USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Robert Woodall

Felipe A Garcia

Christopher J Doyle

Gilberto Irizarry

Chris Doyle

Greg Reitmeyer

Gregory A Reitmeyer

John Sojdehei

Steven F Naud

John D Horton

David H Wilbanks

Amy N Satterlee

Larry Mixon

John Pipkin

Robert Denton

Robert Schoeni

Frank Skerratt

Robert G Adams

Michael Doctor

A vehicle is provided for drone stowage and transport as a means to extend the range of smaller drones and unmanned underwater vehicles. The transport vehicle is launched from a mother ship and provides for moving drones and underwater unmanned vehicles to desired launch and recovery points. The vehicle is based on current hovercraft vehicles and is adapted for stowage of drones while remaining compatible with existing mother ships. The vehicle includes foldable deck sections, which can be extended to provide launching and landing runways for flying drones. Lifts and ramps are incorporated for loading, launching and recovering flying drones, floating drone vessels and underwater unmanned vehicle drones.

Deployable amphibious runway

A structure, which can be used as a portable shelter or tent, has a cover and structural elements disposed therein to permit the cover to lay flat or stand erect. The cover has two layers, one layer being thermally reflective and another layer being thermally absorptive. Similarly constructed removable panels can be attached to standoffs incorporated into the cover. The structure is reversible, so that the structure can either reject or absorb ambient heat. The standoffs are provided on each side of the cover and connections for attaching the removable panels to the standoffs are provided on each side of the removable panels. In this way, the removable panels can be attached to the interior or exterior of the structure with either side of a removable panel facing towards the cover.

Portable shelter

A mine clearing system and method remotely deploys line hose from a remotely controlled two-wheeled vehicle. The wheels are connected together via a central hub shaft. Individual battery operated hub motors on each wheel communicate to a central controller inside the hub shaft. The power source for the motors is contained within the hub shaft, with battery recharge ports located on the hub shaft. The line hose is wrapped around the central hub shaft. An operator uses a remote control console in communication with the central controller to independently control each wheel of the vehicle. A camera can hang from a hub shaft bearing on the outside of one wheel so as to be gravitationally stabilized during vehicle movement. The camera can broadcast signals to a display at the remote control console. Explosive slurry is pumped into the line hose and detonated.

Slurry line charge mine clearance system and method

A solar panel storage and deployment system includes a container with an opening formed therein. A rotatable spool housed in the container has an assembly of solar voltaic panels wound thereabout prior to its deployment. The assembly is deployed from the opening in the container when the assembly is unwound from the spool. At least one stake is provided where each such stake is anchored to a position in proximity to and outside of the container. Each stake cooperates with a link that couples a free end of the assembly to the stake when the assembly is unwound from the spool and deployed through the opening.

Solar panel storage and deployment system

A solar panel storage and deployment system includes a container with an opening formed therein and an assembly of solar voltaic panels transitionable between a folded state and a deployed state. The assembly defines a series of accordion-like folds along the length thereof when in its folded state. The assembly arrays the panels in a substantially planar arrangement when the assembly is in its deployed state. The system also includes at least one stake adapted to be anchored to a position in proximity to and outside of the container. At least one link is provided for coupling an end of the assembly to the stake(s) when the assembly is in its deployed state.

A variable shock wave bio-oil extraction system and method utilizes shock waves to separate oil, water, and biomass from feedstock in a single step. In one embodiment, at least one pair of opposing transducer arrays are arranged in a shock wave extraction housing and collectively powered by a pulse controller to create controllable shearing planes and/or shearing regions and/or shock stem zones to interact upon a flow path of feedstock as the feedstock travels through the shock wave housing.

Variable shock wave bio-oil extraction system

A system for harvesting electric energy from thermal energy includes energy conversion assemblies that can be distributed about a conduit through which a heated effluent flows. Each energy conversion assembly includes two heat sinks, a thermoelectric cell sandwiched between the two heat sinks, and a thermal insulating gasket surrounding the thermoelectric cell and separating the two heat sinks. Circuit wiring electrically connects to each thermoelectric cell where the energy conversion assemblies are electrically connected to one another in parallel. An electric power storage device is coupled to the circuit wiring.

