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US 8,651,041 B2Granted
Personal underwater vehicle
OwnerMichael Myersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An underwater personal vehicle that as twin battery powered motors affixed to a central body. The propellers preferably counter-rotate and are in shrouds to allow true tracking without stabilizing fins. The operator holds onto the device and controls it from handles on the aft end of the central body. A light and supplemental ballast tubes are available. The thrust produced by the motors is at approximately the center of mass of the vehicle to further stabilize it during motion.
Claims12
An underwater personal vehicle comprised of a body assembly, a first and a second thruster assembly and a control assembly;
- said body having a left side, a right side, fore side, an aft side, a top side, a bottom side and a first axis between the center of said fore side and the center of said aft side;
- said body containing a rechargeable battery;
- said body assembly further comprised of a sealed, hollow body made of a rigid material having a displacement greater than the net weight of said vehicle so that the vehicle is buoyant;
- to said left side of the body at about an amidship is affixed said first thruster assembly;
- to said right side of the body at about said amidship is affixed said second thruster assembly;
- each of said first and second thruster assemblies further includes an electric motor coupled to a propeller where said propeller is encircled by a shroud;
- each of said thruster assemblies are fixed relative to the body to only direct a thrust substantially parallel to said first axis;
- each of said shrouds has a substantially tubular interior having a diameter dimensioned to house said propeller;
- said body assembly having a light covered by a transparent nosecone on said fore side of said body;
- said control assembly is integral to said aft side of said body and includes a first handle and a second handle each affixed to said aft side of said body such that an operator of the vehicle is pulled directly behind the body and between said thrusts from each of said thruster assemblies;
- said first handle further having a switch operably coupled to said battery and said light;
- said second handle further having a throttle operably coupled between said electric motors and said battery.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.