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:
May. 01, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 29, 2009
Steven Craig Israel, Durham, NC (US);
Dominic Caza Germana, Durham, NC (US);
Craig A. Greiner, Pittsboro, NC (US);
Frederick Vosburgh, Durham, NC (US);
Steven Craig Israel, Durham, NC (US);
Dominic Caza Germana, Durham, NC (US);
Craig A. Greiner, Pittsboro, NC (US);
Frederick Vosburgh, Durham, NC (US);
iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
A payload delivery unit for protecting and delivering a payload submerged in a submersion medium comprises a container including a pressure resistant shell and a resilient seal device. The shell defines a containment chamber and includes first and second shell members having opposed first and second sealing faces, respectively. The seal device engages and is interposed between the first and second sealing faces. The container is configured and constructed such that: when the submersion medium applies an exterior pressure to the first and second shell members such that a shell pressure differential, defined as the exterior pressure less an interior pressure of the containment chamber, exceeds a prescribed pressure, the first and second shell members compressively load and deform the seal device to effect a seal between the first and second shell members that prevents ingress of the submersion medium into the containment chamber; and when the shell pressure differential is less than the prescribed pressure, the seal device elastically rebounds to separate the first and second shell members to permit ingress of the submersion medium into the containment chamber.