Patent classifications
B63B59/08
SYSTEMS FOR CLEANING UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
A system for cleaning a structure arranged in a body of water. The system includes: a vehicle operable to move through the water and clean the structure; a tether connectable between the vehicle and a fixed position; a deployment mechanism securable relative to the structure and configured to move the vehicle into, and out of, the water; and a processing unit configured to communicate with the vehicle and the deployment mechanism. The processing unit is configured to execute a repeating cleaning schedule to cause the deployment mechanism to operate to move the vehicle into the water, the vehicle to operate to clean at least a portion of the structure, and the mechanism to operate to remove the vehicle from the water.
Systems and methods for treating a submerged surface of a target structure
An ultrasonic system for treating a submerged surface of a target structure, the system including: an ultrasonic generator for generating electrical energy to drive first and second ultrasonic transducers, the electrical energy including at least two different frequencies including a first and second operation frequency; first ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a first array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a first ultrasound signal from the first operation frequency; and second ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a second array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a second ultrasound signal from the second operation frequency, wherein the first and second ultrasonic transducers are spaceable from one another to produce guided ultrasonic waveforms through the target structure including heterodyned frequencies from the first ultrasound signal and the second ultrasound signal.
Systems and methods for treating a submerged surface of a target structure
An ultrasonic system for treating a submerged surface of a target structure, the system including: an ultrasonic generator for generating electrical energy to drive first and second ultrasonic transducers, the electrical energy including at least two different frequencies including a first and second operation frequency; first ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a first array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a first ultrasound signal from the first operation frequency; and second ultrasonic transducers configured to be mounted as a second array to the target structure, and connectable to the ultrasonic generator and operable to generate a second ultrasound signal from the second operation frequency, wherein the first and second ultrasonic transducers are spaceable from one another to produce guided ultrasonic waveforms through the target structure including heterodyned frequencies from the first ultrasound signal and the second ultrasound signal.
Laser Cleaning Apparatus and Method
Laser cleaning apparatus (100) comprising: a laser system (102) configured to output laser light having a power, a wavelength, a temporal characteristic and a divergence; a delivery cable (106) to deliver the laser light to a cleaning head; a cleaning head (110) comprising: an output aperture and output optics (116) configured to focus the laser light (104) to have a fluence at a focal plane (126) that is greater than an ablation threshold of a surface contaminant to be removed from a surface to be cleaned; scanning apparatus (118) to scan the laser light in at least one dimension across a scan region within the focal plane to cause the scanning laser light to have an effective divergence greater than the divergence of the laser light and to have a corresponding safe working distance from the output aperture determined by the effective divergence, the power, the wavelength and the temporal characteristic; and scan monitoring apparatus (120) to monitor the effective divergence of the scanning laser light and to generate an alarm signal (108) in response to determining that the effective divergence has changed.
MAGNETIC WHEEL
A magnetic wheel includes: a balance block; a magnetic body which is provided in the balance block and attaches the balance block to an attachment object with a magnetic force; and a magnetic shielding block which is provided in the balance block and guides a magnetic field generated in the magnetic body toward the attachment object.
UNDERWATER MARINE GROWTH BRUSHING MECHANISM WITH PASSIVE SELF-ADJUST FOR CURVED SURFACES
A cleaning device that passively self-adjusts to improve biofoul removal across curved, non-uniform, or irregular underwater surfaces. The cleaning device includes a motor, one or more shafts coupled to the motor and coupled to one another via at least one universal joint, and a cleaning mechanism for removing biofoul from the target surface. The cleaning device includes an alignment mechanism that restricts the cleaning mechanism's movement to improve biofoul removal. The alignment mechanism can include bearings, spring components, dampening material, adhesion components, floatation objects, or a combination thereof.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING MARINE GROWTH USING COMPLEX ULTRASONIC WAVEFORMS
The method and system uses ultrasound (US) transducers in contact with an inboard surface underwater portions of marine vessels or structures. By first digitally generating disruptive, multi-frequency, interfering US waveform signals (complex waveforms, typically replicating a Bessel function) and then converting the signals into analog, the transducers generate disruptive, multi-frequency, interfering US waveforms through the underwater portions of the marine vessels and structures which waveforms disrupt unwanted marine growth on the water-side of the vessel or structure. The digital signals, and also the analog signals, are complex waveform signals, typically produced with a Bessel function. The US transducers are either circular membrane transducers or surface transducers. A computer processor coupled to a memory, generates the complex waveform signals fed to the US transducers.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING MARINE GROWTH USING COMPLEX ULTRASONIC WAVEFORMS
The method and system uses ultrasound (US) transducers in contact with an inboard surface underwater portions of marine vessels or structures. By first digitally generating disruptive, multi-frequency, interfering US waveform signals (complex waveforms, typically replicating a Bessel function) and then converting the signals into analog, the transducers generate disruptive, multi-frequency, interfering US waveforms through the underwater portions of the marine vessels and structures which waveforms disrupt unwanted marine growth on the water-side of the vessel or structure. The digital signals, and also the analog signals, are complex waveform signals, typically produced with a Bessel function. The US transducers are either circular membrane transducers or surface transducers. A computer processor coupled to a memory, generates the complex waveform signals fed to the US transducers.
Pontoon cleaning assembly
A pontoon cleaning assembly for cleaning floats on a pontoon boat includes a handle that may be manipulated. A scrubbing unit is movably coupled to the handle. The scrubbing unit may scrub a float on a pontoon boat while the pontoon boat is floating.
Pontoon cleaning assembly
A pontoon cleaning assembly for cleaning floats on a pontoon boat includes a handle that may be manipulated. A scrubbing unit is movably coupled to the handle. The scrubbing unit may scrub a float on a pontoon boat while the pontoon boat is floating.