May 19, 2026

US12631435 - Unmanned apparatus for neutralizing explosive threats located above and below water

An explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) apparatus enables a human operator to deliver an EOD neutralization tool via an unmanned vehicle to a target attached to a ferrous or non-ferrous surface, position the tool to the target, fix the neutralization tool in place, and activate the neutralization tool, all remotely so that the human operator is not in danger. The unmanned vehicle disengages from the remainder of the EOD apparatus prior to neutralizing the target so that the unmanned vehicle is not damaged or destroyed. The EOD apparatus includes a flexible web interface that positions a tool holder ring containing the EOD neutralization tool onto the target before finally fixing the EOD neutralization tool into place against a ferrous or non-ferrous surface.

Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
Inventors: Lee Foltz, Mike Shattuck, Bruce Strackbein
Filing date: 2023-12-13

explosiveordnancedisposalunmannedvehicle

The patent describes an unmanned explosive ordnance disposal apparatus that allows for the remote neutralization of explosive threats attached to surfaces, utilizing a tool holder ring and a flexible web docking ring. The design includes features such as magnets for attachment, an elastic cord for stabilization, and a mechanism for separating the apparatus from the unmanned vehicle to ensure operator safety.

Claim 1

1 . An explosive ordnance disposal apparatus for neutralizing a target attached to a surface, comprising: a tool holder ring being configured for holding an explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool, the tool holder ring includes a shape to conform to at least a portion of the target and having four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; a flexible web docking ring, wherein the flexible web docking ring includes an octagonal base large enough to surround the tool holder ring and the target; a plurality of magnets attached to and spaced apart on one face of the octagonal base and configured to attach the octagonal base to the surface surrounding the target; an elastic cord in the form of a 4 point star pattern that centers the tool holder ring to the octagonal base wherein four outer vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are fixed to respective ones of four equally spaced-apart points on the octagonal base and four inner vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are slidably connected to the tool holder ring by passing the 4 point star pattern elastic cord through respective ones of the four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; and four angled members having first ends equally spaced-apart and fixed to the octagonal base, the four members extending upwardly away from the octagonal base at an angle of about 45 degrees and ending in second ends that are joined together at a central longitudinal axis of the octagonal base; a longitudinal member including a first longitudinal end being fixed to and extending perpendicular from one of eight sides of the octagonal base; a fireset being fixed to a second longitudinal end of the longitudinal member, the fireset is connected to the explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool via an initiating signal transmitter; a stabilizing member including one stabilizing end being fixed to the longitudinal member and a second stabilizing end being fixed near the second end of one of the four equally-spaced apart angled members of the flexible docking ring; a cross arm being fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal member at a point on the longitudinal member that is the center of gravity of the combined tool holder, flexible web docking ring, and longitudinal member; a second elastic cord being fixed to a first cross end of the cross arm and extending to and fixed to first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member on opposite sides of the cross arm, the second elastic cord extends from the first and second fixation points on the longitudinal member to a second end of the cross arm and fixed to the second cross end of the cross arm such that the second elastic cord forms a four-sided polygonal shape; and a low-stretch line being connected with the longitudinal member, the cross arm and an unmanned vehicle to form a tensegrity structure, wherein the low-stretch line is fixed to the first cross end and the second cross end of the cross arm and the first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member to define four loops of the low-stretch line, wherein each loop of the low-stretch line is looped over a pin in a drop kit of the unmanned vehicle so that the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus travels with the unmanned vehicle, and wherein the apparatus is configured so that when the pin is opened, the four loops of the low-stretch line are released from the unmanned vehicle thereby separating the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus from the unmanned vehicle. a surface, comprising: a tool holder ring being configured for holding an explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool, the tool holder ring includes a shape to conform to at least a portion of the target and having four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; a flexible web docking ring, wherein the flexible web docking ring includes an octagonal base large enough to surround the tool holder ring and the target; a plurality of magnets attached to and spaced apart on one face of the octagonal base and configured to attach the octagonal base to the surface surrounding the target; an elastic cord in the form of a 4 point star pattern that centers the tool holder ring to the octagonal base wherein four outer vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are fixed to respective ones of four equally spaced-apart points on the octagonal base and four inner vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are slidably connected to the tool holder ring by passing the 4 point star pattern elastic cord through respective ones of the four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; and four angled members having first ends equally spaced-apart and fixed to the octagonal base, the four members extending upwardly away from the octagonal base at an angle of about 45 degrees and ending in second ends that are joined together at a central longitudinal axis of the octagonal base; a longitudinal member including a first