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. 23, 2018
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2014
Oceanflore B.v., Kinderdijk, NL;
Johan Heiler, Zoersel, BE;
Pieter Abraham Lucieer, Rotterdam, NL;
Kris De Bruyne, Deurne, BE;
Harmen Derk Stoffers, Breda, NL;
Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR) N.V., Ostend, BE;
Abstract
A subsurface mining vehicle and a method are used for collecting mineral deposits from a sea bed at great depths and transporting the deposits to a floating vessel. The vehicle has a load-bearing structure having an arrangement for advancing the vehicle on the sea bed, and a pick-up unit for the deposits. A lifting frame is also provided and at one end equipped with a connector to connect to a suspension cable provided between the floating vessel and the vehicle. The lifting frame is at another end connected to the load-bearing structure by a hinged connection, that is actuated by an actuator such that the angular position of the load-bearing structure can be fixed in a number of different angular positions relative to the lifting frame while the vehicle is suspended. The lifting frame allows to launch and position the submarine vehicle in a controlled manner.