Patents Examined by S. Joseph Morano
  • Patent number: 11702178
    Abstract: A marine propulsion system includes at least one propulsion device and a user input device configured to facilitate input for engaging automatic propulsion control functionality with respect to a docking surface, wherein the user input device includes a direction indicator display configured to visually indicate a direction with respect to the marine vessel. A controller is configured to identify a potential docking surface, determine a direction of the potential docking surface with respect to the marine vessel, and control the direction indicator display to indicate the direction of the potential docking surface with respect to the marine vessel. When a user selection is received via the user input device to select the potential docking surface as a selected docking surface, and propulsion of the marine vessel is automatically controlled by controlling the at least one propulsion device to move the marine vessel with respect to the selected docking surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Todd D. Dannenberg, Matthew E. Derginer, Travis C. Malouf, Aaron J. Ward, Troy R. Brockdorf
  • Patent number: 11702112
    Abstract: A levitated train is propelled by a system including at least a pair of wheels in cotact with a rail head. The rail head has a horizontal top surface and two vertical sides on either side of the horizontal top surface. A wheel of each wheel assembly has a cylindrical side face with flanges at the top and bottom. The cylindrical face of each of the wheels is in contact with the sides of the rail. The wheel assembly is power driven by a corresponding motor to impart motion to the train. The train is provided with a plurality of such wheel assemblies to be propelled along a rail track. The width of the wheels is greater than the width of the rail head. The flanges on the side of the wheels in a wheel assembly limit the freedom of motion of the train during the levitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventor: Kittappa Rayaprolu
  • Patent number: 11702173
    Abstract: Described is a tugboat 1 for assisting a marine vessel 2 to manoeuvre. The tugboat 1 comprises a hull 11 having a perimeter P. The tugboat 1 also comprises a line handling system 10 comprising a line guide mechanism 100. The line guide mechanism 100 protrudes, or is positionable to protrude, away from the hull 11 for guiding a line 20 of the marine vessel 2 towards a predetermined region R of the perimeter P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Svitzer A/S
    Inventor: Thomas Bangslund
  • Patent number: 11702118
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bogie frame (1) for rail vehicles having at least two wheelsets, the bogie frame comprising two longitudinal members (3), which extend parallel to each other above the axle bearings, one or more cross-members (2) connected to the longitudinal members (3), and a receiving region (5) for functional elements, the bogie frame (1) being produced completely as a single casting of an aluminum alloy in a sand casting process, said casting having a hollow profile, which has cavities (10) in the interior and is stabilized by means of ribbings (8, 9). The invention further relates to a method for producing a bogie frame of this type and to a rail vehicle equipped with a bogie frame of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventor: Lothar Thoni
  • Patent number: 11697483
    Abstract: System and methods are provided that relate to a drive arrangement for propelling a boat, in particular a kayak. In some embodiments, the drive arrangement can include an electric drive motor with a shaft and a receiving device for receiving the shaft. An arresting element can be provided for determining a first desired distance along the shaft between the receiving device and the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Despineux, Dominik Busse
  • Patent number: 11691654
    Abstract: A cableway carriage including: a base member 1; a main cable braking member 10 that has a braking face that comes into contact with the main cable and that is secured to the base member; a first lever 20 that has a first fulcrum serving as a center of rotation and secured to the base member, a first lever braking face provided in a position facing the braking face, a biasing member that biases the first lever braking face in a direction of separation from the braking face, and a drive pulley capable of applying a force in the direction in which the first lever braking face is brought close to the braking face by the tensile force of the rope, and a second lever 30 that has a second fulcrum secured to the base member and serving as a center of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: MORINOKIKAI CO., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukiyasu Hirose
  • Patent number: 11685485
