US 12,168,501 B2
Buoyancy modification module for a modular underwater vehicle
Nicolas Richter, Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop (DE); Sascha Nehren, Schoenkirchen (DE); Andreas Jess, Plön (DE); Thomas Voss, Süsel-OT Middelburg (DE); Willem Hendrik Wehner, Jübek (DE); and Marc Schiemann, Kiel (DE)
Assigned to thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, Kiel (DE); and thyssenkrupp AG, Essen (DE)
Appl. No. 17/413,657
Filed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, Kiel (DE); and thyssenkrupp AG, Essen (DE)
PCT Filed Feb. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/053261
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/169376, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 202 189 (DE), filed on Feb. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144397 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B63G 8/22 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01)
CPC B63G 8/22 (2013.01) [B63G 8/001 (2013.01); B63G 2008/004 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A buoyancy modification module for a modular underwater vehicle, with the buoyancy modification module being configured to be flushed with water, the buoyancy modification module comprising:
a first frame configured to connect the buoyancy modification module to other buoyancy modification modules, wherein the first frame is arranged in a shape comprising edges of a right prism;
a first pressure hull with a first flooding region; and
a first pump configured to pump water from surroundings or from a neutral-buoyancy reservoir into the first flooding region and configured to pump water out of the first flooding region into the surroundings or the neutral-buoyancy reservoir.