System for autonomous refueling of unmanned vessels

Abstract

A system for autonomous refueling of unmanned vessels comprising a refueling boom configured to extend laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of one of a fuel supply vessel and an unmanned vessel to be fueled during refueling operations; a boom attachment mechanism at the distal end of the boom and configured to engage a fueling attachment mechanism of an other of the fuel supply vessel and the unmanned vessel to be fueled; and a guide mechanism configured to capture the refueling boom and guide the boom attachment mechanism toward the fueling attachment mechanism.

1 . A system for autonomous refueling of unmanned vessels, comprising:
 a refueling boom configured to extend laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of one of a fuel supply vessel and an unmanned vessel to be fueled during refueling operations;   a boom attachment mechanism at the distal end of the boom and configured to engage a fueling attachment mechanism of an other of the fuel supply vessel and the unmanned vessel to be fueled;   a guide mechanism configured to capture the refueling boom and guide the boom attachment mechanism toward the fueling attachment mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the boom includes a valve configured to open when the attachment mechanism is under tension, allowing fuel to flow. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refueling boom is padded to prevent damage to at least one of the fuel supply vessel and the unmanned vessel to be fueled. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotation mechanism to move the boom from a stored longitudinal position to a lateral position for refueling. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the boom attachment mechanism includes a hook guide mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the guide mechanism includes a wedge with a wide opening and a closed end that directs the refueling boom and the hook guide mechanism towards the closed end of the wedge upon engagement, ensuring alignment of the boom attachment mechanism toward the fueling attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the boom attachment mechanism includes a ball-shaped coupling. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refueling boom, the boom attachment mechanism, and the guide mechanism are configured to allow towing of the fueling vessel by the unmanned vessel to be fueled or the unmanned vessel to be fueled by the fueling vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a shock absorption system operably associated with the boom to allow at least one of vertical articulation and longitudinal extension. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the refueling boom is configured to extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of one of the fueling vessel and the unmanned vessel to be fueled during refueling operations. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the boom attachment mechanism includes an integrated nozzle and the fueling attachment mechanism includes a fuel filler neck configured to matingly receive the integrated nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using the autonomous refueling system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 extending the refueling boom laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of one of a fuel supply vessel and an unmanned vessel to be fueled during refueling operations;   engaging the fueling attachment mechanism of an other of the fuel supply vessel and the unmanned vessel to be fueled with the boom attachment mechanism;   capturing the refueling boom and guiding the boom attachment mechanism toward the fueling attachment mechanism with the guide mechanism.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the boom includes a valve configured to open when the attachment mechanism is under tension, allowing fuel to flow, and the method further comprising opening the valve, allowing fuel to flow, with the attachment mechanism is under tension. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a rotation mechanism to move the boom from a stored longitudinal position to a lateral position for refueling, and the method further comprising moving the boom from the stored longitudinal position to the lateral position with the rotation mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the boom attachment mechanism includes a hook guide mechanism, the guide mechanism includes a wedge with a wide opening and a closed end that directs the refueling boom and the hook guide mechanism towards the closed end of the wedge upon engagement, and the method further comprising directing the refueling boom and the hook guide mechanism towards the closed end of the wedge upon engagement with the guide mechanism, ensuring alignment of the boom attachment mechanism toward the fueling attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the refueling boom, the boom attachment mechanism, and the guide mechanism are configured to allow towing of the fueling vessel by the unmanned vessel to be fueled or the unmanned vessel to be fueled by the fueling vessel, and the method further comprising allow towing of the fueling vessel by the unmanned vessel to be fueled or the unmanned vessel to be fueled by the fueling vessel with the refueling boom, the boom attachment mechanism, and the guide mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further including a shock absorption system operably associated with the boom to allow at least one of vertical articulation and longitudinal extension; and the method further comprising absorbing shock in the boom with the shock absorption system in at least one of vertical articulation and longitudinal extension.