Towed Patents (Class 40/215)
  • Patent number: 10723454
    Abstract: An aerial show system for leveraging downwash and other forces to use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a creative element in a show. UAVs in the aerial show system each include a propulsion and lift mechanism, which generates downwash as it moves the UAV about a show's airspace. The aerial show system also includes one-to-many show effect devices adapted to make use of the downwash to activate or animate one or more movable components to generate a desired show effect, e.g., a spinning propeller or fan on an object carried or tethered beneath the UAV chassis/body. The movable component would otherwise be static or passive and relies on the potential and/or kinetic energy created by the UAV in airspace for actuation or animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Pehr L Hovey, Madeline R Zupan
  • Patent number: 9875673
    Abstract: An illuminated aerial aircraft display is disclosed. The display may be towed by an airplane with a propeller with a front facing with a plurality of illuminated indicia that includes letters and numbers and illuminated computer generated or non-computer generated moving indicia or pictorial images disposed on the front facing and a wind milling generator installed on a lead pole of the illuminated aerial aircraft display and a plurality of LED lights that illuminate the illuminated indicia. The display has illuminated indicia that may utilize a wide variety of colors and aesthetically pleasing styles and works in combination with the propeller that spins and produces electricity utilized by the LED lights once the illuminated aerial aircraft display is picked up and towed by the aircraft. One or more batteries may also be utilized to power the LED lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Jamsheed James Samadi
  • Publication number: 20150027010
    Abstract: An aircraft banner comprises an image, with at least a section thereof being visually adaptive with respect to the location of an observer thereof. The banner presents a moving or changing image thereon in the eyes of the observer during use. The moving or changing image moves or changes as the aircraft banner moves relative to the observer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Wayne Mansfield
  • Patent number: 8701316
    Abstract: An aerial advertising device for providing predictable and consistent oscillations to a banner towed behind an aircraft. The aerial advertising device may be disposed at the bottom of the leading edge of a banner. The device may generally comprise a weight box disposed above a wind box. The device may be rotatable about the leading edge or extension, wherein the range of motion of such rotation may be limited by a restriction arm preventing further motion of the device relative to the leading edge. Such rotation may allow the inside walls of the wind box to transfer the applied wind force to the rotation of the device and thereby the rotation of the leading edge of the banner. The weight box may further comprise a horizontal translation arm upon which a slidable weight may slide as the translation arm is moved into greater angular positions relative to horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventors: James Butler, James Deveaux Money
  • Publication number: 20110271567
    Abstract: An aerial advertising device for providing predictable and consistent oscillations to a banner towed behind an aircraft. The aerial advertising device may be disposed at the bottom of the leading edge of a banner. The device may generally comprise a weight box disposed above a wind box. The device may be rotatable about the leading edge or extension, wherein the range of motion of such rotation may be limited by a restriction arm preventing further motion of the device relative to the leading edge. Such rotation may allow the inside walls of the wind box to transfer the applied wind force to the rotation of the device and thereby the rotation of the leading edge of the banner. The weight box may further comprise a horizontal translation arm upon which a slidable weight may slide as the translation arm is moved into greater angular positions relative to horizontal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: James L. Butler, James Deveaux Money
  • Publication number: 20110146118
    Abstract: The present invention is an illuminated aerial aircraft display rowed by an airplane with a propeller with a front facing with a plurality of illuminated indicia that includes letters and numbers and illuminated computer generated or non-computer generated moving indicia or pictorial images disposed on the front facing and a wind milling generator installed on a lead pole of the illuminated aerial aircraft display and a plurality of LED lights that illuminate the illuminated indicia. The display has illuminated indicia that can utilize a wide variety of colors and aesthetically pleasing styles and works in combination with the propeller that spins and produces electricity used by the LED lights once the illuminated aerial aircraft display is picked up and towed by the aircraft. A battery can also be used to power the LED lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Jamsheed James Samadi
  • Publication number: 20100122479
    Abstract: One embodiment includes an apparatus that includes a flexible tether to be coupled to an electroluminescent (EL) power source of an aircraft, the tether including an electrical conductor, a banner to be coupled to the flexible tether and an EL lamp coupled to the banner, the EL lamp in electrical communication with the electrical conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: Safe Lites, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron J. Golle
  • Patent number: 7296371
    Abstract: A banner (1), which can be dragged by an airplane (2) using a drag rope (3), includes a banner rod (5) which is connected to the drag rope (3) by way of a banner spider (4). Disks (10) acting as trailing wheels are arranged on the banner rod (5) on both sides of the banner (1). The banner rod (5) is held at a distance from the surface of the runway prior to starting off, such that the banner does not lie on the runway as a result of the wind produced by propeller of the airplane (2), thereby enabling the airplane (2) to start off with a coupled banner 1without any problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Inventor: Gerhard Schimanz
  • Patent number: 7204049
    Abstract: An emergency drop system allows ballasted advertising banner (14) if disconnected from an aircraft to descend slowly to the ground. Banner (14) is suspended below an aircraft by line (4) held taut by ballasted container (24). Static line (26) attached to the aircraft will, on release of loop (6) of line (4) from the aircraft, pull on closures (12) and release parachute (8) from its container (10). Drag of parachute (8) in the slipstream will slow the fall of banner (14) and also pull on lanyard (20) so that it activates 3-ring release (22) causing container (24) to invert and disperse the ballast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Heli-Banners Limited
    Inventor: Sean Patrick Herbert
  • Patent number: 6458007
    Abstract: A balloon holder for retaining a plurality of balloon strings attached to balloons includes a base portion having a forward end, a back end, and lateral sides. The base has an aperture formed in the base portion while at least one slot is formed in the forward end of the base portion and at least one slot is formed in the back end of the base portion. The aperture is configured to receive the plurality of balloon strings therethrough, and the slots are configured to receive the plurality of balloon strings such that as the plurality of balloon strings are wrapped about the base, the balloon strings are releasably retained by the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventors: Larry Verner, Rose Verner
