Patents Examined by Stephen P. Avila
  • Patent number: 11760457
    Abstract: Example steering control systems for multiple devices are provided herein. A system includes a trolling motor assembly having a propulsion motor and a steering actuator and a sonar assembly comprising a transducer assembly and a directional actuator. The system further includes a user input assembly that is configured to detect user activity related to controlling operation of the trolling motor assembly and operation of the sonar assembly. The system further includes a processor that is configured to determine a direction of turn based on user activity, generate an electrical turning input signal indicating the direction of turn, and direct one of the steering actuator and the directional actuator, via the turning input signal, to rotate one of the propulsion motor and the transducer assembly, respectively, in a direction of turn based on the turning input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Navico, Inc.
    Inventor: Dustyn P. Pendergraft
  • Patent number: 11753130
    Abstract: In a marine hybrid system which includes an engine, an electric motor, a thrust generation device, and a clutch mechanism configured to be able to switch connection states therebetween, if it is determined that the engine is in an overload condition, the clutch mechanism is controlled such that a load of the engine is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Sakamoto, Yoshimi Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11752819
    Abstract: A wheel-legged amphibious mobile robot with a variable attack angle, which belongs to the technical field of robot structure technology. The robot includes three parts: motion unit, body trunk and power unit. As a key structure, the motion unit mainly includes a moving mechanism, a wheel assembly, a telescopic mechanism and a transmission device. The robot drives the telescopic mechanism to reciprocate linearly through a gear and rack set, and pushes “legs” to expand and retract, so as to realize a mutual switching between a wheeled mode and a gait mode. Under transmission of bevel gear set, the blades can rotate at any same angle at the same time, to change the attack angle and realize the steering. The robot provided by the present disclosure can effectively adapt to a complex and harsh amphibious environment, and meet a series of operation requirements such as rapid movement, obstacle climbing, underwater steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yi Sun, Longteng Zhang, Huayan Pu, Min Wang, Yan Peng, Jiheng Ding, Jun Luo, Shaorong Xie
  • Patent number: 11753127
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a modular underwater robot and a control method therefor. The modular underwater robot includes support plates, a first chamber, a second chamber, and a power assembly, where the supporting plates are stacked, and front end edges and rear end edges of the support plates are respectively provided with a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion; the first chamber is disposed in the first hollow portion; the second chamber is disposed in the second hollow portion, and the second chamber and the first chamber are in a same horizontal position; and the power assembly includes fixed vector thrusters and vertical thrusters. As such, the fixed vector thrusters can enable the modular underwater robot to move forward, backward, or rotatably, so that flexibility of the modular underwater robot can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Airong Liu, Jiaqiao Liang, Jiyang Fu, Bingcong Chen
  • Patent number: 11753129
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising one or more propulsion units that are operable to help propel a user in water. The propulsion units are battery operated, such as with a rechargeable battery, and are selectively operable to create a propulsion force in water. The propulsion force propels the apparatus in water. A person wearing the apparatus, such as in the form of a vest, is propelled in water with the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ralph Kelley, Cynthia Kelley
  • Patent number: 11753128
    Abstract: An OSD-outboard stern drive boat propulsion system where single or multiple engines are positioned at boat stern inside boat outer envelope on customized-elevated subfloor and connected to outdrive unit that is attached to boat stern plate. Engine/s are positioned lower than typical outboard engine/s and higher than typical inboard engine/s. Engine compartment is covered by a customized hood and engines are easily accessible form boat floor like typical outboard engine configuration. Drive configuration is like typical sterndrive with engine/s crankshaft in horizontal position connected to outdrive via cardan joint allowing drive tilting up and down. The main purpose of using OSD would be use of one or two diesel or gasoline marine engines of existing design eliminating use of 2-6 large outboards for boats longer than 25 feet and outboard like access to engines for maintenance while using marine engines and providing much simpler boat/engine configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventor: Zlatko Salihbegovic
  • Patent number: 11747317
    Abstract: A novel underwater robot water quality data acquisition device includes a casing, a thruster group, an upper cabin, a lower cabin, a buoy cabin, an upper cabin tray, a lower cabin tray, a power supply assembly, a power conditioning module, a data acquisition control module, a water quality sensor assembly, and a wireless Internet of Things (IoT) module. The device can convert the power supply voltage required by each other module through the power management module. The data acquisition control module transmits signals to the water quality sensor assembly in a set timing sequence, performs real-time reading and processing of water quality data fed back from the sensor, and uploads the processed water quality data to the data platform through the wireless IoT module, thereby achieving the display and preservation of water quality data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jing Zhou, Yuchao Che, Jian Gao, Liming Zhao, Haocai Huang, Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 11746733
