Marine payload handling craft and system
US7506606B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 14, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB63B2035/008
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A marine handling craft and system is intended for use in deploying, inspecting and receiving vessels and payloads to and from locations on, under, over or near water and wet soils in potentially turbulent aquatic or atmospheric conditions. The marine handling craft may operate as a robot, or deployed from a crane or boom on a mother ship or other platform or helicopter so that it can transport and mate and dock at various locations, such as supply ships or autonomous marine vessels, at a stand off distance to limit potential harm to valuable assets. A sliding fastener and track are included on the marine handling craft so that it can be tethered and lifted by a single line or cable, and so can be manipulated by a single crane or helicopter. The utility of the handling craft is not limited to the transport of payloads and it may function as a stand-alone vessel for various remote sensing purposes. Smart communication between the marine handling craft and other vessels or other nodes in a distributed computer network facilitates simultaneous, hierarchical and multi-tasking control of the craft and permits verification and inspection of payloads, which might otherwise cause damage wh…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.