Variable drag area tow system and methods
AssigneeAdaptive Methods, Inc.
InventorsJim Wiggins, Conrad Zeglin, Walter Allensworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable drag area tow system including a tow cable, and a variable drag area device having a variable projected area, the variable drag area device is configured to have a smaller projected area as the velocity of the variable drag area device with respect to a fluid increases. A method of maintaining tension on a tow cable, the method including deploying at a first velocity a variable drag area device having a variable projected area, increasing the first velocity to a second velocity, and decreasing the projected area of the variable drag area device as the first velocity is increased to the second velocity.
Claims22
A tow system apparatus comprising:
- a variable drag area device including,
- a support structure;
- a forward end and an aft end, the forward end having an attachment point for being towed in a forward direction
- at least one moveably attached arm connected to the support structure at a connection point, and
- an expansion mechanism adapted to exert a force on the at least one arm in a direction toward the forward end, wherein the connection point is between the forward end and the expansion mechanism,
- wherein the variable drag area device has a variable projected area and the variable drag area device is adapted to have a larger projected area as a relative velocity of the variable drag area device with respect to a fluid decreases.
A method of maintaining tension on a tow cable, the method comprising:
- deploying at a first velocity a variable drag area device having a variable projected area;
- decreasing the first velocity to a second velocity;
- and
- increasing the projected area of the variable drag area device as the first velocity is decreased to the second velocity,
- wherein the variable drag area devices includes,
- a support structure;
- a forward end and an aft end, the forward end having an attachment point for being towed in a forward direction,
- at least one moveably attached arm connected to the support structure at a connection point, and
- an expansion mechanism adapted to exert a force on the at least one arm in a direction toward the forward end, wherein the connection point is between the forward end and the expansion mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.