WILL MAKEUN USTIL 20170253312A1 AT MATA U ( 19) United States (12 ) Patent Application Publication ( 10) Pub . No. : US 2017/ 0253312 A1 Burleson et al. (43 ) Pub . Date : Sep . 7 , 2017 ( 54 ) PORTABLE INFLATABLE HABITAT WITH B63C 11 /52 (2006 .01 ) MODULAR PAYLOAD , SYSTEM AND B63C 11 / 42 (2006 . 01 ) METHOD B63C 11 : 44 ( 2006 .01 ) B63B 21 /26 ( 2006 . 01 ) (71 ) Applicants :Winslow Scott Burleson , New York , 2 ) U . S . Cl. NY (US ) ; Michael Lombardi , CPC .. B63C 11 /325 ( 2013 .01 ) ; B63C 11 /44 Rumford , RI ( US) ( 2013 . 01 ) ; B63C 11/ 30 (2013 .01 ) ; B63B 21/ 26 ( 2013 . 01 ) ; B63C 11/ 52 ( 2013. 01 ) ; B63C 11/ 42 ( 72 ) Inventors : Winslow Scott Burleson , New York , ( 2013 .01 ) ; B01D 53 /0407 ( 2013 .01 ) ; B01D NY (US ) ; Michael Lombardi, 2257 / 504 ( 2013 .01 ) ; B01D 2259 /4566 Rumford , RI (US ) ( 2013 .01 ) ( 73 ) Assignees: New York University , New York , NY ( 57 ) ABSTRACT (US ) ; Michael Lombardi, Rumford , RI A diving apparatus for a diver underwater includes a por (US ) table habitat in which a breathable environment is main tained underwater . The habitat has a collapsible envelope . The collapsible envelope takes shape through inflation to an (21 ) Appl. No. : 15/ 438 ,415 expanded state underwater . The habitat has a modular pay ( 22) Filed : Feb . 21 , 2017 load which removably attaches to the envelope underwater. The habitat has a seat on which a diver can sit while the Related U . S . Application Data habitat is underwater. The modular payload has a breathable gas source to provide breathable gas for the diver to breathe (60 ) Provisional application No . 62 / 302 ,608 , filed on Mar . in the habitat and a carbon dioxide scrubber which removes 2 , 2016 . carbon dioxide from the environment when the habitat is underwater. The apparatus has an anchor mechanism Publication Classification attached to the habitat to maintain the habitat at a desired (51 ) Int. Cl. depth underwater. A method for a diver to dive underwater. B63C 1 / 32 (2006 .01 ) A system for supporting a diver underwater. A diving B63C 11 / 30 (2006 . 01) apparatus having a propulsion unit . An apparatus for a user BOID 53 /04 ( 2006 . 01 ) in outer space or on another planet . VEZA = = - - HASITAT 147 SPACE INITIAL 24 DEPLOYMENT PAYLOAD ad = = = = = HABITAT PAYLOAD CONSUNOD SPACE AND REMOVED / REPLENISHED AT SURFACE ?????? PAYLOADPAYLOAD 24 ??????? HABITAT NEVI PAYLOAD SPACE INSTALLED FOR SUESEQUENT OCCUPANTS PAYLOAD TRO Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 1 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 INFLATAELE ENVELOPE 16 18 OXYGEN DISPLACEMENT OXYGEN V I DISPLACEMENTGAS TH38 - 001 38 SCRUBBER 20 Bagi dino 34 242 62 FINS TO LATCH MODULAR PAYLOAD o 322 T- BENCH SEATS 26 OXYGEN MANIFOLD DISPLACEMENT GAS NANIFOLD 56 136 - - - - IN IEEII . Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 2 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 m POOLWITH BALLAST FIG.3 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 3 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 SCRUBEER SYSTEN CONFIGURATION WHEN OPEN 5220 48 2 | -- - > (CO2 REKOVED) OzK 'ONITOR SCRUBBER 129 BATTERY 5 - GAS FLOW ( CO2 RICH ) SIZE - MISSION DURATION x 1 .5 FOR SAFETY FIG . 4 SCRUBBER SYSTEM CONFIGURATION WHEN CLOSED FOR TRANSPORT TO HABITAT - 59 - 54 48 CLAVE 138 - 8 10 - 02MANEV WA POD DEMAND REGULATOR FED L BATTERY 55 FROM OXYGEN SUPPLY FIG . 5 CAP WITH OVER PRESSURE RELIEF Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 4 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 So FRAME -64 1.ODULARPAYLOAD STRAP 24 6.FIG ENVELOPE a se FRAME MODULARPAYLOAD Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 5 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 = = = = = = = HABITAT SPACE INITIAL 24 DEPLOYMENT PAYLOADPAYLOAD 1 = = = = = = HABITAT PAYLOAD CONSUMED SPACE AND REMOVED / REPLENISHED AT SURFACE MESES PAYLOAD + - 24 ????????? HABITAT NEW PAYLOAD SPACE INSTALLED FOR SUBSEQUENT OCCUPANTS PAYLOAD LES = = = = = = FIG . Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 6 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 DILUENT SIDE DISTRIBUTION SHUTOFF / MANIFOLD ISOLATORS 71. L CHECK VALVE - W / QD 73 DEMAND REGULATORS FOR EMERGENCY EGRESS SA 1- 38 DISPLACEMENT GAS CYLINDERS FIT TO FRAME FIG . 8 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 7 of 11 US 2017 / 0253312 A1 MANIFOLD boy hor81for81 QUICK CONNECT SHUTOFF L A 150 WITHQUICK CHECK CONNEC VALVE NEEDLE VALVE 0 . 5 TO 1 LPM O , DEMAND REGULATOR ot REDUNDANT 07 02 SUPPLY CYLINDERS FIG . 9 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 8 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 RATCHETING METER /WINCH FOR VARIABLE DEPTH FIG . 10 *11441 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 9 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 INTERIOR EXTERIOR BALL VALVES 152 AIR LOCK 1160 FIG . 11 APPARATUS 7- 10 EABITAT ENVELOPE MODULAR PAYLOAD 34 ANCHOR MECHANISM 100 PROPULSION 104 UNIT 102 MARINE PROPELLER ENGINE ? ENGINE PUSH / PULL FIG . 12 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 10 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 FIG . 13 - FIG . 14 Patent Application Publication Sep . 7 , 2017 Sheet 11 of 11 US 2017 /0253312 A1 FIG . 15 on N22 77. YA FIG . 