Hull cleaning robot

Abstract

To provide a hull washing robot.SOLUTION: A robot is disclosed composed to wash a surface of a coating having Konig pendulum hardness which is smaller than 75 times. The robot includes a washing brush assembly extending outside from a brush core as well as having a plurality of cameras with height, the lamella washing brush is installed to rotate with its shaft as center to apply washing action to a surface when coming into contact with the surface, the brush is held in a position with distance to a surface of the coating from an initial position where the brush is not deformed by coming into contact with the surface, and the robot is composed to apply compression degree of the washing brush to the surface so that this distance is less than 56% of the height of the plurality of lamella.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot configured to clean a ship's hull while traveling on it, a kit for cleaning a ship's hull, and a method for cleaning a surface of a coating applied to a ship's hull. [Background technology]

[0002] All surfaces submerged in seawater experience the fouling of organisms, including bacteria, diatoms, algae, mussels, tubeworms, and barnacles. Marine fouling is the unwanted accumulation of microorganisms, algae, and animals on submerged structures. Fouling organisms can be classified as microfouling (bacteria and diatomic biofilms) and macrofouling (e.g., macroalgae, barnacles, mussels, tubeworms, and bryozoans), which coexist in fouling communities. A brief overview of the fouling process is as follows: The first step is the formation of a conditioning film of organic molecules attached to the surface. This occurs the moment the surface is immersed in seawater. Primary colonizers, bacteria and diatoms, settle within one day. Secondary colonizers, macroalgal spores and protists, settle within one week. Tertiary colonizers, the larval stages of macrofouling, settle within two to three weeks.

[0003] Marine fouling is a well-known problem. Marine fouling on the hull of a ship engaged in active trade can lead to increased resistance, increased fuel consumption, or reduced speed. Increased fuel consumption can lead to increased CO2, NO x This will lead to increased carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions. Many commercial ships (e.g., container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, passenger ships) trade around the world. It is known that periphytons attached to ship hulls can migrate from one geographical region to another. This can be problematic when invasive species are introduced into new ecosystems, with consequent ecological or commercial impacts.

[0004] Antifouling paints have traditionally been used to prevent the deposition and proliferation of marine organisms, and the most effective antifouling paints contain biocides that leach through the coating and reduce the amount of fouling.

[0005] Robots, sometimes called "crawlers" or ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), are also conventionally used for cleaning submerged surfaces, for example, for use on the hulls of ships. See U.S. Pat. No. 8,506,719 for background. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The inventors have determined that while robots have traditionally been used to clean submerged surfaces, the cleaning equipment has not been adjusted or installed to optimize removal of deposits and avoid damaging the coating applied to the hull. Excessive cleaning operations can result in excessive consumption of the degradable coating and lead to excessive release of coating components, including biocides, into the environment, which also shortens the coating's lifespan. This is undesirable, as release of biocides into the environment should be minimized. Excessive cleaning operations can also damage the coating, shortening its lifespan. Excessive cleaning operations can damage any coating. Damage to the painted surface can also increase drag, increase fuel consumption, or reduce the vessel's speed.

[0007] An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a robot configured to perform preventative cleaning of a ship's hull. This is beneficial because it is easier to remove fouling early in the fouling process, ensuring minimal fuel consumption for the ship. Preventative cleaning is gentle, frequent cleaning of the hull that does not affect the integrity of the coating, while still being abrasive enough to remove fouling. This balance of sufficient abrasiveness for cleaning power and gentle contact with the coating surface must be adjusted for different coating systems.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a robot configured to clean a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship while traveling over the hull, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of less than 75 times, the robot comprising a cleaning brush assembly having a lamellar cleaning brush, the lamellar cleaning brush comprising a plurality of lamellae extending outward from a brush core and having a height, the lamellar cleaning brush arranged to rotate about its axis upon contacting the surface to apply a cleaning action to the surface, the robot configured to apply a compression of the lamellar cleaning brush to the surface such that the lamellar cleaning brush is held at a position spaced a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the lamellar cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 56% of the height of the plurality of lamellae.

[0009] The distance may be 5 to 56% of the height of the lamellae, more preferably 5 to 28% of the height of the lamellae, and even more preferably 11 to 22% of the height of the lamellae.

[0010] The processor may be configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull such that during the cleaning operation, each lamella applies multiple brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the lamella cleaning brush.

[0011] The number of brush strokes may be less than 5,000, and is preferably 5 to 3,400, more preferably 5 to 1,280, and even more preferably 6 to 855.

[0012] In embodiments where the coating has a pendulum hardness of less than 30, the number of brush strokes is preferably less than 855.

[0013] The coating may have a pendulum hardness of less than 30 times.

[0014] The coating film may have a pendulum hardness of 30 to 74 times.

[0015] The coating may also contain an antifouling agent.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a robot configured to clean a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship while traveling over the hull, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of 30 to 74 times, the robot including a cleaning brush assembly having a cleaning brush arranged to rotate about its axis upon contact with the surface to perform a cleaning action on the surface, the cleaning brush including bristles having a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 1 mm or less, the robot configured to compress the cleaning brush against the surface such that the cleaning brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the cleaning brush is in contact with the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 20% of the bristle length of the bristles.

[0017] The distance may be 2 to 16% of the bristle length of the bristles, and more preferably is 2 to 12% of the bristle length of the bristles.

[0018] The bristles may have a bristle diameter of 0.2 to 0.75 mm, preferably 0.3 to 0.6 mm.

[0019] The bristles of the scrubbing brush may be arranged in multiple tufts attached to a core of the scrubbing brush. In these embodiments, the processor may be configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull during the scrubbing operation, with each tuft of bristles applying multiple brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the scrubbing brush. The number of brush strokes may be less than 1710, preferably between 5 and 1280, more preferably between 6 and 1280, and even more preferably between 6 and 855.

[0020] The bristles of the scrubbing brush may be arranged in multiple brush strips. In these embodiments, the processor may be configured to control the robot to traverse an area of ​​the hull during the scrubbing operation, with each brush strip delivering multiple brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the scrubbing brush. The number of brush strokes may be less than 1710, preferably between 5 and 1280, more preferably between 6 and 1280, and even more preferably between 6 and 855.

[0021] The coating may also include an antifouling agent.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a robot configured to clean a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship while traveling over the hull, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of 75 or more, the robot including a cleaning brush assembly having a cleaning brush arranged to rotate about its axis upon contact with the surface to perform a cleaning action on the surface, the cleaning brush including bristles having a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 2 mm, the robot configured to compress the cleaning brush against the surface so that the cleaning brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the cleaning brush is in contact with the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles.

[0023] The distance may be 4 to 48% of the bristle length of the bristles, and more preferably 4 to 28% of the bristle length of the bristles.

[0024] The bristles may have a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

[0025] The bristles of the scrubbing brush may be arranged in multiple tufts attached to a core of the scrubbing brush. In these embodiments, the processor may be configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull during the scrubbing operation, with each tuft of bristles applying multiple brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the scrubbing brush. The number of brush strokes may be less than 17,000, preferably between 5 and 12,000, more preferably between 6 and 10,000, and even more preferably between 6 and 5,000.

[0026] The bristles of the cleaning brush may be arranged in multiple brush strips. In these embodiments, the processor may be configured to control the robot to traverse an area of ​​the hull during the cleaning operation, with each brush strip delivering multiple brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the cleaning brush. The number of brush strokes may be less than 17,000, preferably between 5 and 12,000, more preferably between 6 and 10,000, and even more preferably between 6 and 5,000.

[0027] The coating may also include an antifouling agent.

[0028] In any of the above aspects of the present disclosure, the cleaning brush assembly may include a brush position adjustment mechanism for controlling the degree of compression.

[0029] The brush position adjustment mechanism may be manually adjustable to control the degree of compression, or the brush position adjustment mechanism may be connected to the processor, the processor being configured to communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to control the degree of compression.

[0030] In any of the above aspects of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine a location of the robot on the hull of the ship, query a memory coupled to the processor, identify an additional coating applied to the hull of the ship at the location, and determine that a reconfiguration of the robot is required based on the identified additional coating.

[0031] The processor may be configured to determine a position of the robot on the hull of the ship based on receiving position data from at least one of a position sensor on the robot, a position sensor on the ship, and a computing device, the robot comprising a communications interface for receiving the position data from the position sensor on the ship, and the robot configured to receive the position data from the computing device via the communications interface.

[0032] In any of the above aspects of the present disclosure, the processor is configured to determine a degree of buildup on a surface of the coating and, based on the degree of buildup, determine that a reconfiguration of the robot is necessary.

[0033] The processor may be configured, in response to the determination that the robot requires reconfiguration, to control the robot to move to a robot docking station on the vessel.

[0034] The brush position adjustment mechanism may be connected to the processor, the processor being configured to communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to vary the degree of compression in response to the determination that the robot requires reconfiguration.

