Deploying a rigid inflatable structure
AssigneeBoston Engineering Corporation
InventorsDavid J. Shane, Michael Rufo, Todd Scrimgeour, Jonathan Osman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An underwater, expandable structure includes first and second helical coaxial tubes wound in opposite directions and bound together by a plurality of cords. The structure includes sensors placed on the structure at various locations, and relative spacing among the sensors remains stable once the tubes are inflated with water. The structure as well as assemblies and methodologies for deploying the structure are disclosed.
Claims20
An inflatable structure for holding sensors under water, comprising:
- a plurality of coaxial helical tubes (CHTs), including a first helical tube wound in a clockwise direction and a second helical tube wound in a counterclockwise direction;
- a plurality of cords that bind together the plurality of CHTs;
- and
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of CHTs and/or to the plurality of cords.
A method of deploying a structure for holding sensors under water, the structure including:
- a plurality of coaxial helical tubes (CHTs), including a first helical tube wound in a clockwise direction and a second helical tube wound in a counterclockwise direction;
- a plurality of cords that bind together the plurality of CHTs;
- and
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of CHTs and/or to the plurality of cords,
- the method comprising:
- placing a delivery vessel into a body of water, the delivery vessel containing the structure in a packed condition, the structure having a top coupled to a float via a cable and a bottom coupled to a weight;
- releasing the float to a surface of the water and releasing the weight to fall through the water, such that the weight extends the cable and pulls down on the structure;
- and
- as the weight is falling through the water and pulling down on the structure, passively filling the plurality of CHTs through a set of apertures.
A delivery vessel, comprising:
- a float;
- a weight;
- and
- an expandable structure for holding sensors under water, the expandable structure having a top end coupled to the float via a cable and a bottom end coupled to the weight, the expandable structure including:
- a plurality of coaxial helical tubes (CHTs), including a first helical tube wound in a clockwise direction and a second helical tube wound in a counterclockwise direction;
- a plurality of cords that bind together the plurality of CHTs;
- and
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of CHTs and/or to the plurality of cords.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.