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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 2025
Filed:
May. 11, 2023
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US);
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA (US);
Andrew Hamilton, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Brett Hobson, Carmel, CA (US);
François Cazenave, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Scott Jensen, San Martin, CA (US);
NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Falls Church, VA (US);
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Moss Landing, CA (US);
Abstract
One example includes an underwater docking system. The system includes an underwater dock that includes a docking rod. The docking rod includes electrical contacts around a periphery of the docking rod. The system also includes a docking assembly mounted on an underwater vehicle. The docking assembly includes an actuator and a hook assembly that includes a docking arm and a jaw assembly. The docking arm physically guides the docking rod into the jaw assembly and the actuator closes the jaw assembly around the docking rod to provide electrical connection of brush contacts of the jaw assembly with the electrical contacts of the docking rod to provide electrical power from a power source via the electrical contacts to the underwater vehicle. Each of the electrical contacts and the brush contacts can be formed from a self-passivating material.