Submarine pressure vessel launch canister
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsRussell M. Sylvia, Martin C. Lewis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A canister that acts as a pressure vessel that contains a payload and that can withstand pressures that may be generated by the payload internal to the canister in order to contain the payload contents. The canister can be launched from a submarine, with the canister being located internal to the pressure hull of the submarine prior to launch and the canister being launchable from the submarine into the surrounding water. After launching, the canister is designed to release or deploy the payload permitting the payload to perform its intended function(s). The payload contained in the canister can be an unmanned underwater vehicle such as an acoustic training target that is powered by one or more lithium batteries.
Claims16
A system within the interior of a submarine, comprising:
- a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries, the payload is an unmanned underwater vehicle having a propulsion mechanism and a steering mechanism;
- a pressure vessel canister defining an interior space, the payload is contained within the interior space, wherein the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries.
A system within the interior of a submarine, comprising:
- a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries;
- a pressure vessel canister defining an interior space, the payload is contained within the interior space, wherein the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- a port formed in the pressure vessel canister and a corrosive scuttle plug that closes the port.
A system within the interior of a submarine, comprising:
- a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries;
- a pressure vessel canister defining an interior space, the payload is contained within the interior space, wherein the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- the pressure vessel canister includes an exterior pressure gauge that measures and indicates internal pressure within the interior space.
A system within the interior of a submarine, comprising:
- a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries;
- a pressure vessel canister defining an interior space, the payload is contained within the interior space, wherein the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- a non-metallic bumper at a forward end of the pressure vessel canister.
A system within the interior of a submarine, comprising:
- a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries;
- a pressure vessel canister defining an interior space, the payload is contained within the interior space, wherein the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- rails disposed on an exterior surface of the pressure vessel canister, the rails are circumferentially spaced from one another, the rails project radially from the exterior surface, and the rails extend the majority of a length of the pressure vessel canister.
A method comprising:
- storing a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries inside a submarine within an interior space of a pressure vessel canister, the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- launching the pressure vessel canister with the payload contained therein from the submarine.
A method comprising:
- storing a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries inside a submarine within an interior space of a pressure vessel canister, the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries;
- and
- launching the pressure vessel canister with the payload contained therein from a trash disposal unit of the submarine.
A method comprising:
- storing a payload that includes one or more lithium batteries inside a submarine within an interior space of a pressure vessel canister, the pressure vessel canister is liquid and pressure tight and is capable of withstanding an internal pressure that is larger than ambient pressure of the submarine, the internal pressure generated as a result of venting by failure of at least one of the one or more lithium batteries, wherein the payload is an unmanned underwater vehicle having a propulsion mechanism and a steering mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.