Buoyant target with laser reflectivity

Abstract

A buoyant target or ship decoy comprises an inflatable structure with a drogue chute attached to the periphery of the bottom of the inflatable structure. The drogue chute is an open flexible structure with a bottom end weighted with ballast to deploy it, and with ports through its side to permit water to flow into and out of it. A laser reflector member is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable structure. The laser reflector member comprises a body having one or more laser reflective surfaces.

1 . A buoyant target comprising:
 an inflatable structure formed of a flexible material that allows the inflatable structure to expand from a collapsed state to an inflated state; and   a laser reflector member disposed on an exterior surface of the inflatable structure, the laser reflector member comprising at least one laser reflective surface.   
     
     
         2 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , wherein the laser reflector member is a laser reflective tape. 
     
     
         3 . The buoyant target of  claim 2 , wherein the laser reflective tape is disposed on a top panel or along an upper portion of a sidewall panel of the inflatable structure. 
     
     
         4 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , wherein the laser reflector member is a body attached to the inflatable structure, the body having at least one laser reflective surface. 
     
     
         5 . The buoyant target of  claim 4 , wherein the body is disposed on a top panel or along an upper portion of a sidewall panel of the inflatable structure. 
     
     
         6 . The buoyant target of  claim 4 , wherein the body comprises a prism or body having a plurality of planar, laser reflecting surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The buoyant target of  claim 5 , wherein the body is one of an octagonal, hexagonal, cubic or pyramidal body. 
     
     
         8 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , wherein the member has a plurality of laser reflective surfaces, each surface reflecting in a direction different from that of the other laser reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , wherein the member is disposed on a top panel, or one or more upper portions of a sidewall panel of the inflatable structure. 
     
     
         10 . The buoyant target of  claim 9 , wherein the inflatable structure has at least four sidewall panels and the member is disposed on upper portions of all the sidewall panels. 
     
     
         11 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizing structure connected to a bottom end of the inflatable structure, the stabilizing structure enclosing a chamber and including an aperture that allows water to fill the chamber when the target is placed on water. 
     
     
         12 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , further comprising a radar reflector device disposed inside the inflatable structure, the radar reflector device comprising a plurality of 3-surface orthogonal reflectors configured to reflect a radar signal. 
     
     
         13 . The buoyant target of  claim 12 , wherein the radar reflector device comprises three flat sheets that are substantially perpendicular to each other, and the three flat sheets form the plurality of 3-surface orthogonal reflectors. 
     
     
         14 . The buoyant target of  claim 12 , wherein each of the 3-surface orthogonal reflectors has a central reflection vector oriented at substantially equal angles from each radar reflective surface of the 3-surface orthogonal reflector, and the central reflection vectors point radially outward, in plan view, from the inflatable structure. 
     
     
         15 . The buoyant target of  claim 14 , wherein the central reflection vectors are spaced apart from each other, in plan view, at substantially equal angles. 
     
     
         16 . The buoyant target of  claim 14 , wherein the radar reflector device comprises six 3-surface orthogonal reflectors, and the corresponding six central reflection vectors are spaced apart from each other, in plan view, at angles from about 50 degrees to about 70 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The buoyant target of  claim 1 , further including a radar reflector device disposed within the inflatable structure, the radar reflector device comprising three mutually orthogonal and intersecting planes, the planes configured to reflect a radar signal, the planes forming a plurality of orthogonal reflectors. 
     
     
         18 . The buoyant target of  claim 17 , wherein each plane is bounded by an edge that forms a circle, and the edge of each plane abuts an interior surface of the inflatable structure, the interior surface being substantially horizontal when the inflatable structure is in the inflated state. 
     
     
         19 . The buoyant target of  claim 17 , wherein the planes form eight 3-surface orthogonal reflectors each having a central reflection vector, and wherein when the inflatable structure is in the inflated state, a first three of the central reflector vectors are tilted above horizontal at substantially equal angles of at least 10 degrees and a second three of the central reflector vectors are tilted below horizontal at substantially equal angles of at least 10 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The buoyant target of  claim 17 , wherein the radar reflector device comprises a plurality of reflective leaves configured to pivot or bend relative to each other, the reflective leaves forming at least one of the three mutually orthogonal and intersecting planes. 
     
     
         21 . The buoyant target of  claim 4 , wherein the body comprises at least 12 laser reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         22 . The buoyant target of  claim 21 , wherein the body comprises a 12-sided prism. 
     
     
         23 . The buoyant target of  claim 4 , wherein the body is positioned on the buoyant target such that the buoyant target is capable of reflecting laser light incident from angles separated by 30 degrees relative to a center of the buoyant target. 
     
     
         24 . The buoyant target of  claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of the 12-sided prisms, wherein each is oriented about its main axis relative to the others so that the buoyant target is capable of reflecting laser light incident from angles separated by less than 30 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . A ship decoy comprising:
 an inflatable structure formed of a flexible material that allows the inflatable structure to expand from a collapsed state to an inflated state; and   a laser reflector member disposed on an exterior surface of the inflatable structure, the laser reflector member comprising at least one laser reflective surface.   
     
     
         26 . The ship decoy of  claim 25 , further comprising means for automatically deploying the decoy. 
     
     
         27 . The ship decoy of  claim 25 , wherein the decoy is in a stowed configuration, further including an inflation source sealed via a closed valve, the inflation source comprising a compressed fluid and being coupled to a valve of the decoy for inflating the decoy, and at least one lanyard for opening the closed valve to thereby cause rapid inflation of the decoy via the inflation source. 
     
     
         28 . A ship decoy system further comprising a plurality of stowed decoys according to  claim 25 , further including an inflation source sealed via a closed valve, the inflation source comprising a compressed fluid and being coupled via a fluid conduit or tubing to valves of each of the decoys for inflating each of the decoys via the inflation source, and at least one lanyard for remotely opening the closed valve to thereby cause rapid inflation of the decoys via the inflation source.