Patents Examined by Andrew Polay
  • Patent number: 12227275
    Abstract: A self-inflating water rescue device (1) consisting of a belt (2) for fastening to the waist and a lifebelt (5) connected to a compressed gas cartridge (4) attached to an opening trigger (3), the belt (2) and the lifebelt (5) being connected to each other by a safety strap (9), one end of a release cord (11) is connected to the opening trigger (3), the other end of the cord (11) being routed outside the lifesaving device (1), the lifebelt (5) being provided with a release valve (12) where applicable, and characterized by that a storage pocket (8) is formed on at least a part of the outer side of the belt (2) by a fixed wall (6) and an sliding (loose) wall (7), the lifebelt (5) being arranged in the storage pocket (case) (8), the outer part of the belt (2) being itself a fixed wall (6) of the pocket (8), the lifebelt (5) has a basically interrupted perimeter circle shape, the ends (13) of which at the interruption are overlapping when filled with gas, and when not filled with gas the lifebelt (5) is folded int
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Inventor: Akos Balazs Hegyi
  • Patent number: 12226894
    Abstract: A tool interchange for a submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) arm includes a first interchange body that affixes to an ROV arm. A second interchange body is carried by the first interchange body to rotate on a rotation axis. The second interchange body includes a tool mount actuable between gripping an ROV tool to the second interchange body and releasing the ROV tool from the second interchange body. An inductive power coupling part is provided in the tool mount. The inductive power coupling part is presented outwardly in the tool mount opposite the first interchange body, resides on the rotation axis and is fixed with respect to the first interchange body while the second interchange body rotates. The inductive power coupling part is adapted to inductively communicate power with a corresponding inductor power coupling part of the ROV tool when the ROV tool is docked in the tool mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Brian Correll, William P. Klassen, Clayton Paul Kleppinger, Philip David Langley, Justin Daniel Schmaljohann, Ryan Mitchell Bosler, William Dawson Kesling, Chris Alexander Ade
  • Patent number: 12214846
    Abstract: A cleat for mooring a watercraft at a thrown end of a line has a base surmounted by a body, the base being fastenable to a watercraft deck, the line having a rope and stopper formed by a transverse protuberance, the cleat having an engagement part adjoining the base and a funnel-shaped through-opening to an elongate slot in the body, the slot having a height allowing the longitudinal progression and transverse passage of the rope from the opening towards the interior of the body, the slot leading into a chamber having a minimum dimension greater than the minimum slot height, the maximum dimension of the chamber being less than the dimension of the protuberance forming the stopper so the stopper of a line passing transversely through the body can be blocked against a the body side face both with the rope in the slot and in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: EXAIL
    Inventor: Sébastien Grall
  • Patent number: 12208874
    Abstract: A marine engine assembly has a housing; an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft; and a driveshaft assembly driven by the crankshaft. The driveshaft assembly has: a first driveshaft having a first end operatively connected to the crankshaft; a second driveshaft having a first end connected to a second end of the first driveshaft, the first end of the second driveshaft being rotationally fixed relative to the second end of the first driveshaft, the first and second driveshafts being concentric, one of the first and second driveshafts being disposed at least in part inside another one of the first and second driveshafts, the second driveshaft extending from its first end toward the first end of the first driveshaft; and a third driveshaft having a first operatively connected to the second driveshaft. The marine engine assembly also has a propulsion device operatively connected to a second end of the third driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Inventors: Mike Davenport, John J. Valek, Michael James LaValley
  • Patent number: 12195157
    Abstract: A stowable propulsion device for a marine vessel. A base is configured to be coupled to the marine vessel. A propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water. An arm pivotably couples the propulsor to the base such that the propulsor is movable into and between a stowed position and a deployed position, where the propulsor is closer to the base in the stowed position than in the deployed position. A first actuator pivots the arm so as to move the propulsor into and between the stowed position and the deployed position. A second actuator is manually actuatable to pivot the arm so as to move the propulsor towards the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy J. Kraus, Aaron J. Novak
  • Patent number: 12195151
    Abstract: A watercraft may have a shaped charge and a gas reservoir. The gas reservoir may be adjacent to the shaped charge in a direction of action of the shaped charge. The gas reservoir can be varied in length in the direction of action of the shaped charge. Further, the shaped charge may be movable parallel to the direction of action of the shaped charge. A threaded rod can be used to move the shaped charge. In some cases a length of the gas reservoir is variable between 0.1-times and 10.0 times a diameter of the shaped charge. The watercraft may be configured in some instances as an unmanned underwater vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignees: ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GMBH, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventor: Christian Huecking
  • Patent number: 12187395
