US 11,597,485 B2Granted

Retractable control fins for underwater vehicles

AssigneesBAE Systems Information and Electronic, Systems Integration Inc.

InventorsChristopher G. Van Valkenburgh, Richard N. Jorgenson, Gary M. Shapiro, Jerrod S. Allen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing retractable control fins on an underwater vehicle. The retractable control fins can be extended away from a main hull portion of the underwater vehicle and retracted inwards to a stowage region within the hull portion to protect the fins from damage and reduce an overall outer diameter (e.g., in the case of a cylindrical body) of the underwater vehicle. In some embodiments, the control fins are folded inwards to reduce the vehicle diameter. In other embodiments, the control fins are pulled inwards using a rotating structure designed to slide the control fins through an opening and into an inner portion of the hull to reduce the vehicle diameter. The retraction of the fins through the various retraction mechanisms reduces the envelope diameter of the underwater vehicle.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A retractable fin control system, comprising:

a housing section comprising a first flange connected to a second flange by a cylindrical wall, the first flange and the second flange each having a larger diameter than the wall, such that an annular region exists around an outer surface of the wall and between the first flange and the second flange;
a fin;
a fin control device, including
a first actuator coupled to the fin and configured to rotate the fin between a stowed position within the annular region and a deployed position extending radially outward from the wall, and a second actuator configured to control a tilt angle of the fin;
and
wherein an inner surface of the wall defines an inner volume, and the first actuator is fastened to the outer surface of the wall within the annular region, and the second actuator is disposed within the inner volume and fastened to the inner surface of the wall.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/108,552Filed 1 Dec 2020
Published: US 2022/0169350 A12 Jun 2022
Granted: 7 Mar 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B63G 8/001
Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor: underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned…
B63G 8/04
Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor: superstructure
B63G 8/18
Control of attitude or depth: by hydrofoils
B63G 2008/002
Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations:…