[0035] The processor may be configured to determine the degree of fouling on a surface of the coating based on receiving fouling data from at least one of a fouling sensor on the robot, a fouling sensor on the ship, and a computing device, wherein the robot includes a communications interface for receiving the fouling data from the fouling sensor on the ship, and the robot is configured to receive the fouling data from the computing device via the communications interface.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a kit for cleaning a hull of a boat, said kit comprising: a robot configured to clean a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship while traveling on the hull, the robot including a mechanism for connecting a cleaning brush to the robot; one or more cleaning brushes; The one or more cleaning brushes include: a lamella cleaning brush having a plurality of lamellae extending outward from a brush core and having a height, wherein the robot is configured to apply a compression of the lamella cleaning brush to the surface so that when the lamella cleaning brush is connected to the mechanism, the lamella cleaning brush is held at a position spaced apart from an initial position in which the lamella cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, toward the surface of the coating, the distance being less than 56% of the height of the plurality of lamellae; a first bristle scrubbing brush having bristles with a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 1 mm or less, and the robot is configured to apply a compression force to the surface of the coating such that when the first bristle scrubbing brush is coupled to the mechanism, the first scrubbing brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the first scrubbing brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 20% of the bristle length of the bristles; and a second bristle scrubbing brush having bristles with a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 2 mm, and when the second bristle scrubbing brush is connected to the mechanism, the robot is configured to apply a compression force to the surface of the coating so that the second scrubbing brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the scrubbing brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for cleaning a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of less than 75, the method including: coupling a lamellar cleaning brush to a robot, the lamellar cleaning brush comprising a plurality of lamellae extending outward from a brush core and having a height; configuring the robot to compress the lamellar cleaning brush against the surface such that the lamellar cleaning brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the lamellar cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 56% of the height of the plurality of lamellae; positioning the robot on the hull of the ship; and controlling the robot to travel across the surface, the lamellar cleaning brush being configured to rotate about its axis upon contact with the surface to perform a cleaning action on the surface.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for cleaning a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of 30 to 74, the method including: coupling a cleaning brush to a robot, the cleaning brush having bristles with a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 1 mm or less; configuring the robot to compress the cleaning brush against the surface such that the cleaning brush is held at a distance from an initial position in which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, toward the surface of the coating, the distance being less than 20% of the bristle length of the bristles; positioning the robot on the hull of the ship; and controlling the robot to travel across the surface, the cleaning brush being configured to rotate about its axis to perform a cleaning action on the surface upon contact with the surface.

[0039] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for cleaning a surface of a coating applied to a hull of a ship, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of 75 or more, the method including: coupling a cleaning brush to a robot, the cleaning brush having bristles with a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 2 mm; configuring the robot to compress the cleaning brush against the surface such that the cleaning brush is held at a distance from an initial position in which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, toward the surface of the coating, the distance being 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles; positioning the robot on the hull of the ship; and controlling the robot to travel across the surface, the cleaning brush being configured to rotate about its axis to perform a cleaning action on the surface upon contact with the surface.

[0040] These and other aspects will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described below. The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by this Summary of the Invention, nor is it intended to be limited to implementations that necessarily solve any or all of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0041] For a better understanding of the present disclosure, and to show how embodiments may be practiced, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the ship and the robot. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of a hull cleaning robot. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the robot. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a lamellar brush. [Figure 5a] Figure 5a shows a tufted roller brush. [Figure 5b] Figure 5b shows a tufted roller brush. [Figure 6a] Figure 6a shows a strip roller brush. [Figure 6b] Figure 6b shows a strip roller brush with straight brush strips. [Figure 6c] FIG. 6c shows a strip roller brush with a spiral brush strip. [Figure 7a] FIG. 7a shows an example of a cleaning brush assembly for a robot. [Figure 7b] FIG. 7b shows the brush motor of the cleaning brush assembly. [Figures 8a-8c] Figures 8a to 8c show varying degrees of compression applied by the cleaning brushes of a hull cleaning robot. [Figure 9a] FIG. 9a shows a distance wheel of an example cleaning brush assembly. [Figure 9b]FIG. 9b shows a distance wheel of an example cleaning brush assembly. [Figure 10a] FIG. 10a shows a side view of an embodiment of a cleaning brush assembly. [Figure 10b] FIG. 10b shows a side view of an embodiment of a cleaning brush assembly. [Figure 10c] FIG. 10c shows a side view of an embodiment of a cleaning brush assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] Next, an embodiment will be described as an example.

[0044] 1 shows a surface vessel 100, such as a container ship, bulk carrier, tanker, or passenger ship. The surface vessel comprises a hull 101.

[0045] Prior to operation, the robot 102 is stationary at a robot station 104 (docking station), which may be used to charge the robot 102. The robot station 104 may be located on the vessel above sea level, as shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot 102 may be parked at the robot station 104 when the cleaning operation performed by the robot is paused. During cleaning of the surface of the hull 101, the robot 102 may traverse any surface of the hull 101 where marine fouling may form (e.g., the hull bottom or bottom side).

[0046] References herein to "cleaning" are used to mean the removal of fouling organisms from the surfaces of the hull 101; such cleaning may be referred to as "grooming" or "preventative cleaning." By continuously cleaning the surfaces of the hull 101, the robot 102 typically performs an initial conditioning film removal after organic molecules have attached to the surfaces of the hull 101 and / or primary colonizers, but before secondary colonizers have an opportunity to deposit. However, it will be understood that cleaning performed by the robot 102 may also include the removal of secondary colonizers and any subsequent colonizers.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, a computing device 106 may be provided in the deckhouse (or other area) of the ship for communicating with the robot 102 .

[0048] 1 illustrates a single robot 102 on board the ship for simplicity, but it will be understood that there may be multiple robots on board. Similarly, while a single robot station 104 is shown in FIG. 1, it will be understood that there may be multiple robot stations on board the ship.

[0049] robot FIG. 2 shows an example of a robot 102 for cleaning ship hulls. The robot's wheels 4 are magnetic for attachment to steel hulls. The robot 102 is driven by wheels 4, which are driven by electric motors (not shown). In FIG. 2, the robot 102 is shown in a perspective view fully assembled. The robot's chassis 2 is a peripheral frame that holds an enclosed container 3 that encloses a power source (e.g., a battery) and may include one or more of the electrical components shown in FIG. 3. While FIG. 2 shows a single enclosed container 3 for simplicity, it will be understood that the robot 102 may include two or more enclosed containers. The container 3 is waterproof to prevent water ingress. The robot 102 shown in FIG. 2 includes two "axle" beams 5 fixed to the chassis 2, which support the wheels 4 and associated elements of the suspension arrangement and steering mechanism for the wheels 4. This axle arrangement is merely exemplary, and the mechanism by which the axles are attached to the chassis may take various forms, although these are beyond the scope of this disclosure. The robot 102 includes a cleaning brush assembly 200 that includes a cleaning brush and a mechanism for connecting the cleaning brush to the robot 102, and the cleaning brush assembly 200 may take a variety of forms, which are described in more detail below.

[0050] It will be appreciated that FIG. 2 shows only one example of the form that the robot 102 may take, and that other examples are possible.

[0051] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of the robot 102. As shown in Figure 3, the robot 102 includes a central processing unit ("CPU") 202. The CPU 202 includes a cleaning control module 206 connected to the CPU 202 and configured to control the cleaning brushes of the cleaning brush assembly 200 that perform the removal of biofouling from the surface of the hull 101.

[0052] The CPU 202 is connected to a power source 214 (e.g., one or more batteries), which may be rechargeable, for example, using the robot station 104. The robot 102 also includes a memory 210 for storing data, as is known in the art.

[0053] In some embodiments, an interface 216 is provided to allow the robot 102 to send and receive data. The interface 216 may comprise a wired and / or wireless interface.

[0054] 3, the robot 102 may include one or more sensors 212 configured to output a sensor signal. One or more of the sensors 212 may output the sensor signal to the cleaning control module 206. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the sensors 212 may output the sensor signal to the computing device 106 via an interface 216.

[0055] The sensor(s) 212 may comprise a fouling sensor for sensing the level of fouling on the hull 101 .

[0056] The fouling sensor may be a current sensor configured to measure the current drawn by the motor that drives the rotating scrubbing brushes 208 during cleaning, and the CPU 202 may correlate the measured current drawn by the motor with the level of torque and the degree of fouling on the hull 101. It will be appreciated that the CPU 202 may perform sensing of the current drawn by the motor rather than a dedicated current sensor.

[0057] The fouling sensor may be one or more cameras configured to output a camera signal including image data. The image data may be output to the CPU 202, which may perform image processing on the image data to detect the extent of fouling on the hull 101. Additionally or alternatively, the image data may be output to the computing device 106 via the interface 216, allowing a user of the computing device 106 to evaluate images captured by the camera(s) of the robot 102. In these embodiments, the computing device 206 may communicate the extent of fouling on the painted surface to the robot 102 and leave it to the CPU 202 to determine whether the robot requires reconfiguration based on the extent of fouling on the painted surface. Alternatively, based on the user's evaluation of the captured images, the user may control the computing device 206 to send a message to the robot 102 indicating that the robot requires reconfiguration based on the extent of fouling on the painted surface.

[0058] The fouling sensor may be a chlorophyll sensor on a robot configured to sense the amount of chlorophyll in the vessel's water environment, and the CPU 202 can correlate the amount of chlorophyll with the degree of fouling on the vessel's hull 101.

[0059] Additionally or alternatively, fouling sensors may be located on the vessel 100. The fouling sensor(s) on board the vessel 100 may output sensor data directly to the CPU 202 on the robot 102 via the interface 216. Alternatively, the fouling sensor(s) on board the vessel 100 may output sensor data to the computing device 106, which relays the sensor data (in raw or processed form) to the robot 102 via the interface 216.

