The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 19, 2020

Filed:

Feb. 13, 2018
Applicant:

Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);

Inventor:

Emily J. Pikor, Bristol, RI (US);

Assignee:

Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B63G 8/20 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01); B63H 11/113 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B63G 8/20 (2013.01); B63G 8/001 (2013.01); B63G 2008/002 (2013.01); B63G 2008/008 (2013.01); B63H 11/113 (2013.01);
Abstract

Disclosed are an improved nozzle for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), and a method for operating the same. The nozzle includes a first rigid member operatively coupled to a UUV steering mechanism. The nozzle also has a second rigid member, coupled to the first rigid member by a flexible bellows according to a configurable operating angle. The nozzle does not extend beyond a bounding surface when stored but does when deployed. Water traversing the first rigid member and contacting the second rigid member produces a reactive force according to the configurable operating angle. Simultaneous and independent control of the volume of fluid traversing several such nozzles in the UUV, and their respective orientations and operating angles, permits automatic station-keeping or navigation according to another guidance objective.


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