Adaptor for an unmanned underwater vehicle for inspecting an object and method for providing same

摘要

An adaptor for an unmanned vehicle for inspecting an object, the adaptor includes a moveable ring assembly and a fixed ring. The moveable ring assembly rotates around a periphery of the unmanned vehicle and allows the unmanned vehicle to move along a surface of the object while maintaining a fixed stand-off distance between an exterior surface of the adaptor and the surface of the object. The fixed ring is connected around the exterior surface of the unmanned vehicle and secures a lateral position of the moveable ring assembly with respect to the unmanned vehicle.

主权项

1. An adaptor for an unmanned vehicle for inspecting an object, the adaptor comprising:
a moveable ring assembly that rotates around a periphery of the unmanned vehicle, said moveable ring assembly allowing the unmanned vehicle to move along a surface of the object at a fixed stand-off distance between an exterior surface of the unmanned vehicle and the surface of the object, while the moveable ring assembly is in contact with the object; wherein the moveable ring assembly comprises a moveable ring that surrounds the exterior surface of the unmanned vehicle, a plurality of wheel mounts that extends outwardly from said moveable ring and a plurality of wheels that are fixed between pairs of adjacent said wheel mounts; and, at least one fixed ring surrounding and mounted to an exterior surface of the unmanned vehicle, wherein the fixed ring secures a lateral position of the moveable ring assembly with respect to the unmanned vehicle.