Abstract: A dock shock absorption device includes a frame and one or more energy dissipative elements. The frame is attached to a dock with the frame enclosing a pylon. The one or more energy dissipative elements attach to the frame and are equal to or less than 1 inch from the pylon.

Abstract: An apparatus and method transports, launches, and recovers an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) on a boat. A pair of support rails secures the UUV to the boat during the transport across a body of water on the boat. The support rails support the UUV in sliding movement along the support rails during the launch from the boat into the body of water and during the recovery from the body of water onto the boat. A ramp is deployed that extends the support rails into the body of water through a stern of the boat. The ramp includes a pair of alignment rails for aligning the UUV with the support rails during the recovery. A winch pulls the UUV out of the body of water during the recovery, with the winch pulling the UUV into the alignment rails and then onto the support rails in the boat.

Abstract: An apparatus and method transports, launches, and recovers an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) on a boat. A pair of support rails secures the UUV to the boat during the transport across a body of water on the boat. The support rails support the UUV in sliding movement along the support rails during the launch from the boat into the body of water and during the recovery from the body of water onto the boat. A ramp is deployed that extends the support rails into the body of water through a stern of the boat. The ramp includes a pair of alignment rails for aligning the UUV with the support rails during the recovery. A winch pulls the UUV out of the body of water during the recovery, with the winch pulling the UUV into the alignment rails and then onto the support rails in the boat.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing and/or installing a side guide of a trailer-mounted boat capture system for guiding a boat onto the trailer, the apparatus comprising: an outboard post pivotally attached to an upper support rail of the side guide; two inboard posts, each pivotally attached to the side guide proximal to where the side guide is attached to the trailer via first pins, wherein each inboard post includes a manual leveling jack; an attachment point on the side guide suitable for attaching a winch cable from a boat held in the boat capture system; and second pins attaching the side guide to the trailer such that when the first pins are removed the side guide is free to pivot around the second pins from an upright position towards a support surface.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station comprising: a container comprising an upper portion having an air duct, and a lower portion comprising a support structure, a smoke detector, a fire-suppressant inlet, and a charging/communications junction, wherein the upper portion is configured to mate with the lower portion to form a weather-tight enclosure around a vehicle, and wherein removal of the upper portion allows for loading/unloading of the vehicle into/out of the lower portion; and a resource control unit (RCU) comprising a processor, an environmental control unit (ECU), a fire-suppressant control manifold, and a charger, wherein the ECU is operatively coupled to the air duct, the fire-suppressant control manifold is operatively coupled to the fire-suppressant inlet, the charger is electrically coupled to the charging/communications junction, and the processor is communicatively coupled to the smoke detector, the charging/communications junction, the ECU, the charger, and the fire-suppressant control manifold.

Abstract: A snap-hook, including a hook and a dual-direction latch pivotally attached to the hook by a latch pin. The dual-direction latch blocks an opening to the hook's throat when held in a neutral position by a latch spring having a first spring force and a lever-return spring having a second spring force. The dual-direction latch is configured to move into the throat by overcoming the first spring force and to move out of the throat by overcoming the second spring force. The dual-direction latch comprises a spring guard attached to the dual-direction latch so as to shield the lever-return spring from coming into contact with one or both of an object disposed within a throat of the hook and an inner edge of the hook throat.

Abstract: A snap-hook, including a hook and a dual-direction latch pivotally attached to the hook by a latch pin. The dual-direction latch blocks an opening to the hook's throat when held in a neutral position by a latch spring having a first spring force and a lever-return spring having a second spring force. The dual-direction latch is configured to move into the throat by overcoming the first spring force and to move out of the throat by overcoming the second spring force. The dual-direction latch comprises a spring guard attached to the dual-direction latch so as to shield the lever-return spring from coming into contact with one or both of an object disposed within a throat of the hook and an inner edge of the hook throat.

Abstract: An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) transport cart comprising: a wheeled frame including vertical posts, a front end, and a rear end; a UUV cradle adjustably clamped to the vertical posts such that the UUV cradle is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame; a U-shaped handle pivotally attached to the front end of the frame such that the U-shaped handle pivots up and down around a first axis, wherein the U-shaped handle includes a handle spring that acts between the U-shaped handle and the frame so as to bias the U-shaped handle toward an upward orientation; side handles pivotally attached to the UUV cradle such that the side handles pivot up and down around side axes that are perpendicular to the first axis; and a hand brake affixed to the U-shaped handle and configured to provide active brake control of the wheeled frame.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station comprising: a container comprising an upper portion having an air duct, and a lower portion comprising a support structure, a smoke detector, a fire-suppressant inlet, and a charging/communications junction, wherein the upper portion is configured to mate with the lower portion to form a weather-tight enclosure around a vehicle, and wherein removal of the upper portion allows for loading/unloading of the vehicle into/out of the lower portion; and a resource control unit (RCU) comprising a processor, an environmental control unit (ECU), a fire-suppressant control manifold, and a charger, wherein the ECU is operatively coupled to the air duct, the fire-suppressant control manifold is operatively coupled to the fire-suppressant inlet, the charger is electrically coupled to the charging/communications junction, and the processor is communicatively coupled to the smoke detector, the charging/communications junction, the ECU, the charger, and the fire-suppressant control manifold.

Abstract: An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) transport cart comprising: a wheeled frame including vertical posts, a front end, and a rear end; a UUV cradle adjustably clamped to the vertical posts such that the UUV cradle is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame; a U-shaped handle pivotally attached to the front end of the frame such that the U-shaped handle pivots up and down around a first axis, wherein the U-shaped handle includes a handle spring that acts between the U-shaped handle and the frame so as to bias the U-shaped handle toward an upward orientation; side handles pivotally attached to the UUV cradle such that the side handles pivot up and down around side axes that are perpendicular to the first axis; and a hand brake affixed to the U-shaped handle and configured to provide active brake control of the wheeled frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing and/or installing a side guide of a trailer-mounted boat capture system for guiding a boat onto the trailer, the apparatus comprising: an outboard post pivotally attached to an upper support rail of the side guide; two inboard posts, each pivotally attached to the side guide proximal to where the side guide is attached to the trailer via first pins, wherein each inboard post includes a manual leveling jack; an attachment point on the side guide suitable for attaching a winch cable from a boat held in the boat capture system; and second pins attaching the side guide to the trailer such that when the first pins are removed the side guide is free to pivot around the second pins from an upright position towards a support surface.

Abstract: A constrained diameter phased array antenna system involving at least one dielectric superstrate, a generally cylindrical arrangement of antennas in a generally circular array, the arrangement proximate to the at least one dielectric superstrate, and at least one phase shifter coupled with the arrangement in an orientation corresponding to at least one scanning plane, whereby a communication range is increasable.

Abstract: A snap-hook comprising: a hook-shaped body having a throat opening and a shank end, wherein the hook-shaped body includes a primary aperture located at the shank end suitable for attaching a primary line and a secondary aperture located approximately opposite the throat opening suitable for attaching a secondary line; and a dual-direction latch pivotally attached to the hook-shaped body such that the dual-direction latch spans the throat opening when in a neutral position and is capable of pivoting into and out of the throat of the hook-shaped body, wherein the dual-direction latch comprises a bent wire having two free ends, each end inserted in a different hole of two holes in the hook-shaped body that are non-axially-aligned resulting in a spring force that biases the dual-direction latch toward the neutral position and resists pivotal movement of the dual-direction latch both into and out of the throat.