Patents Examined by S. Joseph Morano
  • Patent number: 11964738
    Abstract: A base supporting an offshore wind power generator includes a fender portion composed of a pair of cylindrically shaped first fender portion and second fender portion for cushioning an impact when a ship touches the fender portion, and rung portions extending horizontally from the fender portion toward the base and composed of first rung portions and second rung portions installed at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. A worker on board the ship can safely transfer to the adjacent rung portions when the hull of the ship kept touching the fender portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Sustainable Works Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Ishii, Tatsuya Ishibashi, Yasuhito Iizuka, Masahiro Tamashima, Tomohiro Nojou
  • Patent number: 11964711
    Abstract: A track link for a ground-engaging track system includes a link body having a pin bore formed in a first link strap and a bushing bore formed in a second link strap. The link body includes, upon an outboard link side, a bore peripheral surface extending circumferentially around a bore center axis, and a guide protrusion including an outer bump surface located outboard of the bore peripheral surface. The pin bore receives a track pin attached by swaging and defines a diametric plane through the bore center axis oriented parallel to an upper rail surface. At least a majority of the outer bump surface is between the diametric plane and the upper rail surface, and an entirety of the outer bump surface may be between the bore center axis and the upper rail surface. The guide protrusion protects material of the track link and/or track pin from wear that can prevent re-swaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Richard Rust, Allen Jay Weeks
  • Patent number: 11958577
    Abstract: A modular boat that includes a main body that is hollow and has suitcase like dimensions; inflatable floating elements that are detachable coupled to the main body via first mechanical interfaces; a boat control unit that is movably coupled to the main body and is configured to move between a first position to a second position, the first and second positions differ from each other by at least a distance of a distal part of the boat control unit from the main body; a propulsion unit; wherein a when the modular boat is at a disassembled state, the one or more inflatable floating elements are not detachably coupled to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Moshe Katz
  • Patent number: 11958572
    Abstract: The invention comprises a paddle board apparatus and method of use thereof, comprising: a manual crank connected to a drive shaft, a rotatable housing, and a set of paddle wheels connected to an outer surface of the rotatable housing, where a child manually turning the crank simultaneously propels the paddle board forward in water through use of the paddle wheels and drives an air pump in the rotatable housing to blow bubbles about the paddle board for enjoyment of the child riding the paddle board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Merton W. Pekrul
  • Patent number: 11958551
    Abstract: A swage tool includes a plurality of swage projections that each defines an angular circumferential extent, and the sum of each of these angular circumferential extents is at least 290 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Isaac Jones, Stan Robert Parrott, Allen J. Weeks, George H. Meiner, IV, Scott A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 11958518
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a method and a device for controlling train formation tracking, the method comprising: obtaining a current distance between a first train and a second train in a train formation, wherein the first train is adjacent to the second train and located behind the second train; determining a target tracking mode of the first train based on the current distance, wherein the target tracking mode is one of a speed tracking mode, a distance tracking mode and a braking mode; and tracking the second train, by the first train based on the target tracking mode. Tracking efficiency is improved according to the method of the embodiments of the present application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Traffic Control Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chunhai Gao, Chao Liu, Feng Bao, Chunyu Zhang, Ziyu Wu
  • Patent number: 11952084
    Abstract: An adjustable support connected to a deck of an aquatic vessel for supporting a deck seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventors: Hubert T. Barker, Ronald T. Barker
  • Patent number: 11952086
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods according to the present invention provides a human powered catamaran-styled watercraft and methods of configuring and operating the watercraft. The watercraft generally comprises at least one hull in communication with a folding collapsible frame, wherein in the frame comprises a center rack pivotally joining hulls of hull sets to provide for common pivoting of the hulls during articulation of the watercraft, thereby the hulls and frame are in further communication through a at least one pivot pad which provides for slidable pivoting of the hulls during articulation of the watercraft. A method of folding and reversibly extending the watercraft to provide for optimized storage is provided. A method of operation of the watercraft to provide for articulation of the watercraft is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: AQUA-SPIDER, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel P. Roche
  • Patent number: 11945561
    Abstract: A docking/charging module for an undersea autonomous vehicle comprises a housing allowing the undersea autonomous vehicle to dock, thereby establishing both a data connection and a power connection between the module and the vehicle, the module being equipped with the battery which is charged from an undersea cable having a power conductor which may charge the undersea autonomous vehicle via the power connection when the undersea autonomous vehicle is docked with or in proximity to the docking/charging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SubCom, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Coughlan, Stanley C. Wisniewski, II, Lara Denise Garrett, Christopher Carobene
  • Patent number: 11945478
    Abstract: A method and system include receiving positioning and motion information from one or more positioning and motion devices on a vehicle on a guideway, based on the positioning and motion information, receiving information from a database on the vehicle, the information comprising track geometry information and infrastructure information corresponding to the guideway, using the track geometry information and positioning and motion information to determine a path of the guideway and a trajectory of the vehicle along the path, receiving data from one or more electromagnetic sensors on the vehicle, and detecting an object by using the trajectory, the infrastructure information, and the information from the one or more electromagnetic sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CANADA INC.