[0060] The sensor(s) 212 may include a position sensor configured to sense the position of the robot 102 on the ship 100. The position sensor may be configured to detect signals emitted from a beacon on board the ship, and the CPU 202 may correlate the detected signals with a position on the ship relative to the beacon.

[0061] Additionally or alternatively, a position sensor may be mounted on the vessel 100 to detect the location of the robot 102. In these embodiments, the position sensor may detect when the robot 102 is within its detection range and transmit a message to the robot 102 indicating its location on the vessel associated with the beacon.

[0062] The sensor(s) on board the vessel 100 may output messages directly to the CPU 202 on the robot 102 via the interface 216. Alternatively, the sensor(s) on board the vessel 100 may output messages to the computing device 106, which relays the messages to the robot 102 via the interface 216.

[0063] 1 shows the computing device 106 on the vessel 100, this is by way of example only, and the computing device 106 (and the user of the computing device 106) may be on shore (i.e., on land). In these embodiments, the computing device 106 is in wireless communication with the robot 102. That is, the robot 102 may be remotely operated by a user on land.

[0064] Depending on the class of coating applied to the hull 101 of the ship 100, the cleaning brushes of the cleaning brush assembly 200 can take on a specific form that provides an optimal trade-off between cleaning performance (to preserve the integrity of the coating) and abrasiveness.

[0065] In some embodiments, the scrubbing brush of the scrubbing brush assembly 200 is a lamellar brush 400. Lamellar-type brushes are typically designed as a resilient polymer mat 402 secured to a cylindrical core 404, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Examples of polymer mat materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), and polyamide (PA). While FIG. 4 illustrates the lamellar brush 400 as being formed from one or more polymer mats secured to the cylindrical core 404, it will be understood that the polymer mat 402 and cylindrical core 404 may be molded as a single unit. The lamellar brush 400 comprises a plurality of lamellae 403 (e.g., fins) extending across the length L of the cylindrical core 404. The height of the lamellae 403 defines the extent to which the lamellae 403 extend outward from the cylindrical core 404. The lamellae 403 can be designed in a variety of ways. For example, each lamella strip 403 may be made up of a number of lamellae of various lengths, for example several lamellae of 2-3 cm length. Furthermore, these lamellae may be staggered rather than aligned in a row in order to achieve complete coverage of the coating surface along the length L of the lamella brush 400. Alternatively or additionally, thinner lamellae may be provided between the main lamellae extending across the cylindrical core 404, and perpendicular to the main lamellae.

[0066] The robot 102 can control the lamella brush 400 so that the lamella 403 is in an initial position where it is in contact with the coating surface but is not deformed. During cleaning, the robot is configured to apply a degree of compression of the lamella scrubbing brush to the surface of the coating applied to the ship's hull so that the lamella scrubbing brush 400 is held at a distance from the initial position toward the coating surface. In this embodiment, this distance is selected as a percentage of the height of the lamella 403 to optimize cleaning of a particular class of coating. Test results are shown below (Tables 11a, 11b, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) including this "compression (%)" parameter. For completeness, where appropriate, the degree of compression is also expressed as a distance in mm based on the particular lamella height / bristle length used in the cleaning brush during testing.

[0067] In another embodiment, the cleaning brush is a bristle brush. Bristle brushes can have many designs, for example, tufted roller brushes or strip roller brushes.

[0068] An example of a tufted roller brush 500 is shown in Figures 5A and 5B. In the tufted roller brush 500, the scrubbing brush bristles 502 are arranged in multiple tufts attached to the scrubbing brush core 504. The tufts can be aligned in a single row or staggered. The material of the bristles 502 is typically a polyamide, such as polyamide 6.12 and 6.6, Rilsan polyamide 11, a polyester, such as poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), polypropylene, or polyethylene. The material of the brush core 504 can be made of a variety of materials, such as aluminum, steel, or polymeric materials. It will be understood that these materials are provided by way of example only.

[0069] The hardness of the brush is determined by the bristle material, length and diameter.

[0070] Shorter bristles and larger diameters result in stronger, stiffer brushes. Brush stiffness is a function of how stiff the bristles are assembled and how they are assembled on the brush core or support (shape and stiffness density). Bristles typically range from 0.2 to 2.0 mm in diameter. All bristles in the tufted roller brush 500 have a bristle length BL, which is typically selected to be between 15 and 50 mm.

[0071] The bristles can be assembled in many ways to create a variety of vertical brush designs, such as to create the tufted roller brush 500 illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B. The tufts can be arranged in a straight line along the length of the brush, as shown in Figures 5A or 5B, or they can be arranged in various patterns along the brush, such as forming a spiral shape similar to the strip roller brush illustrated in Figure 6C.

[0072] The robot 102 can control the tufted roller brush 500 to an initial position where the bristles are in contact with the coating surface but are not deformed. During cleaning, the robot is configured to apply a degree of compression of the tufted roller brush 500 to the surface of the coating applied to the ship's hull so that the tufted roller brush 500 is held at a distance from the initial position toward the coating surface. In this embodiment, this distance is selected as a percentage of the bristle length of the bristles to optimize cleaning of a particular class of coating. Test results are shown below (Tables 11a, 11b, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) including this "compression (%)" parameter. For completeness, where appropriate, the degree of compression is also expressed as a distance in mm based on the particular lamella height / bristle length used in the cleaning brush during testing.

[0073] 6A, the bristles can also be arranged in a strip roller brush 600. In the strip roller brush 600, the scrubbing brush bristles are arranged in multiple brush strips 602. The multiple brush strips are attached to a scrubbing brush core 604. The bristles in the brush strips 602 can be made from the brush materials described above for the tufted roller brush 500. The core of the strip roller brush 600 can be made from the materials described above for the tufted roller brush 500.

[0074] The brush strips of the strip roller brush 600 may be removable to allow for easy replacement of different brush strips 602. By changing the type of brush strip, the width of the brush strip, and the number of strips, the abrasiveness and efficiency of the brush can be easily varied. Also, different brush strips can be used on the same brush. The brush strips may be straight (as shown in FIG. 6B) or spiral (as shown in FIG. 6C).

[0075] The robot 102 can control the strip roller brush 600 so that the bristles are in an initial position where they are in contact with the coating surface but are not deformed. During cleaning, the robot is configured to apply a degree of compression of the strip roller brush 600 to the surface of the coating applied to the ship's hull so that the strip roller brush 600 is held at a distance from the initial position toward the coating surface. In this embodiment, this distance is selected as a percentage of the bristle length of the bristles to optimize cleaning of a particular class of coating. Test results are shown below (Tables 11a, 11b, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) including this "compression (%)" parameter. For completeness, where appropriate, the degree of compression is expressed as a distance in mm based on the particular lamella height / bristle length used in the cleaning brush during testing.

[0076] One or several brush strips of the strip roller brush 600 can be replaced by scrapers (e.g., formed from solid strips of material). The scrapers may be made from thermoplastic materials of various hardness and flexibility. If all brush strips are replaced by one scraper, the brush can be moved away from the surface by rotating it, or pressed against the surface by rotating it to a predetermined torque.

[0077] For all of the brush types described above, better cleaning power for curved surfaces can be achieved by dividing the cylindrical core of the brush into two or more cylinders. Furthermore, although all of the brush types described above have been described as having a cylindrical brush core, this is by way of example only, and embodiments extend to brush cores of other shapes.

[0078] The specific arrangement of the scrubbing brush assembly 200 is outside the scope of this disclosure, but for completeness, exemplary forms that the scrubbing brush assembly 200 may take are described below.

[0079] 7A, the cleaning brush assembly 200 includes a brush arm 702. A cylindrical rotating brush 700 is connected to the robot at both ends via the brush arm 702.

[0080] 7B, a brush motor 704 is connected to one end of the brush arm 702. The brush motor 704 may be disposed inside the brush cylinder (for example, when the brush cylinder is hollow) or outside the brush cylinder.

[0081] The brush motor 704 can rotate the brush 700 in one or both directions, allowing the brush to rotate in the same direction as the robot's travel direction or in the opposite direction, both when the robot is traveling forward and backward. The typical rotation speed range for the brush is 0 to 300 rpm.

[0082] In addition, the compression of the brush against the painted surface affects the abrasiveness and cleaning power of the brush.

[0083] In one embodiment, the brush 700 is held in contact with the painted surface of the hull by at least one gas spring 706 on the brush arm, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B.

[0084] As mentioned above, during cleaning the robot is configured to apply a degree of compression of the cleaning brush to the surface of the coating applied to the hull of the ship so that the cleaning brush is deformed.

[0085] Based on a scrubbing brush having bristles of a particular bristle length BL, the degree of compression exerted by the scrubbing brush can be defined as the distance (e.g., in mm) that the scrubbing brush moves toward the coating surface (e.g., vertically) from an initial position where the scrubbing brush is in contact with, but not deformed by, the surface of the painted surface of the hull. During scrubbing, the scrubbing brush is held this distance away from the initial position.

[0086] 8A illustrates a scenario in which no compression is applied by the brush to the painted surface. As shown, the scrubbing brush, having a brush core 804 and bristles 802, is positioned so that the end of the brush 802 just contacts the painted surface 806. That is, at a height h i The brush 802 having the brush head 802 is in contact with the surface 806 to be painted but is not deformed by it.

[0087] 8B illustrates a scenario in which a first level of compression is applied by the brush onto the painted surface. As shown, the scrubbing brush moves a distance C1 toward (and is held in this position at) the painted surface 806, deforming the bristles 802 in contact with the painted surface 806. As discussed above, the distance C1 can be defined as a percentage of the scrubbing brush lamella height / bristle length.

