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. 01, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2013
Bret R. Thomson, San Diego, CA (US);
Steve Whiteside, Jamul, CA (US);
Brandon J. Wiedemeier, San Diego, CA (US);
Steven J. Horstman, El Cajon, CA (US);
Ronald Allen Skala, Murrieta, CA (US);
George T. Stevens, Iv, San Marcos, CA (US);
Robert M. Lee, Campo, CA (US);
Jeffrey M. Lloyd, San Diego, CA (US);
Bret R. Thomson, San Diego, CA (US);
Steve Whiteside, Jamul, CA (US);
Brandon J. Wiedemeier, San Diego, CA (US);
Steven J. Horstman, El Cajon, CA (US);
Ronald Allen Skala, Murrieta, CA (US);
George T. Stevens, IV, San Marcos, CA (US);
Robert M. Lee, Campo, CA (US);
Jeffrey M. Lloyd, San Diego, CA (US);
The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A variable buoyancy buoy and method for deployment therefor can include a fixed buoyancy portion formed with a cavity and an enclosure. A pressure hull containing instrumentation can be place in the cavity, and a variable buoyancy portion that can be inserted into the enclosure. The fixed buoyancy portion can have a spar buoy configuration or a marker buoy configuration, and can further be formed with at least one opening to establish a path of fluid communication between the exterior of the buoy and the enclosure. The variable buoyancy portion can be a compressible bladder, or compressible foam, which can change form a maximum volume at the water surface to a minimum volume as the buoy descends towards stowage depth. The decrease in buoyancy facilitates retrieval of the buoy by an apparatus on the ocean floor.