Patents Assigned to Ultraflex S.p.A.
  • Publication number: 20120204777
    Abstract: A servo-assisted steering device for vehicles includes a manual control member connected to a shaft driving a pressurized control fluid supplying and conveying unit, which has at least two fluid conveying lines connected to one of two chambers of one or more steering actuators. A hydraulic power unit is connected to the supplying and conveying unit and includes a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid and powered pumping means, which are driven by an electric motor and which are connected to the fluid supplying/conveying circuit to supply the pressurized fluid alternately to either one or the other of the two chambers of the actuator (or actuators) depending on the rotational direction of the control member. The electric motor is energized and/or de-energized upon operation of the control member, causing the pumping means to increase the amount of pumped fluid and reduce resistance upon steering the manual control means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marcella Gai, Enrico Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120132120
    Abstract: A servo-assisted steering device for vehicles includes a manual control member that is connected to a pump or the like manually driving it when the control member is rotated. The pump is connected at its delivery and suction side to one of the two chambers of one or more steering actuators through hydraulic pipes, feeding a pressurized fluid alternately to one or the other of the two chambers depending on moving direction, in particular the rotation of the control member. Assist control means for the steering actuators include a hydraulic fluid tank and automatic pumping means, which are driven and connected to the hydraulic pipes when the steering wheel is operated and which, by increasing the amount of pumped fluid, increase the pressure exerted by the pump to reduce resistance when steering the control member. The number of revolutions of the motor driving the automatic pumping means may be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marcella Gai, Enrico Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120079977
    Abstract: A control device for a trim tab of a boat, includes at least a pair of stabilizers, one for each side of the boat, formed by blades (2) and by a control actuator (3) for each blade which determines the change in angle of the blade itself compared to the ideal flat water surface, and including a joystick which, with its movement, controls the actuators, in order to determine the positioning of the stabilizers and, therefore, to obtain predetermined conditions of the trim tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio GAI
  • Publication number: 20120080850
    Abstract: Device for sealing an actuator includes a drive shaft (2) and an elongated body (3) which move, relatively to each other, along their longitudinal axis, covered by a sleeve (4) which covers at least partially both the elongated body and the drive shaft, the sleeve having a first portion conformed with the bellows (41) and a second portion (42) having the shape like the elongated body so that it may be fitted on it and blocked at its end, the bellows portion being positioned in correspondence of the shaft (2) and locked on it at its end so that the sleeve is integral with the shaft itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio GAI
  • Patent number: 8128443
    Abstract: A single lever control for combined control of the throttle in a marine engine and of a reversing gear includes a rocking lever mounted onto a supporting arm, which is connected to an actuator causing a reversing gear to transmit engine motion to a shaft driving a propeller or the like either in the same direction of rotation as the drive shaft or opposite thereto. The supporting arm is also dynamically connected to position sensors sensing the angular position of the lever and generating a signal uniquely related thereto. The signal is transmitted to a controller of a motorized actuator of the engine throttle. The angular displacement of the lever is transmitted to a transducer converting rotary motion into an electric signal uniquely related thereto via a gear drive having an input gear controlled by the supporting arm and an output gear connected to a transducer control shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Marco Campagna
  • Patent number: 8047152
    Abstract: A joint connecting a cylinder actuator of a trim tab to a watercraft includes a first part couplable to a wall of the watercraft, a second part couplable to the cylinder actuator, a pin coupled to one part and a pin seat formed in the other part. In one embodiment, the seat is defined by a portion of a circular cylindrical surface having an opening on one side. The surface portion has an angular extension larger than 180°, and the pin has a correspondingly cylindrical portion with a laterally flattened surface for introduction into the opening of the pin seat. The opening of the cylindrical pin seat and the flattened portion/s of the pin are in such reciprocal angular positions that the two joint parts are operably connectable and disconnectable by disposing them in a relative angular position, which cannot be attained in the mounted operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Alessandro Staiolo
  • Patent number: 8015935
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a watercraft control apparatus according to the present invention includes a control member that operates a power-consuming unit or load. The control member is operably connected to the power-consuming unit or load through a drive member that transmits a control force and/or a displacement from the control member to the power-consuming unit or load. The watercraft control apparatus further includes an actuator for actuating the power-consuming unit and a magnetic unit for transducing the force and/or the displacement of the control member into a corresponding electric/electronic signal for a corresponding operation of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Alessandro Staiolo, Giorgio Bosia
  • Publication number: 20110030492
    Abstract: A single lever control for combined control of the throttle of one or more engines, for example of boats, and of a reversing gear mechanism includes a system that alternately couples and uncouples the motion of the lever to the reversing gear driving mechanism and to the members controlling the throttle of the one or more engines as a function of the angular position of the lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Marco Campagna, Marco Vaccari
  • Patent number: 7880090
