B63G2008/005

Omnidirectional underwater vehicle

An omnidirectional underwater vehicle includes an open-frame mechanism including a frame with top thrusters at four corners of a top end of the frame; mechanical arms disposed at a front end of the frame; and a rotary holder disposed in the frame and including a motor fixing plate, an upper bearing fixing plate and a lower bearing fixing plate. A cylindrical roller bearing is fixed between the upper bearing fixing plate and the lower bearing fixing plate, and an inner edge of the cylindrical roller bearing is provided with two bearing clip inner plates from top to bottom. A servo motor is fixed on the motor fixing plate, a bottom end of the bearing clip inner plate at the bottom is fixedly connected to a steering gear fixing plate, and a top end of the steering gear fixing plate is provided with fully waterproof steering gears installed with underwater thrusters.

DEVICE FOR COLLECTING MARINE SEDIMENTS USING A REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE
20230373603 · 2023-11-23 ·

The present invention relates to a device for collecting marine sediments using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), comprising at least one handle, at least one central body, at least one drive mechanism, and at least one cover, in which at least one central body includes a lower end comprising an opening, wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one joining means for connection to a drive system of the ROV, and wherein the at least one cover comprises at least one hingeable structure including at least one connection means with at least one drive mechanism.

Water surface and underwater dual-purpose automatic positioning and tracking system and method

A water surface and underwater dual-purpose automatic positioning and tracking system and method, which belongs to the field of marine environment observation technologies. The positioning and tracking system includes: a rope winding and unwinding structure, arranged on a main hull structure; where the rope winding and unwinding structure includes a rope roller and a winding and unwinding rope wound around the rope roller; an auxiliary positioning remote control ship, located outside a main body of the main hull structure, where the auxiliary positioning remote control ship is in transmission and fixed connection with the winding and unwinding rope away from the rope roller; communication control units, arranged on the main hull structure and the auxiliary positioning remote control ship; and an automatic positioning tracker unit, arranged on the hull structure, where the automatic positioning tracker unit is in remote communication connection with the communication control units.

BUOYANCY ADJUSTMENT DEVICE
20220289351 · 2022-09-15 · ·

A buoyancy adjusting device for an underwater device is described the device comprising: a tube having first and second ends; a resilient mechanism located at the first end of the tube and extending towards the second end of the tube; an opening near the second end of the tube; a catch at the second end of the tube; 5 and at least one block insertable into from the first end of the tube to adjust the buoyancy.

Submergible aerial vehicle

A submergible aerial vehicle with one or more rotors, a body operatively connected to the one or more rotors, and a platform operatively connected to the body. The vehicle is configured to operate with one or more additional vehicles such that the platform of each vehicle connects together and forms a segment of an enlarged floating platform. The enlarged platform is configured to support an object above the water. The body includes a cavity that is able to be at least partially filled with fluid. The cavity causes the submergible aerial vehicle to be at least partially submerged in a body of water.

System and method for determination of a spatial property of a submerged object in a 3D-space
11391559 · 2022-07-19 · ·

Method for determining a spatial property of a submerged object in a 3D-space, using an underwater moveable platform, that is provided with a camera and with a position and orientation measurement system configured to output a position and orientation of the camera. The method includes receiving user input for visually fitting a bounding volume to the object, and determining the spatial property of the object based on a corresponding spatial property of a bounding volume once the user is satisfied that the bounding volume sufficiently fits the object. The method provides an interactive manner of visually fitting the bounding volume to the object, based on images of the object taken at different positions and/or orientations of the camera relative to the object, as well as on a representation of a position and orientation of the camera in the 3D space at the time each image was captured.

Inspection vehicle with maintenance tools

An inspection vehicle operable for performing one or more maintenance and repair operations in a housing filled at least partially with a liquid medium is disclosed in the present application. The inspection vehicle includes a propulsion device operable in the liquid medium and includes at least one sensor operable for sensing and transmitting data associated therewith. A control system including an electronic controller is in electronic communication with the inspection vehicle to transmit and receive communication signals to/from the inspection vehicle. One or more maintenance tools operable with the inspection vehicle are configured to perform maintenance and/or repair operations within the liquid filled housing.

Industrial endoscope, observation method, observation device, underwater machine, pump inspection system, underwater robot control system, and underwater robot control method
11391940 · 2022-07-19 · ·

Provided are various devices, systems and methods for observing pumps and the like. Provided is an industrial endoscope including an imaging device, a flexible holding member configured to hold the imaging device, and one or a plurality of nozzles fixed to the holding member and which injects a fluid.

ANNULUS ISOLATION DEVICE

A wellbore system includes a tubing hanger positioned within a wellhead and a Christmas tree (XT) coupled to the tubing hanger. The wellbore system also includes an annulus isolation device (AID). The AID includes a manual actuator configured to drive a wedge in a linear direction. The AID also includes a mating wedge arranged within an annulus flow path, the mating wedge configured to receive a force responsive to movement of the wedge. The AID further includes a stab coupled to the mating wedge, the stab configured to move in an axially downward direction responsive to movement of the mating wedge, the stab having a slotted portion moveable into alignment with an annulus passage to permit flow into the annulus flow path.

Unmanned vehicle control and operation in a marine environment

Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.