USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Charles M Ringer

Gregory Wayne Anderson

Earl E Floren

Peyton W Hall

Brandon J Wiedemeier

Pamela A Boss

Steven J Cowen

Carol A Becker

Jeffrey M Lloyd

Nathan Todd Miller

Brooke Bachmann

Samuel R Bona

Mark Gillcrist

Sean Herndon

Kimberly Leung

A system for supplying hydrogen gas to a lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle includes a manifold having multiple vessels. Each vessel has a first chamber that is separated from a second chamber by a barrier. A trigger assembly integrated with the barrier allows a liquid to be combined with a reactant and a catalyst in the second chamber to form a chemical reaction to generate hydrogen gas. A pressure relief valve located on each vessel opens to allow the hydrogen gas to exit when a predetermined pressure is reached, and the hydrogen gas is supplied to the LTA vehicle connected to the manifold.

System and method for supplying a lighter-than-air vehicle with hydrogen gas

A self-destructive aquatic device for use in a water environment is formed with a body having a metallic portion and a covering preventing exposure of the metallic portion of the body from the water environment. A gap in the covering is used to expose the metallic portion of the body to the water environment. The covering has a cathodic property with respect to the metallic portion of the body, so that the gap and the covering establishing a cathodic-anodic ratio of areas exposed to the water environment to promote erosion of the metallic portion of the body in the water environment. This, in turn, results in controlled break-up of the aquatic device.

Use of cathodic coatings to cause selective, rapid decay of substrate metals

A remotely actuated fill and release device and deployment method can include a disc manifold having an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer circumferential surface. A fill passageway in the fill manifold can extend radially inward from the outer circumferential surface and can merge into a conical chamber, which can also be formed in disc manifold. The conical chamber can be formed with a maximum diameter proximate the upper surface and a minimum diameter proximate said lower surface. A release nose can be inserted into said conical chamber and fill bladder can be attached to the release nose. A FRANGIBOLT&#xae; can extend through the disc manifold and can be threaded into the release nose. A voltage can be selectively applied to the FRANGIBOLT&#xae;, which can fracture in response to the voltage, to selectively detach the release nose and fill bladder from the disc manifold without moving parts.

Remotely actuated mooring device

An optical coupler is used to transmit optical data across a temporary connection. A housing is configured with a transparent interface window and positioned in front of a receiving optical coupler so that optical signals pass through the transparent interface window for reception by receiving optical coupler. The receiving optical coupler has a capability of accepting alignment errors caused by aligning the housing with a mating housing in an aquatic environment. Alignment is achieved via an alignment mechanism that mechanical positions the mating optical coupling components with sufficient alignment accuracy to permit the optical coupler to receive and transmit signals.

Multichannel optical data coupler

A self-scuttling device can include a pressure hull that can define an internal void having an internal pressure P. The device can be disposed in an underwater environment having a pressure Pthat is greater than P. The pressure hull can be formed with a fill port, which can be selectively opened to flood the void. A reactive agent can be disposed within the void. The reactive agent can be chosen to mix with seawater and establish a solution that corrodes the pressure hull when the reactive agent is exposed to seawater by flooding the void. The reactive agent can be disposed within a watertight container, which maintains watertight integrity at P, but loses watertight integrity at the greater P. When this occurs, the reactive agent becomes exposed to seawater to establish the solution within the void that corrodes the pressure hull.

Self-scuttling vessel

Sensors, such as optical sensors and other sensors used in an aqueous environment are protected from biological contamination by applying a biocide behind a shutter. The shutter is capable of covering a subject portion of the sensor or surrounding mounting surface adjacent the sensor in at least a semi-sealing manner. A well or reservoir forms a chamber in the shutter that is capable of holding a biocide having a limited water solubility and a low environmental toxicity in the aqueous environment, for example, anhydrous iodine crystals. The reservoir is in communication with the portion of the sensor while positioned against the portion of the sensor or surrounding mounting surface adjacent the sensor.

Iodine-dispensing antifoulant implemented with dispensing shutter

A pressure equalizer for an underwater vessel can include a pneumatic reservoir and a pressure compensating valve (PCV). The PCV can be in fluid communication with the surrounding underwater environment and the vessel interior, and in selective fluid communication with the reservoir. The PCV can further include a valve body and a valve plug. As the PCV opens, the plug moves within the body to establish a path of fluid communication from the reservoir, through the PCV to the vessel interior, to allow flow of high pressure compressible fluid from the reservoir into the interior to pressurize the vessel interior. As the vessel interior pressure equalizes with the surrounding environment, the plug moves within the body to close the fluid communication path with the reservoir, thereby stopping the flow of compressible fluid into the vessel interior to maintain the equalized pressure.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Charles M Ringer