US 6,286,410 B1 · Buoyantly propelled submerged canister for air vehicle launch

Abstract

The invention features a self-contained enclosure-plus-enclosed contexture and the implementation thereof in a multi-phase launching system, according to which the waterborne first phase entails naturally (buoyantly) induced motion, and at least the airborne second phase entails artificially (technologically) induced motion. Typical inventive practice provides a launch canister which is exteriorly configured to be hydrodynamically efficient while moving buoyantly upward in response to hydrostatic pressure, and which has a chamber for stowing an air vehicle. The inventive vehicle-stowing canister is released underwater so as to be buoyantly propelled upward and into the air, at which time the air vehicle is mechanistically propelled (e.g., boosted), in response to which the canister becomes disjointed cooperatively with the uncoupling of the air vehicle from the canister. The air vehicle continues to propulsively ascend, the canister's nose cone and main body gravitationally falling to the water below. Some inventive embodiments enter an airborne third phase (which, like the second phase, entails artificially induced motion), wherein the air vehicle's aerodynamic shape is adjusted (e.g., the wings are extended) and its main (self) propulsion (e.g., via propeller or jet engine) is initiated.

Apparatus comprising a canister, an air vehicle, discharge means and sensing means;

said air vehicle having a fore vehicle end and an aft vehicle end, said sensing means being operatively connected to said canister, said sensing means being capable of sensing a physical change associated with the desubmergence of at least a portion of said canister, said sensing means being capable of sending a communication in accordance with said physical change, said discharge means being situated at said aft vehicle end and being capable of activation, as a result of said communication sent by said sensing means, so as to propel said air vehicle in a forward direction;
said canister including an approximately cylindrical body and a nose cone, said body including an interior space for containing said air vehicle, said interior space being characterized by an upper interior space end and a lower interior space end, said upper interior space end being open, said lower interior space end being closed, said interior space having an transverse interior space surface portion at said lower interior space end, said nose cone including a generally conical section and an approximately cylindrical shoulder section, said conical section having a generally narrower conical end and a generally wider conical end, said shoulder section protecting from said conical section at said wider conical end, said shoulder section including an approximately circular bottom shoulder surface portion, said shoulder section having an approximate shoulder diameter, said conical section having an approximate wider conical diameter at said wider conical end, said body having an approximate body diameter, said shoulder diameter being less than said wider conical diameter and being less than said body diameter;
said body and said nose cone being capable of being securely coupled with each other so that said shoulder section fits inside a portion of said interior space at said upper interior space end, so that said conical section and said cylindrical body are approximately flush, so that said conical section, said shoulder section and said body are each approximately symmetrical with respect to the same imaginary longitudinal axis, so that said transverse interior space surface portion and said bottom shoulder surface portion each approximately define a plane which is approximately perpendicular with respect to said imaginary longitudinal axis, and so that said interior space accommodates said air vehicle;
when said body and said nose cone are securely coupled with each other, said air vehicle being adaptable to containment in said interior space, and said body and said nose cone being capable of being uncoupled from each other, so that said fore vehicle end is in the vicinity of said upper interior space end, so that said aft vehicle end is in the vicinity of said lower interior space end, and so that, as a result of said activation of said discharge means, said body and said nose cone are capable of being uncoupled from each other whereby said air vehicle separates from said body and said nose cone, wherein upon said activation of said discharge means said discharge means exerts an aftward force and said fore vehicle end exerts a forward force, said aftward force being exerted by said discharge means against said transverse interior space surface portion, said forward force being exerted by said fore vehicle end against said bottom shoulder surface portion, said aftward force and said forward force thereby causing said uncoupling of said body and said nose cone whereby said air vehicle separates from said body and said nose cone;
when said body and said nose cone are securely coupled with each other, said canister being capable of liquid buoyantly propelled upward movement and being adaptable to being released from a submerged location, said canister, in association with said liquid buoyantly propelled upward movement of said canister, being characterized by a shape which at least substantially minimizes drag and at least substantially maximizes stability.

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Buoyantly propelled submerged canister for air vehicle launch

Life of this patent

Buoyantly propelled submerged canister for air vehicle launch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27