[0088] 8C illustrates a scenario in which the brush applies a second level of compression (greater than the first level of compression) to the painted surface. As shown, the scrubbing brush moves (and remains in this position) a distance C2 (C2>C1) toward the painted surface 806, deforming the bristles 802 in contact with the painted surface 806. As mentioned above, the distance C1 can be defined as the percentage of the lamella height / bristle length of the scrubbing brush.

[0089] The cleaning brush assembly 200 includes a brush position adjustment mechanism to control the degree of compression.

[0090] The brush position adjustment mechanism may be manually adjustable (by a user) to control the degree of compaction. Alternatively or additionally, the brush position adjustment mechanism is coupled to the processor 202, and the cleaning control module 206 is configured to communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to electronically control the degree of compaction.

[0091] As an example, a manual brush position adjustment mechanism is introduced below.

[0092] The degree of compression of the brush on the surface can be controlled by two distance wheels 902 located on the outer edge of the brush cylinder, as shown in Figure 9A. Gas spring(s) 706 compress the brush until the distance wheels contact the paint surface of the hull. In the example shown in Figure 9A, the degree of compression C corresponds to the distance between the bottom of the distance wheels and the end of the bristles of the brush, as shown.

[0093] The position of the distance wheel, and therefore the compression of the brush, is adjusted by a position adjustment mechanism 904, shown in FIG. 9B. The position adjustment mechanism 904 has several positions that allow adjustment of the compression of the brush, thereby providing adjustable force and abrasiveness of the brush on the painted surface. The number of distance positions can be varied. In the example shown in FIG. 9B, the degree of compression C corresponds to the distance between the bottom of the distance wheel and the end of the bristles on the brush, as shown. The wheel can also be replaced with a compatible fixed-distance wheel.

[0094] FIG. 10A shows a side view of the scrub brush assembly 200 with the screw 10 of the position adjustment mechanism 904 in a first position such that no compression is applied by the brush to the paint surface of the hull.

[0095] 10B shows a side view of the scrub brush assembly 200 with the screw 10 of the position adjustment mechanism 904 in a second position such that the brush exerts a slight compression on the painted surface of the hull. It will be appreciated that the portion of the bristles of the brush below the line (representing the painted surface of the hull) indicates that the bristles are bent / compressed when contacting the surface during brush rotation.

[0096] 10C shows a side view of the scrub brush assembly 200 with the screw 10 of the position adjustment mechanism 904 in a third position such that maximum compression is exerted by the brush on the painted surface of the hull. Similarly, it will be appreciated that the portion of the bristles of the brush below the line (representing the painted surface of the hull) indicates that the bristles are bent / compressed when contacting the surface during brush rotation.

[0097] coating The hull 101 of the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 of the present invention is painted. It is important that the cleaning does not damage the coating, as the coating often contains one or more antifouling agents designed to be released according to a specific release profile. If the coating is damaged, excessive antifouling agents may be released at any point, causing environmental problems. Naturally, damage to the coating also shortens the overall lifespan of the coating.

[0098] The coating on the hull 101 of the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 may consist of a single coat, multiple coats of the same coating, or may be a multi-coat coating, i.e., a coating system. In a multi-coat coating, the first coat (sometimes called a primer coat) is often a corrosion inhibitor. The primer coat is optionally overcoated with a link coat or tie coat, followed by one or more finish coats or top coats, with or without antifouling properties. In another type of multi-coat coating, the first (primer) coat may simply have a finish coat or top coat applied over it.

[0099] In the coatings cleaned by the robot 102 of the present invention, it is the top coat, i.e., the top layer, that comes into contact with the robot, and therefore it is this top coat that needs to be cleaned without any damage.

[0100] The hull 101 of the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 of the present invention may have a single coating or coating system applied across the entire hull. Alternatively, the hull 101 of the ship 100 may have multiple compartments of different coatings or coating systems on different parts of the hull (e.g., bottom, sides, bow, stern, waterline, or vulnerable areas). The compartmentalization of the coating or coating system may be due to the probability of damage from external impact, the expected degree of fouling, and / or the frequency and impact of cleaning by the robot 102. The different coatings or coating systems present on different parts of the hull may be of different types and / or different thicknesses. As described in more detail below, the robot 102 may determine that it needs to be reconfigured to change how cleaning is performed based on its location on the ship's hull. Maps of different areas / zones of the vessel's hull may be stored in memory 210, each associated with a set of cleaning parameters (e.g., brush type, bristle diameter, degree of compaction, number of brush strokes per defined area, etc.), allowing the robot 102 to obtain the cleaning parameters associated with its current location and reconfigure itself to optimize cleaning at that location.

[0101] The coatings applied to the robotically cleaned boats can be classified by their hardness. Coatings can be classified as soft, medium, or hard according to the Konig pendulum hardness of the coating. Konig hardness is measured according to ISO 1522:2006 using a pendulum hardness tester, as described in detail in the Examples herein. The coatings were classified according to the following table: [Table 1]

[0102] In the case of a single coating, the coating tested in the above test is the coating applied to the hull of a ship. In the case of a multi-coat coating, the coating tested is the coating applied as a topcoat or finish coat of a multi-coat coating.

[0103] The hardness of a coating depends on many variables, including, for example, the type of binder present in the coating composition, the curing agent and accelerator used, the curing conditions, the blend of additives, etc. Thus, a given binder can be used to produce coatings of different hardness.

[0104] Coatings can also be classified as degradable or non-degradable. Coatings may contain no antifouling agent or may contain one or more antifouling agents to improve antifouling performance.

[0105] Degradable coatings are typically based on binder systems with various degradation mechanisms. In most cases, degradation is the hydrolysis of bonds in the binder system, resulting in increased water solubility and polishing of the coating. Hydrolysis can be either the hydrolysis of pendant groups or side chains on the polymer backbone of the binder, or the hydrolysis of groups within the polymer backbone of the binder. The use of self-polishing antifouling coatings is well known in the industry and is the most commonly used class of degradable coatings used for fouling prevention.

[0106] The binder in the self-polishing degradable coating can include, for example, a silyl (meth)acrylate copolymer, a rosin-based binder, a (meth)acrylate binder, a backbone degradable (meth)acrylate copolymer, a metal (meth)acrylate binder, a hybrid of silyl (meth)acrylate binders, a (meth)acrylic hemiacetal ester copolymer, a polyanhydride binder, a polyoxalate binder, a non-water-dispersible binder, a zwitterionic binder, a polyester binder, a poly(ester-siloxane) binder, a poly(ester-ether-siloxane) binder, or a mixture thereof.

[0107] Representative silyl (meth)acrylate copolymers and coatings containing them are described in GB 2558739, GB 2559454, WO 2019096926, GB 2576431, WO 2010071180, WO 2013073580, and WO 2012026237. , WO 2005005516, WO 2013000476, WO 2012048712, WO 2011118526, WO 0077102, WO 2019198706, WO 03070832, European Patent Application Publication No. 2128208, and WO 2019216413.

[0108] Exemplary silyl (meth)acrylate copolymers having siloxane moieties are as described in WO2011046087.

[0109] Representative rosin-based binders and coatings containing them are described in WO 2019096928, DE 102018128725, DE 102018128727 and WO 9744401.

[0110] Representative (meth)acrylate binders and coatings containing them are as described in DE 102018128725 A1, DE 102018128727 A1, WO 2019096928, WO 2018086670 and WO 9744401.

[0111] Representative metal (meth)acrylate binders are as described in WO2019081495 and WO2011046086.

[0112] Representative hybrids of silyl(meth)acrylate binders are as described in Korean Patent Publication No. 20140117986, International Publication No. 2016063789, European Patent Application Publication No. 1323745, European Patent Application Publication No. 0714957, International Publication No. 2017065172, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10168350, and International Publication No. 2016066567.

[0113] Representative polyanhydride binders are as described in WO2004096927.

[0114] Representative polyoxalate binders are as described in WO2019081495 and WO2015114091.

[0115] Representative non-aqueous dispersible binders are as described in WO2019081495.

[0116] Representative zwitterionic binding agents are as described in WO2004018533 and WO2016066567.

[0117] Representative polyester binders are as described in WO2019081495, EP1072625, WO2010073995, and US20150141562.

[0118] Representative poly(ester-siloxane) and poly(ester-ether-siloxane) binders are as described in WO2017009297, WO2018134291, and WO2015082397.

[0119] Representative (meth)acrylate hemiacetal ester copolymer binders are as described in WO2019179917, WO2016167360, EP0714957, and WO2017065172.

[0120] Representative backbone degradable (meth)acrylate copolymer binders are as described in WO2015010390, WO2018188488, WO2018196401, and WO2018196542.

[0121] The binders present in the self-polishing degradable coating may include different binders of the same type and / or a mixture of different binder types.

[0122] The degradable coating optionally further comprises one or more of the following: Monocarboxylic acids and derivatives of monocarboxylic acids, such as isostearic acid, Versatic® acid, naphthenic acid, trimethylisobutenylcyclohexenecarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof; Hydrophilic copolymers, such as poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) copolymers and poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers; Vinyl ether polymers and copolymers, such as poly(methyl vinyl ether), poly(ethyl vinyl ether), poly(isobutyl vinyl ether), poly(vinyl chloride-co-isobutyl vinyl ether), A polymeric plasticizer according to any of the above polymer groups. The term polymeric plasticizer refers to a polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 25°C, and / or Other binders selected from dimerized and polymerized rosins, alkyd resins and modified alkyd resins, and hydrocarbon resins, such as hydrocarbon resins formed solely from the polymerization of at least one monomer selected from C5 aliphatic monomers, C9 aromatic monomers, indene coumarone monomers, or terpenes, or mixtures thereof.

