Underwater vehicle for cleaning submerged surfaces

Abstract

This underwater vehicle for cleaning submerged surfaces comprises a chassis and at least one brush for cleaning the surface to be cleaned, rotationally driven by a motor about an axis of rotation of this brush, the brush being able to move, with respect to a fixed part of the vehicle, in a translational movement along its axis of rotation in such a way that it can be pressed firmly against the surface to be cleaned under the effect of a vacuum created by the rotation of the brush, the brush comprising a rotation shaft inserted into a sleeve that rotates as one with the brush and rotationally driven by a drive system, the brush rotating as one with the sleeve because of fingers fixed to the sleeve and inserted into holes of the brush with the possibility of sliding parallel to the axis of rotation of the brush.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §371 to International Patent Application No. PCT / EP2012 / 062588 entitled UNDERWATER VEHICLE FOR CLEANING SUBMERGED SURFACES, and filed by inventor Sébastien Fontaine on Jun. 28, 2012. International Patent Application No. PCT / EP2012 / 062588 claims priority to French Patent Application No. 11 55805, filed by inventor Sébastien Fontaine on Jun. 29, 2011.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to an underwater vehicle for cleaning submerged surfaces.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]It is known to clean the surfaces submerged in water, in particular the hulls of boats by using underwater vehicles or robots that travel along the submerged surface of the hulls, removing fouling, such as plants, minerals or shellfish, using rotating brushes.[0004]The waste is generally aspirated by a flow of water created by a turbine which also provides for the maintaining of the robot against th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a new underwater vehicle for cleaning submerged surfaces. It allows for freedom in translation and rotation of brushes, making it more effective than previous designs. The brush moves in a translational movement along its axis of rotation in such a way that it can be pressed firmly against the surface to be cleaned under the effect of a vacuum created by the rotation of the brush. This new design is affordable and generates less friction compared to previous designs.

Problems solved by technology

When the hull of the boat has irregularities or differences in level in relation to the brushes, the effectiveness of the cleaning is reduced.

In addition, the thrusting of the robot against the hull can lose in effectiveness.

These grooves have the disadvantage of being expensive to produce and of causing relatively substantial friction between the shafts of the motors and the shafts of the brushes.

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