    Inventors: David Beach, Alon Green, Walter Kinio
  • Patent number: 11945525
    Abstract: In some implementations, a bushing may include a cylindrical body having an at least partially annular configuration. The cylindrical body may define a radial axis and may include an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface, a first end, and a second end. The inner circumferential surface may be configured to rotatably receive an outer surface of a pin of a track link joint. The outer circumferential surface may be configured to be rotatably received within a first counterbore of a first track link of the track link joint. The bushing may include at least one groove extending radially into the outer circumferential surface around the radial axis. The at least one groove may be configured to receive a first seal of the track link joint. The first seal may form a first radial seal between the outer circumferential surface and a first inner surface of the first counterbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brice James Herbers, Mark J. Kiesel
  • Patent number: 11938764
    Abstract: An air deflector that is at least partially disposable within a tubeless tire of a bicycle wheel includes a body. The body includes at least one wall defining an air input end and an air output end of the body. The body is attachable to a valve of the tubeless tire at the air input end, such that when air is introduced into the body via the valve, at least some of the air is deflectable by one or more walls of the at least one wall out of the body at the air output end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hall, David Morse, Louis Brown, Miguel Navarro Baeza
  • Patent number: 11932053
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel is defined by a substrate including a face and a rim portion. The face defines a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly between a central portion of the face and the rim portion and defining a mating portion. An applique is affixed to the wheel at the mating portion. A polymer over-coating that is substantially transparent extends over the applique and the wheel substrate defining a continuous polymer surface over the applique and the wheel substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Allen Watts, Henry Clay Chenault, III
  • Patent number: 11932049
    Abstract: Assembly of a rim and of a flexible adapter, intended to make up, with a tyre, a rolling assembly. The rim having a mounting well that is extended axially by a boss, a rim seat and a rim flange that extends the rim seat axially on the outside, with a bearing face of substantially radial orientation. The adapter having an axially inner end intended to rest on the rim seat, an axially outer end and a substantially cylindrical body that connects the axially inner end and the axially outer end and is intended to receive, in cooperation with the axially outer end, a tyre bead. The rim seat of the rim has an inclination relative to the axis of rotation of between ?2 and +6 degrees, the angle being counted as positive when the virtual vertex of the substantially frustoconical seat is situated axially on the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MAXION WHEELS HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Walser, Johan Vits, Bertrand Vedy
  • Patent number: 11932287
    Abstract: A control device for a railway vehicle includes a housing and a cover covering an opening. The housing is provided with a pair of first members. The cover is provided with a second member having a plate shape. The contact of an edge of a hole portion of the second member with the vertically lower bottoms of edges of notch portions of the pair of first members causes the second member to be supported by the first members so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis. The contact of edges of the hole portion with the pair of first members restricts displacement of the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsuki Watai
  • Patent number: 11932370
    Abstract: A system for steering marine propulsion devices. Steering actuators are configured to change steering angles of the marine propulsion devices. A control system is operatively connected to the steering actuators. The control system is configured to receive a steering request for steering a first device among the marine propulsion devices, compare a steering angle of the first device to a steering angle of a second device among the marine propulsion devices, and control the steering actuators to steer the first device only when the steering angle of the first device is within a threshold range of the steering angle of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Thomas S. Kirchhoff, Robert R. Osthelder
  • Patent number: 11932368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust system for a combustion engine of a marine vessel. The exhaust system includes an exhaust system inlet configured to be coupled to an exhaust gas outlet of the marine engine, one or more exhaust system outlets, and an exhaust gas flow path extending from the inlet to the one or more exhaust system outlets and having a forward flow direction from the exhaust system inlet and a reverse flow direction extending from at least one of the one or more exhaust system outlets. The exhaust system further includes a flow redirection arrangement in the exhaust gas flow path for restricting a flow of liquid flowing in the reverse flow direction, the flow redirection arrangement comprising at least one flow redirection feature configured to redirect a first stream of the liquid toward the forward flow direction to collide with a second stream of the flow of liquid. The invention also relates to motor assemblies and marine vessels having such exhaust systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: COX POWERTRAIN LIMITED
    Inventor: James Eatwell
  • Patent number: 11926400
    Abstract: A bottom touching assisting device suitable for deep-sea submersibles and an implementation method thereof are provided. Four support columns are arranged within a mounting box body at a bottom of a deep-sea submersible, the support columns and the mounting box body are connected in a sliding manner through sliders, and the support column is sleeved with a threaded sleeve in a threaded connection manner. In conjunction with a drive component and a pressing mechanism, smooth vertical movement of the support column is achieved when the threaded sleeve rotates. This allows a bottom end of the support column to extend from the mounting box body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology
    Inventors: Xilin Zhang, Nengyou Wu, Qingsheng Liu, Hong Cao, Ang Li, Zhilei Sun, Cuiling Xu, Ye Chen, Sinan Xu, Jianjun Miao
  • Patent number: 11919331
    Abstract: A turf wheel having a wheel rim having an inner and outer surface, and an annular tread portion; a plurality of projections extending radially outward from the outer surface of the wheel rim, wherein each projection provides a stem, a ground contacting pad, and a ground engaging lug; and a hub. A wheel cleaning system having a frame provided by a wheeled apparatus; at least one turf wheel mounted to the frame; a turf wheel scraper assembly, the turf wheel scraper assembly providing a turf wheel scraper and an attachment mechanism, where the attachment mechanism is adapted to be mounted to the frame, and couples the turf wheel scraper to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Ryan Cmich
  • Patent number: 11919585
    Abstract: A track tension system including a hydraulic cylinder coupled between a drive frame and idler of a track system, an accumulator and a hydraulic valve that controls flow between the cylinder and accumulator. The cylinder extends and retracts to change the distance between the drive frame and idler which increases and decreases, respectively, tension on the track system. The hydraulic valve can be opened to allow flow between the cylinder and accumulator, and closed to block flow between the cylinder and accumulator. Control factors can be monitored to control valve position. An overload pressure relief can allow flow between the cylinder and accumulator when the hydraulic valve is closed and pressure in the cylinder reaches overload pressure. An orifice can allow constricted flow between the cylinder and accumulator when the hydraulic valve is closed. A check valve can connect the track tension system to a vehicle hydraulic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce S. Johnson, Dennis A. Bowman, Benjamin J. Heimbuch, Daniel J. Garvin, Randall K. Bill, Jeremy P. L'Heureux