U.S. patent application number 15/340980 was filed with the patent office on 2017-05-04 for launchable tethered remote anchoring module.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tethers Unlimited Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Robert Hoyt. Invention is credited to Robert Hoyt.
Application Number | 20170121927 15/340980 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58635351 |
Filed Date | 2017-05-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170121927 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hoyt; Robert |
May 4, 2017 |
Launchable Tethered Remote Anchoring Module
Abstract
A launchable land anchor having a tether, an anchor head housing
a self-righting control module, a ground penetration device, a
plurality of stability panels extending from a bottom portion
having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a plurality
of sensors disposed on said exterior surface of said stability
panels. Embodiments according to the present invention allow for
self-righting functionality and continuous monitoring of stability
to ensure security of the anchoring and removing the need of an
on-site operator to setup and monitor the land anchor.
Inventors: |
Hoyt; Robert; (Bothell,
WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hoyt; Robert |
Bothell |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Tethers Unlimited Inc.
Bothell
WA
|
Family ID: |
58635351 |
Appl. No.: |
15/340980 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62249435 |
Nov 2, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 2600/30 20130101;
E02D 5/801 20130101; E02D 5/803 20130101; E02D 2600/10
20130101 |
International
Class: |
E02D 5/80 20060101
E02D005/80 |
Claims
1. A launchable land anchor, comprising: a tether; an anchor body;
an anchor head housing a self-righting control module; a ground
penetration device disposed in said anchor body; a plurality of
stability panels having an interior surface and an exterior
surface; and a plurality of sensors disposed on said exterior
surface of said stability panels, wherein said plurality of
stability panels extend from a bottom portion of said anchor
body.
2. The launchable land anchor of claim 1, wherein said tether
comprises a power over tether.
3. The launchable land anchor of claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of extendable sharply pointed projections.
4. The launchable land anchor of claim 1, wherein said
self-righting control module comprises: a self-righting motor; a
drill translation motor; and a motor controller.
5. The launchable land anchor of claim 1, wherein said
self-righting control module comprises: a stored energy device; a
drill translation motor; and a motor controller.
6. The launchable land anchor of claim 1 further comprising: an
inner structure having a top, a middle, and a bottom; a
self-righting collar disposed around said middle having a plurality
of short struts extending from said collar; a plurality of long
struts connectively attached to said plurality of short struts; and
a plurality of lead screws disposed in said inner structure
threading said collar.
7. The launchable land anchor of claim 1 wherein said ground
penetration device comprises: a drill; a drill translation gear
rotatably mounted within said anchor body that engages said drill;
a drill chain set that engages said drill translation gear; and a
drill bit mounted to a telescoping anchor shaft that is rotatably
mounted within and rotatably driven by said drill.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application No. 62/249,435 filed on 2 Nov. 2015.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of anchors, in
particular, a launchable tethered land anchoring system with
distributed sensor technology to continuously assess reliability of
the system.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0003] Anchoring devices are designed to offset the weight of an
object by connecting to it so that the object remains stationary.
Anchors are well known in the art for securing a vessel to the
seabed. Anchors may also be used on land to secure a large object.
Kedge anchors, grapnels, and bridge supplemental sets are a few of
the types of anchors known in the art for land anchoring.
[0004] In the past, anchoring systems used on land required the use
of on-site personnel to build and maintain the systems. Prior land
anchors such as a bridge supplemental set required the use of a
hammer element to secure the anchor to the ground. This hammer
element requires an on-site person to engage the hammer. One
problem associated with this personnel requirement is that in
hazardous areas hit with a natural disaster or where there are
active military operations, it is preferred to have systems that
are autonomous so that fewer lives are at risk.
[0005] A second problem is that, once built, the tethering module
of such systems could break, risking destruction of the anchoring
system and the object being anchored without any warning or notice.
Other inventors have tried to create anchoring devices that ensure
reliable anchoring without requiring personnel for launching the
devices however those systems generally weigh a great deal and fail
to give feedback on the reliability of the anchor. Accordingly, it
would be an improvement in the art to provide a land anchor, which
can be deployed autonomously and has an automated reliability
feedback system ensuring the security of the anchor.
SUMMARY
[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a launchable
land anchor allows for autonomous deployment and maintains
continuous stability because self-righting and reliability
functionalities communicate the status of the land anchor to a
remote operator via a power over tether.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will be better understood by reading the following
Detailed Description, taken together with the Drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a laterally elevated view of one embodiment of the
present invention prior to a deployment; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a lateral partial view of the present invention in
a post-deployed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 provides a land anchor 100 in
a pre-deployment mode comprising a power over tether 102 and a
cylindrical casing 104 having a top end that is positioned below an
anchor head 106. An anchor head 106 can comprise a conical housing.
