Underwater marine growth brushing mechanism with passive self-adjust for curved surfaces

A device for cleaning an underwater surface of an object, comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a motor for providing power disposed within the motor housing;
• a first shaft having a proximal end coupled to the motor and a distal end, wherein the first shaft extends longitudinally from the motor along a first axis, and wherein the motor provides power to the first shaft to enable the first shaft to rotate around the first axis;
• a first universal joint coupled to the distal end of the first shaft;
• a linking component having a proximal end coupled to the first universal joint and a distal end, wherein the linking component extends longitudinally away from the first universal joint along a second axis, wherein the first universal joint transfers the power of the motor to the linking component to enable the linking component to rotate around the second axis, and wherein the linking component has one or more degrees of freedom of movement;
• a second universal joint coupled to the distal end of the linking component,
• a second shaft having a proximal end coupled to the second universal joint and a distal end, wherein the second shaft extends longitudinally away from the second universal joint along a third axis, wherein the second universal joint transfers the power of the motor to the second shaft to enable the second shaft to rotate around the third axis, and wherein the second shaft has one or more degrees of freedom of movement;
• an alignment mechanism disposed about the second shaft and coupled to the motor housing to provide free angular movement of the second shaft along a prescribed range of motion;
• and
• a cleaning mechanism coupled to the distal end of the second shaft and including a cleaning face disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the third axis.

A device for cleaning an underwater surface of an object, comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a motor for providing power disposed within the motor housing;
• a first shaft having a proximal end coupled to the motor and a distal end, wherein the first shaft extends longitudinally from the motor along a first axis, and wherein the motor provides power to the first shaft to enable the first shaft to rotate around the first axis;
• a universal joint coupled to the distal end of the first shaft;
• a second shaft having a proximal end coupled to the universal joint and a distal end, wherein the second shaft extends longitudinally away from the universal joint along a second axis, wherein the universal joint transfers the power of the motor to the second shaft to enable the second shaft to rotate around the second axis, and wherein the second shaft has one or more degrees of freedom of movement;
• a cleaning mechanism coupled to the distal end of the second shaft and including a cleaning face disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the second axis;
• and
• an alignment mechanism disposed about the second shaft and coupled to the motor housing by one or more spring components, and
• wherein the cleaning mechanism is oriented by the alignment mechanism substantially transverse to the surface of the object throughout any cleaning of the underwater surface.