Patent · US Active

Acoustically stealthy soft-bodied UUV propulsion system

US10661869B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by

7References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy · US

Inventor

Simon Eric Freeman · Auckland, NZ

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Grant date	May 26, 2020
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 12, 2038

Classification

Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
CPC primaryB63G2008/004
WIPO fieldTransport
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An acoustically stealthy, soft-bodied underwater propulsion system includes a central chord member and a series of successive muscle layers each having a skeletal mechanism and a set of actuators. Each skeletal mechanism includes a central vertebra, two or more actuator arms extending radially outward from the central vertebra and disposed axially symmetrically about the central chord member, and an actuator plate extending from a radially outward end of each actuator arm and oriented substantially transverse to the actuator arm. Each actuator is situated between an actuator plate from a first muscle layer of the series and a second muscle layer of the series.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.