# US 2014/0196745 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Removing Biofouling From a Protected Surface in a Liquid Environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196745 A1 - Document ID: US20140196745A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/743,906 - Filed: 2013-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Colin S. Whelan; Matthew D. Thoren; Andrew M. Piper; Joseph C. DiMare - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196745A1 ## CPC - B08B 7/0057: {by ultraviolet radiation} - B08B 17/02: Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust - B63B 59/04: Preventing hull fouling (anti-fouling paints C09D5/16) - B63B 59/08: of underwater surfaces while afloat (B63B59/10 takes precedence) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - 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 A system includes a UV light source and an optical medium coupled to receive UV light from the UV light source. The optical medium is configured to emit UV light proximate to a surface from which biofouling is to be removed once the biofouling has adhered to the protected surface. A method corresponds to the system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 System for anti-biofouling a protected surface, comprising: an ultraviolet light source; a transmission medium coupled to receive the ultraviolet light and configured to distribute the ultraviolet light upon the protected surface; and a cleaning mechanism proximate to the protected surface and operable to remove biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises an optical medium disposed proximate to the protected surface and coupled to receive the ultraviolet light, wherein the optical medium has a thickness direction perpendicular to the protected surface, wherein two orthogonal directions of the optical medium orthogonal to the thickness direction are parallel to the protected surface, wherein the optical medium is configured to provide a propagation path of the ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light travels within the optical medium in at least one of the two orthogonal directions orthogonal to the thickness direction, and such that, at points along a surface of the optical medium, respective portions of the ultraviolet light escape the optical medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the optical medium comprises an optical coating proximate to the protected surface, wherein the optical coating is configured to provide the propagation path of the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the optical medium comprises one or more optical fibers, each one of the one or more optical fiber configured to carry a respective portion of the ultraviolet light along a length of each one of the one or more optical fibers, wherein a physical characteristic of each one of the one or more optical fibers changes along a length of each one of the one or more optical fibers in a way selected to allow, at any point along a respective length of each one of the one or more optical fibers, a determined percentage of a total power of the ultraviolet light source to escape each respective one of the one or more optical fibers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a pull wire disposed under the degradable layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a wiper mechanism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a water jet mechanism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a degradable layer disposed over and mechanically coupled to the protected surface, wherein the degradable layer is disposed to receive the portions of the ultraviolet light that escape the optical medium, wherein the degradable layer is responsive to the ultraviolet light such that selected portions of the degradable layer are configured to change mechanical properties and to be removable in response to the ultraviolet light, facilitating the removal of the biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the selected portions of the degradable layer are closest to the protected surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the selectable portions are removed by the cleaning mechanism after exposure to the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the transmission medium comprises a penetrating structure configured to penetrate through the protected surface, wherein the penetrating structure comprises: a seal coupled between the penetrating structure and the protected surface; and at least one of: an optical structure configured to generate the ultraviolet light, or an optical structure coupled to receive the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 12 System for anti-biofouling a protected surface, comprising: an ultraviolet light source; a transmission medium coupled to receive the ultraviolet light and configured to disburse the ultraviolet light upon the protected surface; and a degradable layer disposed over and mechanically coupled to the protected surface, wherein the degradable layer is disposed to receive the portions of the ultraviolet light that escape the optical medium, wherein the degradable layer is responsive to the ultraviolet light such that selected portions of the degradable layer are configured to change mechanical properties and to be removable in response to the ultraviolet light, facilitating removal of biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the transmission medium comprises an optical medium disposed proximate to the protected surface and coupled to receive the ultraviolet light, wherein the optical medium has a thickness direction perpendicular to the protected surface, wherein two orthogonal directions of the optical medium orthogonal to the thickness direction are parallel to the protected surface, wherein the optical medium is configured to provide a propagation path of the ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light travels within the optical medium in at least one of the two orthogonal directions orthogonal to the thickness direction, and such that, at points along a surface of the optical medium, respective portions of the ultraviolet light escape the optical medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the optical medium comprises an optical coating proximate to the protected surface, wherein the optical coating is configured to provide the propagation path of the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the optical medium comprises one or more optical fibers, each one of the one or more optical fiber configured to carry a respective portion of the ultraviolet light along a length of each one of the one or more optical fibers, wherein a physical characteristic of each one of the one or more optical fibers changes along a length of each one of the one or more optical fibers in a way selected to allow, at any point along a respective length of each one of the one or more optical fibers, a determined percentage of a total power of the ultraviolet light source to escape each respective one of the one or more optical fibers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the selected portions of the degradable layer are closest to the protected surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the selectable portions either fall away from the degradable layer after exposure to the ultraviolet light or are removed by a cleaning mechanism after exposure to the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising: a cleaning mechanism proximate to the protected surface and operable to remove the biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a wiper mechanism. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a water jet mechanism. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the cleaning mechanism comprises a pull wire disposed under the degradable layer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, further comprising a penetrating structure configured to penetrate through the protected surface, wherein the penetrating structure comprises: a seal coupled between the penetrating structure and the protected surface; and at least one of: an optical structure configured to generate the ultraviolet, or an optical structure coupled to receive the ultraviolet light. ### Claim 23 Method of anti-biofouling a protected surface, comprising: generating ultraviolet light; distributing the ultraviolet light about the protected surface though a transmission medium; providing a cleaning mechanism proximate to the protected surface; and after the distributing the ultraviolet light upon the degradable layer, using the cleaning mechanism to remove biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the transmission medium comprises an optical medium disposed proximate to the protected surface and coupled to receive the ultraviolet light, wherein the optical medium has a thickness direction perpendicular to the protected surface, wherein two orthogonal directions of the optical medium orthogonal to the thickness direction are parallel to the protected surface, wherein the optical medium is configured to provide a propagation path of the ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light travels within the optical medium in at least one of the two orthogonal directions orthogonal to the thickness direction, and such that, at points along a surface of the optical medium, respective portions of the ultraviolet light escape the optical medium. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: providing a degradable layer as an outermost layer of the protected surface; and distributing the portions of the ultraviolet light upon the degradable layer, wherein portions of the degradable layer are configured to change mechanical properties in response to the ultraviolet light and to be removable once exposed to the ultraviolet light, facilitating the removal of the biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 26 A method of anti-biofouling a protected surface, comprising: generating ultraviolet light; providing a degradable layer as an outermost layer of the protected surface; distributing the ultraviolet light about the protected surface though a transmission medium; and distributing the portions of the ultraviolet light upon the degradable layer, wherein portions of the degradable layer are configured to change chemical structure and to be removable once exposed to the ultraviolet light, facilitating removal of biological material from the protected surface. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the transmission medium comprises an optical medium disposed proximate to the protected surface and coupled to receive the ultraviolet light, wherein the optical medium has a thickness direction perpendicular to the protected surface, wherein two orthogonal directions of the optical medium orthogonal to the thickness direction are parallel to the protected surface, wherein the optical medium is configured to provide a propagation path of the ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light travels within the optical medium in at least one of the two orthogonal directions orthogonal to the thickness direction, and such that, at points along a surface of the optical medium, respective portions of the ultraviolet light escape the optical medium. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: providing a cleaning mechanism proximate to the protected surface; and after the distributing the ultraviolet light upon the degradable layer, removing biological material from the protected surface with the cleaning mechanism.