longitudinal end being fixed to and extending perpendicular from one of eight sides of the octagonal base; a fireset being fixed to a second longitudinal end of the longitudinal member, the fireset is connected to the explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool via an initiating signal transmitter; a stabilizing member including one stabilizing end being fixed to the longitudinal member and a second stabilizing end being fixed near the second end of one of the four equally-spaced apart angled members of the flexible docking ring; a cross arm being fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal member at a point on the longitudinal member that is the center of gravity of the combined tool holder, flexible web docking ring, and longitudinal member; a second elastic cord being fixed to a first cross end of the cross arm and extending to and fixed to first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member on opposite sides of the cross arm, the second elastic cord extends from the first and second fixation points on the longitudinal member to a second end of the cross arm and fixed to the second cross end of the cross arm such that the second elastic cord forms a four-sided polygonal shape; and a tool holder ring being configured for holding an explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool, the tool holder ring includes a shape to conform to at least a portion of the target and having four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; a flexible web docking ring, wherein the flexible web docking ring includes an octagonal base large enough to surround the tool holder ring and the target; a plurality of magnets attached to and spaced apart on one face of the octagonal base and configured to attach the octagonal base to the surface surrounding the target; an elastic cord in the form of a 4 point star pattern that centers the tool holder ring to the octagonal base wherein four outer vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are fixed to respective ones of four equally spaced-apart points on the octagonal base and four inner vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are slidably connected to the tool holder ring by passing the 4 point star pattern elastic cord through respective ones of the four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; and four angled members having first ends equally spaced-apart and fixed to the octagonal base, the four members extending upwardly away from the octagonal base at an angle of about 45 degrees and ending in second ends that are joined together at a central longitudinal axis of the octagonal base; an octagonal base large enough to surround the tool holder ring and the target; a plurality of magnets attached to and spaced apart on one face of the octagonal base and configured to attach the octagonal base to the surface surrounding the target; an elastic cord in the form of a 4 point star pattern that centers the tool holder ring to the octagonal base wherein four outer vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are fixed to respective ones of four equally spaced-apart points on the octagonal base and four inner vertices of the 4 point star pattern elastic cord are slidably connected to the tool holder ring by passing the 4 point star pattern elastic cord through respective ones of the four loops equally spaced around the tool holder ring; and four angled members having first ends equally spaced-apart and fixed to the octagonal base, the four members extending upwardly away from the octagonal base at an angle of about 45 degrees and ending in second ends that are joined together at a central longitudinal axis of the octagonal base; a longitudinal member including a first longitudinal end being fixed to and extending perpendicular from one of eight sides of the octagonal base; a fireset being fixed to a second longitudinal end of the longitudinal member, the fireset is connected to the explosive ordnance disposal neutralization tool via an initiating signal transmitter; a stabilizing member including one stabilizing end being fixed to the longitudinal member and a second stabilizing end being fixed near the second end of one of the four equally-spaced apart angled members of the flexible docking ring; a cross arm being fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal member at a point on the longitudinal member that is the center of gravity of the combined tool holder, flexible web docking ring, and longitudinal member; a second elastic cord being fixed to a first cross end of the cross arm and extending to and fixed to first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member on opposite sides of the cross arm, the second elastic cord extends from the first and second fixation points on the longitudinal member to a second end of the cross arm and fixed to the second cross end of the cross arm such that the second elastic cord forms a four-sided polygonal shape; and a low-stretch line being connected with the longitudinal member, the cross arm and an unmanned vehicle to form a tensegrity structure, wherein the low-stretch line is fixed to the first cross end and the second cross end of the cross arm and the first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member to define four loops of the low-stretch line, wherein each loop of the low-stretch line is looped over a pin in a drop kit of the unmanned vehicle so that the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus travels with the unmanned vehicle, and wherein the apparatus is configured so that when the pin is opened, the four loops of the low-stretch line are released from the unmanned vehicle thereby separating the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus from the unmanned vehicle. wherein the low-stretch line is fixed to the first cross end and the second cross end of the cross arm and the first and second fixation points located on the longitudinal member to define four loops of the low-stretch line, wherein each loop of the low-stretch line is looped over a pin in a drop kit of the unmanned vehicle so that the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus travels with the unmanned vehicle, and wherein the apparatus is configured so that when the pin is opened, the four loops of the low-stretch line are released from the unmanned vehicle thereby separating the explosive ordnance disposal apparatus from the unmanned vehicle.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12631435

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12631435