US 10,328,999 B2Granted

System for launch and recovery of remotely operated vehicles

AssigneeWt Industries, LLC

InventorDouglas Patrick Trail

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present embodiments relate to launch and recovery systems for a remotely operated vehicle. The embodiments eliminate or minimize the need for load lines, and provide virtually unlimited excursion distances for remotely operated vehicles, limited only by the amount of tether available at the launch point. Further, the embodiments allow for extended deployments of ROVs by allowing recharging of a tether climbing component while submerged. The system can include a launch and recovery assembly, a tether climbing component, and a remotely operated vehicle attached to a remotely operated vehicle tether. The launch and recovery assembly deploys the remotely operated vehicle and the tether climbing component overboard, and the remotely operated vehicle is configured for tethered operation while maintaining the tether climbing component at a desired depth.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A launch and recovery system for a remotely operated vehicle comprising:

a. a launch and recovery assembly comprising:
(i) a crane and a winch;
and
(ii) a remotely operated vehicle tether;
b. a tether climbing component comprising:
(i) a frame;
(ii) a tether climbing device secured to the frame, wherein the tether climbing device positions the tether climbing component at a desired depth and receives the remotely operated vehicle tether;
(iii) a motor connected to the tether climbing device to pay in and out the remotely operated vehicle tether, wherein the motor pays in and out the remotely operated vehicle tether to allow the remotely operated vehicle a desired excursion distance while moving the tether climbing component up and down the tether to maintain a desired depth;
and
(iv) a power source in communication with the motor;
and
c. a remotely operated vehicle attached to the remotely operated vehicle tether;
and
wherein the launch and recovery assembly deploys the remotely operated vehicle and the tether climbing component overboard, and further wherein the remotely operated vehicle is configured for tethered operation while maintaining the tether climbing component at the desired depth.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/859,741Filed 2 Jan 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 10 Jan 2014
Published: US 2019/0112011 A118 Apr 2019
Granted: 25 Jun 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

B63B 27/10
Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers: of cranes
B63B 27/08
Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers: of winches
B63G 8/001
Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor: underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned…
B66C 13/02
Other constructional features or details: devices for facilitating retrieval of floating objects, e.g. for recovering crafts from water

Family

Application61/926,173Us provisional application · filed 10 Jan 2014
Application14/593,045Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Jan 2015
Application15/402,157Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Jan 2017
US 2019/0112011 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Apr 2019
US 10,104,226 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,540,076 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2017/0149964 A1Published application
US 10,328,999 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.