US 12,263,924 B1
Variable ballast propulsion shipping vessel, systems and methods
Randy Durst, Boynton Beach, FL (US)
Assigned to SEATRAIN TECHNOLOGY, LLC, Boynton Beach, FL (US)
Filed by Seatrain Technology, LLC, Boynton Beach, FL (US)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 19/005,270.
Application 19/005,270 is a continuation of application No. 18/834,219, previously published as PCT/US2023/037256, filed on Nov. 14, 2023.
Int. Cl. B63B 43/06 (2006.01); B63B 1/32 (2006.01); B63B 13/00 (2006.01); B63H 25/38 (2006.01)
CPC B63B 43/06 (2013.01) [B63B 1/322 (2013.01); B63B 13/00 (2013.01); B63H 25/38 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shipping vessel, comprising:
a train for executing underwater travel, the train formed by a plurality of segments hingedly coupled to one another in a series, each segment of the plurality of segments including one or more variable ballast tanks and one or more hydrodynamic features; and
a control system configured to:
cause the one or more variable ballast tanks of the plurality of segments to be selectively filled with and expelled of a fluid to correspondingly change buoyancies of the plurality of segments, wherein a filling of fluid into each segment causes an underwater downward acceleration of the corresponding segment and an expulsion of fluid from the segment causes an underwater upward acceleration of the corresponding segment; and
control the one or more hydrodynamic features in each segment to translate the underwater downward acceleration and the underwater upward acceleration into a desired direction as at least one of pitch and yaw such that the shipping vessel executes a glide maneuver to glide up and down underwater among the train of the plurality of segments and along a glide path defined by a series of peaks and troughs to move the shipping vessel underwater.