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US 11,673,635 B2Granted
Method and system for neutralizing underwater explosive devices
AssigneeCalzoni S.R.L.
InventorDaniele Maria Bertin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described is a system for neutralising underwater explosive devices including an apparatus for identifying a naval mine, a source for emitting an acoustic signal for signalling the position of the naval mine, a first underwater vehicle designed to place the source for emitting an acoustic signal close to the naval mine, a measurement apparatus designed to determine a first distance between the source of emission of an acoustic signal and the naval mine.
Claims13
A neutralization method for neutralizing underwater explosive devices, comprising the steps of:
- identifying an underwater explosive device,
- preparing an emitting source for emitting an acoustic signal,
- using a first underwater vehicle configured to transport the emitting source toward the underwater explosive device to a determined approach position, and after reaching the determined approach position, physically separating and physically disconnecting the emitting source from the first underwater vehicle, and vertically placing the separated emitting source below the first underwater vehicle on a seabed within a location distance to the underwater explosive device sufficient to provide a location of the underwater explosive device via the acoustic signal,
- measuring a distance (Ri) between the first underwater vehicle and the underwater explosive device and a height (Z) of the first underwater vehicle from the seabed;
- determining geometrically a first distance (Rs) between the emitting source and the underwater explosive device as a projection of the distance (Ri) on a horizontal line separated by the height (Z) from an end of the distance (Ri),
- preparing an explosive charge to be carried by a second underwater vehicle,
- calculating, using the acoustic signal, a second distance (Rv) correlated with the distance between the second underwater vehicle and the emitting source,
- determining a trajectory to be travelled by the second underwater vehicle to carry the explosive charge to reach the underwater explosive device using the acoustic signal, the step of determining the trajectory comprising a step of calculating a vector sum of the first distance (Rs) and the second distance (Rv);
- moving the second underwater vehicle physically separate and physically disconnected from the emitter source along the trajectory to guide the explosive charge to within a neutralization distance of the underwater explosive device sufficient to neutralize the underwater explosive device,
- detonating the explosive charge when the explosive charge is within the neutralization distance.
7 more elements
A system for neutralizing underwater explosive devices, comprising:
- an identifying apparatus for identifying an underwater explosive device,
- an emitting source for emitting an acoustic signal for signaling a position of the underwater explosive device,
- a first underwater vehicle configured to transport the emitting source toward the underwater explosive device to a determined approach position, and after reaching the determined approach position, physically separate and physically disconnect the emitting source from the first underwater vehicle, and vertically place the separated emitting source below the first underwater vehicle on a seabed within a location distance to the underwater explosive device sufficient to provide a location of the underwater explosive device via the acoustic signal,
- a first measurement apparatus configured for measuring a distance (Ri) between the first underwater vehicle and the underwater explosive device and a height (Z) of the first underwater vehicle from the seabed;
- a second measurement apparatus configured for geometrically determining a first distance (Rs) between the emitting source and the underwater explosive device as a projection of the distance (Ri) on a horizontal line separated by the height (Z) from an end of the distance (Ri),
- an explosive charge configured to detonate within a neutralization distance of the underwater explosive device sufficient to neutralize the underwater explosive device,
- a second underwater vehicle configured to transport the explosive charge,
- a command and control unit configured to:
- calculate, using the acoustic signal, a second distance (Rv) correlated with the distance between the second underwater vehicle and the emitting source, and
- determine a trajectory to be travelled by the second underwater vehicle to reach the underwater explosive device as a function of the acoustic signal and a vector sum of the of the first distance (Rs) and the second distance (Rv), and to guide the second underwater vehicle physically separate and physically disconnected from the emitter source along the trajectory to move the explosive charge to within the neutralization distance of the underwater explosive device, the command and control unit comprising a receiver for the acoustic signal and being operatively connected to the second measurement apparatus;
- the explosive charge configured to be detonated when the explosive charge is within the neutralization distance.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.