In one embodiment of the invention the cylindrical casing 104
comprises a plurality of extendable panels 108 and 110 each capable
of folding out from a top end portion 112 of the cylindrical casing
104. In an alternate embodiment of the invention the extendable
panels 108 and 110 slide out from the cylindrical casing 104. The
cylindrical casing 104 may comprise any metal, metal alloy,
composite, or any commercially available material or combinations
of material having sufficient impact absorption and weight. In an
embodiment of the invention, a plurality of sharply-pointed
projections 112 and 114 extend laterally from the extendable
panels. These sharply-pointed projections 112 and 114 may include
fixed or deployable claws, spikes, prongs, or any other object that
will allow the extendable panel to root into a ground surface area.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention the sharply-pointed
projections 112 and 114 additionally function as anti-rotation
devices. Sensors are disposed throughout the cylindrical casing 104
and anchor head 106 to detect and confirm self-righting
functionality and penetration into the ground surface area.
[0011] In FIG. 2, the land anchor 100 is shown in a post-deployment
mode in accordance to one embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment of the invention the anchor head 106 encapsulates a
self-righting control module. The self-righting control module
comprises a self-righting motor 202, a drill translation motor 204,
and a motor controller 206. A self-righting gear and chain set aids
the self-righting motor in accomplishing self-righting
functionality. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a
stored energy device accomplishes the self-righting functionality
in lieu of the self-righting motor 202 and self-righting gear and
chain set. These stored energy devices include springs or
compressed gas. The motor controller 206 comprises a motor
controller circuit and motor controller logic. In an embodiment of
the invention, the anchor head 106 is detachable from the anchor
body. The anchor head 106 may be made of any commercially available
impact absorbing material.
[0012] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the extendable panels 108 and
110 are self-righting and fold out from the top end portion of the
cylindrical casing 104. Each extendable panel 108 and 110, in
accordance with this embodiment, is mounted to a bottom connection
point 208 of the cylindrical casing with a clevis mounting 210
allowing the extendable panel 108 and 110 to pivot around an axis
that is tangential to the cylindrical casing 104. Other hinge
structures can be used instead of the clevis mounting to allow
pivoting about a tangential axis. In this embodiment of the
invention, each extendable panel 108 and 110 has an inner surface
212 and an outer surface 214. A long strut 216 is centrally
situated on the inner surface of each extendable panel 108 and 110.
This long strut 216 is connectively attached to a short strut 218.
In an embodiment of the invention, the long strut 216 and short
strut 218 are both self-righting.
[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the extendable panels 108 and 110
encase an anchor body 200 comprising inner structure of the land
anchor 100. A plurality of lead screws 220 and 222 connect an upper
connection point of the anchor body 200 to the bottom connection
point 208. The short strut 218 is connectively attached to a
self-righting collar 224 disposed around a middle section of the
anchor body 200. In an embodiment of the invention, the lead screws
220 and 222 thread the self-righting collar 224. The lead screws
220 and 222 aid in self-righting and drill translation functions. A
rotary percussive drill 226 is disposed in the anchor body 200 of
the land anchor. The rotary percussive drill 226 may be any
commercially available drill that can provide the necessary power
to penetrate the ground surface area. While FIG. 2 illustrates an
embodiment comprising a rotary percussive drill 226, one
knowledgeable in the art can appreciate that a rotary only or a
percussive only drill may be used. In an alternate embodiment of
the invention, a pneumatic drill is disposed in the anchor body. In
another embodiment of the invention explosives are used to add
utility and speed of penetrating the ground surface area. A
telescoping anchor shaft 228 connects the rotary percussive drill
226 to an arrowhead drill bit 230.
[0014] An embodiment comprises a ground penetration device disposed
within said anchor body, wherein the ground penetration device
comprises a drill; a drill translation gear; a drill chain set; and
a drill bit 230. A drill translation gear and chain set maintain
weight on the arrowhead drill bit 230. The drill translation gear
is rotatably mounted within said anchor body. The drill chain set
engages the drill translation gear. The drill translation gear
engages the drill. While FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment
comprising an arrowhead drill bit 230, one knowledgeable in the art
can appreciate that any commercially available or custom made drill
bit made to impact and penetrate the ground surface area may be
used. The rotary percussive drill 226 may be powered by a battery
232 or by the power over tether 102. Sensors are disposed within
the anchor body 200 to detect and confirm self-righting
functionality and penetration into the ground surface area.
[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the device uses separate
motors to drive the self-righting, drill translation, and anchoring
processes. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, these
processes are accomplished by a single motor and gearing/chain
set.
[0016] During deployment, the land anchor is launched and
autonomously self-rights normal to the terrain using sensors and
the self-righting functionality. The land anchor uses its drilling
functionality to penetrate the ground surface area. Sensors
determine sufficient penetration into the ground surface area to
secure a predetermined amount of holding force. Once the land
anchor is secured, it sends a ready signal over the tether to an
operator. The land anchor continues to monitor the security and
reliability of the anchor.
[0017] As referenced herein, the term "land" is used in its common,
yet broad sense to include not only ground surface materials such
as soil, sand, clay, rocks, stone, and ice but also any stationary
objects that are suited for receiving and securing anchors
according to various aspects of the invention. The term "land" may
also include subaqueous soil and submerged soils such as sediment,
sea bed, lake bed, river bed, silted areas, marches, and the
like.
[0018] While the principles of the invention have been described
herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that
this description is made only by way of example and not as a
limitation as to the scope of the invention. Further embodiments
are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in
addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein.
Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art
are considered to be within the scope of the present invention,
which is not to be limited except by the following claims.
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