Patents by Inventor Douglas Field
Douglas Field 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).
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Patent number: 6651763Abstract: A vehicle capable of an extraordinary mode of motorized motion programmed to draw the attention of an operator. When one or more sensors sense a condition requiring attention of the operator, an oscillatory motion is superposed upon the motion of the ground-contacting members.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2000Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Deka Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, J. Douglas Field, Burl Amsbury
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Publication number: 20030205419Abstract: A method for stabilizing a balancing transporter under riderless conditions. The balancing transporter is characterized by a center of mass, and has two laterally disposed wheels and a region of contact with an underlying surface. In accordance with the method, the absence of a user aboard the transporter is first detected. Then a desired transporter pitch is determined such as to establish a condition of stasis wherein the center of mass is disposed directly above the region of contact between the balancing transporter and the underlying surface. Finally, a torque is applied to the laterally disposed wheels so as to maintain the transporter at the desired transporter pitch. The torque may include coadded terms where the terms are, respectively, proportional to a pitch error, a pitch rate, a wheel rate, and an integral representing the wheel rotation that was required to bring the transporter to the condition of stasis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2003Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, J. Douglas Field, John B. Morrell
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Publication number: 20030183435Abstract: A transportation vehicle for transporting an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. The vehicle has a support platform for supporting the subject and the support platform is coupled to a ground-contacting module at a pivot. While the ground-contacting module may be statically stable, balance of the support platform with respect to the ground-contacting module is maintained by motion of the ground-contacting module in response to leaning of the support platform. A motorized drive coupled to the ground-contacting module causes locomotion of the vehicle and the subject therewith over the surface, while a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, dynamically enhances stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive in connection with the ground-contacting module. In the event of failure of the control loop, the pivot connection of the support platform to the ground-contacting module may be locked, thereby ensuring stability of the static assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, J. Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann
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Publication number: 20030155167Abstract: Improvements to a motorized balancing personal transporter. An intelligent battery has a battery container sealed against moisture and a plurality of battery blocks housed within the battery container. Additionally, the battery pack has a plurality of sensors, each of which is for monitoring a characteristic of a distinct battery block. The battery pack has a processor that generates a fault flag for transmission to a circuit external to the battery container on occurrence of a critical fault and that transmits an identifying characteristic such as a battery serial number. Various mechanisms are provided for receiving rider input in order to direct steering of the transporter. These include a rotatable grip for imparting rotary motion to a rotation sensor, a thumb-activated rotation sensor and a palm-activated sensor, each disposed on the handlebar of the transporter.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2002Publication date: August 21, 2003Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, Richard W. Arling, J. Douglas Field, John B. Morrell, Jonathan B. Pompa, Richard Kurt Heinzman
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Publication number: 20030146025Abstract: An electric device includes a motor and a motor drive for commanding a torque generated by the motor. A fault control circuit detects a fault condition associated with the motor drive. Upon detection of the fault condition, the fault control circuit adjusts the torque commanded by the motor drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventors: Dean Kamen, John B. Morrell, David W. Robinson, Ronald K. Reich, John David Heinzmann, Philip LeMay, Steven R. Meyer, Jason M. Sachs, J. Douglas Field
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Publication number: 20030141832Abstract: A system and method for automatically decelerating a personal transporter of the kind that has a controller for controlling the motion of the transporter. Upon detection of a fault condition, a goal value of a control variable is set, the control variable is adjusted at a specified increment in the direction of the goal value, and the prior steps are repeated until the control variable equals the goal value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2003Publication date: July 31, 2003Inventors: J. Douglas Field, John B. Morrell
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Patent number: 6598941Abstract: An apparatus and method for attaching a wheel to an axle. The apparatus comprises a wheel with a hub for insertion into an indentation in the end of the axle and a single bolt that is offset from the axis of rotation of the wheel and axle and that attaches the wheel to the axle.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2001Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: J. Douglas Field, Joseph A. Hoell, Jr.