    Abstract: A guide element for passing one or more pipes, cables or the like through a wall includes an interposition element between the one or more pipes and the edge of the passage aperture, and an annular clamping flange on one or both sides of the wall. The flange is substantially concentric with the aperture and it is coupled to the wall along an annular perimetric strip surrounding the aperture. The interposition element is an elastic wedging and/or urging element between one or more pipes and the edge of the aperture, and the ring or flange clamps the interposition element in a wedged and/or urged condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Andrea Milanese
  • Patent number: 7764187
    Abstract: A cathodic protection device having a sacrificial anode that is intended to wear out due to corrosion and that is electrically connected to a structure to be protected against corrosion. The cathodic protection device of the present invention further includes an indication device configured to detect and indicate the wear of the sacrificial anode wirelessly, without the use of cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Staiolo Alessandro
  • Publication number: 20100029150
    Abstract: A single lever control for combined control of the throttle in a marine engine and of a reversing gear includes a rocking lever mounted onto a supporting arm, which is connected to an actuator causing a reversing gear to transmit engine motion to a shaft driving a propeller or the like either in the same direction of rotation as the drive shaft or opposite thereto. The supporting arm is also dynamically connected to position sensors sensing the angular position of the lever and generating a signal uniquely related thereto. The signal is transmitted to a controller of a motorized actuator of the engine throttle. The angular displacement of the lever is transmitted to a transducer converting rotary motion into an electric signal uniquely related thereto via a gear drive having an input gear controlled by the supporting arm and an output gear connected to a transducer control shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Marco Campagna
  • Publication number: 20080041288
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a watercraft control apparatus according to the present invention includes a control member that operates a power-consuming unit or load. The control member is operably connected to the power-consuming unit or load through a drive member that transmits a control force and/or a displacement from the control member to the power-consuming unit or load. The watercraft control apparatus further includes an actuator for actuating the power-consuming unit and a magnetic unit for transducing the force and/or the displacement of the control member into a corresponding electric/electronic signal for a corresponding operation of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Bosia, Giorgio Gai, Alessandro Staiolo
  • Publication number: 20080042860
    Abstract: A cathodic protection device having a sacrificial anode that is intended to wear out due to corrosion and that is electrically connected to a structure to be protected against corrosion. The cathodic protection device of the present invention further includes an indication device configured to detect and indicate the wear of the sacrificial anode wirelessly, without the use of cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Staiolo Alessandro
  • Publication number: 20080026655
    Abstract: The invention relates to an hydraulic device for the synchronized steering of at least a pair of marine outboard motors (7, 8), comprising an hydraulic cylinder (6) steering a main motor (7) sliding along a rod (10) parallel to the axis of the tube (9) tilting said motor (7), it is connected to an arm (13) steering said motor (7) by means of an articulated linkage (12), it is rotatable about at least an axis, and by means of articulated linkage (24, 29, 35) it is connected to an arm (17) steering a secondary motor (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Gai, Alessandro Staiolo
  • Patent number: 6984113
    Abstract: An oil pressure operated pump for marine steering gears includes a multiple piston oil pressure operated pump controlled by a steering wheel, a valve housing mounted under the pump, a bottom cover closing the valve, the valve housing and the cover each including channels, threaded holes for reciprocal fastening thereof, non-threaded bores for oil pressure connections, a valve set lodged in the valve housing for non-return and adjustment of oil flow, the valve set including a generally parallelepiped shaped tubular shell having a generally external square shape, a central tubular through-hole, and lathe-turned ducts, a double acting oil pressure cylinder including a shaft movable in the central tubular through-hole for controlling a direction of an engine or rudder of a boat, and valves for controlling fluid flow and thereby movement of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Gai
  • Publication number: 20050252433
    Abstract: A directional control system for a marine vessel comprising a steering mechanism movable between two extreme opposite positions and capable of altering the direction of the marine vessel; an actuator for moving the steering mechanism between the two extreme opposite stop positions; a directional control station comprising a control element movable between two opposite positions to set a directional steering; and an electrical transmission system transmitting to the actuator the movement stroke of the control element or the position of the control element in the total stroke between the two opposite stop positions. The electrical transmission system transforms the movement stroke of the control element, or the position of the control element, into an actuation signal for the actuator according to a function univocally correlated with the position of the steering mechanism, thereby causing the steering mechanism to assume a steering position that directly corresponds to the actuation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Gai
  • Patent number: 6588354
    Abstract: Steering compartment equipment for boats fitted with a tilt and height adjustable steering wheel, includes a mobile tilt wheel shaft, a fixed control shaft, a universal joint permitting relative offset rotation between the mobile tilt wheel shaft and the fixed control shaft, a base plate secured to a boat dashboard, a gasket arrangement sealing the base plate and fixed control shaft relative to the dashboard, external coverings which protect the equipment against splashes, waves and bad weather, the external coverings including a fixed annular covering protecting parts secured to the dashboard, a mobile annular covering, and an intermediate toroid band shaped seal between the other two coverings and including a lower circular internal recess mounted on a peripheral upper zone of the fixed annular covering, and an inward bendable upper shaping which rests on an outside of a lower zone of the mobile annular covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Ultraflex S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Gai