  • Patent number: 5365685
    Abstract: A lightweight wind tube utilized for advertising, constructed of fabric with a constant diameter having annular sleeve at each end. The forward end sleeve being held in an open circle by flexible frame members with furled ends which are positioned in lateral openings in the forward end sleeve to provide attachment points for mounting yoke strings and access for disassembly. The wind tube further includes a rear sleeve formed in the exit end of the tube including a string for adjusting the choke in the exit end of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Inventor: Lynn D. Shank
  • Patent number: 5141796
    Abstract: A towed array streamer including a buoyant core, a data bearer layer, longitudinally positioned strain members and at least an outer jacket in which a strain member support has provided in it a series of longitudinally running grooves accommodating strain members to confine the position of the strain members in the streamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Plessey Australia Pty. Limited
    Inventor: Anthony P. Harvey
  • Patent number: 4607444
    Abstract: An illuminated sign assembly structured to be portable and thereby usable in a variety of applications such as emergency signalling for distressed vehicles. The sign assembly is formed from a flexible material base capable of being folded upon itself and thereby selectively disposed between an open and closed position. Indicia segments, preferably representing alpha-numerical representations are secured to a display face and accented and distinguished from the remainder of the base through a plurality of illuminating light bulbs arranged in spaced apart arrays which correspond to the configuration of the indicia segments. Electrical circuitry is provided for interconnection of the illuminating light bulbs to one another and to a satisfactory electrical power source such as, but not limited to, the electric battery in a conventional automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Inventor: C. Tom Foster
  • Patent number: 4586456
    Abstract: A balloon distress marker wherein the balloon has, in a wall thereof, a small compartment interiorly of the balloon and accessible through an aperture in the wall of the balloon for retaining an article therein. The compartment is substantially smaller than the volumne of the balloon and is useable for interconnecting balloons in series or inserting a flashlight therein to illuminate the balloon. A coupling for interconnecting balloons is preferably a small balloon in itself which can be inflated when in the compartment. A two-part balloon wherein the two parts are interconnected by a narrow neck portion rendering the marker useable as a life preserver. A rescue kit consisting of a casing having a removable top that can be illuminated by flashlights in the cap. Located within the container is a cylinder containing lighter-than-air gas for inflating the balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Inventor: Ross M. Forward
  • Patent number: 4416073
    Abstract: An inflatable display is adapted to be towed over the surface of a body of water and includes an inflatable body which in the disclosed embodiment has an elongated ballast along the bottom to provide a keel-like structure and a blower to continuously force air into the body to keep it inflated against the slight deflation that continuously occurs at seam lines, etc. A tether is extended from the body to a tow vehicle so that the float can be towed along lake surfaces, bays and beach fronts for promotional purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Robert Keith & Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert K. Vicino, Mark S. Bachman
  • Patent number: 4406433
    Abstract: The air scoop opening at the leading edge of a flexible, ram-air inflated airfoil canopy, is framed between curved lip sections extending tangentially from the upper and lower surface members of the canopy to prevent airflow separation adjacent the leading edge and the drag producing effect thereof. A baffling curtain extends across the air scoop opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1983
    Assignee: Aerovironment, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Radkey, Bart D. Hibbs
  • Patent number: 4307537
    Abstract: An airborne, free floating, lift-weight balanced toy for manual manipulation includes a closed envelope of polyethylene terephthalate (Mylar) filled with helium. The envelope is exactly counterbalanced with one or more ballast members so that the toy will assume a position at a desired distance from the floor or ground when it is let free. Such ballast members are made up of a plurality of weight control modules spirally arranged with respect to each other and held onto the skin of the toy by double face adhesive. In one form of the invention, when such a toy is initially filled with helium and a ballast member is in place, it will have a static balance such that one portion will always come back to being the bottom portion. In a second form, two ballast members are placed so that the toy will remain oriented in space in whatever position it is manually placed, if there are no outside effects except gravity and the lifting effect of the helium working on it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Inventor: David E. Bergmann
  • Patent number: 4236333
    Abstract: A sign structure which may be supported from aircraft, and especially helicopters. The structure is comprised of three distinct sections which may be compactly transported and then easily assembled and connected around the landing gear on the underside of the aircraft. The structure provides an aerodynamically stable frame which may be supported in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of a helicopter. Novel electrically controlled light assemblies are attached in a rectangular matrix on the structure for displaying a desired illuminated message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Inventors: Richard C. Kohm, C. Thomas Foster
  • Patent number: 4178706
    Abstract: A display device in which a banner towed behind a moving vehicle such as a boat, is stabilized by a self-regulating drogue parachute attached to the trailing end of the banner so as to maintain the banner in a vertical plane with its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal, for a wide range of air speeds. When not in use, the banner is wound onto a roller rotatably and removably mounted on a support carried by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Inventor: Robert A. L. Boyce
  • Patent number: 4165876
    Abstract: A container for a line or cable for towing an aerial target, the container having a streamlined cylindrical body stowed under the towing airplane, with an open rear extremity into which the cable cartridge or loader is inserted. A pyrotechnical release device located near this rear extremity permits release of the line after the towing maneuver is completed. The loader is a tubular casing in which a piston is frictionally mounted. The cable is coiled in the casing on top of the piston. The front and rear ends of the cable project from the rear extremity of the loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1979
    Inventor: Joseph Pasqualini