Unmanned submersible vehicle with on-board generating capability

Abstract

An unmanned submersible vehicle which has the capability to be remotely operated is powered by on on-board battery. The battery is recharged while the vehicle is operating by a turbine driven by the flow of water past the vehicle. The vehicle may also be coupled to a base station by a cable for control purposes. The cable is spooled on a cable spool mounted in or on the vehicle, so the vehicle unspools the control cable as the vehicle moves away from the base station.

1 . An unmanned submersible vehicle, comprising: 
 a submersible housing;    a rechargeable battery system located in the housing;    a turbine associated with the housing, whereby the turbine is driven by a flow of water past the housing; and    a generator coupled to the turbine, wherein the generator is electrically coupled to recharge the battery.    
   
   
       2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine includes an impeller external to the housing.  
   
   
       3 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine is at least partly internal to the housing  
   
   
       4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an axle with wheels or tracks mounted external to the housing; and    a motor in the housing and coupled to drive the wheels or tracks;    wherein the motor is electrically coupled to the battery.    
   
   
       5 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a member extensible outward from the housing thereby to bear against a surface to inhibit movement of the vehicle relative to the surface.  
   
   
       6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the member terminates in a curved portion.  
   
   
       7 . An unmanned submersible vehicle, adapted to receive and/or transmit signals along a cable coupled to a base, the vehicle comprising: 
 a submersible housing;    a cable spool mounted to the housing; and    a spool control coupled to the cable spool, whereby the cable in operation unspools from the cable spool as the vehicle moves away from the base.    
   
   
       8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the spool control includes a cable brake.  
   
   
       9 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the cable spool is mounted external to the housing.  
   
   
       10 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the cable spool is mounted internal to the housing and the cable passes from the cable spool through a port defined in the housing.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the spool control includes a motor coupled to rotate the spool.  
   
   
       12 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , further comprising a traveler mounted to the cable spool and movable along the cable spool.  
   
   
       13 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , further comprising a length of negatively buoyant cable adapted to be spooled on the cable spool.  
   
   
       14 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the cable includes an optical fiber.  
   
   
       15 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , further comprising a severing mechanism mounted adjacent the cable and adapted to sever the cable.  
   
   
       16 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , further comprising a controller in the housing, wherein in normal operation the controller is in communication with the base location via the cable, and upon a severing of the cable, the controller autonomously controls operation of the vehicle.  
   
   
       17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the severing mechanism, thereby to sever the cable upon determination by the controller of predetermined conditions.