[0123] Non-degradable coatings are typically crosslinked and often low VOC coatings. The binder in a non-degradable coating can include, for example, a polysiloxane, a siloxane copolymer, a silicone binder, an epoxy-based binder, an epoxy siloxane, or a mixture thereof.

[0124] Representative polysiloxane binders and coatings containing them are as described in WO2019101912, WO2011076856, WO2014117786, WO2016088694, and WO2013024106.

[0125] Representative siloxane copolymer binders are as described in WO2012130861 and WO2013000479.

[0126] Representative epoxy binders and coatings containing them are described in WO 2018046702, WO 2018210861, WO 2009019296, WO 2009141438, EP 3431560, and WO 2017140610.

[0127] Representative epoxy siloxane binders are as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009281207, WO 2019205078, and EP 1086974.

[0128] Other silicone binders are silicone resins commonly designated MQ, DT, MDT, MTQ, or QDT resins.

[0129] The coating applied on the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 may alternatively be a riblet structured curable polysiloxane binder, preferably containing an antifouling agent, as described in WO 2019189412. Such a coating may be applied as a coating or as an adhesive foil.

[0130] Preferred non-degradable coatings optionally further comprise one or more of a curing agent and / or accelerator, a reactive diluent, a silane, a co-binder, a hydrocarbon resin, and an additive oil. Conventional materials may be used.

[0131] The coating applied to the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 may alternatively be a riblet-structured adhesive foil with a fouling release topcoat, as described, for example, in WO2018100108.

[0132] The coating applied to the vessel 100 being cleaned by the robot 102 may alternatively be a water-based coating. Such coatings are well known in the art.

[0133] The coating composition applied to the hull of the ship 100 to be cleaned may optionally further include solvents, pigments, fillers, and additives. Suitable solvents include aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters, and mixtures thereof. Examples of pigments include black iron oxide, red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, carbon black, graphite, red molybdate, yellow molybdate, zinc sulfide, antimony oxide, sodium aluminum sulfosilicate, quinacridone, phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, indanthrone blue, aluminum cobalt oxide, carbazole dioxazine, chromium oxide, isoindoline orange, bis-acetoacetotridiol, benzimidazolone, quinaphthalone yellow, isoindoline yellow, tetrachloroisoindolinone, and quinophthalone yellow, metal flake materials (e.g., aluminum flakes), or other so-called barrier pigments or anti-corrosion pigments such as zinc dust or zinc alloys, or other so-called lubricating pigments such as graphite, molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, and boron nitride. Examples of fillers that can be used in the coating include zinc oxide, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, silica or silicates (including pyrogenic silica, bentonite, and other clays) (e.g., talc, feldspar, and china clay), and solid silicone resins, which are generally condensation-branched polysiloxanes. The coating optionally contains one or more additives selected from surfactants, wetting agents, thickeners, anti-settling agents, and dyes.

[0134] The coating may be applied to the hull of the ship by any conventional method known in the art.

[0135] antifouling agent The coating present on the hull 101 of the ship 100 to be cleaned by the robot 102 of the present invention optionally comprises one or more compounds capable of preventing the deposition or growth of marine fouling on the surface. The terms antifouling agent, antifoulant, biocide, active compound, and toxic substance are used in the art to describe known compounds that act to prevent marine fouling on surfaces. The antifoulant is a marine antifouling agent.

[0136] It is especially important not to damage coatings containing antifouling agents with cleaning robots, as this could result in excessive release of the agent, which could pose an environmental problem, and would also shorten the life of the coating's antifouling properties.

[0137] Antifouling agents may be inorganic, organometallic, or organic. Suitable antifouling agents are commercially available.

[0138] Examples of inorganic antifouling agents include copper and copper compounds such as copper oxide (eg, cuprous oxide, cupric oxide), copper thiocyanate, copper sulfide, copper powder, and copper flake.

[0139] Examples of organometallic antifouling agents include organocopper compounds such as zinc pyrithione, copper pyrithione, copper acetate, copper naphthenate, copper oxine, copper nonylphenolsulfonate, copper bis(ethylenediamine)bis(dodecylbenzenesulfonate), and copper bis(pentachlorophenolate), and dithiocarbamate compounds such as zinc bis(dimethyldithiocarbamate) [ziram], zinc ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) [zineb], manganese ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) [maneb], and a complex of zinc salt and manganese ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) [mancozeb].

[0140] Examples of organic antifouling agents include heterocyclic compounds such as 2-(tert-butylamino)-4-(cyclopropylamino)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine [sibutrin], 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one [DCOIT], 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one, 2-(thiocyanatomethylthio)-1,3-benzothiazole [benthiazole], and 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-(methylsulfonyl)pyridine, urea derivatives such as 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea [diuron], N-(fluorodichloromethylthio)phthalimide, N-dichlorofluoromethylthio-N',N'-dimethyl-N-phenylsulfamide [dichlfluanid], N-{[dichloro(fluoro) Examples of suitable organic compounds include amides and imides of carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, and sulfenic acids such as {N',N'-dimethyl-Np-tolylsulfamide [tolylfluanid] and N-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)maleimide, triphenylborane pyridine [TPBP], amine triphenylborane, 3-iodo-2-propynyl N-butylcarbamate [iodocarb], 2,4,5,6-tetrachloroisophthalonitrile, diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone, 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile [tralopyril], 4-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole [medetomidine], and quaternary ammonium salts.

[0141] Other examples of antifouling agents include tetraalkylphosphonium halides, guanidine derivatives such as dodecylguanidine hydrochloride, macrocyclic lactones including derivatives of avermectins such as avermectins and ivermectins, derivatives such as spinosyns and spinosads, derivatives such as capsaicin and phenylcapsaicin, and enzymes such as oxidases, proteolytic enzymes, hemicellulolytic enzymes, cellulolytic enzymes, lipolytic enzymes, and amylolytic enzymes. Copper-based antifouling coatings contain inorganic copper biocides such as metallic copper, cuprous oxide, and copper thiocyanate to prevent hard fouling.

[0142] Cuprous oxide materials have a typical particle size distribution of 0.1-70 μm and an average particle size (d 50 The cuprous oxide material may contain a stabilizer to prevent surface oxidation and caking.

[0143] For antifouling coatings that do not use inorganic copper antifouling agents, a series of organic antifouling agents, such as 4-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole (medetomidine) and 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile (tralopyril), are commonly used to prevent hard deposits.

[0144] Preferred antifouling agents are cuprous oxide, copper thiocyanate, zinc pyrithione, copper pyrithione, zinc ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) [zineb], 2-tert-butylamino-4-cyclopropylamino-6-methylthio-1,3,5-triazine [cubtrinene], 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one [DCOIT], N-dichlorofluoromethylthio-N',N'-dimethyl-N-phenylsulfamide [dic N-dichlorofluoromethylthio-N',N'-dimethyl-Np-tolylsulfamide [tolylfluanid], triphenylborane pyridine [TPBP], and 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile [tralopyril], 4-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole [medetomidine], and phenylcapsaicin.

[0145] The most preferred antifouling agents are cuprous oxide, copper thiocyanate, zinc pyrithione, copper pyrithione, zinc ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) [zineb], 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one [DCOIT], 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile [tralopyril], and 4-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole [medetomidine].

[0146] Mixtures of antifouling agents can be used, as is known in the art, since different antifouling agents act against different marine fouling organisms, and mixtures of antifouling agents are generally preferred.

[0147] Some antifouling agents may be encapsulated or adsorbed in inert carriers or bound to other materials to provide controlled release.

[0148] Adhesion The level of fouling present on a ship's hull can be quantified by a fouling rating defined by the U.S. Navy, as shown in the following table: [Table 2]

[0149] The preferred robots and methods of the present invention maintain a deposit rating of less than a soft 20, and more preferably less than a soft 10. This emphasizes the fact that the robots of the present invention are preventative cleaners, i.e., cleaners that avoid buildup of deposits that would make cleaning difficult or impossible without damaging the coating.

[0150] The invention will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. [Example]

[0151] material The coatings used in the examples are summarized in Table 1 below. They were prepared as specified below the table using polymers synthesized by conventional methods and commercially available starting materials. Components are given in parts by weight (pbw). [Table 3]

[0152] Preparation of coating composition C1 The coating compositions were prepared by first mixing the ingredients in Part (A) shown in Table 2 below using a high-speed disperser equipped with an impeller disc. The nonionic hydrophilically modified polysiloxane was added to the coating composition after the milling step. The ingredients in Part (B) were mixed with the ingredients in Part (A) immediately before application of the coating. [Table 4]

[0153] Preparation of coating compositions C2 to C4 The coating compositions were prepared by mixing the ingredients shown in Table 3 using a high speed disperser equipped with an impeller disc. [Table 5] 1) Polymer example S11 from GB 2559454 was reproduced. Polymer properties were measured as described in GB 2559454. 2) Polymer example S1 from WO 2019096926 was reproduced. Polymer properties were measured as described in WO 2019096926. 3) Polymer example P1 from DE 102018128727 was reproduced. Polymer properties were measured as described in DE 102018128727. 4) Polymer example P3 from DE 1020181288725 was reproduced. Polymer properties were measured as described in DE 1020181288725.

