Rapid replacement control fin for an underwater vehicle
View Patent ↗A replacement fin for an underwater vehicle includes a fin defining a socket that includes a bore of a first diameter and an internal spring recess of a larger diameter. A coil spring is retained in the spring recess and has coils of an elongated coil shape. The coil spring can occupy a first canted position in which the coils are canted in a direction generally into the bore and the coils can occupy a second canted position in which the coils are canted in a direction generally out of the bore. The UUV has a post that can include at least one circumferential recess configured to engage the coil spring, and which can function as a lock in some canted orientations of the spring. Alternately, the socket is defined in the UUV and the fin includes a post sized to be received in the socket.
1 . A replacement fin for an underwater vehicle, the fin comprising:
a fin body with a base, the fin body defining a socket extending into the base, the socket including a bore having a first diameter, the socket further including an internal circumferential groove of a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter;
a canted coil spring retained in the internal circumferential groove, wherein coils of the canted coil spring have an elongated coil shape;
wherein the canted coil spring can occupy a first canted position in which the coils are canted in a direction generally into the bore, and the coils can occupy a second canted position in which the coils are canted in a direction generally out of the bore; and
a spacer configured for removable attachment to a shaft into the socket.
2 . The replacement fin of claim 1 , wherein the socket defines at least one axial keyway in communication with the bore.
3 . The replacement fin of claim 1 , wherein the socket is made of stainless steel or titanium.
4 . The replacement fin of claim 1 , wherein an inside of the socket comprises a polymer.
5 . The replacement fin of claim 1 , wherein the socket is defined in an insert in the fin body.
6 . The replacement fin of claim 1 , wherein the fin is configured as a control fin.
7 . A replacement fin system comprising:
an underwater vehicle with an outside surface;
a shaft extending outward from the outside surface of the underwater vehicle, the shaft having a shaft body with a body diameter and defining at least one circumferential groove with a groove diameter that is smaller than the body diameter;
a fin defining a socket with a bore extending into the fin, the bore having a first diameter sized to receive the shaft, the socket also having an internal spring recess of a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
a canted coil spring in the spring recess, wherein coils of the canted coil spring have a non-circular coil shape, and wherein the canted coil spring can occupy a first canted position in which the coils are canted generally into the bore and a second canted position in which the coils are canted generally out of the bore; and
a spacer configured for removable attachment to the shaft at a location between the outside surface of the underwater vehicle and the fin body.
8 . The replacement fin system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one circumferential groove includes a first groove of a first groove diameter and a second groove of a second groove diameter smaller than the first groove diameter, wherein the first groove is axially spaced from the second groove and is positioned between a distal end of the shaft and the second groove.
9 . The replacement fin system of claim 8 , wherein the first groove has a first axial height and the second groove has a second axial height that is greater than the first axial height.
10 . The replacement fin system of claim 7 , wherein the body diameter and the first diameter of the bore differ by less than 0.010 inch.
11 . The replacement fin system of claim 7 , wherein the socket is made of stainless steel or titanium.
12 . The replacement fin system of claim 7 , wherein the fin body is part of a control fin of the underwater vehicle.
13 . The replacement fin system of claim 7 , wherein the underwater vehicle is an unmanned underwater vehicle.
14 . A replacement fin system comprising:
an underwater vehicle defining a socket, the socket including a bore of a first diameter and an internal circumferential recess of a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
a canted coil spring in the internal circumferential recess, wherein coils of the canted coil spring have a non-circular coil shape, and wherein the canted coil spring can occupy a first canted position in which the coils are canted generally into the socket and a second canted position in which the coils are canted generally out of the socket;
a control fin having a shaft extending out from a base of the control fin, the shaft having a shaft body with a body diameter and defining at least one circumferential groove with a groove diameter that is smaller than the body diameter; and
a spacer configured for removable attachment to the shaft.
15 . The replacement fin system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one circumferential groove includes a first groove of a first groove diameter and a second groove of a second groove diameter smaller than the first groove diameter, wherein the first groove is axially spaced from the second groove and the first groove is positioned axially between a distal end of the shaft and the second groove.
16 . The replacement fin system of claim 15 , wherein the first groove has a first axial height and the second groove has a second axial height that is greater than the first axial height.
17 . The replacement fin system of claim 16 , wherein the body diameter is smaller than the first diameter by no more than 0.010 inch.
18 . The replacement fin system of claim 14 , wherein the shaft is integrally formed as part of the fin.