Apparatus for mechanically guiding a water vehicle that is being released or retrieved

Skip to: Description  ·  Claims  ·  References Cited  · Patent History  ·  Patent History
Description

The present invention was made with Government support under STTR Program Contract No. N07-037 awarded by the United States Navy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an apparatus for mechanically guiding a water vehicle that is being released or retrieved in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

The broken lines shown are included for the purpose of illustrating the unclaimed portions of the article and form no part of the claimed design.

Claims

The ornamental design for an apparatus for mechanically guiding a water vehicle that is being released or retrieved, as shown and described.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3466798 September 1969 Speers et al.
D217744 June 1970 Peterson et al.
3647253 March 1972 Hettinger et al.
3650234 March 1972 Goudy
3734321 May 1973 Long et al.
D242615 December 7, 1976 Henning
4209279 June 24, 1980 Aasen
D290108 June 2, 1987 Wolfe
D291299 August 11, 1987 Hawkes
D292870 November 24, 1987 Carbone
4705331 November 10, 1987 Britton
D304923 December 5, 1989 Pado
D308851 June 26, 1990 Templeman
5048449 September 17, 1991 Templeman
D323808 February 11, 1992 DeSantis
5113702 May 19, 1992 Capps
5120099 June 9, 1992 Fletcher
D328732 August 18, 1992 Whitley, II
5138966 August 18, 1992 Whitley, II
5158034 October 27, 1992 Hsu
D331738 December 15, 1992 Simpson
5188054 February 23, 1993 Jacobs, Jr.
5307754 May 3, 1994 Leonardis
5320057 June 14, 1994 Dourlain
D350326 September 6, 1994 Grifflin
D352023 November 1, 1994 Corn
5396860 March 14, 1995 Cheng
D363914 November 7, 1995 Corn
D371411 July 2, 1996 Albritton
5568783 October 29, 1996 Ditchfield
5655939 August 12, 1997 Garrido Salvadores
5686694 November 11, 1997 Hillenbrand et al.
5704817 January 6, 1998 Vaughn
D390618 February 10, 1998 Wilson
5713293 February 3, 1998 Shiffler et al.
D394633 May 26, 1998 Gauthier et al.
5786545 July 28, 1998 Hillenbrand
D400624 November 3, 1998 Hornsby et al.
5911189 June 15, 1999 Ryan
5970546 October 26, 1999 Danis
6145462 November 14, 2000 Aquino
6178914 January 30, 2001 Axelsson
6199503 March 13, 2001 Midgett
D440619 April 17, 2001 Chiang
6359834 March 19, 2002 English
6390012 May 21, 2002 Watt et al.
6390761 May 21, 2002 Palmer, Jr. et al.
6419292 July 16, 2002 Calcote et al.
6431105 August 13, 2002 Haram
D466175 November 26, 2002 Katz et al.
6558104 May 6, 2003 Vlaanderen et al.
6600695 July 29, 2003 Nugent et al.
6641353 November 4, 2003 Oliver
D487245 March 2, 2004 Geriene et al.
6738314 May 18, 2004 Teeter et al.
D492242 June 29, 2004 Geriene et al.
6766745 July 27, 2004 Kuklinski et al.
6779475 August 24, 2004 Crane et al.
6840188 January 11, 2005 Witbeck
D505104 May 17, 2005 Osumi et al.
6969030 November 29, 2005 Jones et al.
7000560 February 21, 2006 Wingett et al.
7010401 March 7, 2006 Richburg et al.
7013822 March 21, 2006 Gencarelli
7021231 April 4, 2006 Smart
7051664 May 30, 2006 Robichaud et al.
7104505 September 12, 2006 Tchoryk et al.
D533497 December 12, 2006 Templeman
7156036 January 2, 2007 Seiple
D537142 February 20, 2007 Eagan
D549297 August 21, 2007 Eagan
D560264 January 22, 2008 Nakpodia
7377592 May 27, 2008 Kraenzle
D573220 July 15, 2008 Nakpodia
D573935 July 29, 2008 Tureaud et al.
D573937 July 29, 2008 Tureaud et al.
D578463 October 14, 2008 Tureaud et al.
D580341 November 11, 2008 Tureaud et al.
7581507 September 1, 2009 Kern
7699015 April 20, 2010 Said
D630994 January 18, 2011 Tureaud et al.
20010025594 October 4, 2001 Daniels
20020152945 October 24, 2002 Geriene et al.
20020164239 November 7, 2002 Angermeier
20050257731 November 24, 2005 Bouchaud et al.
Other references
  • Vehicle Control Technologies, Inc., “STTR Proposal No. N08A-016-0269—Expendable Glider for Oceanographic Research”, Mar. 18, 2008, pp. 3-25, see specifically p. 20.
  • Bondaryk et al. (presumably), “Automated Launch and Recovery of UUVs and Towed Assets from USSV”, date is before Nov. 1, 2007, pp. 1-5/Frames 1-20, Brooke Ocean Technology Ltd.
  • Utility U.S. Appl. No. 11/982,041, filed Nov. 1, 2007; In re: Thomas F. Tureaud et al., entitled “Docking Apparatuses and Methods”.
  • Utility U.S. Appl. No. 12/460,048, filed Jul. 13, 2009; In re: Thomas F. Turreaud et al., entitled “Launch and Recovery Systems and Methods”.
  • Notice of Allowability for U.S. Appl. No. 29/315,638, filed Jul. 13, 2009; In re: Tureaud et al., entitled Apparatus for Mechanically Guiding a Water Vehicle That is Being Released or Retrieved.
  • Payment of Issue Fee for U.S. Appl. No. 29/315,638, filed Jul. 13, 2009; In re: Tureaud et al., entitled Apparatus for Mechanically Guiding a Water Vehicle That is Being Released or Retrieved.
Patent History
Patent number: D650319
Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 12, 2010
Date of Patent: Dec 13, 2011
Assignee: Vehicle Control Technologies, Inc. (Reston, VA)
Inventors: Thomas F. Tureaud (Fairfax, VA), Douglas E. Humphreys (Great Falls, VA), Ronald D. Russell (Shady Side, MD), Raymond K. Russell (Shady Side, MD)
Primary Examiner: Cynthia M Chin
Attorney: Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP
Application Number: 29/376,767
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Element Or Attachment (5) (D12/317)