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a flexible dynamic capturing system for an underwater moving carrier, including a shell, a front-end flexible guide apparatus, at least one tail flexible hand clamping and fastening apparatus, and a bottom retracting apparatus fastened in the shell. The front-end flexible guiding apparatus includes several flexible arms, the several flexible arms are fastened on a first rigid base in a circumferential array. The flexible arms can bend to an inner side and outer side of a circumference respectively when driven. Each tail flexible hand clamping and fastening apparatus includes several flexible claws, and the several flexible claws are divided into two groups and fastened on a second rigid base. When the flexible claws are driven, the two groups of flexible claws can bend and wind relative to each other. The bottom retracting apparatus implements lifting or lowering of the front-end flexible guide apparatus and the tail flexible hand clamping and fastening apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mingwei Lin, Ri Lin, Canjun Yang, Anzhe Yi, Zilin Xing, Bohao He
  • Patent number: 12179886
    Abstract: A marine surface vessel includes a boarding pole for maritime boarding actions and the boarding pole is at a first end of the boarding pole, attached to a deck of the vessel via a flexible joint. The vessel includes a holding device presenting, or being arranged to present, a holding cavity arranged to receive, in a non-erected condition of the boarding pole, a boarding engagement device at a second end of the boarding pole, which second end is opposite to the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: FRODE MARINA AB
    Inventor: Mikael Frodé
  • Patent number: 12168498
    Abstract: This invention relates a removable seat for watercraft 10 of the type having a hull or underside 13 and a deck 14, and wherein the deck is connected to the hull by side portions or rails 15, and said deck includes retaining means in the form of one or more recesses 20 formed in or attached to the deck. The seat includes a seat base 112 and a backrest 111, and anchoring means 130 connected to structural means supporting said backrest, said anchoring means extending generally away from a lower portion of said backrest and a rear portion of said seat base, and wherein said anchoring means is locatable within a respective one of the retaining means 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Inventor: Michael Cordery
  • Patent number: 12168502
    Abstract: Various aspects include a robot and method of using the robot, which includes a chassis and a forward propulsion auger. The chassis may include a forward section a rear section; and a maneuvering gimbal. The forward propulsion auger may be positioned on a leading end of the forward section and coupled to a first drive motor. The forward propulsion auger may include at least one fluid nozzle configured to eject a fluid therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED IMPACT ROBOTICS, INC
    Inventors: Fred Melvelle Briggs, Brandon Pollett Wernick
  • Patent number: 12157548
    Abstract: An underwater docking system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an underwater vehicle that sails in water; and an underwater station with which the underwater vehicle docks. One of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a reference point; and a first fitting located around the reference point as a center. The other of the underwater vehicle and the underwater station includes: a detector that detects the reference point; and a second fitting located around the detector as a center and fitted to the first fitting. One of the first fitting and the second fitting is an annular groove. The other of the first fitting and the second fitting includes at least two protrusions that are inserted into the annular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Okaya, Kosuke Masuda, Takashi Okada, Shinichi Miyata
  • Patent number: 12157551
    Abstract: Devices, such as aerodynamic kites used in kiteboarding (also known as kitesurfing), handheld aerodynamic wings used in wing foiling and wing surfing, and paddles used in paddleboarding, for generating a force for powering a user on an appropriately configured vehicle, such as a kiteboard, kitesurfing foilboard, hydrofoil board, surfboard, wing board, wing foil board, stand up paddleboard, stand up paddleboard with hydrofoil, roller skates, rollerblades, skateboards, snowboards, skis, or ice skates, to traverse across a body of water, sand, earth, paved area, snow, or ice, are provided with a thrust generating device (e.g., an electric ducted fan system) to assist in generating said force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Inventor: Douglas A. Dockray
  • Patent number: 12145710
    Abstract: A marine drive is configured for propelling a marine vessel in a body of water. The marine drive has a transom bracket assembly configured to mount the marine drive to the marine vessel, a drive assembly coupled to the transom bracket assembly and configured to generate a thrust force in the body of water, the drive assembly being trimmable up and down relative to the transom bracket assembly, a cooling water pump configured to pump cooling water from the body of the water for cooling at least one component of the marine drive, and a rigid cooling water conduit extending from the drive assembly to the transom bracket assembly, the rigid cooling water conduit being configured to convey the cooling water from the drive assembly to the cooling water pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Groeschel, Chetan Avinash Dharmadhikari
  • Patent number: 12145026
    Abstract: A swimming/scuba diving fin having a blade, a shoe open at the rear, an adjustable elastic strap engageable around the heel of the scuba diver, and two buckles at opposite ends of said adjustable elastic strap connected to two opposed side walls of said shoe, where at least one said buckle has a shaped hollow body forming integrally a portion connecting to said side wall, a channel for the axial sliding of the adjustable elastic strap, and a releasable fastening clamp of the adjustable elastic strap, where such an axial sliding channel has a hole for the inlet of the adjustable elastic strap, a hole for the outlet of the adjustable elastic strap and a deflection angle of the adjustable elastic strap positioned between such an inlet hole and such an outlet hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: CRESSI-SUB S.P.A.
