USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

James Gabriel Buescher

Peter Thomas Sullivan

Aaron Bratten

William H Marn

Lonnie Allen Hamme

David Alan Bultman

Peter Smith

Christopher D Mailey

Daniel Alberto Sura

Brian J Granger

Christopher Lawson Fletcher

Ryan Michael Stenson

Robert Kevin Creber

V Keyko McDonald

James Ben Penney

An underwater wireless network can include plurality of nodes, each node having a cylindrical housing, a repeater, a transducer and a buoy. The housing defines a void and encloses the repeater. The transducer can be tethered to the housing and a buoy can be tethered to said transducer. Each node also includes at least two hemi-cylindrical flukes that can be pivotably attached to the housing. The housing can further be formed with at least two flood ports, and corresponding plugs are inserted into a respective fill port. Lanyards interconnect each flukes with a respective plug. During transport, the flukes can surround the transducer and the void is empty, which renders the node neutrally buoyant for ease of transport. For deployment, the flukes are pivoted away from each other to tighten the lanyards, which pull the plugs out of the flood ports, to further flood the void and deploy the node.

Underwater network having buoyancy compensation and anchoring systems

Buoyancy is controlled in a tethered object by pumping fluids, either of a first or second specific gravity, from an external source into either a first or second containment chamber to change the respective volumetric capacities of the first and second containment chambers. The containment chambers are configured such that the second chamber is at least partially enclosed within the first chamber. The second chamber is configured to expand and retract within the first chamber, which has a fixed housing. Expansion or contraction of the second chamber results in a corresponding inverse change in a volumetric capacity of the first chamber. The fluid chambers may be separate or contained within the same housing, and may be located on a towing vessel. Sensor data from the tethered object's environment may be used to control the transfer of fluid to the first and second chambers.

System and method for modifying the net buoyancy of underwater objects

A system includes a support structure having a compressed air tank therein, a pneumatic launch assembly coupled to the support structure, and an inflatable bladder disposed around at least a portion of a region defined by the support structure and the pneumatic launch assembly. The angle of the pneumatic launch assembly with respect to the support structure is adjustable. The pneumatic launch assembly comprises a launch tube, a compressed air manifold contained within the launch tube and in fluid connection with the compressed air tank, the compressed air manifold having an air outlet, a telescoping guide rod connected to the compressed air manifold, and a shuttle slidably coupled to the telescoping guide rod and at least partially disposed over the air outlet. The system may include a collapsible stabilizing weight coupled to the support structure, as well as communications and control circuitry within the launch tube.

System for water-based launch of an unmanned aerial vehicle

The attitude of a submerged array of sensing elements can be changed using a fixed quantity of transferable ballast fluid having density different than water. In one embodiment, a non-rigid array of sensor elements is equipped with two expandable reservoirs connected between a flexible conduit which allows the ballast fluid to be transferred back and forth. Pumping fluid between the two reservoirs causes one reservoir to expand while the other contracts. Due to the density difference between the pumped fluid and water, the difference in volume between the two expandable reservoirs causes a shift in the center of buoyancy of the array system. The center of buoyancy in this way becomes offset from the center of gravity of the array system, causing a shift in the attitude of the array. The array can be trimmed, using positively or negatively buoyant static elements, to achieve a specific orientation for given volume ratios between the two expandable reservoirs, and so by controlling the volume ratio, multiple orientations can be selected.

System for changing the attitude of linear underwater sensor arrays via neutrally buoyant fluid transfer

The invention provides a means by which the attitude or orientation of a submerged object can be changed or altered using a fixed quantity of transferable ballast fluid which has a density less than that of the surrounding fluid in which the object is submerged. In one embodiment, the process utilizes a static negatively buoyant material (which could be a lead weight) to offset the net negative buoyancy of the transferable ballast fluid. In this way, the total overall buoyancy of the system does not change, but by transferring ballast fluid into expandable reservoirs which are physically separated from the static negatively buoyant material, the separation between the center of buoyancy and the center of mass of the object can be changed, and thus the attitude or orientation of the object, if it is unrestrained, may be changed.

Neutrally buoyant submerged system using lesser density ballast fluid

The system provides a means by which the attitude or orientation of a submerged object can be changed using a fixed quantity of transferable ballast fluid which has a density greater than that of the surrounding fluid in which the object is submerged. In one embodiment, the process utilizes a static flotation shell offset the net negative buoyancy of the transferable ballast fluid. In this way, the total overall buoyancy of the system does not change, but by transferring fluid into expandable reservoirs which are physically separated from the static flotation shell, the separation between the center of buoyancy and the center of mass of the object can be changed, and thus the attitude or orientation of the object, if it is unrestrained, may be changed.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

James Gabriel Buescher