B63C7/20 Primary

  using grabs {(cable grapnels with grabs B63C11/50)} · CPC title

• B63B2027/165

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

• B63C11/52

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B63G2008/004

  autonomously operating · CPC title