[0154] Preparation of coating compositions C5 to C7 The coating compositions were prepared by mixing the ingredients shown in Table 4 using a high-speed disperser equipped with an impeller disc. The hydrophilically modified polysiloxane was added to the coating composition after the milling step. The ingredients of Part (B) were mixed with the ingredients of Part (A) immediately before application of the coating. [Table 6]

[0155] -Preparation of panels for static contamination exposure tests The coating systems were applied to PVC panels. For the Sandefjord exposure, PVC panels measuring 20 x 40 cm were used. For the Singapore exposure, PVC panels measuring 20 x 30 cm were used. The coating systems included a first coat, a second coat, and in some cases a third coat, as shown in Table 5 below. Coatings were applied using an airless spray according to the specifications provided in the technical data sheets of the various coatings. Coating compositions C1-C7 were applied using an airless spray to the specified wet film thicknesses. Exemplary coatings were applied to the wet film thicknesses (WFT) shown in Table 5. Wet film thicknesses were measured using a wet film thickness gauge. The panels were allowed to dry for at least one week before immersion. [Table 7]

[0156] ·Adjustment of coating systems for ships in service and at anchor The coating systems for the in-service and anchored vessels are shown in Table 6 below. The C2 coating system included the first, second, third, and fourth coats as shown in Table 6. The C5-C7 coating systems included the first and second coats as shown in Table 6. Coatings were applied using an airless spray according to the specifications provided in the technical data sheets for the various coatings. Coating compositions C2 and C5-C7 were applied using an airless spray to the specified wet film thicknesses. Exemplary coatings were applied to the wet film thicknesses (WFT) shown in Table 6. Wet film thicknesses were measured using a wet film thickness gauge. [Table 8]

[0157] ·robot Tests were conducted using a robot, an example of which is shown in Figure 2, or a brush module (not shown) that replicates the robot's cleaning function. The brush module mimics the robot's cleaning function and is designed with the same materials and functions. The unit is modular, allowing tests to be performed using a variety of brushes. The brush module's rotation speed and brush compression onto the surface can be adjusted. The brush module is connected to a frame that is magnetically fixed to the ship's hull or a mounting plate for the test panel. This module includes a brush motor that rotates the cylindrical brush in both directions and a motor that moves the brush linearly, allowing the rotating brush to move across the surface of the ship's hull or test panel underwater.

[0158] The characteristics of the different brushes used in the robot and brush module are shown in Table 7 below. For the lamella brushes used in Brushes 1A and 1B, the lamella strip 403 consisted of multiple lamellae, each having a length of 26 mm. The 26 mm lamellae were aligned as the lamella strip 403 over the brush core length L, which was 106 mm for Brush 1A and 900 mm for Brush 1B. [Table 9]

[0159] Test Method ·Measurement of Konig pendulum hardness of coating film The hardness of various coatings was measured using a pendulum hardness tester according to ISO 1522:2006. Each coating was applied to a glass panel using a frame applicator with a 300 μm gap. The coatings were dried at 23°C and 50% relative humidity for one week, followed by 72 hours at 50°C in a ventilated warming cabinet. The coatings were then conditioned for 24 hours at 23°C and 50% relative humidity. After conditioning, the hardness of the dried coatings was measured using a TOC gloss pendulum hardness tester at 23°C and 50% relative humidity. Hardness was quantified as the number of swings of the pendulum that decayed from 6° to 3° (each swing of the pendulum corresponds to one swing). Hardness is reported as the average of three simultaneous measurements for each coating. The coatings were classified according to Table 8 below. [Table 10]

[0160] Exposure of test panels to contamination in Sandefjord (seawater) PVC panels coated with the coating systems listed in Table 5 were statically exposed on a raft in Sandefjord, submerged 0.3 to 1.3 meters below sea level. Coatings C1 to C4 were exposed for 13 weeks from mid-July to mid-October. Coatings C5 to C7 were exposed for 4 weeks from mid-July to mid-August. After the exposure period, the panels were visually inspected and rated for fouling according to the U.S. Navy's standard rating system, as shown in Table 9 below. [Table 11]

[0161] - Exposure of test panels to seawater contamination in Singapore PVC panels coated with the above coating systems C2, C5, C6, and C7 were subjected to static exposure on a raft in Singapore, submerged at depths of 0.3 to 1.3 m below sea level. The exposure periods for coating C2 were 1, 2, and 4 weeks in October. The exposure periods for coatings C5, C6, and C7 were 1 and 2 weeks from mid- to late October. After the exposure periods, the panels were visually inspected and rated for fouling according to the U.S. Navy's standard, as shown in Table 9. The maximum diameter (mm) of attached barnacles was also measured.

[0162] Abrasion resistance and cleaning power The abrasion resistance and detergency of the coating were measured by changing the robot / module settings on test panels, in-service ships, and berthed ships. The in-service ships used for the abrasion resistance and detergency tests included ships with a voyage rate of 24-75%, an effective operating speed of 11-19 knots, and an effective operating temperature of 20-26°C.

[0163] Abrasion resistance of test panels with brush modules After exposure to fouling as described above, the test panels were removed from the raft and transported in boxes filled with seawater to preserve the deposits on the panels and keep the panels submerged. Each panel was fixed to a mounting plate for abrasion resistance testing with a brush module. Abrasion resistance was tested with different brushes and / or three different compression levels, as shown in Tables 11a, 11b, and 12 below.

[0164] The inventors have determined that the impact of the robot 102 depends on both the speed of the robot and the rotational speed of the robot's cleaning brush. To account for both of these factors, the inventors considered the number of strokes of the cleaning brush against a specified area of ​​the test panel when the brush module passes over the specified area once.

[0165] In particular, for the lamella cleaning brush 400, the number of brush strokes performed by each lamella was calculated from the robot speed and the number of rotations of the lamella cleaning brush when the brush module passed through the specified area once.

[0166] For the tufted roller brush 500, the number of brush strokes made by each bristle tuft was calculated from the robot speed and the number of rotations of the tufted roller brush when the brush module passed through the specified area once.

[0167] For the strip roller brush 600, the number of brush strokes performed by each brush strip was calculated from the robot speed and the number of rotations of the tufted roller brush when the brush module passed through the specified area once.

[0168] The designated area of ​​the test panel was defined as having dimensions of 5 mm x L mm (where L represents the length of the cleaning brush, e.g., as shown in Figures 4 and 6A). In defining the designated area, 5 mm was chosen because one brush strip of the brush had a diameter of 5 mm.

[0169] For the test panels exposed in Singapore, the brush was run over the panel once at a speed of 0.012 m / s and a brush rotation speed of 4 rpm, which corresponds to six strokes of each bristle tuft or each brush strip per designated area of ​​the test panel as described above. For the test panels exposed in Sunfjord, the brush was run at 90 rpm for 15, 30, and 60 seconds, which corresponds to 428, 855, and 1710 strokes of each lamella / bristle tuft / brush strip per designated area as described above.

[0170] Abrasion resistance was evaluated both visually and under an optical microscope. If the coating showed significant damage or abrasion, clearly visible to the naked eye, further evaluation was not performed. After the abrasion test, if no visible abrasion was observed, samples of the tested area of ​​each coating (still attached to the PVC) were cut and embedded in epoxy resin. After curing, the samples were cut to expose the cross-section of the coating and polished to allow for cross-sectional examination under an optical microscope. Film delamination was detected by observing a decrease in film thickness in the area exposed to the brush stroke compared to an adjacent area not exposed to the brush stroke. All evaluations were performed using a digital camera and calibrated software. Results were reported as "eroded" if the coating was visually damaged or abraded, or if a film thickness loss was detected, or "not eroded" if no damage, abrasion, or film thickness loss was visually detected.

[0171] Cleaning power of the brush module on the test panel After the fouling exposure, the panels were removed from the raft and transported in boxes filled with seawater to preserve the deposits on the panels and keep them submerged. Each panel was fixed to a mounting plate for abrasion resistance testing using a brush module. Detergency was tested using up to four brushes at 4 rpm, a horizontal speed of 0.012 m / s, and a compression level as shown in Tables 15 and 16 below. This corresponds to six strokes of each lamella / bristle bundle / brush strip per designated area as described above. Detergency was assessed by visual inspection. Panels were rated as clean (C) or with residual deposits (F) if not all deposits were removed.

[0172] Brush modules improve wear resistance of ships in service. The brush module frame was attached to a specific location on the hull of a vessel in service by a diver. The brush module was attached to the frame, and the brush was run over the surface at the compression settings shown in Table 13. The brush was run over the surface at a horizontal speed of 0.012 m / s and 90 rpm. This corresponds to 540 strokes of each bristle tuft or brush strip per designated area as described above. After brushing, a sample of the coating system was taken at the transition between the brushed and non-brushed areas. The sample size was a minimum of 2 cm to ensure sufficient coverage of the transition area. 2 The abrasion resistance was evaluated using an optical microscope. Samples were embedded in epoxy resin. After curing, the samples were cut to expose the cross-section of the film and polished so that the cross-section of the coating could be observed under an optical microscope. The amount of film removal in the area where the brush had been operating was measured as the amount of film thickness reduction compared to an adjacent area where the brush had not been operating. All measurements were performed using a digital camera and calibrated software. The results were reported as "erosion" if a film thickness reduction was detected and "no erosion" if no film thickness reduction was detected.

