IP Library Granted Patent US 9,649,901
Granted Patent B2
US 9,649,901 · App. 14/889,951 · Granted May 16, 2017

Amphibious vehicle and method for operating an amphibious vehicle

Inventors: Harald Bachmann (Munich, DE); Thomas Falke (Munich, DE); Gernot Steger (Munich, DE)
Assignee: KRAUSS-MAFFEI WEGMANN GMBH & CO. KG
B60F3/0007B60F3/0015B62D55/06B63H11/02F41H7/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,649,901
App. No.
14/889,951
Granted
May 16, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An amphibious vehicle ( 1 ), which may be a military amphibious vehicle, having a hull ( 2 ) which accommodates the crew of the vehicle, and a flow duct ( 10 ) extending through the hull ( 2 ) and having a water jet drive ( 12 ) arranged therein for driving the vehicle ( 1 ) on water, wherein at least one end ( 11 ) of the flow duct ( 10 ) can be closed off by an anti-mine element ( 14 ) when the vehicle is travelling on land. A method for operating an amphibious vehicle ( 1 ), which may be a military amphibious vehicle, having a hull ( 2 ) which accommodates the crew of the vehicle, a flow duct ( 10 ) which extends through the hull ( 2 ), and a water jet drive ( 12 ) arranged therein for driving the vehicle ( 1 ) on water, includes closing off at least one end ( 11 ) of the flow duct ( 10 ) by an anti-mine element ( 14 ) when the vehicle is travelling on land.

Claims (25)

1. An amphibious vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a hull ( 2 ) which accommodates the vehicle crew;

a flow duct ( 10 ) which is guided through the hull ( 2 ) and which runs from a lower side of the hull to a rear of the hull, the flow duct having a first end located on the lower side and a second end at the rear of the hull;

a water jet drive ( 12 ) arranged within the flow duct downstream of the first end and upstream of the second end for driving the amphibious vehicle ( 1 ) during travel on water, the water jet drive oriented to suck water up via the first end, and eject the water from the second end as a driving jet;

a first plate-shaped anti-mine element ( 14 ) for closing the first end of the flow duct and a second plate-shaped anti-mine element ( 14 ) for closing the second end of the flow duct; and

wherein both the first end and the second end ( 11 , 13 ) of the flow duct ( 10 ) are closable via the first and the second plate-shaped anti-mine elements ( 14 ) during travel on land.

2. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second driving device for moving the second anti-mine element, the second driving device including a motor, a threaded spindle driven by the motor, and a spindle nut connected to the anti-mine element that sits on the threaded spindle.

3. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anti-mine element ( 14 ) is movable between an anti-mine position and a throughflow position.

4. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a first frame ( 15 ) for supporting the anti-mine element ( 14 ) during action of a mine, the first frame being connected to the hull at the first end and including a groove that guides the first anti-mine element in an axially movable manner when the first driving device moves the first anti-mine element.

5. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first end of the flow duct ( 10 ) is surrounded by the first frame ( 15 ).

6. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first frame ( 15 ) has a flange surface ( 22 ) for connection to the flow duct ( 10 ).

7. The amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a seal ( 20 , 21 ) for sealing off the first frame ( 15 ) from the first anti-mine element ( 14 ).

8. The amphibious vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a military amphibious vehicle.

9. A method for operating an amphibious vehicle ( 1 ), the method comprising:

providing a hull ( 2 ) that accommodates a crew of the vehicle, a flow duct ( 10 ) that is guided through the hull ( 2 ) and which runs from a lower side of the hull to a rear of the hull, the flow duct having a first end located on the lower side and a second end at the rear of the hull, a water jet drive ( 12 ) arranged within the flow duct downstream of the first end and upstream of the second end, for driving the amphibious vehicle ( 1 ) during travel on water, the water jet drive oriented to suck water up via the first end, and eject the water from the second end as a driving jet, a first plate-shaped anti-mine element ( 14 ) for closing the first end of the flow duct and a second plate-shaped anti-mine element ( 14 ) for closing the second end of the flow duct; and

selectively closing the first end and the second end of the flow duct during travel on land with the first and the second plate-shaped anti-mine elements, respectively.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the amphibious vehicle ( 1 ) is designed as claimed in claim 1 .

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is a military amphibious vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first end and the second end are each selectively closed with the first and the second plate-shaped anti-mine elements moved by first and second driving devices, the first and second driving devices each including a motor, a threaded spindle driven by the motor, and a spindle nut connected to the respective anti-mine element that sits on the threaded spindle.

13. An amphibious vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a hull ( 2 ) which accommodates the vehicle crew;

a flow duct ( 10 ) which is guided through the hull ( 2 ) and which runs from a lower side of the hull to a rear of the hull, the flow duct having a first end located on the lower side and a second end at the rear of the hull;

a water jet drive ( 12 ) arranged within the flow duct downstream of the first end and upstream of the second end for driving the amphibious vehicle ( 1 ) during travel on water, the water jet drive oriented to suck water up via the first end, and eject the water from the second end as a driving jet;

a first plate-shaped anti-mine element ( 14 ) for closing the first end of the flow duct; and

a first driving device for moving the first anti-mine element, the first driving device including a motor, a threaded spindle driven by the motor, and a spindle nut connected to the anti-mine element that sits on the threaded spindle.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2024
From: KRAUSS-MAFFEI WEGMANN GMBH & CO. KG
To: KNDS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 069211/0087 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2015
From: BACHMANN, HARALD; FALKE, THOMAS; STEGER, GERNOT
To: KRAUSS-MAFFEI WEGMANN GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 036993/0086 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2013 104 833 · May 10, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160082797A1 · Mar 24, 2016