    Abstract: A marine engine assembly for mounting to a watercraft is disclosed. The marine engine assembly has an engine unit, an exhaust system fluidly and a propulsion device. The engine unit includes an engine unit housing, an internal combustion engine and an air intake assembly. The air intake assembly, at least one combustion chamber, and the exhaust system together defining at least in part a gas flow pathway. A sealing valve is provided in the gas flow pathway. The sealing valve has an open position permitting flow of gas therethrough. The sealing valve has a closed position preventing flow of gas therethrough for sealing a portion of the gas flow pathway downstream of the sealing valve from a portion of the gas flow pathway upstream of the sealing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: George Broughton, Mark J. Skrzypchak, Thomas Whitburn, Nathan Blank
  • Patent number: 11745088
    Abstract: A traction system comprising interchangeable hollow kick tails, mounting plates and traction pad material for mounting to the deck of a surfboard and skateboard, and a skateboard uniquely designed to have the same arched deck as a typical surfboard so that said mounting plates can be used to mount the hollow kick tails to surfboards and said skateboard. The kick tails are configured with a ramped face angled optimally for surfing. Different variations include a ramp to a flat top, a ramp to a vertical face, a ramp to an angled overhang and a ramp to a horizontal overhang. The wide ramp area design in the kick tails provides support for the entire rear foot while surfing and helps the surfer perform aggressive maneuvers without falling. The interchangeable kick tails can be removed from a surfboard and attached to a surfer's skateboard or removed from their skateboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Edward Appell
  • Patent number: 11745833
    Abstract: A line hauler on a fish tender vessel is mounted to a port or starboard quarter location of a deck of the vessel. A loop of floating line is wrapped around the line hauler, extends toward the bow of the vessel to a pulley mounted on a respective port or starboard side, then extends down to the sea, then extends on the surface of the sea adjacent the respective port or starboard side to at least the location where the line hauler is mounted to the deck, and then extends from the surface of the sea back to the line hauler. The loop of line moves in a circle when the line hauler pulls on the line. Lead lines are connected to the line. Fishing vessels attached to the lead lines are pulled alongside the respective port or starboard side of the vessel when the line hauler pulls the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Circle Seafoods, Inc.
    Inventor: Gene Patrick Glaab
  • Patent number: 11738845
    Abstract: An operation device in a ship propulsion system including a ship propulsion machine, ship-mounted equipment, and a power supply, the operation device including a single push button switch and an operation processor performing processing. The operation processor detects a pressing mode of the push button switch when the push button switch is pressed while the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply are disconnected and the power source is stopped, performs processing of connecting the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply and starting the power source when the detected pressing mode is a first mode, and performs processing of connecting the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply while maintaining the power source in a stopped state when the detected pressing mode is a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiko Miyaki
  • Patent number: 11739497
    Abstract: An amphibious platform vehicle-vessel to support and to move hydraulically operated and controlled earth-moving and lifting equipment, such as excavators and cranes, on solid ground, semi-solid or marshy ground, shallow water, and deeper water. The modular units can be transported to a worksite on separate trailers and assembled and reconfigured on site. Two compartmented pontoon units are mounted to an adaptive cross member that can accommodate different types of moving-lifting equipment through different mounting flanges, and to auxiliary cross members. Propulsion is provided through amphibious cleats on drive chains in chain tracks driven by dual-motor driving drums and over a tension-adjusting passive chain roller, surrounding a sealed pontoon shell internally reinforced with bulkhead partitions, beam shell-bottom stiffeners, and pressed-angle shell-bottom stiffeners. An extendable auxiliary float can be extended outward from each compartmented pontoon for increased stability in floating operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventors: John M. Wilson, Sr., Dean R. Wilson, John M. Wilson, Jr., Robert A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 11738843
    Abstract: A shift device for an outboard motor includes a forward gear and a reverse gear; a clutch gear; a shift actuator configured to move between a neutral reference position where the clutch gear is disengaged from the forward gear and the reverse gear and an engagement reference position where the clutch gear is engaged with the forward gear or the reverse gear; and a control device configured to control a movement of the shift actuator. The control device is configured to set an intermediate target position, and to set a speed at which the shift actuator moves from the intermediate target position to the engagement reference position slower than a speed at which the shift actuator moves from the neutral reference position to the intermediate target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Takeshige, Naoki Aikawa, Tomohiro Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 11738844
    Abstract: The trolling motor for an overboard person comprises a trolling motor and a wrist worn device. The trolling motor may be a battery-operated propulsion device that is operable to propel and steer a water craft. The wrist worn device may be worn by a person on the water craft. A control unit within the trolling motor may communicate wirelessly with the wrist worn device and may be cognizant of a relative position of the wrist worn device with respect to the water craft. If the person falls overboard, a separation distance between the wrist worn device and the control unit may increase. Upon a determination that the separation distance has exceeded a predetermined distance threshold, the control unit may direct the trolling motor to energize, deenergize, or reverse direction such that the trolling motor may move the water craft closer to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventor: Wayne Baker