[0173] Robots improve ship wear resistance The robot 102 ran over selected areas of the hull of an in-service ship using different brushes and the degree of compaction shown in Table 13. Abrasion resistance was assessed both by sampling and measuring film thickness removal and / or by evaluating video and photographic documentation. Sample size was a minimum of 2 cm to ensure sufficient coverage of the transition zone. 2 The abrasion resistance assessment was the same as that reported above for in-service ships when using brush modules.

[0174] Robotic wear resistance for berthing ships The robot 102 ran over the hull of a moored vessel using different brushes and the compression levels shown in Table 14. Abrasion resistance was assessed by inspection with an on-robot camera. Results were reported as "erosion present" if surface abrasion was detected and "no erosion present" if no surface abrasion was detected.

[0175] result Prior to testing, fouling ratings were performed on the test panels, the stationary vessel, and the in-service vessel, and the results are shown in Tables 10a and 10b below. For the Singapore test panels, fouling ratings are shown after the specified number of weeks of exposure. [Table 12] [Table 13]

[0176] The results of the abrasion resistance tests on the test panels exposed in Sandefjord are shown in Table 11a (soft and medium-hardness coatings) and Table 11b (hard coatings). The results of the abrasion resistance tests on the test panels exposed in Singapore are shown in Table 12. The results indicate that some module configurations did not damage the coating, while others did. More specifically, for soft coatings, the lamella brush did not damage the coating, while the tufted bristle brush damaged the coating under all test conditions. For medium-hardness coatings, the lamella brush did not damage the coating. For the tufted bristle brush, it is important that the bristle diameter be 1 mm or less and that the degree of compression be relatively low (e.g., less than 20% of the bristle height). The number of brush strokes was 855 or less. For the hard coatings tested in this experiment, none of the module configurations tested caused any damage to the coating.

[0177] The results of abrasion resistance tests on coatings from in-service and stationary ships, performed using both the robot and the module, are shown in Tables 13 and 14. The results confirm those obtained from the test panels. For medium-hardness coatings, tufted bristles and strip roller brushes with bristle diameters greater than 1 mm caused damage to the coating, while tufted bristles and strip roller brushes with bristle diameters of 0.5 mm caused no damage even at a compression of 4% of the bristle height. For high-hardness coatings, none of the tested configurations caused any damage to the coating. [Table 14] [Table 15] [Table 16] [Table 17] [Table 18]

[0178] The results of the cleaning power tests using the brush module on test panels exposed at Sandefjord are shown below in Table 15. Since the aim was to clean without damaging the paintwork, the results of the abrasion resistance tests reported above are also shown. E / N means that erosion of the paintwork occurred under at least some of the test conditions. [Table 19]

[0179] The results showed that it is important to match the robot configuration with the type of coating. In particular, the results showed that only certain robot configurations can achieve cleaning without damaging the coating. Therefore, it is very useful to have a configurable robot that can constantly change its configuration to match the coating being cleaned, especially the hardness of the coating.

[0180] The results show that for soft coatings like C1, it is important to use a lamella brush to avoid damaging the coating. Compressing the lamella height by 22% and using 1,710 or fewer brush strokes per specified area allows for cleaning of Hard 50 level deposits without damaging the coating. This cleaning configuration is suitable for preventative cleaning, where the goal is to keep deposits at a very low level, i.e., cleaning more frequently to prevent deposits from building up. Of course, with more frequent cleaning, it is even more important that the cleaning process itself does not damage the coating.

[0181] The results also showed that lamellar brushes and tufted bristle brushes can be used on medium-hardness coatings, such as C2 to C4, without damaging the coating. However, for tufted bristle brushes, it is important to compress the bristles to less than 20% of their height and to use fewer than 855 brush strokes per specified area, as mentioned above, to avoid damaging the coating. With this configuration, the robot achieves a Soft 20 level of cleaning of buildup. This configuration is also suitable for preventative cleaning.

[0182] The test panels exposed in Singapore were subjected to cleaning power tests using a brush module after the specified number of weeks of exposure and the results are shown below in Table 16. The results of the abrasion resistance tests reported above are also shown in brackets, as the aim is to achieve cleaning without damaging the paint film. As mentioned above, this is particularly important in preventative cleaning regimes where cleaning is carried out relatively frequently.

[0183] The results show that it is important to configure the preventive cleaning robot to suit the coating to be cleaned. First, it is important not to damage the coating, especially when the coating is soft or medium hardness. This was demonstrated by the results using Brush 4A (a tufted bristle brush with a bristle diameter of 1.2 mm). With this brush, even the lowest compression level (4% of the bristle height) caused damage to the coating during the abrasion resistance test.

[0184] At the same time, it is essential to configure the robot to achieve cleaning. The results showed that the optimal robot configuration varies depending on the coating and the level of fouling on it. For the medium-hardness coating C2, using a tufted bristle brush (3A) with a 1mm bristle diameter and a compression of 4% of the bristle height provided the most balanced cleaning without damaging the coating. These results indicated that fouling at the Hard 50 level, with barnacles up to 2mm thick, could be removed by cleaning. Since barnacles larger than this could not be removed, it is recommended that the robot be configured to clean a given area of ​​the hull approximately once every two weeks. The rate at which fouling organisms deposit and multiply depends on the type of coating, the region, and the season.

[0185] For the highly hard coating, Coating C5, brushes 3A and 4A provided the best balance of cleaning without damage. Both were tufted bristle brushes with bristle diameters of 1 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. With this robot configuration, cleaning of Hard 50 deposits, including 0.5-1 mm barnacles, was achieved with a 4% compression of the bristle height. Brush 2A, a tufted bristle brush with a bristle diameter of 0.5 mm, was unable to clean Hard 50 deposits. Therefore, if this brush is selected, preventative cleaning must be performed regularly to maintain the antifouling level of Soft 20 or less, which is possible with this configuration.

[0186] For the highly hard coatings C6 and C7, each of the tested robot configurations was able to clean a Hard 50 deposit level with barnacles measuring 0.5-1 mm at a compression of 4% of the bristle height without damaging the coating. However, none of these configurations were able to remove larger barnacles measuring 1-2 mm. Therefore, the robot should be configured to clean surfaces such as ship hulls before barnacles grow larger than 1 mm.

[0187] Overall, the results show that for preventative cleaning of ship hulls, it is important to configure the cleaning robot to suit or adapt to the type of coating on the hull and the level of fouling thereon. It is important to identify a robot configuration that achieves cleaning without damaging the coating, especially its antifouling properties. The results show that this can be achieved by configuring the robot with appropriate brush shape, bristle diameter, compression, number of brush strokes, and cleaning frequency depending on the type of coating.

[0188] For soft-hardness coatings as defined herein, the robot is preferably configured as follows: Lamellar brush, a degree of compression of less than 56%, preferably 5 to 56%, more preferably 5 to 28%, and even more preferably 11 to 22% of the height of the lamellae; and The number of brush strokes per specified area is less than 5,000, preferably 5 to 3,400, more preferably 5 to 1,280, and even more preferably 6 to 855.

[0189] For medium hardness coatings as defined herein, the robot: Lamellar brush, The degree of compression is less than 56% of the height of the lamellae, preferably 5 to 56%, more preferably 5 to 28%, and even more preferably 11 to 22%; and The number of brush strokes per designated area is less than 5,000, preferably 5 to 3,400, and more preferably 6 to 1,280. Or, Tufted bristle brush or strip roller brush, The bristle diameter is 1 mm or less, preferably 0.2 to 0.75 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 mm; The degree of compression is less than 20% of the bristle length of the bristles, preferably 2 to 16%, more preferably 2 to 12%; and It is preferable that the number of brush strokes per specified area is less than 1710, preferably 5 to 1280, more preferably 6 to 1280, and even more preferably 6 to 855.

[0190] For high hardness coatings as defined herein, the robot: Tufted bristle brush or strip roller brush, The diameter of the bristles is 0.5 to 2 mm, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mm; The compression degree is 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles, preferably 4 to 48%, more preferably 4 to 28%; and It is preferable that the number of brush strokes per designated area is less than 17,000, preferably 5 to 12,000, more preferably 6 to 10,000, and even more preferably 6 to 5,000.

[0191] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot 102 can determine that it needs to be reconfigured to change how it performs its cleaning. This reconfiguration may be performed by the robot 102 itself, for example, by the processor controlling the degree of compression applied by the cleaning brushes or the number of strokes per brush contact area. Alternatively or additionally, this reconfiguration may need to be performed by a user with access to the robot; thus, in these scenarios, the processor 202 is configured to control the robot's movement to a robot station 104 on the vessel 100. This allows the user to change the brush type, the degree of compression applied by the cleaning brushes (by manually adjusting a brush positioning mechanism), the bristle diameter (e.g., by replacing the brush strips on a strip roller brush), etc.