    Abstract: A vessel hull stabilization system includes a housing having a rotatable shaft mounted thereto, the shaft configured to connect to a fin such that the fin is located on an outside of the vessel hull and the housing is located on an inside of the vessel hull. A drive system is mounted to the housing and includes a motor and a drive element. The motor is connected to a central shaft of the drive element. The drive element includes a plurality of teeth positioned between the outer element and the central shaft such that when the motor rotates the central shaft, the plurality of teeth oscillate inwards and outwards to interact with teeth in the outer element and thereby cause rotation of a fin shaft connected to the outer element or to the gear having the oscillating teeth. A controller receives sensor readings to determine control signals to send to the motor(s) to impart rotation of the fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Naiad Maritime Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Venables, Steven J. Venables, Cameron Costen, Ryan W. Knapp
  • Patent number: 11685499
    Abstract: A steering system for marine propulsion devices having a steering device and steering actuators configured to change steering angles of the marine propulsion devices. A control system is operatively connected to the steering actuators and operatively connected to the steering device to receive steering requests from the steering device. The control system is configured to receive a request to activate the steering for a first device among the marine propulsion devices. The control system is further configured to change the steering angle of the first device according to a steering request when the steering request is received after receiving the request to activate the steering for the first device and to leave the steering angle for the first device unchanged when the steering request is received before receiving the request to activate the steering for the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Thomas S. Kirchhoff, Robert R. Osthelder
  • Patent number: 11687099
    Abstract: A boat includes a propulsion device that generates, by driving of an engine, a propulsive force to propel a boat body, a trim changer that changes a trim angle of the boat body, a trim actuator that drives the trim changer, and a controller configured or programmed to control operation of the trim actuator based on a value corresponding to a change in a boat speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11685495
    Abstract: A system for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device having a gearcase, the gearcase defining a gearset cavity for containing a propeller shaft gearset rotated by a driveshaft. The system includes a pump device configured to pump the lubricant away from the gearset cavity, and a reservoir located away from the gearset cavity and configured to receive the lubricant from the pump device. An input passage conveys the lubricant from the pump device to the reservoir, and an output passage conveys the lubricant from the reservoir to the gearset cavity. The reservoir is configured to retain a portion of the lubricant circulating between the gearset cavity and the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua S. Smith, David J. Landowski, David J. Waldvogel
  • Patent number: 11685452
    Abstract: A track shoe assembly is described that comprises a drive lug part and a track shoe body including a drive lug cavity configured to receive the drive lug part. The drive lug part has at least one lug portion protruding in a first direction, and at least one supporting protrusion extending in a direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The at least one supporting protrusion is configured to be receivable in a drive lug cavity formed in a track shoe such that a load applied to the drive lug part is at least partially transferred to the track shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Antonino Restifo
  • Patent number: 11685477
    Abstract: A collapsible anchoring device is disclosed. The device includes a generally shaped frame made of metal and having a front and rear section. The frame includes two to four spades welded/formed to the front and rear sections ranging from 35 to 55-degree angles. Two or four spades are welded/formed on top of the frame and two or four spaded are welded/formed on the bottom side of the frame. Four butt hinges are welded to each end of the frame with stainless steel, galvanized, and or powder coated hardware in order allow the anchor to fold and lay flat. A handle bar attached to said frame and adapted for attachment to a boat anchor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Michael L. Campisi
  • Patent number: 11679793
    Abstract: In order to simplify the troubleshooting in a cableway during operation of the cableway, a unique car identification is assigned to each car, with the car identification of each car being known by the cableway control system. At least one function monitoring unit transmits malfunctions triggered by cars during the operation of the cableway to the cableway control system in a function status message FSi. The cableway control system assigns a malfunction that was received to the triggering car and the malfunctions together with the car identification of the triggering car are stored and evaluated in the cableway control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Innova Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Pfeifer, Alexander Berdnik, Stefan Gisinger, Markus Fehle
  • Patent number: 11679846
