Method and apparatus for inspecting a submerged structure

An in-water inspection system for inspection of the submerged portion of a structure in a body of water, said inspection system comprising:

• (a) a remotely operated inspection vehicle having an acoustic transducer said remotely operated vehicle comprising:
• (i) a remotely operated vehicle body having a first surface portion, said first surface portion being configured to be oriented towards and supported in an operating position against said surface of said submerged structure;
• and
• (ii) a water moving device for moving water located between said first surface portion and said surface of said submerged structure through said remotely operated vehicle body thereby creating a pressure drop between said first surface portion and said surface of said submerged structure, said pressure drop being sufficient to result in a force urging said remotely operated vehicle toward said surface of said submerged structure;
• (b) a first plurality of acoustical devices located in the vicinity of the structure to be inspected, said first plurality of acoustical devices adapted to be positioned in fixed positions with respect to the floor of said body of water, and said acoustic transducer and said first plurality of acoustical devices together forming an acoustical network outputting data;
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• (c) a computer system, said computer system being coupled to said acoustical network, said computer system transforming data from said acoustical network into positional data.

A method of inspecting the submerged portion of the hull of a ship in a body of water, comprising the steps of:

• (a) deploying a first plurality of acoustical devices located on the hull of the ship to be inspected, said acoustical devices having fixed positions with respect to said hull;
• (b) deploying a second plurality of acoustical devices located in the vicinity of the hull of the ship to be inspected, said second plurality of acoustical devices being adapted to be positioned in fixed positions with respect to the floor of said body of water;
• (c) navigating a remotely operated vehicle toward and along the surface of said hull, said remotely operated vehicle having:
• (i) a testing device comprising instrumentation capable of generating examination data by examining the integrity and structure of said hull;
• (ii) a remotely operated vehicle body having a first surface portion, said first surface portion being configured to be oriented towards and supported in a hull inspection position against the hull of a ship to be inspected;
• (iii) a water moving device for moving water located between said first surface portion and said hull of said ship through said remotely operated vehicle body thereby creating a pressure drop between said first surface portion and said hull, said pressure drop being sufficient to result in a force urging said remotely operated vehicle toward said hull;
• and
• (iv) an acoustic transducer, said acoustic transducer and said first and said second pluralities of acoustical devices together forming an acoustical network outputting data;
• (d) transforming data from said acoustical network into positional data by use of a computer system coupled to said acoustical network;
• and
• (e) using said positional data to correlate said examination data with locations on said hull.

An in-water ship hull inspection system for inspection of the submerged portion of the hull of a ship floating in a body of water, said inspection system comprising:

• (a) a remotely operated vehicle, said remotely operated vehicle comprising:
• (i) a remotely operated vehicle body having a first surface portion, said first surface portion being configured to be oriented towards and supported in a hull inspection position against the hull of a ship to be inspected;
• (ii) a water moving device for moving water located between said first surface portion and said hull of said ship through said remotely operated vehicle body thereby creating a pressure drop between said first surface portion and said hull, said pressure drop being sufficient to result in a force urging said remotely operated vehicle toward said hull;
• (iii) a propulsion mechanism coupled to said body, said propulsion mechanism having at least one thruster, said thruster having the ability to propel said remotely operated vehicle through said body of water toward and onto said hull in said hull inspection position;
• and
• (iv) a drive mechanism coupled to said remotely operated vehicle body, said drive mechanism having drive wheels which can be rotated, when said remotely operated vehicle is in said hull inspection position, rotation of said drive wheels propelling said remotely operated vehicle along said ship hull;
• (b) a testing device, said testing device being coupled to said remotely operated vehicle body, and said testing device comprising instrumentation capable of examining the integrity and structure of said ship hull.

An in-water ship hull inspection system for inspection of the submerged portion of the hull of a ship floating in a body of water, said inspection system comprising:

• (a) a remotely operated vehicle, said remotely operated vehicle comprising:
• (i) a remotely operated vehicle body having a first surface portion, said first surface portion being configured to be oriented towards and supported in a hull inspection position against the hull of a ship to be inspected;
• (ii) a water moving device for moving water located between said first surface portion and said hull of said ship through said remotely operated vehicle body thereby creating a pressure drop between said first surface portion and said hull, said pressure drop being sufficient to result in a force urging said remotely operated vehicle toward said hull;
• (iii) a propulsion mechanism coupled to said body, said propulsion mechanism having at least one thruster, said thruster having the ability to propel said remotely operated vehicle through said body of water toward and onto said hull in said hull inspection position;
• and
• (iv) a drive mechanism coupled to said remotely operated vehicle body, said drive mechanism having three wheels, at least one said three wheels being driven by a motor to be rotated, when said remotely operated vehicle is in said hull inspection position, rotation of said drive wheels propelling said remotely operated vehicle along said ship hull.

An in-water ship hull inspection system for inspection of the submerged portion of the hull of a ship floating in a body of water, said inspection system comprising:

• (a) a remotely operated vehicle, said remotely operated vehicle comprising:
• (i) a remotely operated vehicle body having a first surface portion, said first surface portion being configured to be oriented towards and supported in a hull inspection position against the hull of a ship to be inspected;
• (ii) a water moving device for moving water located between said first surface portion and said hull of said ship through said remotely operated vehicle body thereby creating a pressure drop between said first surface portion and said hull, said pressure drop being sufficient to result in a force urging said remotely operated vehicle toward said hull;
• (iii) a propulsion mechanism coupled to said body, said propulsion mechanism having at least one thruster, said thruster having the ability to propel said remotely operated vehicle through said body of water toward and onto said hull in said hull inspection position;
• and
• (iv) a drive mechanism coupled to said remotely operated vehicle body, said drive mechanism having a plurality of wheels, at least one said wheels being driven by a motor to be rotated, when said remotely operated vehicle is in said hull inspection position, rotation of said drive wheels propelling said remotely operated vehicle along said ship hull when said remotely operated vehicle is in said hull inspection position, and said drive mechanism being coupled to a thruster prop for driving said vehicle through the water when said vehicle is not in said hull inspection position.