Marine-life safe and self propelled navigational buoy
View Patent ↗A navigational buoy that includes a finned, hollow, transparent, spherical shell that floats on water. A multi-wheeled motor-unit sits inside the shell, and ballast weights attached to the motor unit cause it to rest on the bottom of the shell. A biasing structure attached to the motor unit, lights, and other aspects are included in some embodiments.
1. A navigational buoy comprising:
a motor unit comprising:
at least one motor;
a housing encasing the at least one motor;
at least two wheels operatively connected to the at least one motor; and
a ballast weight coupled to the housing;
a control unit comprising:
a power source;
a microprocessor; and
a plurality of sensors for autonomous control of the motor unit, for directed control of the motor unit, or for a combination of autonomous and directed control of the motor unit;
a spherical shell encompassing the motor unit comprising:
an inner surface;
an outer surface; and
a plurality of fins disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell and extending outwardly therefrom.
2. The navigational buoy of claim 1 wherein the spherical shell further comprises a plurality of light sources capable of illuminating at least the outer surface of the spherical shell.
3. The navigational buoy of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises a Global Positioning System receiver.
4. The navigational buoy of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a solar panel and a battery.
5. The navigational buoy of claim 1 , wherein the power source is a generator.
6. A navigational buoy comprising:
a motor unit comprising:
at least one motor;
a housing encasing the at least one motor;
at least two wheels operatively connected to the at least one motor; and
a ballast weight coupled to the housing;
a control unit comprising:
a power source;
a microprocessor; and
a plurality of sensors for autonomous control of the motor unit, for directed control of the motor unit, or for a combination of autonomous and directed control of the motor unit;
a spherical shell encompassing the motor unit comprising:
an inner surface;
an outer surface;
a plurality of horizontal fins disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell and extending outwardly therefrom;
a plurality of vertical fins disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell and extending outwardly therefrom; and
a support structure coupled to the motor unit and coupled to the inner surface of the spherical shell.
7. The navigational buoy of claim 6 wherein the support structure further comprises a biasing wheel continuously engaging the inner surface of the spherical shell such that the at least two wheels continuously engage the inner surface of the spherical shell.
8. The navigational buoy of claim 6 wherein the spherical shell further comprises a plurality of light sources capable of illuminating at least the outer surface of the spherical shell.
9. The navigational buoy of claim 6 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises a Global Positioning System receiver.
10. The navigational buoy of claim 6 , wherein the power source comprises a solar panel and a battery.
11. The navigational buoy of claim 6 , wherein the power source is a generator.
12. A navigational buoy comprising:
a motor unit comprising:
at least one motor:
a housing encasing the at least one motor;
at least two wheels operatively connected to the at least one motor; and
a ballast weight coupled to the housing;
a control unit comprising:
a power source;
a microprocessor; and
a plurality of sensors for autonomous control of the motor unit, for directed control of the motor unit, or for a combination of autonomous and directed control of the motor unit;
a spherical shell encompassing the motor unit comprising:
an inner surface;
an outer surface;
a plurality of horizontal fins disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell and extending outwardly therefrom;
a plurality of vertical fins disposed on the outer surface of the spherical shell and extending outwardly therefrom;
a support structure coupled to the motor unit and coupled to the inner surface of the spherical shell; and
a generator operatively attached to:
at least one spring; and
at least one rack and pinion set.
13. The navigational buoy of claim 12 wherein the support structure further comprises a biasing wheel continuously engaging the inner surface of the spherical shell such that the at least two wheels continuously engage the inner surface of the spherical shell.
14. The navigational buoy of claim 12 wherein the spherical shell further comprises a plurality of light sources capable of illuminating at least the outer surface of the spherical shell.
15. The navigational buoy of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises a Global Positioning System receiver.
16. The navigational buoy of claim 12 , wherein the power source comprises a solar panel and a battery.