US 6,474,255 B2 · Arcuate-winged submersible vehicles

Abstract

Arcuate-winged submersible vehicles having improved hydrodynamic stability and maneuverability for use in, for example, underwater payload delivery and data acquisition. In one embodiment, a submersible vehicle includes a body having a pair of outwardly projecting at least partially arcuate wings, an adjustably positionable wing steering flap hingeably attached to each wing, at least one wing flap actuator coupled to the hull and to the wing steering flaps to controllably adjust the position of the wing steering flaps, an adjustably positionable hingeable tail steering flap attached to the hull, and at least one tail flap actuator coupled to the hull and to the tail steering flap to controllably adjust the position of the tail steering flap. The arcuate wings provide improved stability and maneuverability characteristics of the vehicle. In alternate embodiments, a vehicle may include arcuate wings having a swept leading edge or a swept trailing edge, or both. In another embodiment, a vehicle has a tow assembly attached to the hull and coupleable with a tow cable for towing the vehicle behind a surface vessel or for launching and recovery of the vehicle. In yet another embodiment, a vehicle includes a propulsion unit attached to the hull for propelling the vehicle through a fluid medium. Alternately, a vehicle has a control unit operatively coupled to at least one actuator, the control unit providing a control signal to actuate the actuator to adjust a position of at least one of the wing steering flaps or the tail steering flap.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A submersible vehicle, comprising:

a hull having a longitudinal axis and a pair of outwardly projecting at least partially arcuate wings, at least a portion of each arcuate wing being curved about a radius of curvature that lies in a plane approximately normal to the logitudinal axis of the hull;
a wing steering flap hingeably attached to each wing, each wing steering flap being adjustably positionable to provide at least partial control of the movement of the vehicle;
at least one wing flap actuator coupled to the hull and to the wing steering flaps to controllably adjust the position of the steering flaps;
a tail steering flap hingeably attached to he hull, the tail steering flap being adjustably positionable to provide at least partial control of the movement of the vehicle;
and
at least one tail flap actuator coupled to the hull and to the tail steering flap to controllably adjust the position of the tail steering flap.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Arcuate-winged submersible vehicles

Life of this patent

Arcuate-winged submersible vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25