Tripod Underwater Submersible Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing submersible devices require full diving equipment and specialized training, are not highly maneuverable, and lack the ability to operate without a tether to the surface, limiting their use and flexibility. Additionally, they often require significant resources and are not configured for efficient transportation or ecological sustainability.
Innovation Solution
A personal submersible device with a wide viewing angle, capable of operating without full diving equipment, featuring a tripod structure, inflatable membranes for buoyancy and comfort, and powered by renewable energy sources, allowing for increased maneuverability and ease of use, including the option to lift and tow payloads while remaining stable underwater.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full diving equipment and specialized training are required, then safety and reliability are improved, but ease of operation and accessibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The submersible incorporates an autonomous life support system with onboard air supply and CO2 scrubbing, eliminating the need for surface support or tethering. The device serves itself by carrying all necessary life support components, allowing operators to dive without extensive training or specialized equipment while maintaining safety through self-contained systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by reducing the required training level and equipment complexity while maintaining safety through innovative design features such as the autonomous life support system and intuitive controls, thereby making the submersible accessible to a broader range of users including tourists and scientists.
2Productivity
If the submersible is designed for stability and payload capacity, then productivity is improved, but maneuverability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The submersible employs dynamic control of its ballast system with inflatable and deflatable chambers that can be adjusted in real-time. This allows the vessel to transition between stable configurations for payload towing and maneuverable configurations for positioning, enabling both high productivity and ease of operation through dynamic adaptation rather than static design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the ballast system, where the volume and distribution of air in inflatable chambers can be dynamically adjusted to change the submersible's center of gravity and buoyancy characteristics, thereby achieving both stability for payload capacity and maneuverability for easy operation as needed.
3Power
If the submersible uses traditional energy sources, then power availability is improved, but ecological sustainability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical energy storage systems with renewable energy sources, specifically solar panels that convert solar energy to electrical power for the submersible's systems. This substitution eliminates the need for fossil fuels or non-renewable energy sources, thereby maintaining power availability while improving ecological sustainability and reducing harmful environmental factors.
4Reliability
If the submersible is designed for deep water operation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible inflatable chambers and thin-walled pressurized structures that can be inflated or deflated to adjust volume and pressure. This approach simplifies the overall device complexity compared to rigid deep-water submersibles, as the flexible structures can accommodate depth variations and provide necessary pressure containment without complex mechanical reinforcement systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables a wider range of users to operate underwater without extensive training, is more transportable, and provides ecological benefits through renewable energy use, while maintaining stability and maneuverability for various underwater tasks.
Implementation Method 1
These sources may be used to provide power to various components of the unit and may comprise solar panels installed on the device to provide solar-generated electrical power to be used, for example, by an electrical air pump or electric motor.
Implementation Method 2
vacuum systems and hydraulic valves may inflate a saline solution gel or salt water into targeted cushions within the pressurized chamber. The inflation of these cushions or pockets desirably offers a more ergonomic posture for the user
Implementation Method 3
a user enters the chamber via a hatch and has a supply of air onboard the submersible device
Data Source
AI summary
An underwater personal submersible is provided. The underwater personal submersible can include a main body comprising a tripod structure of two forward-swept stabilizing surfaces and a main section including a user compartment, a plurality of oxygen tanks, and a propulsion mechanism. The placement of the propulsion mechanism and the stabilizing surfaces increases the maneuverability of the submersible.