Underwater Hull Cleaning Machine with Retractable Brush
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brush-based underwater hull cleaning machines continuously contact the hull surface, leading to unnecessary agitation and damage of anti-fouling coatings, and often require manual diver operation without environmental-friendly cleaning capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An underwater hull cleaning machine with a housing and guiding mechanism that allows a brush to move between extended and retracted positions, enabling controlled contact with the hull surface only where necessary, and an integrated system for remote operation and environmental-friendly disposal of marine growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If brush-based underwater hull cleaning machines continuously contact the hull surface, then cleaning productivity is improved, but coating damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is configured to be movable between extended and retracted positions relative to the hull surface, transitioning from static continuous contact to dynamic selective contact. This allows the brush to extend only when fouling is detected, resolving the contradiction by enabling high productivity during cleaning while minimizing coating damage during traversal.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning machine implements selective brush contact based on local conditions - the brush extends only in areas where fouling is detected and retracts in clean areas. This local quality approach ensures cleaning productivity is maintained where needed while coating damage is prevented in areas that don't require cleaning.
2Productivity
If conventional brush-based cleaning machines are used, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical continuous-contact brush system with an integrated system that uses optical/detector mechanisms to identify fouling areas, then activates mechanical brush cleaning only where needed. This substitution enables high cleaning efficiency while reducing environmental harm by limiting brush contact to necessary areas only.
3Ease of operation
If manual diver operation is required, then ease of operation is reduced, but automation level remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning machine is equipped with detectors that automatically identify fouling areas and trigger brush activation without human intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously navigating, detecting, and cleaning the hull surface, dramatically improving ease of operation while achieving high automation level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates detectors that provide real-time feedback about hull surface conditions, which automatically controls brush extension and retraction. This feedback loop enables fully automated operation where the machine responds to detected fouling conditions without requiring manual diver control, enhancing both ease of operation and automation level.
Data Source
AI summary
According to embodiments of the present invention, an underwater hull cleaning machine is provided. The cleaning machine includes a housing including a base region adapted to be arranged facing at least part of an external surface to be cleaned; a guiding mechanism coupled to the housing, wherein the guiding mechanism is configured to enable the cleaning machine to be maneuvered along the external surface; and at least one brush configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the at least one brush is extended downwardly towards the base region to be in contact with the external surface. In the retracted position, the at least one brush is moved upwardly away from the base region to be free from contact with the external surface. According to further embodiments, a hull cleaning system and a method for cleaning a vessel hull are also provided.