USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Luke W Loy

Mark E Shiffler

Vincent M Iorio

An electro-rheological fluid composition is provided. A dielectric oil has particulate mixed therein. The particulate consists essentially of a polymeric sponge material entrapping an electro-rheological constituent such as water. The particulate is sized to remain in suspension when mixed in the dielectric oil.

Electro-rheological fluid composition having polymeric sponge

An unmanned marine surface vehicle (UMSV) featuring structural incorporation of the hull of a typical commercially distributed, recreationally enjoyed personal watercraft (PWC). The intrinsic qualities of the PWC hull, especially as pertains to superior seaworthiness and smaller size, avail the UMSV and UMSV system according to this invention. A contoured upper casing which is coupled with the PWC hull serves not only to further the fluid-dynamic integrity of this invention's UMSV but also to house electrical or mechanical components which are designed for effectuating specific military or civilian missions. This invention's UMSV is small, compact, lightweight, durable, rugged, uncomplicatedly direct-driven and quite seaworthy, and hence offers possible advantages over vessels conventionally considered for autonomous or semi-autonomous operations, particularly in terms of cost-effectiveness, expendability, deployability, recoverability, maneuverability and versatility.

Unmanned sea surface vehicle having a personal watercraft hull form

A rotary servo or throttle valve comprises a housing defining a chamber and discharge port in fluid communication with the chamber, a rotary valve spool for delivering fluid into the chamber, and a system for delivering pressurized fluid passing from the outlet opening of the valve in the chamber to the discharge port in the housing in which non-cavitating technology can be readily incorporated. The outlet opening of the valve spool is a wedge shaped groove formed in its periphery, the groove having opposed, arcuately diverging sidewalls. The diffusing system comprises an elongated member which may be rotated in the chamber to align a plurality of flow paths with the discharge port and the outlet opening. The elongated member and valve spool may be rotated independently in opposite directions to obtain faster flow rate changes.

Rotary hydraulic servo or throttle valve

A high-pressure pump for electro-rheological fluids in which the pump coments operate with relatively large clearances and rely on the electro-rheological fluid effect for sealing. Preferably, the electro-rheological effect is induced in the fluid only in the region where a seal between relatively merging pump parts is required to generate a fluid pressure increase.

High pressure pump for electro-rheological fluids

The invention is directed to a device for pumping electro-rheological flu comprising a casing that defines an inner rotor chamber having a central inlet opening and a peripheral discharge opening. Rotatably disposed within said chamber is a rotor for imparting energy to the pumped electro-rheological fluid comprising of a plurality of non-conducting coaxial substantially parallel spaced disks. On one face of each disk are embedded one or more electrodes and on the opposing face of each disk are attached one or more conductive surfaces. By selectively applying an electric charge to the embedded electrodes, an electric field is produced between the electrodes and the conducting surfaces of adjacent disks. As a result, the viscosity of the electro-rheological fluid exposed to the applied electric field is increased thereby producing electro-rheological fluid vanes between adjacent disks. When the rotor is placed in rotation and a voltage is applied to the embedded electrodes, the electro-rheological fluid that is not exposed to the applied electric field is accelerated from the center of the rotor towards the outer periphery by the combined action of the electro-rheological fluid vanes and the friction force acting between the fluid and the rotating disks.

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Washington, DC, United States of America

Luke W Loy