Patents Examined by Michael D Dennis
  • Patent number: 11505901
    Abstract: A sports field comprises a base structure and a cover. The cover is at least partly permeable to fluid, especially water. The base structure comprises voids for containing fluid. The base structure forms a substantially continuous deck supporting the cover. The cover comprises or is formed by an artificial sports layer, such as artificial grass. At least a number of the voids are in fluid communication with each other. Wick elements are provided fluidly connecting at least a number of the voids with the cover for supplying fluid from the voids to the top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: PERMAVOID LIMITED
    Inventors: Carolus Hermanus van Raam, Andrew Bryan Shuttleworth, Paul David Culleton
  • Patent number: 11504598
    Abstract: A golf analysis assistance apparatus includes an input/output unit, a golf course data storage unit, a player data storage unit, a target score acquisition unit configured to acquire a target score throughout a course, the target score being set by a player, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to obtain an optimal solution at each hole that enables achievement of the target score throughout the course, the target score being set by the player, based on golf course data and player data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: Kota Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11497984
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an automated dice tossing apparatus comprising; a main body portion; an elongated toss-arm, having a proximal portion rotatably attached to said main body portion about a pivot axis, a vessel mounted to a distal portion of said toss-arm for holding at least one die; a pneumatic actuator configured to, upon actuation, move the toss-arm about the pivot axis with an ejection force such that at least one die held in the vessel is tossed away from said vessel towards a predefined target area; and control circuitry configured to randomly determine a magnitude of the ejection force within a predefined range in order to randomize a set of initial conditions for each actuation of the pneumatic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Evolution Malta Limited
    Inventor: Raivis Rengelis
  • Patent number: 11491408
    Abstract: A bogie configured to move along a track of an amusement ride includes two first lateral wheels, on each side of a vertical center plane of the bogie, for rolling along a run of the track. A second lateral wheel is mounted on each side of the vertical center plane and is movable perpendicular to the vertical center plane between a first position proximate the vertical plane and a second position spaced-away from the vertical plane. The bogie also includes a mechanism that provides a force to normally bias the second wheel toward the first position. The mechanism is configured such that the magnitude of the provided force increases with increasing separation between the second lateral wheel on one side of the vertical center plane and the second lateral wheel on the other side of the vertical center plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Martin, Jeffrey Beaudin, Robert Lockhart, William Nathaniel McNair, Derek Coopman, Brian Richard Gill, David Anthony Barlow, David Roy
  • Patent number: 11487349
    Abstract: An attraction capable of incorporating user interactivity. The attraction utilizes a slide for supporting a rider, with a ride vehicle or without. The ride vehicle may support one or multiple riders that allows the riders to manipulate its position or other associated elements while on the attraction. Upon manipulating an element, a signal may be transmitted. This signal may aid in determining whether a rider has successfully manipulated the element, for example, at an appropriate time. Sensors along the attraction may also be configured to track the user and/or ride vehicle via determining vicinity of the user and/or ride vehicle at a known location. Various rewards and/or features may be enabled based upon successful manipulation and/or user position. The attraction may include one or more illuminating features. Statistics or other information may be determined, stored, and/or provided (e.g., using mobile applications and/or scoreboards) relating to user performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: WhiteWater West Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rick Briggs, Aaron Mendelson, Rick Sebulsky, Mohammed Sahill Rafiq, William Walter Andrews, Keith James Campden, Mitchell Keith Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 11484897
    Abstract: A portable water spraying device includes a water conduit and a strut member. The water conduit defines an inflatable volume for receiving water. The water conduit includes a water inlet valve and a plurality of spray heads. The water inlet valve and the plurality of spray heads connect to the inflatable volume. The strut member is located adjacent to the water conduit and extends along an extension of the water conduit. The strut member is capable of keeping the water conduit stable when the water is pressured into the inflatable volume from the water inlet and is sprayed out form the plurality of spray heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventor: Weijian Yuan
  • Patent number: 11484781
    Abstract: Team tracking kits, methods of using a team tracking kits, and methods or providing team tracking kits are described. An example embodiment of a team tracking kit includes an elongate member, a first token, and a first plurality of tokens. The first token includes a representation of a first team. Each token of the first plurality of tokens includes a representation of a rival team, a representation of an event within a postseason within which the first team can participate, or a representation of an event within a tournament within which the first team can participate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: NKB Creative Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicole Brown
  • Patent number: 11471733
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a face portion, a plurality of score lines formed in the face portion and extending in a toe-heel direction, a plurality of convex portions formed in the face portion and extending in the toe-heel direction between the score lines adjacent to each other in a vertical direction of the face portion, and at least one concave portion formed in the face portion and extending in the toe-heel direction between the convex portions adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. A flat surface is formed between the concave portion and the convex portion adjacent to the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 11465035
    Abstract: A nesting chess set with two teams of chess pieces. Each team includes one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The pieces of each team are configured such that they can be organized into two nests, each nest comprising eight pieces, wherein the only difference between the two nests is that one has the king and one has the queen, while otherwise each nest has a rook, a bishop, a knight, and four pawns. The queen is the outside piece of one nest. The king is the outside piece of the other nest. The rest of the pieces are sized and shaped to nest within the king or queen. Each nest is held together by a magnetic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: ETHO LLC