    Inventor: Carlos Alberto Godoy
  • Patent number: 12134448
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates, in one aspect of the disclosure, to an inflatable water sport safety garment for providing buoyancy to a wearer comprising a harness structure, at least one handle, and at least one inflatable flotation device. The harness structure may include at least two shoulder portions, at least one torso portion encircling the torso of the wearer and attached to the shoulder portions, and at least one central portion connected to the shoulder portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Greater Oceans Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery Hornbaker, Eric Thorstenson
  • Patent number: 12122497
    Abstract: An arrangement including a gearwheel connected to the propulsion unit, a steering electric motor operatively connected to the gearwheel and controlled by a drive, a force transmission arrangement including a clutch between the gearwheel and the steering electric motor, and a measurement unit for measuring rotational motion positioned at each side of the clutch. The steering electric motor is arranged to rotate the gearwheel and thereby also the propulsion unit. A difference in the output signals of the two measuring units indicating slipping of the clutch is detected. The steering electric motor is controlled to at least reduce the difference in the output signals when the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Jukka Laine, Jussi Kiiskilä, Ville Suoranta
  • Patent number: 12116091
    Abstract: A boat hull washing apparatus includes a left structure and a right structure, one or more brushes arranged to wash a hull of a boat positioned between the structures. The apparatus is provided with a boat positioning assembly that includes a left and a right boat pushing device. The left and right boat pushing devices are attached to left/right structures respectively. The left boat pushing device is arranged to bias a boat, located between the left and right structures, away from the left structure, and the right device functions similar away from the right structure. In this way, the pushing devices are arranged to hold the boat in a lateral position. Using this arrangement of the left and right pushing devices to bias the boat away from the left and right structures, respectively, a single force generating unit is connected to both pushing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Rentunder AB
    Inventor: Jan Alvén
  • Patent number: 12116096
    Abstract: Propulsion device with outboard waterjet for marine vehicles, which comprises a nacelle (2) which at its interior houses a propeller (3) constituted by a pump (11) actuatable for generating a flow of fluid through the nacelle (2) according to an outflow sense (VF). The nacelle (2) comprises: a front dynamic intake (12) having passage sections substantially increasing according to the aforesaid outflow sense (VF), in a manner such to cause a slowing of the local speed of the fluid and a pressure rise; a rear discharge nozzle (14) having passage sections substantially decreasing in the outflow sense (VF) of the fluid, in a manner such to cause an increase of the local speed of the fluid and a pressure decrease, creating a propulsive thrust jet at the outlet of the discharge nozzle (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: SEALENCE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ernesto Benini, William Gobbo
  • Patent number: 12116089
    Abstract: Various implementations include a clamping storage device. The device includes a clamping assembly having a proximal stop, a gas spring, and a distal stop. The proximal stop extends along a proximal stop longitudinal axis. The gas spring has a gas spring longitudinal axis, first end, and a second end. The first end of the gas spring is coupled to the proximal stop. The distal stop is coupled to the second end of the gas spring and extends along a distal stop longitudinal axis. The proximal stop longitudinal axis and the distal stop longitudinal axis are both locatable in an assembly plane that incudes the gas spring longitudinal axis. The gas spring is biased toward an extended position and urgable toward a retracted state. The gas spring is movable toward the extended position in an unlocked state and is prevented from being moved toward the extended position in a locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Protomet Corporation
    Inventors: Alec Stuckey, Brian Pitcher, Lynn Haynes, Aaron Pierce, Stewart Boyd, William Matthew Reid, Jeff Bohanan
  • Patent number: 12110089
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sail comprising a head, a tack, and a luff extending between the head and the tack; a luff region extending along the luff; wherein the luff region has a significantly higher degree of elasticity compared to the average elasticity of a remainder of the sail. Also disclosed is a method of making a sail comprising laying out material to form the sail; arranging material in a luff region of the sail and in the remainder of the sail such that in the direction of the luff, the luff region has a higher degree of elasticity compared to the remainder of the sail; curing or sewing the sail to form a cohesive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TEAM NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventor: Stephen James Collie