US 11,999,450 B2
Robot, system and a method for underwater monitoring and maintenance of a ship's hull
Rune Freyer, Hafrsfjord (NO)
Assigned to Shipshave AS, Stavanger (NO)
Appl. No. 17/605,491
Filed by Shipshave AS, Stavanger (NO)
PCT Filed Apr. 17, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/060865
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/229091, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. NO20190599 (NO), filed on May 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212764 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B63B 59/08 (2006.01); B63B 1/26 (2006.01); B63B 21/66 (2006.01); B63H 25/38 (2006.01)
CPC B63B 59/08 (2013.01) [B63B 1/26 (2013.01); B63B 21/66 (2013.01); B63H 25/38 (2013.01); B63B 2059/087 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot for underwater monitoring and maintenance of a ship's hull when the ship is underway, the robot comprising:
a main body having a front part and a rear end connected with a middle part;
a connector for connecting the robot to a cable for towing the robot is arranged to the front part of the main body;
a resting base adapted to rest against the ship's hull and being arranged along the full length of the main body;
at least one hydrofoil arranged perpendicular to the length axis of the main body arranged to force the resting base of the robot towards the ship's hull;
a rudder arranged at the front part of the main body, perpendicular to the length axis of the main body and the at least one hydrofoil; and
wherein the main body is a straight and elongated body having a length to width ratio of 5 or more, where the length of the at least one hydrofoil as seen perpendicular to the main body, is longer than the width of the main body, and where the connector for the cable is arranged at one end of the at least one hydrofoil, or at an arm extending parallel with the at least one hydrofoil.