Intake grate for underwater vehicle vector-flow thruster

Abstract

A propulsion system is provided. The propulsion system includes a housing and a rotatable vector-flow nozzle that extends from the housing and is configured to eject a fluid in a plurality of directions. The propulsion system also has a propeller disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the rotatable vector-flow nozzle. The propeller includes a blade that pitches in a first direction. A fluid intake is located at an end of the propulsion system housing and opposite the rotatable vector-flow nozzle. The propulsion system also has an intake grate at the fluid intake where the intake grate defines a hub and a rim spaced apart and about the hub. The intake grate includes a plurality of intake grate blades that pitch in a second direction opposite the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A marine propulsion system comprising:
 a housing;   a rotatable vector-flow nozzle extending from the housing and configured to eject a fluid in a plurality of directions;   a propeller disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the rotatable vector-flow nozzle, the propeller having a blade that pitches in a first direction;   a fluid intake disposed at an end of the housing and opposite the rotatable vector-flow nozzle; and   an intake grate disposed at the fluid intake, the intake grate having an asymmetrical configuration defining a hub and a rim spaced apart and about the hub, the intake grate comprising:
 a first plurality of intake grate blades wherein:
 blades of the first plurality of intake grate blades pitch in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and 
 the blades of the first plurality of intake grate blades have a hub intake grate angle and a first intake grate rim angle; 
 
 a second plurality of intake grate blades wherein:
 blades of the second plurality of intake grate blades pitch in the second direction; and 
 the blades of the second plurality of intake grate blades have the hub intake grate angle and a second intake grate rim angle that is different from the first intake grate rim angle. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 1 , wherein the blades of the first plurality of intake grate blades have a first length and the blades of the second plurality of intake grate blades have a second length that is different from the first length. 
     
     
         3 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable vector-flow nozzle has a rotatable span of 360 degrees relative to the housing and the marine propulsion system is configurable to produce thrust via the rotatable vector-flow nozzle that varies in a range between one percent and ten percent throughout the rotatable span. 
     
     
         4 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid intake includes a first taper disposed about a periphery of the fluid intake. 
     
     
         5 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 4 , wherein the blades of the first plurality of intake grate blades have a second taper at a distal end, the second taper mirroring the first taper. 
     
     
         6 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 1 , wherein the hub intake grate angle is in a range between one degree and thirty degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 6 , wherein the first intake grate rim angle is in a range between thirty degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 6 , wherein the second intake grate rim angle is in a range between thirty degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 1 , wherein the intake grate is in a shape of an oval or a polygon. 
     
     
         10 . A marine propulsion system comprising:
 a housing;   a rotatable vector-flow nozzle extending from the housing and configured to eject a fluid in a plurality of directions;   a propeller disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the rotatable vector-flow nozzle, the propeller having a blade that pitches in a first direction;   a fluid intake disposed at an end of the housing and opposite the rotatable vector-flow nozzle; and   an intake grate disposed at the fluid intake, the intake grate defining a hub and a rim spaced apart and about the hub, the intake grate comprising a plurality of intake grate blades wherein the plurality of intake grate blades:
 pitch in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and 
 have a hub intake grate angle at the intake grate hub and a rim intake grate angle at the intake grate rim, the hub intake grate angle being different from the rim intake grate angle. 
   
     
     
         11 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 10 , wherein the intake grate has an asymmetrical configuration and the plurality of intake grate blades includes a first plurality of intake grate blades having a first length and a second plurality of intake grate blades having a second length less than the first length. 
     
     
         12 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of intake grate blades has a first rim intake grate angle and the second plurality of intake grate blades have a second rim intake grate angle that is less than the first rim intake grate angle. 
     
     
         13 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 10 , wherein the rotatable vector-flow nozzle has a rotatable span of 360 degrees relative to the housing and the marine propulsion system is configurable to produce thrust via the rotatable vector-flow nozzle that varies in a range between one percent and ten percent throughout the rotatable span. 
     
     
         14 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 10 , wherein the hub intake grate angle is in a range between one degree and thirty degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 14 , wherein the rim intake grate angle is in a range between thirty degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         16 . A marine propulsion system comprising:
 a housing;   a rotatable vector-flow nozzle extending from the housing and configured to eject a fluid in a plurality of directions;   a propeller disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the rotatable vector-flow nozzle, the propeller having a blade that pitches in a first direction;   a fluid intake disposed at an end of the housing and opposite the rotatable vector-flow nozzle; and   an intake grate disposed at the fluid intake, the intake grate defining a hub and a rim spaced apart and about the hub, the intake grate comprising a plurality of intake grate blades, wherein the plurality of intake grate blades pitch in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         17 . The marine propulsion system of claim of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of intake grate blades has a hub intake grate angle at the intake grate hub and a rim intake grate angle at the intake grate rim, the hub intake grate angle being less than the rim intake grate angle. 
     
     
         18 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 16 , wherein the rotatable vector-flow nozzle has a rotatable span of 360 degrees relative to the housing and the marine propulsion system is configurable to produce thrust via the rotatable vector-flow nozzle that varies in a range between one percent and ten percent throughout the rotatable span. 
     
     
         19 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 16 , wherein the intake grate has an asymmetrical configuration and the plurality of intake grate blades includes a first plurality of intake grate blades having a first length and a second plurality of intake grate blades having a second length less than the first length. 
     
     
         20 . The marine propulsion system of  claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of intake grate blades has a first rim intake grate angle and the second plurality of intake grate blades have a second rim intake grate angle that is less than the first rim intake grate angle.