Thermal effluent to electric energy harvesting system

A torque nut assembly includes a multiple-piece nut body and a cap. The nut body can be positioned to define a threaded axial passage, and can expand radially to open the threaded axial passage. The cap is shaped and sized to substantially engage the nut body when the threaded axial passage is so-defined. The cap is locked to the nut body when the cap is engaged thereon.

Torque nut assembly

A mine clearing system and method remotely deploys line charge from a remotely controlled two-wheeled vehicle. The wheels are connected together via a central hub shaft. Individual battery operated hub motors on each wheel communicate with a central controller and receiver mounted inside the hub shaft. The power source for the motors is contained within the hub shaft, with a battery recharge port located on the hub shaft. The line charge is wrapped around the central hub shaft. An operator uses a remote control console in communication with the receiver and central controller in the hub shaft to independently control each wheel of the vehicle. A camera can hang from a hub shaft bearing on the outside of one wheel so as to be gravitationally stabilized during vehicle movement. The camera can broadcast signals to a display at the remote control console.

Mine clearance system and method

A system for reducing the operational efficiency of a watercraft's propulsion system includes a self-propelled and variable-speed unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that has at least one homing device adapted to direct the UUV towards an origin of a targeted watercraft's propulsion wake. At least one rod is coupled to a forward end of the UUV and extends forward therefrom at least when the UUV is in proximity to the origin of the targeted watercraft's propulsion wake. At this point, the UUV is directed and accelerated to drive the rod into the targeted watercraft's propulsor.

Propulsion defeating system

A structure, e.g. a pop-up tent, usable in extremes of temperature, wind, and aridity. One side of the structure's fabric reflects heat, and the other absorbs heat. The structure is reversible, so that, depending which side is outside and which inside, the structure either rejects or absorbs ambient heat, making the structure cooler in hot environments, and warmer in cool environments. The structure can have a detachable base with a hollow chamber in which one can put thermally insulating fluid (e.g. water) to add further comfort, which also provides additional physical and thermal stability to the structure. An optional moisture collector is disposable inside to collect condensate for recycling, and the fabric of the structure can be hydrophobic to direct other condensate to the base and away from occupants.

Reversible heating/cooling structure usable as a pop-up shelter

A non-lethal projectile has an enclosed frangible shell with a nose assembly coupled thereto. The nose assembly is designed to be frangible and absorb shock energy incident on the nose assembly. Frangible containers disposed in the shell occupy a portion of the volume defined thereby such that spaces between the containers are defined. Each container is configured to divide into particles when the container fractures. Each container contains at least one payload material. A gelatinous carbomer fills the spaces between the containers.

Non-lethal projectile for dispersing payload upon target impact

A torque nut assembly includes a multiple-piece nut body and a ring-shaped compression assembly. The compression assembly circumferentially engages the nut body to capture its multiple pieces therein. The compression assembly can position the nut body to define a threaded axial passage or to allow radial expansion of the multiple pieces such that the threaded axial passage is segmented in correspondence with the nut body's multiple pieces. At least one structure is provided to lock the compression assembly when the threaded axial passage is defined.

A lightweight combat helmet has a rigid helmet shell with first and second flexible and fluid impermeable receptacles nested within the helmet shell. The first receptacle is filled with structures and substances that alter a trajectory of an incoming projectile. When filled, the second receptacle conforms to a wearer's head.

Lightweight combat helmet

A moisture-absorbing material and method of making same are provided. Hollow fibrous tubes of cotton are sequentially dried, combed in a direction to substantially longitudinally align the hollow fibrous tubes of cotton, and stretched, twisted about and compressed in this direction. A powder material can be mixed with the hollow fibrous tubes of cotton. The powder material is inert with respect to the hollow fibrous tubes of cotton and initiates a chemical reaction that generates water when exposed to water.

Growing community of inventors

Panama City, FL, United States of America

Robert Woodall