# US 12,110,085 B2 · Underwater glider

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- Number: US 12,110,085 B2
- Document ID: US12110085B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/622,711
- Filed: 2020-06-26
- Published: 2022-08-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-26
- Applicants: Ron Allum Deepsea Services Pty Ltd
- Inventors: Ronald Charles Allum; Alan Miguel Lavery; Matthew Glen Johnston
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110085B2

## CPC

- B63G 8/04: Superstructure
- B63G 8/22: Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks ({conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00;} stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06)
- B63B 1/248: {Shape, hydrodynamic features, construction of the foil}
- B63B 1/26: having more than one hydrofoil (B63B1/28 takes precedence)
- B63B 5/24: made predominantly of plastics {(surf boards B63B32/57)}
- B63G 8/18: by hydrofoils
- B63G 8/26: Trimming equipment
- B63B 2207/02: Variable ballast or buoyancy
- B63B 2211/02: Oceanography
- B63G 2008/004: {autonomously operating}
- B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H)
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)

## Abstract

In an underwater glider, stability and versatility can be enhanced by the use of a high wing design. In a high wing design, a centerline of the wings extending from the sides of the body of the glider are located above a relative centerline of the body of the glider. The relative centerline of the wings may rise continuously from a region where the wings attach to the body to respective ends of the wings. In particular for a blended wing glider, a top surface of the glider is level in a line extending between ends of each wing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An underwater glider including:
a body,
first and second wings extending from respective first and second sides of the body;
wherein a relative centerline of the first and second wings at any point along the first and second wings is disposed above a relative centerline of the body; and
wherein a top surface of the underwater glider is level in a line extending between ends of each of the first and second wings.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 wherein the body includes a wing profile.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 wherein, for each of the first and second wings, a relative centerline of the respective wing rises continuously from the body toward a tip of the respective first and second wing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second wings is symmetrical about the relative centerline along a length of the respective first and second wing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 including a variable buoyancy engine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 wherein the body includes a syntactic foam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The underwater glider of claim 1 wherein the underwater glider includes a blended wing design.

### Claim 8

An underwater glider including:
a body,
first and second wings that extend from the body;
wherein for each of the first and second wings, a relative centerline of the respective wing rises continuously from the body toward a tip of the respective wing; and
wherein the glider includes a blended wing design.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The underwater glider of claim 8 wherein a relative centerline of the first and second wings at any point along the first and second wings is disposed above a relative centerline of the body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The underwater glider of claim 8 wherein the body includes a wing profile.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The underwater glider of claim 8 wherein each of the first and second wings is symmetrical about the relative centerline along a length of the respective wing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The underwater glider of claim 9 wherein a top surface of the underwater glider is level in a line extending between ends of each of the first and second wings.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The underwater glider of claim 8 including a variable buoyancy engine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The underwater glider of claim 8 wherein the body includes a syntactic foam.

### Claim 15

An underwater glider including:
a body,
first and second wings extending from respective first and second sides of the body;
wherein a relative centerline of the first and second wings at any point along the first and second wings is disposed above a relative centerline of the body;
and wherein the body includes a wing profile.