    Inventor: David J. Fustino
  • Patent number: 11465019
    Abstract: An aerodynamic golf club head producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces via unique club head relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
  • Patent number: 11439893
    Abstract: A strategic pattern building game apparatus having a target grid and a rotatable loading tray movable between an elevated position above and aligned with the target grid during play and a folded position adjoining the target grid for transport and/or storage. The game apparatus includes a plurality of playing discs which are placed in channels in the target grid and in the loading tray, and projectile launchers used by players to knock out playing discs until one player achieves four of his/her discs in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line. The discs are deformable and received at the target grid for being ejected during game play when impacted by the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Shoaff, Lee M Lenkarski, Olivia Yeung Wing Ka, Wong Wai Shun
  • Patent number: 11439894
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a track segment including a channel for holding a rolling object, a first connector attachable to a first end of the track segment, and a second connector attachable to a second end of the track segment. Each of the first connector and the second connector include one or more magnets embedded therein that enable attaching the first connector and the second connector to a ferromagnetic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Bryan Stringham
  • Patent number: 11426642
    Abstract: A length adjustable golf club includes a club head attached to a shaft at a lower end. A length adjusting kit includes a shaft insert that attaches to the shaft at an upper end. The shaft insert includes a coupling port that accepts one of an extension block or a grip adapter. To provide length adjustments of the overall club length, one or more extension blocks may attached between the shaft insert and the grip adapter. A grip assembly having a reinforcing sleeve connects to the grip adapter and extends over the shaft and any extension blocks. The grip assembly couples to the shaft through a grip adapter and grip coupling. The grip adapter and grip coupling are axially moveable prior to securement with a retaining fastener. The grip coupling may be rotationally constrained or rotationally adjustable relative to the grip adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Edward Hamburger
  • Patent number: 11426650
    Abstract: A fantasy-based variant of chess that can be played by two to six players on one of several distinct game boards. Game boards are two-dimensional, and comprise a plurality of square or hexagonal play spaces arranged into a variety of polygonal shapes. Square play spaces alternate in color (e.g., light, dark), while hexagonal play spaces may be arranged in concentric rings or “circuits” of alternating color (e.g., light, dark). New types of pieces are introduced, including Dragons, Giants, Beasts, Wizards, and Mercenaries. The number and arrangement of game pieces per player varies depending on the game board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Joseph Dowell
  • Patent number: 11400384
    Abstract: A water or other amusement attraction that includes an inflatable portion or material. A cavity of the attraction is located underneath an upper surface, the upper surface configured to support a flow of water and at least one rider thereon. A volume of water is configured to be disposed within the cavity, the upper surface floating upon the volume of water while connected to at least one side wall, floor, and/or nozzle structure. A pump and nozzle assembly, positioned outside of the cavity, communicates with the water within the cavity for flowing a portion of the water over the upper surface. A drainage portion, adjacent to the upper surface, drains the flowing water back into the cavity for recirculation. Support components, such as a plurality of beams or an inflatable grid structure help maintain stability for the attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Whitewater West Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Oriol Vicente
  • Patent number: 11395958
    Abstract: An improved system, apparatus and method for flipping gaming objects, such as dice, in a random, reliable manner. An object flipping platform can be contained within a container associated with an electronic gaming machine. The container can be at least partially transparent so that users (e.g., game players) are able to view the objects flipping. The object flipping platform can be used to flip objects (e.g., dice) from one side to an opposite side, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Fresh Idea Global Limited
    Inventor: Jay Chun
  • Patent number: 11395976
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Patent number: 11383153
    Abstract: A pack of lottery tickets includes a plurality of inter-connected lottery tickets fan-folded into a stack, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a first side edge. A code on each lottery ticket identifies the pack and an order or position of the lottery ticket in the pack. A marking pattern is printed along the first side edge of each of the lottery tickets and includes at least one mark. The pack has a side face defined by the stacked first side edges of the tickets in the stack, wherein the marking pattern on the lottery ticket side edges align so as to form a unique identification image on the side face of the pack. The marking pattern on each lottery ticket is unique to the respective ticket such that each lottery ticket in the pack can be separately authenticated at a later time by comparing its marking pattern to a retrieved or replicated image of the marking pattern based on the pack identification and order of the lottery ticket in the pack provided by the ticket code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Scientific Games, LLC
    Inventors: Paula Kelly Maltman, Christopher Garnet Akins, Scott B. Garrison, Ashley Ivery Gantt
  • Patent number: 11376492
    Abstract: A game table includes a table body and a score counter mounted to the table body. The score counter includes a middle rod and a plurality of scoring beads. The scoring beads are movably sleeved on the middle rod. Two ends of the middle rod are provided with fixing rods, respectively. The two ends of the middle rod are inserted into fixing holes of the fixing rods to be positioned therein. The score counter has an ingenious design and can be installed conveniently. The installation and positioning accuracy is good. After a period of use, the middle rod of the score counter is still in the axis position, and the reliability of use is good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DONG GUAN SONG WEI ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Weilin Lu
  • Patent number: 11376488
    Abstract: A two-card sleeve apparatus is described. The two-card sleeve apparatus may include a first transparent layer, an opaque layer, and a second transparent layer. The two-card sleeve apparatus may be used to safely store or display two or more trading cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: PENGUIN MAGIC, INC.
    Inventor: Acar Altinsel