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:
Mar. 13, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 20, 2009
Matthew Herbek, Gainesville, VA (US);
Robert Dietzen, Bealeton, VA (US);
Braden Powell, Lindon, UT (US);
Sean Day, Oak Hill, VA (US);
Kenneth Blanchette, North Smithfield, RI (US);
Matthew Gries, Houston, TX (US);
Matthew B. Ascari, Manassas, VA (US);
John W. Rapp, Manassas, VA (US);
Robert J. Howard, Clifton, VA (US);
Matthew Herbek, Gainesville, VA (US);
Robert Dietzen, Bealeton, VA (US);
Braden Powell, Lindon, UT (US);
Sean Day, Oak Hill, VA (US);
Kenneth Blanchette, North Smithfield, RI (US);
Matthew Gries, Houston, TX (US);
Matthew B. Ascari, Manassas, VA (US);
John W. Rapp, Manassas, VA (US);
Robert J. Howard, Clifton, VA (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
A water navigable vessel or glider can transport cargo across oceans and other bodies of water without the use of fossil or nuclear fuels. The vessel includes a housing, a cargo or payload area within the housing, one or more control fins attached to the housing, a ballast within the housing, an expandable and contractible container configured to receive a clathrate and maintain a minimum amount of pressure on the clathrate within the housing in proximity to the ballast, and an intake valve coupled to the ballast. The clathrate changes state, thereby changing the buoyancy of the glider, and causing the glider to move through the body of water.