Modular subsea vehicle
AssigneeOceaneering International, Inc.
InventorsJosh Favors, Nick Rouge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular hydrodynamic subsea vehicle comprises an upper section and a lower section, where the upper section comprises a first upper primary module, a second upper primary module operatively connected to the first upper primary module, and, optionally, one or more intermediate upper modules disposed in-between the first and second upper primary modules. The lower section is operatively connected to the upper section and comprises a first lower module, a second lower module operatively connected to the first lower primary module, and, optionally, one or more intermediate lower modules disposed in-between the first and second lower primary modules. The modules are capable of performing a desired set of functionality subsea.
Claims19
A modular hydrodynamic subsea vehicle, comprising:
- a. an upper section, comprising:
- i. a first upper primary module comprising a hydrodynamic profile;
- and
- ii. a separate, second upper primary module comprising a hydrodynamic profile and operatively connected to the first upper primary module without sharing a common outer housing;
- b. a lower section operatively connected to the upper section without sharing a common outer housing, comprising:
- i. a first lower module;
- and
- ii. a separate, second lower module operatively connected to the first lower module without sharing a common outer housing;
- c. a control interface operatively disposed at the upper section.
A method of configuring a modular hydrodynamic subsea vehicle, the hydrodynamic subsea vehicle comprising an upper section, comprising a first upper primary module and a second upper primary module operatively connected to the first upper primary module without sharing a common outer housing, and a lower section operatively connected to the upper section without sharing a common outer housing, comprising a first lower module and a second lower module operatively connected to the first lower primary module without sharing a common outer housing, the method comprising:
- a. determining a set of functionality required to perform a set of desired functions subsea;
- b. selecting a first predetermined set of intermediate upper modules required to achieve the desired set of functions subsea;
- c. selecting a first predetermined set of intermediate lower modules required to achieve the set of desired functions subsea;
- d. if the selected first predetermined set of intermediate upper modules is greater than zero,
- i. interconnecting each of the selected first predetermined set of intermediate upper modules to form a chain of selected first predetermined set of intermediate upper modules without sharing a common outer housing;
- and
- ii. connecting the chain of selected first predetermined set of intermediate upper modules to the first upper primary module and the second upper primary module;
- e. selecting a first predetermined set of intermediate lower modules required to achieve the desired functions subsea;
- f. if the selected first predetermined set of intermediate lower modules is greater than zero, connecting each selected intermediate lower module of the selected first predetermined set of intermediate lower modules to at least one other of the selected intermediate lower module of the selected first predetermined set of intermediate lower modules without sharing a common outer housing;
- and
- g. operatively connecting the upper section to the lower section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.