[0192] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot 102 can determine that the robot needs to be reconfigured based on its position on the ship's hull. That is, it will be appreciated that the ship's hull may not have the same top coat applied to the entire hull, but instead, different coatings may be used as top coats on different areas / zones of the hull. For example, a first class of coating may be applied to the hull's flat bottom, a second class of coating may be applied to the hull's lower vertical sides, and a third class of coating may be applied to the hull's upper vertical sides, such that the first, second, and third coating classes have different hardnesses. In these scenarios, if the second coating has a different hardness than the first coating, it is useful for the robot 102, configured for optimal cleaning of the first coating, to navigate during its cleaning operation to the area of ​​the hull where the second coating is applied, and then detect that the robot's current configuration is not optimal, thereby detecting that a reconfiguration is required.

[0193] It will be appreciated that a user of the robot 102 may define different areas / zones of the vessel's hull and program the robot to associate each of these areas with a set of cleaning parameters (e.g., brush type, bristle diameter, degree of compaction, number of brush strokes per contact area, etc.) based on knowledge of the class of coating to be applied to that area / zone. The location-dependent cleaning parameters may be stored in memory 210. In these embodiments, upon detecting that the robot 102 has moved to a different area / zone of the vessel's hull, the CPU 202 is configured to query the memory 210, obtain the cleaning parameters associated with the robot's current location, and perform the reconfiguration steps as described above.

[0194] As described above, the robot 102 may detect its position on the ship's hull in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the robot 102 detects its position on the ship's hull based on the position sensor 212 on the robot 102 detecting a signal emitted from a beacon located on the ship. In another embodiment, the robot 102 detects its position on the ship's hull based on receiving a message from an onboard beacon in response to the robot 102 moving within range of the beacon. In another embodiment, the robot 102 detects its position on the ship's hull based on receiving a message from an onboard computing device 106, and the computing device 106 identifies the robot 102's position based on receiving position data from an onboard beacon in response to the robot 102 moving within range of the beacon.

[0195] For example, a user may initially configure the robot 102 to clean surfaces with a soft coating. A preferred configuration of the robot 102 for cleaning surfaces with a soft coating is described above. Upon detecting that the robot 102 has moved to an area of ​​the vessel with a hard coating, the cleaning control module 206 may control the robot 102 to return to the robot station 104, allowing the user to switch the lamella brush to either a bristle brush or a strip roller brush. In this embodiment, the cleaning control module 206 may communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to electronically increase the degree of compression applied by the brush. It will be appreciated that returning to the docking station will allow the user to increase the degree of compression in embodiments in which the brush position adjustment mechanism is manually adjustable.

[0196] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot 102 can determine that the robot needs to be reconfigured based on the level of fouling on the painted surface being cleaned. As described above, the robot 102 can detect the level of fouling on the painted surface being cleaned in various ways. In one example, the robot 102 detects the level of fouling on the painted surface being cleaned based on receiving fouling data from a fouling sensor on the robot. In another example, the robot 102 detects the level of fouling on the painted surface being cleaned based on receiving fouling data from a fouling sensor on the vessel. That is, the robot 102 may be configured to receive fouling data from a fouling sensor on the vessel when the robot 102 is in proximity to the fouling sensor.

[0197] For example, while cleaning a surface coated with a soft-hardness coating (or other coating class), the cleaning control module 206 may determine that the level of buildup exceeds a predetermined buildup threshold and therefore that the configuration of the robot 102 is not suitable for cleaning high levels of buildup, and may perform a reconfiguration step as described above (e.g., by controlling the amount of compression to be applied by the cleaning brush or returning to the robot station 104).

[0198] It will be appreciated that a user of the robot 102 may program the robot to define a predetermined fouling threshold for each class of paint film. The predetermined fouling threshold associated with each paint film class may be stored in memory 210. In these embodiments, the CPU 202 is configured to query the memory 210 to obtain the predetermined fouling threshold associated with the paint film class of the paint film being cleaned, and, if it determines that the level of fouling exceeds the predetermined fouling threshold, to perform the reconfiguration step as described above.

[0199] In general, any of the functionality described herein with respect to the robot 102 may be implemented by software, firmware, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), or a combination of these implementations. As used herein, the terms "function" and "module" generally refer to software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. In the case of a software implementation, the functionality or module represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed on a processor (e.g., one or more CPUs). The program code may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices (e.g., memory 210). Aspects of the technology described below are platform-independent, meaning that the technology may be implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms having a variety of processors.

[0200] While the present disclosure has been shown and described with particular reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. [Table 20]

Claims

1. A robot configured to clean the surface of a coating applied to a ship's hull while traveling on the hull, the robot comprising: a cleaning brush assembly comprising a cleaning brush arranged to rotate about its axis to apply a cleaning action to the surface upon contact with the surface, the cleaning brush comprising bristles having a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 2 mm or less; The robot is configured to apply a compression force to the cleaning brush on the surface so that the cleaning brush is held at a position at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 60% of the bristle length of the bristles.

2. A robot as described in claim 1, wherein the bristles have a bristle diameter of 1 mm or less, and the distance is less than 20% of the bristle length of the bristles.

3. The robot of claim 2, wherein the distance is 2 to 16% of the bristle length of the bristles, and more preferably 2 to 12% of the bristle length of the bristles.

4. 4. The robot according to claim 2, wherein the bristles have a bristle diameter of 0.2 to 0.75 mm, preferably 0.3 to 0.6 mm.

5. A robot as described in claim 1, wherein the bristles have a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 2 mm, and the distance is less than 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles.

6. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the distance is 4 to 48% of the bristle length of the bristles, and more preferably 4 to 28% of the bristle length of the bristles.

7. 7. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the bristles have a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

8. 8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the bristles of the cleaning brush are arranged in a plurality of tufts attached to a core of the cleaning brush.

9. A robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processor of the robot is configured to control the robot so that each tuft of the bristles applies a number of brush strokes to an area of ​​the hull during the cleaning operation as the robot travels over the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the cleaning brush.

10. A robot as described in claim 2, wherein the processor of the robot is configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull so that during the cleaning operation each tuft of the bristles applies a number of brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the cleaning brush, and the number of brush strokes is less than 1710, preferably 5 to 1280, more preferably 6 to 1280, and even more preferably 6 to 855.

11. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the bristles of the cleaning brush are arranged in a plurality of brush strips.

12. A robot as described in claim 11, wherein the processor of the robot is configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull so that each brush strip applies a number of brush strokes to the area during the cleaning operation, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the cleaning brushes.

13. The processor of the robot is configured to control the robot to travel over an area of ​​the hull such that during the cleaning operation each brush strip applies a number of brush strokes to the area, the area having a width of 5 mm and a length corresponding to the length of the cleaning brushes; 3. The robot of claim 2, wherein the number of brush strokes is less than 1710, preferably 5 to 1280, more preferably 6 to 1280, and even more preferably 6 to 855.

14. The bristles have a bristle diameter of 0.5 to 2 mm, and the distance is less than 4 to 60% of the bristle length of the bristles; The robot according to claim 9 or claim 12, wherein the number of brush strokes is less than 17,000, preferably 5 to 12,000, more preferably 6 to 10,000, and even more preferably 6 to 5,000.

15. The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the coating includes an antifouling agent.

16. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning brush assembly includes a brush position adjustment mechanism for controlling the degree of compression.

17. 17. The robot of claim 16, wherein the brush position adjustment mechanism is manually adjustable to control the degree of compression.

18. 17. The robot of claim 16, wherein the brush position adjustment mechanism is connected to a processor of the robot, the processor being configured to communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to control the degree of compression.

19. The processor of the robot: determining a position of the robot on the hull of the ship; interrogating a memory coupled to the processor to identify any additional coatings applied to the hull of the vessel at the location; and 19. The robot of claim 1, configured to determine, based on the identified further coating, that a reconfiguration of the robot is required.

20. The processor: a position sensor on the robot; a position sensor on the vessel; and a computing device configured to determine a position of the robot on the hull of the vessel based on receiving position data from at least one of: the robot having a communications interface for receiving the position data from a position sensor on the vessel; The robot of claim 19 , wherein the robot is configured to receive the position data from the computing device via the communication interface.

21. The processor of the robot Determining the level of buildup on the surface of the coating; and The robot according to claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to determine that reconfiguration of the robot is necessary based on the degree of adhesion.

22. 22. The robot of claim 19 or claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the determination that the robot requires reconfiguration, control the robot to move to a robot docking station on the vessel.

23. The cleaning brush assembly includes a brush position adjustment mechanism for controlling the degree of compression; 23. The robot of claim 22, wherein the brush position adjustment mechanism is connected to the processor, and the processor is configured to communicate with the brush position adjustment mechanism to vary the degree of compression in response to the determination that the robot requires reconfiguration.

24. The processor: a deposit sensor on the robot; a fouling sensor on the ship; and a computing device; and the robot includes a communications interface for receiving the fouling data from the fouling sensor on the vessel; The robot of claim 21 , wherein the robot is configured to receive the deposit data from the computing device via the communication interface.

25. 1. A method for cleaning a surface of a coating applied to a ship's hull, the coating having a Konig pendulum hardness of 30 or more, the method comprising: coupling a cleaning brush to a robot, the cleaning brush comprising bristles having a bristle length, the bristles having a bristle diameter of 2 mm or less; configuring the robot to apply a compressibility of the cleaning brush to the surface such that the cleaning brush is held at a distance toward the surface of the coating from an initial position in which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the coating but is not deformed thereby, the distance being less than 60% of the bristle length of the bristles; placing the robot on the hull of the ship; and controlling the robot to travel across the surface, the cleaning brush being arranged to rotate about its axis upon contact with the surface to apply a cleaning action to the surface.

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