US 12,227,276 B1
Inflatable and deployable mast fairings for submarine sail systems
Paul V Cavallaro, Raynham, MA (US); Nicholas A Valm, Dartmouth, MA (US); Jacob D O'Donnell, Middletown, RI (US); and Michael P Smith, Warwick, RI (US)
Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
Filed by The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Newport, RI (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/840,660.
Int. Cl. B63G 8/06 (2006.01); B63G 8/38 (2006.01)
CPC B63G 8/06 (2013.01) [B63G 8/38 (2013.01); B63B 2203/00 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inflatable deployable mast fairing assembly for closing an aperture formed between a deployable hardware system and a sail bay opening, said assembly comprising:
a rigid foundation;
a hydrodynamic fairing characterized by a perimeter shape fitted to a contour of the aperture and by a void configured to fittedly receive a portion of the deployable hardware system; and
a first soft actuator having a cylindrical bladdered membrane mechanically mounted at a bottom end to said rigid foundation and at a top end to said hydrodynamic fairing, and configured to coaxially elongate to the deployable hardware system upon fluid pressurization and to fittedly position said hydrodynamic fairing in the aperture formed between the deployable hardware system and the sail bay opening.