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US 8,843,246 B2Granted
Crush zones for unmanned vehicles and methods of using the same
AssigneeMeggitt Training Systems Canada Inc.
InventorsSpencer Fraser, Siobhan K. Penzes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An unmanned vehicle comprising a body and a crush zone combined with the body. In a preferred embodiment, the crush zone is a crushable bumper connected to the body. The unmanned vehicle including the crush zone may be used to swarm a vehicle in training during a training exercise. Particularly, the unmanned vehicle including a crushable bumper may be used to swarm a warship during a live fire exercise.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- a vehicle in training;
- and
- an unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water wherein the unmanned surface vehicle comprises:
- a body including a hull and the hull including a bow;
- a metal bumper box located in front of the bow of the unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water wherein the metal bumper box extends across the bow from a starboard side to a port side;
- a first hull attachment point on a starboard side of the bow;
- a second hull attachment point on a port side of the bow;
- a first metal support arm that extends from the first attachment point to the starboard side of the bumper box;
- a second metal support arm that extends from the second attachment point to the port side of the bumper box;
- and,
- wherein the first and second metal supports arms each include a crush zone designed and configured to buckle in order to prevent substantial damage to the vehicle in training upon impact by the unmanned surface vehicle.
8 more elements
An unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water comprising:
- a body including a hull and the hull including a bow;
- a metal bumper box located in front of the bow of the unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water, wherein the metal bumper box extends across the bow from a starboard side to a port side;
- a first hull attachment point on a starboard side of the bow;
- a second hull attachment point on a port side of the bow;
- at least one crossbeam spanning an interior of the hull between the first hull attachment point and the second hull attachment point;
- a first metal support arm that extends from the first attachment point to the starboard side of the bumper box;
- a second metal support arm that extends from the second attachment point to the port side of the bumper box;
- and,
- wherein the first and second metal supports arms each include a crush zone.
6 more elements
An unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water comprising:
- a body including a hull and the hull including a bow;
- a metal bumper box located in front of the bow of the unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water, wherein the metal bumper box extends across the bow from a starboard side to a port side;
- a first hull attachment point on a starboard side of the bow;
- a second hull attachment point on a port side of the bow;
- a first metal support arm that extends from the first attachment point to the starboard side of the bumper box;
- a second metal support arm that extends from the second attachment point to the port side of the bumper box;
- and,
- wherein the first and second metal supports arms each include a crush zone and wherein the first metal support arm and the second metal support arm are steel except for the crush zones which are aluminum.
5 more elements
An unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water comprising:
- a body including a hull and the hull including a bow;
- a metal bumper box located in front of the bow of the unmanned surface vehicle designed to be remotely operated on the open water, wherein the metal bumper box extends across the bow from a starboard side to a port side and wherein a shock absorbent material completely covers an exterior of the metal bumper box;
- a first hull attachment point on a starboard side of the bow;
- a second hull attachment point on a port side of the bow;
- a first metal support arm that extends from the first attachment point to the starboard side of the bumper box;
- a second metal support arm that extends from the second attachment point to the port side of the bumper box;
- and,
- wherein the first and second metal supports arms each include a crush zone.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.