Portable retractable system and method for deploying water-based and air-based sensors from a marine vessel
The present invention includes portable, retractable systems and methods for simultaneously deploying water-based sensors and air-based sensors from a marine vessel. Embodiments of the system include a mounting frame assembly that is configured to clamp onto a gunwale of the marine vessel with both rough and fine adjustment to fit over and around any suitable gunwale thickness and surface contours. Embodiments of the system further include a retractable pole assembly that is rotationally coupled to the mounting frame assembly. The retractable pole assembly may be retracted and rotated to a horizontal position for adjustment, travel and stowing, or fully extended and rotated to a vertical position with a water-based sensor secured in the water at a bottom end and an air-based sensor secured at a top end.
1 . A system for deploying air-based and water-based sensors from a marine vessel, the system comprising:
a mounting frame assembly configured for selectively mounting to a gunwale of the marine vessel;
a retractable pole assembly having a top end and a bottom end, the retractable pole assembly coupled to the mounting frame assembly and configured to selectively receive an air-based sensor at the top end and a water-based sensor at the bottom end; and
wherein the retractable pole assembly is rotationally coupled to the mounting frame assembly between vertical and horizontal positions.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame assembly is configured to clamp to both sides and over a top of the gunwale.
3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame assembly further comprises:
an outer rack configured with a first plurality of swivel pads, each of the first plurality of pads configured for adjustable contact with an outer surface of the gunwale;
left and right adjustment beams extending perpendicularly from a top portion of the outer rack and parallel to one another; and
an inner rack configured with a second plurality of swivel pads, each of the second plurality of pad configured for adjustable contact with an inner surface of the gunwale, a top portion of the inner rack further configured for selective attachment to the left and right adjustment beams such that the racks are spaced apart from each other to form a space for receiving the gunwale.
4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein each of the left and the right adjustment beams further comprise regularly spaced adjustment holes for mounting to the top portion of the inner rack via nuts and bolts.
5 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein the mounting frame assembly is laterally adjustable for gunwale thickness via the regularly spaced adjustment holes for rough adjustment and the first and the second plurality of swivel pads for fine adjustment.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable pole assembly further comprises an upper pole, a retractable middle pole configured to slide axially relative to the upper pole and a retractable lower pole configured to slide axially relative to the middle pole.
7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the retractable pole assembly further comprises a rotating frame fixed to the upper pole, the rotating frame configured for rotational coupling to the mounting frame assembly.
8 . The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a quick-release pin configured for selectively locking or unlocking the rotating frame assembly relative to the outer rack of the mounting frame assembly in lieu of one of two pivoting and locking bolts.
9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame assembly further comprises a plurality of laterally adjustable swivel pads for contacting both sides of the gunwale to achieve a friction fit.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable pole assembly may extend in length from out of the water when fully retracted to about 3 m under water fully extended.
11 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the retractable middle pole is configured to slide within the upper pole and the retractable lower pole is configured to slide within the retractable middle pole.
12 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising quick-release pins configured for selectively locking or unlocking the retractable pole assembly in either retracted or fully extended positions.
13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the air-based sensor is a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver and the water-based sensor is an ultra-short baseline (USBL) underwater acoustic sensor.
14 . A method for deploying air- and water-based sensors from a marine vessel, the method comprising:
providing a system for deploying an air-based sensor and a water-based sensor from a marine vessel, the system comprising:
a mounting frame assembly configured for selectively mounting to a gunwale of the marine vessel; and
a retractable pole assembly rotationally coupled to the mounting frame assembly between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the retractable pole assembly further comprising:
a top end configured to selectively receive the air-based sensor; and
a bottom end configured to selectively receive the water-based sensor;
attaching the mounting frame assembly to the gunwale of the marine vessel with the retractable pole assembly in the horizontal position;
installing the air-based sensor and the water-based sensor;
extending the retractable pole assembly from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position; and
rotating the retractable pole assembly to the vertical position, wherein the water-based sensor is submerged in water.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising operating the air-based sensor and the water-based sensor to perform a mission.
16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
rotating the retractable pole assembly to the horizontal position;
retracting the retractable pole assembly to the fully retracted position;
removing the air-based sensor and the water-based sensor;
removing the mounting frame assembly from the gunwale of the marine vessel; and
stowing the system.
17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the retractable pole assembly further comprises:
a rotating frame secured to the mounting frame assembly using first and second locking and pivoting bolts, the first bolt configured to be selectively and temporarily unlocked to allow pivoting of the rotating frame about the second bolt to achieve either the horizontal or the vertical position followed by being relocked;
an upper pole attached to the rotating frame;
a middle pole configured to retract within the upper pole;
a lower pole configured to retract within the middle pole; and
quick-release pins configured to pass perpendicularly through, and to selectively secure, the poles in either the fully retracted position or the fully extended position.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the rotating frame is rotationally coupled to the mounting frame assembly with both the first and the second pivoting and locking bolts, or with one of the quick-release pins and one of the two pivoting and locking bolts.
19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the rotating frame is rotationally coupled to mounting frame assembly with either one of the first and the second pivoting and locking bolts and one quick-release pin to secure the system in either the horizontal or the vertical positions.
20 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the mounting frame assembly further comprises:
a rectangular outer rack configured with swivel pads mounted at each corner of an inner surface of the outer rack, each of the swivel pads configured for fine lateral adjustable contact with an outer surface of the gunwale;
left and right adjustment beams extending perpendicularly to the inner surface of the outer rack and from a top portion of the outer rack with each of the beams parallel to one another and including regularly spaced adjustment holes for rough lateral adjustment; and
a rectangular inner rack configured with swivel pads mounted at each corner of an outer surface of the inner rack, the inner rack further configured for selective attachment to the left and right adjustment beams using the adjustment holes such that the racks are spaced apart from each other to form a space for receiving, and friction fitting to, the gunwale.
21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the swivel pads are configured to swivel such that the swivel pads can make secure contact to inner and outer gunwale surfaces that are neither planar nor parallel to one another.