Patents by Inventor Charles Frank Pigeon

Charles Frank Pigeon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9862457
    Abstract: Rear boat extensions for boats and boats having such are provided. The rear boat extensions described herein are generally suitable for boats comprising a transom and a plate that is pivotally mounted via a hinge near a bottom edge of the transom, such that the plate is pivotable about an axis of the hinge upwardly toward and downwardly away from the transom. In some embodiments, the rear boat extensions described herein may include a bottom surface including a recess and one or more sloped or curved sections disposed on either side of the recess. The recess is disposed at a front end of the rear boat extension and configured to accommodate pivoting of the plate beneath the bottom surface of the rear boat extension. The sloped or curved sections disposed on either side of the recess serve to push water toward respective outboard sides of the boat to manipulate the size and/or shape of the wake produced by the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Tige Boats, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Frank Pigeon
  • Patent number: 9573655
    Abstract: Various configurations of improved wake-modifying devices for a power boat are provided herein. All such configurations provide a water channel and (optional) wedge for capturing and redirecting significantly more of the water flowing past the transom of the boat than conventional trim tabs consisting primarily of a flat plate. This increases the upward force applied to the deployed wake-modifying device and raises the stern of the boat on the non-surf side to list the boat to the surf side, producing a larger wake on the surf side. Some configurations provide a convergent water channel to produce longer, smoother wakes on the surf side of the boat. Other configurations provide a divergent water channel, which produces a comparatively shorter, taller wake on the surf side of the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Tige Boats, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Frank Pigeon
  • Patent number: 9540074
    Abstract: Wakesurf and wakeboard boats are provided which include a component positioned along and/or within the hull and an actuator coupled to the component for moving an end of the component outward from the hull and retracting the end of the component to be in proximity with the hull. In some embodiments, the component is spaced forward of a vertical plane comprising the forwardmost point of the transom. Methods for creating a wake behind a boat are also provided which include listing a boat to one side via a listing component disposed on such a side and moving a component disposed within or coupled to an exterior surface of the hull on the opposing side of the boat. The component is moved outwardly from the exterior surface of the hull such that a distal free end of the component is spaced from the exterior surface when the boat is listed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Tige Boats, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Frank Pigeon
  • Publication number: 20160304164
    Abstract: Rear boat extensions for boats and boats having such are provided. The rear boat extensions described herein are generally suitable for boats comprising a transom and a plate that is pivotally mounted via a hinge near a bottom edge of the transom, such that the plate is pivotable about an axis of the hinge upwardly toward and downwardly away from the transom. In some embodiments, the rear boat extensions described herein may include a bottom surface including a recess and one or more sloped or curved sections disposed on either side of the recess. The recess is disposed at a front end of the rear boat extension and configured to accommodate pivoting of the plate beneath the bottom surface of the rear boat extension. The sloped or curved sections disposed on either side of the recess serve to push water toward respective outboard sides of the boat to manipulate the size and/or shape of the wake produced by the boat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Charles Frank Pigeon
  • Patent number: 9394032
    Abstract: Rear boat extensions for boats and boats having such are provided. Some embodiments of boats include a rear boat extension as an attachment to their transom. Other embodiments of boats include a rear boat extension as a stern end part of a single molded component which includes the hull of the boat. In either case, the rear boat extension has a smaller depth than an adjacent part of the boat's hull. In some embodiments, a rear boat extension may be tapered toward its rearward end. In some cases, a rear boat extension may include peripheral sidewalls and may be open or include an opening at its rearward end or between upper edges of its peripheral sidewalls. In yet other embodiments, a rear boat extension may not include peripheral sidewalls. In any case, a rear boat extension may additionally or alternatively include an opening or recess within its bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Tige Boats
    Inventor: Charles Frank Pigeon