Maritime Vehicle with Removable Cap Having a Pick Point

Abstract

An autonomous maritime surface vehicle (AMSV) that includes a hull and a cap removably coupled to the hull (e.g., via a plurality of latches). The cap is movable between a first configuration, in which the cap is coupled to and sealingly encloses an entirety of an interior of the hull, and a second configuration in which the cap is at least partially decoupled from the hull, thereby permitting access to the interior of the hull. The AMSV also includes a single pick point coupled to a top, exterior surface of the cap, such that the AMSV can be easily and efficiently picked up and carried via the single pick point.

1 . An autonomous maritime surface vehicle (AMSV), the AMSV comprising:
 a hull;   a cap removably coupled to the hull, the cap being reconfigurable between a first configuration, in which the cap is coupled to and sealingly encloses at least a portion of an interior of the hull, and a second configuration in which the cap is at least partially decoupled from the hull, thereby permitting access to the interior of the hull.   
     
     
         2 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , wherein in the first configuration the cap sealingly encloses an entirety of the interior of the hull. 
     
     
         3 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more pick points coupled to an exterior surface of the cap. 
     
     
         4 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , wherein the hull is a mono-hull. 
     
     
         5 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge system that removably couples the cap to the hull. 
     
     
         6 . The AMSV of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge system includes a plurality of latches disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the AMSV. 
     
     
         7 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of bulkheads arranged within the hull and configured to separate the interior of the hull into separate compartments. 
     
     
         8 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , wherein when the cap is in the first configuration, a bottom surface of the cap engages a top surface of the hull, further comprising a seal surrounding an interface between the bottom surface of the cap and the top surface of the hull. 
     
     
         9 . The AMSV of  claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a channel that extends along at least a portion of a perimeter of the cap, the channel sized to receive a top surface of the hull when the cap is in the first configuration. 
     
     
         10 . An autonomous maritime surface vehicle (AMSV), the AMSV comprising:
 a hull;   a cap removably coupled to the hull, the cap being movable between a first configuration, in which the cap is coupled to and sealingly encloses an entirety of an interior of the hull, and a second configuration in which the cap is at least partially decoupled from the hull, thereby permitting access to the interior of the hull; and   a single pick point coupled to a top, exterior surface of the cap.   
     
     
         11 . The AMSV of  claim 10 , wherein the hull is a mono-hull. 
     
     
         12 . The AMSV of  claim 10 , further comprising a hinge system that removably couples the cap to the hull. 
     
     
         13 . The AMSV of  claim 12 , wherein the hinge system includes a plurality of latches disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the AMSV. 
     
     
         14 . The AMSV of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of bulkheads arranged within the hull and configured to separate the interior of the hull into separate compartments. 
     
     
         15 . The AMSV of  claim 10 , wherein when the cap is in the first configuration, a bottom surface of the cap engages a top surface of the hull, further comprising a seal surrounding an interface between the bottom surface of the cap and the top surface of the hull. 
     
     
         16 . The AMSV of  claim 10 , wherein the cap includes a channel that extends along at least a portion of a perimeter of the cap, the channel sized to receive a top surface of the hull when the cap is in the first configuration. 
     
     
         17 . An autonomous maritime surface vehicle (AMSV), the AMSV comprising:
 a hull, the hull including a projection that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the hull;   a cap removably coupled to the hull, the cap including a channel that extends along at least a portion of the perimeter of the hull;   a sealing element disposed in the channel of the cap;   wherein the cap is movable between a first configuration, in which the projection of the hull is disposed in the channel of the cap and sealingly engages the sealing element, thereby sealingly enclosing at least a portion of an interior of the hull, and a second configuration, in which the projection of the hull is at least partially spaced from the channel of the cap, thereby permitting access to the interior of the hull.   
     
     
         18 . The AMSV of  claim 17 , wherein when the cap is in the first configuration, further comprising a seal surrounding an interface between the projection of the hull and channel of the cap. 
     
     
         19 . The AMSV of  claim 17 , further comprising a hinge system that removably couples the cap to the hull, wherein the hinge system includes a plurality of latches disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the AMSV. 
     
     
         20 . The AMSV of  claim 17 , further comprising a vision system sealingly mounted to a front surface of the cap, wherein the vision system comprises a stereo camera and an infrared camera.