Patents by Inventor Robert C. Woodall, Jr.

Robert C. Woodall, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9559232
    Abstract: A folding deployment system for solar panels provides a portable solar collecting power station that can be easily packaged and deployed for use in diverse environments. A solar array frame extends and contracts in accordion fashion. Solar panels mounted on the solar array frame are pivotally moveable from an upright position in a stowed position inside a container to a substantially horizontal position outside the container in a deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Steven F. Naud, Robert C. Woodall, Jr., David H. Wilbanks, Amy N. Satterlee
  • Patent number: 9217455
    Abstract: A quick release collapsible bolt utilizes a plurality of bolt segments that surround a removable central core. When the central core is in place, the bolt is used as a normal bolt that may screw into a nut or socket. The central, core can be pulled out when the bolt is attached to a nut to collapse the plurality of bolt segments so that the bolt segments then can be quickly withdrawn from the nut or receptacle without the need to unscrew the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert C. Woodall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9217452
    Abstract: A blind fastener assembly utilizes flexible legs extending from a cylindrical section of a spring pin. Gripping elements extend radially outwardly from the ends of the flexible legs. When the flexible legs and gripping elements are extended through an opening in the wall, a center pin can be pushed into the cylindrical portion to expand the flexible legs so that the gripping elements can engage the back of the wall. In one embodiment, removal of the center pin causes the flexible legs to contract whereupon the assembly can be removed from the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Christopher J. Doyle
  • Patent number: 8616721
    Abstract: A solar awning system is provided with a spool housing containing a sheet of flexible solar light array material rolled into a spool within the spool housing. The spool is rotatably mounted for spooling and unspooling the flexible sheet to and from the spool housing. The spool housing may be attached to a wall or other object or mounted on supports to quickly provide a shaded and lighted region at a desired location. The flexible sheet is quickly retracted into the spool housing to pack up, whereupon the spool housing protects the flexible solar light array material for subsequent use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert C. Woodall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6130642
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for improving the navigation accuracy of a vehicle guided by the global positioning system (GPS). The system can be ermanent or can be delivered "on station" by delivery vehicles dropped from a host aircraft. If delivered, each delivery vehicle travels to a destination at the earth's surface on land or at sea. At each destination, an antenna and a GPS receiver use GPS signals and determine the position of the antenna. A transmitter coupled between the GPS receiver and the antenna transmits the determined position of the antenna over the air waves via the antenna. In this way, a plurality of earth-bound GPS positions can be used by a GPS-guided vehicle to improve its navigation accuracy thereby eliminating the atmospheric errors associated with satellite-transmitted signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Felipe A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 6082675
    Abstract: A standoff delivery system is responsive to GPS coordinate signals and inight GPS signals to deliver and emplace a sonobuoy at a remote location that otherwise would be hazardous for full size aircraft conventionally deploying the sonobuoy. A flying platform, such as a drone or gliding guided wing, carries the sonobuoy to a remote location. A GPS receiver on the platform enters GPS coordinate signals representative of the remote location and receives GPS signals representative of the location of the platform. A control signal generator produces control signals in response to both of the GPS signals and feeds control signals to servos that displace control surfaces to pilot the platform. The sonobuoy is released from the platform in response to GPS signals that are representative of at least the proximity of the remote location. This system provides for clandestine deployment and activation of the sonobuoy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Felipe A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 5951346
    Abstract: An air-deliverable global positioning system (GPS) position marking device nd method involves the operations of providing an air-deliverable GPS position marking device, launching the device into flight through the air to a desired location, arming the device in response to launching the device into flight, firing a detonation mechanism contained in the device when the device is at the desired location after receipt of a magneto-inductive transmission so as to generate a predetermined pressure in an interior chamber of the device that causes ejection of a payload assembly from the interior chamber, initiates inflation of an inflatable flotation body of the payload assembly, and initiates communications between a GPS receiver and transmitter unit in the payload assembly and a remote station to determine the position of the position marking device at the desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert C. Woodall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5895882
    Abstract: An air-delivered infrared anti-ship missile decoy is delivered from an aiaft to a desired location below sea surface ahead of advancing forces and then activated at a later time by a remotely-transmitted encoded signal to separate a payload assembly from the remainder of the decoy, float the payload assembly on the sea surface and then produce a relatively large infrared plume above the payload assembly and atop the sea surface that provides an infrared signature for decoying and deception purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Robert C. Woodall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5792978
    Abstract: A barge strike system for clearing an obstacle-filled region of water inces a floating barge having at least one hollow region defined therein. The barge is equipped to move under its own power to the obstacle-filled region at various speeds, including speeds in excess of minimum planing speed. Explosive material is contained in the barge's hollow region(s). A plurality of detonators are coupled to a top surface of the explosive material and are initiated to generate a coalesced planar wave downward through the explosive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Felipe A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 5708230
    Abstract: A method for ocean surface delivery of ordnance and clearing of explosive mines and obstacles from a navigable sea channel includes the step of providing quantities of ordnance adapted to survive impact and prolonged immersion in sea water and to arm in response to release from a mobile ocean surface vehicle and to pressure actuation upon submersion to a desired depth in sea water and then to detonate in response to receiving a preselected signal transmitted to the ordnance from a standoff location. The method also includes the step of delivering the quantities of ordnance from a mobile ocean surface vehicle toward multiple sites in a navigable sea channel containing obstacles and explosive mines therein so as to cause arming of the ordnance followed by impact thereof with the navigable sea channel and submersion and emplacement thereof at the multiple sites in the navigable sea channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Felipe A. Garcia, John Horton, William Jones
  • Patent number: 5686686
    Abstract: A hand emplaced underwater mine penetration system includes a launching ambly and a munition assembly. The launching assembly includes a firing device which receives a magnetic or acoustic signal from a standoff signal generator, and a launch tube having a forward open end, an opposite rear end connected to the firing device and a bore extending between the ends. The munition assembly is adapted for insertion within and firing from the bore of the launch tube of the launching assembly and includes a cartridge having explosive elements therein and a fuze disposed at a forward end of the cartridge and adapted to detonate and explode the explosive elements in the cartridge upon impact with an underwater mine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., Felipe A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 5661258
    Abstract: A method for air delivery of ordnance and clearing of explosive mines and stacles from a navigable sea channel includes the step of providing quantities of ordnance adapted to survive impact with land and sea and prolonged immersion in sea water and to arm in response to air flow pressure and then detonate in response to receiving a preselected signal transmitted to the ordnance from a standoff location. The method also includes the step of delivering the quantities of ordnance through the air toward multiple sites in a navigable sea channel having obstacles and explosive mines therein so as to cause arming of the quantities of ordnance followed by impact thereof with the navigable sea channel and submersion and emplacement thereof at the multiple sites in the navigable sea channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Felipe A. Garcia, Robert C. Woodall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5341718
    Abstract: An acoustic decoy round ejected by a launcher for flight above water from a ea-going vessel, impacts at the water surface to cause separation of a payload from a forward section of the round that is also separated from a flotation anchor tethered to the payload and fins which stabilized launched flight of the round prior to impact. The separated payload submerges from the flotation anchor at the water surface location to a tethered depth within the water from which a decoy signal is emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Woodall, Jr., S. Kyle Jones, H. Joseph Jones, Jr.