IP Library Granted Patent US 11,273,889
Granted Patent B2
US 11,273,889 · App. 16/920,663 · Granted Mar 15, 2022

Self-righting unmanned vehicle

Inventors: Zhihong Lu (Beijing, CN); Yang Liu (Beijing, CN); Guangzhang Wu (Beijing, CN); Xianpeng Zhao (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: POWERVISION TECH INC.
B63B39/08B63B35/00B63B43/04B63B79/10G05D1/0206B63B2035/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,273,889
App. No.
16/920,663
Granted
Mar 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A self-righting unmanned vehicle, comprising: a cavity 1 , located at a first side of the hull of the unmanned vehicle; a sealed cavity 2 , located at a second side of the hull of the unmanned vehicle and provided, in parallel to the cavity 1 , in a head region of the hull; and a first propeller 3 , provided in a tail intersection region of a normal waterline A with an inversion waterline B of the unmanned vehicle, and rotating in a reverse direction when the unmanned vehicle is in an overturned state. The self-righting unmanned vehicle improves the self-righting efficiency of the unmanned vehicle.

Claims (21)

1. A self-righting unmanned vehicle, comprising:

a cavity, which is an open space located at a first side of a hull of the unmanned vehicle; wherein when the self-righting unmanned vehicle is in an overturned state, the cavity is below a water surface and then water flows into the cavity;

a sealed cavity, located at a second side of the hull of the unmanned vehicle and provided in a head region of the hull; wherein a density of the sealed cavity is lower than a density of water, which provides the self-righting unmanned vehicle with buoyancy at the second side, and makes the self-righting unmanned vehicle in an inclined state of sinking at the first side while rising at the second side when the self-righting unmanned vehicle is in the overturned state; and

a first propeller, provided in a tail intersection region of a normal waterline with an inversion waterline of the unmanned vehicle, and rotating in a reverse direction when the unmanned vehicle is in the overturned state.

2. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first propeller is located at the first side of the hull.

3. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a second propeller, located at the second side of the hull; and

a buoyancy accessory, provided at the second side of the hull.

4. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the first propeller comprises a first screw propeller and a first channel in cooperation with the first screw propeller.

5. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the first propeller further comprises a screw propeller shield, a tail end of the first channel being connected with the screw propeller shield.

6. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the first channel and a rotation plane of the first screw propeller form a preset angle.

7. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the preset angle ranges from 30 to 60 degrees.

8. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a sensing device, detecting whether the unmanned vehicle is in the overturned state; and

a control device, controlling the first screw propeller to perform a reverse rotation when the unmanned vehicle is in the overturned state.

9. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the sensing device is further configured to detect whether the second propeller is above the water surface.

10. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the control device controls the second propeller to stop rotating when the second propeller is above the water surface.

11. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the second propeller stops rotating when the unmanned vehicle is in the overturned state.

12. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the control device transmits to an unmanned vehicle controller information about the overturning of the unmanned vehicle detected by the sensing device.

13. The self-righting unmanned vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the control device receives propeller control instructions transmitted by the unmanned vehicle controller and controls, based on the control instructions, operation of the first and second propellers.

14. A method for controlling an unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle comprising a hull and a first propeller provided in a tail intersection region of a normal waterline with an inversion waterline of the hull of the unmanned vehicle, the hull comprising a cavity which is an open space located at a first side of the hull and a sealed cavity located at a second side of the hull; wherein when the self-righting unmanned vehicle is in an overturned state, the cavity is below a water surface and is filled by water; wherein a density of the sealed cavity is lower than a density of water; and the method comprising: detecting whether the unmanned vehicle is in an overturned state; providing the self-righting unmanned vehicle with buoyancy at the second side, making the self-righting unmanned vehicle in an inclined state of sinking at the first side while rising at the second side and controlling the first propeller to rotate in a forward direction and then rotate in a reverse direction when the unmanned vehicle is in an overturned state, until the unmanned vehicle is turned over.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2020
From: LU, ZHIHONG; LIU, YANG; WU, GUANGZHANG; ZHAO, XIANPENG
To: POWERVISION TECH INC.
Reel/Frame 053159/0817 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201810013595.2 · Jan 5, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2019070519 · Jan 5, 2019
Related Publication 20200339232A1 · Oct 29, 2020