    Abstract: A fin for use on a surfboard, the fin comprising: a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a base, the base comprising at least one mount for mounting the fin onto a surfboard; a first and a second outer fin surface which meet along the leading edge and the trailing edge and abut the base; and a first ridge protruding laterally from the first outer fin surface, and/or a second ridge protruding laterally from the second outer fin surface; wherein the shape and configuration of the fin creates an area of lower water pressure around and in front of the fin, as well as disrupting and/or reducing the size of trailing vortices, resulting in additional forward thrust for the board on which the fin is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Glenndin George Miller
  • Patent number: 11679621
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel includes a hub portion, a rim portion, and a disc portion. The disc portion is arranged such that a window portion, a spoke portion, and a thin plate portion do not overlap when viewed from a wheel axis direction. The thin plate portion is connected to at least a part of the hub portion, the rim portion, and the spoke portion via a connection portion. A cross-sectional area of the connection portion that appears when the connection portion is cut in a wheel radial direction changes such that a cross-sectional area of an end of the connection portion becomes smaller than a cross-sectional area of another portion of the connection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: CENTRAL MOTOR WHEEL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takanori Amano
  • Patent number: 11679825
    Abstract: An annular support structure for a track vehicle is disclosed herein. The annular support structure includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece includes a first hub portion, a first web extending radially outward from the first hub portion, and a first outer body extending radially outward from the first web. The second piece includes a second hub portion, a second web extending radially outward from the second hub portion, and a second outer body extending radially outward from the second web. The first piece and the second piece joined together at an inner joint located proximate to the first hub portion and the second hub portion and the first piece and the second piece adjacent to each other at an outer joint located proximate to the first outer body and the second outer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Gennaro Suanno
  • Patent number: 11673433
    Abstract: The vehicle tire inflation system comprises an air jacket and an air hose. The air jacket may reside within a wheel of a vehicle and may be mounted to the inside of a rim of the wheel. The air jacket may determine that a tire of the wheel has at least partially deflated by sensing that tire pressure within the wheel has dropped below a first pressure threshold. The air jacket may release compressed air within the wheel until the air jacket senses that the tire pressure has reached a second pressure threshold such that the tire may be reinflated. The air hose may be configured to couple the air jacket to a tire pressure monitoring system such that the air jacket has access to an external air supply located outside of the wheel via the tire pressure monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Jeff Choizi
  • Patent number: 11673631
    Abstract: A device and method for temporarily attach a tool, such as a paddle or a fluid container, to a floatation watercraft, wherein the device is partially covered by a user's gear, such as a kayak skirt. The user's gear preferably includes an elastic edge element that slips under a lip of a cockpit or hatch of the watercraft wherein the invented is positioned between the lip and the elastic edge element while coupled with one or more tools. The device extends beyond both the watercraft lip and the user's gear whereby the tool may be supported distally from the watercraft lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Tohill
  • Patent number: 11667358
    Abstract: The invention relates to a watercraft, particularly a kayak having a battery compartment and motor mount for mounting a motor thereto. The kayak can be propelled either by a motor mounted to the motor mount or by manual paddling by a user of the kayak. The kayak may additionally have a seat mounted onto a track to allow the user to adjust their position as needed in the kayak. The kayak is extra wide to provide stability, while chamfered side walls allow the user to paddle with comfort regardless of the extra width. The kayak may optionally have wheels mounted thereon to facilitate handling and transport by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PELICAN INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Réjean Boyer, Isabelle Dubreuil, Jean-Thomas Girard
  • Patent number: 11667148
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel having a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes with at least one of the spokes having a first portion connected the rim and a second portion connected to the hub. The rim includes a spoke bed wall with a radially outboard surface and a spoke hole having a radially outboard entrance and perimeter edge. The spoke extends through the spoke hole and is engaged to the spoke bed wall by an overlie engagement at a bearing interface between a bearing surface of the spoke and the radially outboard surface to limit longitudinally inward displacement between the spoke and spoke bed wall. At least a portion of the bearing interface is laterally outwardly spaced from the first perimeter edge by a lateral distance of at least 0.7 millimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Raphael Schlanger