  • Patent number: 11731742
    Abstract: A floating solar plant supporting photovoltaic panels, resulting from the assembly of structural modules and floating modules on a body of water, forming a network of floating support devices supporting photovoltaic panels. The network including at least: a first row of floating support devices supporting a first row of photovoltaic panels, a second row of floating support devices supporting a second row of photovoltaic panels, and wherein the first row of photovoltaic panels and the second row of photovoltaic panels are spaced apart according to the transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by structural modules, and wherein at least the structural modules ensuring the spacing between the first row of photovoltaic panels and the second row of photovoltaic panels are configured so as to be immersed, at least during the passage of a servicing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: CIEL ET TERRE INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Stéphane Prouvost, Benjamin Le Blan
  • Patent number: 11731735
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydrofoil system for a waterborne vessel, the hydrofoil system comprising a controller, a foil for engagement with the waterborne vessel, the foil comprising a plurality of adjustment members operable to vary the lift characteristics of the waterborne vessel, a propeller, an engine and gearbox located adjacent the foil and operable/in mechanical communication with the propeller, a plurality of sensors in electrical communication with the controller, each sensor configured to monitor flight parameters of the waterborne vessel and generate measured flight parameter data, wherein the controller is in communication with the adjustment members, the engine and the sensors and wherein the controller is configured to receive measured flight parameter data from the sensors and to control the operation of the engine and the position of the adjustment members in dependence upon the received measured flight parameter data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ARTEMIS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Iain Percy, Romain Ingouf
  • Patent number: 11708142
    Abstract: A hinge assembly is for a cowling on a marine drive. The cowling has a first cowl portion and a second cowl portion which together enclose a cowl interior. The hinge assembly has a first base frame configured for fixed attachment to an interior surface of the first cowl portion and a second base frame configured for fixed attachment to an interior surface of the second cowl portion. The second base frame is pivotally coupled to the first base frame by a connection device that enables manual removal of the second base frame from the intermediate frame without use of a tool, thus facilitating manual removal of the second cowl portion from the first cowl portion without the use of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Amerling, Brad J. VanRuiswyk, Devan R. Faust
  • Patent number: 11708136
    Abstract: A recreational sport boat includes a hull, having starboard and port sides and a transom, and a pair of wake-modifying devices positioned aft of the transom. One of the wake-modifying devices is positioned on a port side of the boat's centerline and another of the wake-modifying devices is positioned on a starboard side of the boat's centerline. Each wake-modifying device includes a plate-like member and at least one downturned surface at a trailing portion of the plate-like member. Each wake-modifying device is pivotable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position about a pivot axis that is horizontal or inclined no more than about 35° from horizontal. When a wake-modifying device is in the deployed position, the downturned surface is lower than it is in the non-deployed position so as to be able to modify the boat's wake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: MasterCraft Boat Company, LLC
    Inventors: Darren S. Sheedy, Matthew J. Huyge, Michael D. Myers, Zane E. Schwenk
  • Patent number: 11702176
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for repairing deep-water cage nets. The device includes an open-frame underwater robot and a repairing mechanism of deep-water cage nets, where the repairing mechanism of deep-water cage nets includes a hole penetrating mechanism, a wire feeding mechanism, a rotary knotting mechanism, a steel wire cutting mechanism and steel wire clamping mechanisms. The hole penetrating mechanism comprises mechanical claws and a control box for controlling the mechanical claws. The wire feeding mechanism and the steel wire cutting mechanism are both fixedly arranged in the control box, and the steel wire clamping mechanisms and the rotary knotting mechanism are both arranged between two mechanical claws. The open-frame underwater robot is detachably connected with the repairing mechanism of deep-water cage nets through a connecting shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OCEAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Guoyan Yu, Zejia Chen, Zhuoheng Li, Shuaixing Chen, Yijun Liang, Zhaoji Guan, Jiancheng Xu
  • Patent number: 11702970
    Abstract: An outboard motor is provided with an upper separator disposed on the lower side of an oil case for storing a lubricating oil of an engine, and an extension case which is separably connected on the lower side of the upper separator. The upper separator has a central exhaust passage through which exhaust gas flows, and a cooling water flow part through which cooling water flows on the outside of the central exhaust passage, the central exhaust passage and the cooling water flow part forming an integrated structure. The exhaust gas and the cooling water are caused to mix in the extension case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Harada, Tatsuya Kuroda, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Takeshi Okada