Underwater docking system for unmanned underwater vehicle
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorGregory A Jaccard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An underwater docking system for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) includes a housing structure, a motorized drive assembly, and a drive control system. The housing structure is configured to at least partially enclose and house the UUV. The motorized drive assembly is disposed on an interior of the housing structure and is positioned to frictionally engage with a surface of the UUV when the UUV is within the housing structure. The drive control system is configured to selectively activate the motorized drive assembly to apply an egress translational force to the surface of the UUV to at least partially assist an egress of the UUV out of the housing structure.
Claims20
An underwater docking system for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the underwater docking system comprising:
- a housing structure configured to at least partially enclose and house the UUV;
- a motorized drive assembly disposed on an interior of the housing structure and positioned to frictionally engage with a surface of the UUV when the UUV is within the housing structure;
- and
- a drive control system configured to selectively activate the motorized drive assembly to apply an egress translational force to the surface of the UUV to at least partially assist an egress of the UUV out of the housing structure.
A method of operating an underwater docking system for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the method comprising:
- housing and at least partially enclosing the UUV with a housing structure;
- frictionally engaging a motorized drive assembly with a surface of the UUV when the UUV is within the housing structure;
- and
- selectively activating the motorized drive assembly to apply an egress translational force to the surface of the UUV to at least partially assist an egress of the UUV out of the housing structure.
An underwater docking system for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the underwater docking system comprising:
- a housing structure configured to at least partially enclose and house the UUV;
- a motorized drive assembly disposed on an interior of the housing structure and positioned to frictionally engage with a surface of the UUV when the UUV is within the housing structure;
- and
- a drive control system that includes:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the at least one processor, direct the drive control system to:
- selectively activate the motorized drive assembly to apply an egress translational force to the surface of the UUV to at least partially assist an egress of the UUV out of the housing structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.