16 14 ho 14 FIG .17 US 2017 /0253312 A1 Sep . 7 , 2017 PORTABLE INFLATABLE HABITAT WITH dollar annual budget . The project has since been reconsti MODULAR PAYLOAD , SYSTEM AND tuted by Florida Atlantic University but continues to struggle METHOD with financial sustainability . [0007 ] The prior art self - contained underwater breathing CROSS -REFERENCE TO RELATED apparatus provides for about 8 hours of life support. This APPLICATIONS time is used for the cumulative bottom and decompression [ 0001 ] This is a non - provisional of U . S . provisional appli phases of the dive. cation Ser. No . 62 / 302 ,608 filed Mar. 2 , 2016 , incorporated by reference herein . BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008 ] The present invention allows these 8 hours to be FIELD OF THE INVENTION utilized on the bottom for work / exploration , with the present invention augmenting the dive duration during the resulting [0002 ] The present invention is related to a portable diving extended decompression stays , e . g . , enabling multiple apparatus for a diver underwater that has a breathable sequential 8 hour work / exploration phases . The present environment and a replacement modular payload which invention is portable and modular to make it readily deploy provides a breathable gas and a carbon dioxide scrubber . (As able and easily utilized by a board spectrum of the diving used herein , references to the “ present invention ” or “ inven population with lower cost and infrastructure than existing tion ” relate to exemplary embodiments and not necessarily platforms to every embodiment encompassed by the appended claims. ) [0009 ] The present invention continues the development More specifically , the present invention is related to a of a portable inflatable habitat and significantly improves portable diving apparatus for a diver underwater that has a human performance in the undersea environment. Coupling breathable environment and a replacement modular payload the delicate, intricate , and intimate performance of a human which provides a breathable gas and a carbon dioxide with extended , cost - effective , undersea stays contributes scrubber, where the diver can sit and remove diving equip substantially to the marine sciences . In the context of ment to rest and / or decompress and / or carry out tasks within exploration , coupling this new capability with established this breathable environment. robotics and imaging technologies will provide a compre hensive technology platform by which vast areas of ocean BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION space can be examined in an all new way . [ 0003 ] This section is intended to introduce the reader to [0010 ] The present invention is a next evolutionary step to various aspects of the art that may be related to various an already successful exploration program of Lombardi aspects of the present invention . The following discussion is funded by the National Geographic Society , where broad , intended to provide information to facilitate a better under multi -disciplinary research topics are being addressed at the standing of the present invention . Accordingly , it should be lower limits of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs ) , a understood that statements in the following discussion are to national science priority , to depths nearing 150 meters of sea be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art . water (msw ) . 00041 Deep diving activities for science were carried out [0011 ] The present invention pertains to a diving apparatus between 2002 and 2010 in the Bahamas as part of a ‘ Bahama for a diver underwater. The apparatus comprises a portable Deep ' initiative by Lombardi. Working dives were con habitat in which a breathable environment is maintained ducted to 450 feet of sea water ( fsw ) which required underwater. The habitat has a frame , and a collapsible extensive decompression , on the order of several hours at the envelope which is attached to the frame or anchored or 20 fsw decompression stop alone before surfacing . This ballasted . The collapsible envelope takes shape through unproductive time was cause for developing a means to inflation to an expanded state underwater. The habitat has a remove the diver from the unproductive environment and modular payload which removably attaches to the frame place him in a productive one . A portable inflatable habitat underwater. The habitat has a seat on which a diver can sit was developed for this purpose and deployed in 2012 . The while the habitat is underwater . The modular payload has a system was deployed for 72 consecutive hours and was breathable gas source to provide breathable gas for the diver utilized during two dives and resulted in a development path to breathe in the habitat and a carbon dioxide scrubber which to continue to harness the potential of this new technology . removes carbon dioxide from the environment when the [ 0005 ] A second generation system was developed and habitat is underwater. The apparatus has an anchor mecha deployed in Hong Kong in 2015. The emphasis of this nism attached to the habitat to maintain the habitat at a system was to create functional space within the underwater desired depth underwater.