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Patent number: 6581714Abstract: Improvements to a motorized balancing personal transporter. An intelligent battery has a battery container sealed against moisture and a plurality of battery blocks housed within the battery container. Additionally, the battery pack has a plurality of sensors, each of which is for monitoring a characteristic of a distinct battery block. The battery pack has a processor that generates a fault flag for transmission to a circuit external to the battery container on occurrence of a critical fault and that transmits an identifying characteristic such as a battery serial number. Various mechanisms are provided for receiving rider input in order to direct steering of the vehicle. These include a rotatable grip for imparting rotary motion to a rotation sensor, a thumb-activated rotation sensor and a palm-activated sensor, each disposed on the handlebar of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Richard William Arling, J. Douglas Field, John B. Morrell, Jonathan B. Pompa
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Patent number: 6561294Abstract: A balancing vehicle that supports a rider on a support such as a seat in a such a manner as to allow the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to be varied by motion of the support. Motion of the support additionally provides for control of a drive that propels the vehicle in a manner responsive to the position of the center of gravity. The vehicle is thus capable of control by leaning of a seated rider.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1999Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert Duggan, Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann
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Patent number: 6543564Abstract: A transportation vehicle for transporting an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. The vehicle has a support platform for supporting the subject and the support platform is coupled to a ground-contacting module at a pivot. While the ground-contacting module may be statically stable, balance of the support platform with respect to the ground-contacting module is maintained by motion of the ground-contacting module in response to leaning of the support platform. A motorized drive coupled to the ground-contacting module causes locomotion of the vehicle and the subject therewith over the surface, while a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, dynamically enhances stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive in connection with the ground-contacting module. In the event of failure of the control loop, the pivot connection of the support platform to the ground-contacting module may be locked, thereby ensuring stability of the static assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1999Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Deka Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann
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Patent number: 6538411Abstract: A system and method for automatically decelerating a personal transporter of the kind that has a controller for controlling the motion of the transporter. Upon detection of a fault condition, a goal value of a control variable is set, the control variable is adjusted at a specified increment in the direction of the goal value, and the prior steps are repeated until the control variable equals the goal value. A method is also provided that affords a user accelerated access to operation of a balancing personal transporter. The method has the steps of first initializing a single-axis stabilizer, and, while initializing a 3-axis stabilizer, alerting the rider that the transporter is ready for use, allowing operation of the transporter, and then completing initialization of the 3-axis stabilizer, and employing the 3-axis stabilizer for control of the balancing personal transporter.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: Deka Products Limited PartnershipInventors: J. Douglas Field, John B. Morrell
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Publication number: 20020149172Abstract: A trailer for a dynamically balanced transporter that allows leaning of the transporter such as for control of the combination of transporter and trailer. The trailer has a platform and an arm with two ends, one of which ends is coupled to the platform and the other of which is pivotally coupled about a horizontal axis to the transporter. The trailer has a ground-contacting member that may be a wheel, or a ski or a skid. A locking mechanism may lock the pivot in response to a fault condition. The platform of the trailer may support a rider in a seated or standing position and may have a characteristic transverse linear dimension comparable to the shoulder width of the rider.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: J. Douglas Field, John David Heinzmann
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Publication number: 20020121805Abstract: An apparatus and method for attaching a wheel to an axle. The apparatus comprises a wheel with a hub for insertion into an indentation in the end of the axle and a single bolt that is offset from the axis of rotation of the wheel and axle and that attaches the wheel to the axle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2001Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Joseph A. Hoell
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Patent number: 6435535Abstract: A trailer for a dynamically balanced transporter that allows leaning of the transporter such as for control of the combination of transporter and trailer. The trailer has a platform and an arm with two ends, one of which ends is coupled to the platform and the other of which is pivotally coupled about a horizontal axis to the transporter. The trailer has a ground-contacting member that may be a wheel, or a ski or a skid. A locking mechanism may lock the pivot in response to a fault condition. The platform of the trailer may support a rider in a seated or standing position and may have a characteristic transverse linear dimension comparable to the shoulder width of the rider.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: J. Douglas Field, John David Heinzmann
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Publication number: 20020063006Abstract: A class of transportation vehicles for carrying an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. Various embodiments have a motorized drive, mounted to the ground-contacting module that causes operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. Related methods are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2002Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, J. Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Burl Amsbury, Christopher C. Langenfeld
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Patent number: 6367817Abstract: A class of transportation vehicles for carrying an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. Various embodiments have a motorized drive, mounted to the ground-contacting module that causes operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. Related methods are provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, J. Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Burl Amsbury, Christopher C. Langenfeld
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Patent number: 6357544Abstract: A balancing vehicle having enhanced stability for transporting a payload. The vehicle has two substantially coaxial wheels coupled to a platform. Each wheel rotates about an axis, with the axis of each wheel disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to an axis that is defined by the centers of the respective wheels and that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of forward motion of the vehicle. The vehicle has a motorized drive that provides locomotion of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping if the motorized drive is not powered.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1999Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Deka Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Douglas Field
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Patent number: 6302230Abstract: An automatically balancing vehicle having a headroom monitor. The headroom monitor determines the difference between the maximum velocity of the vehicle and the present velocity of the vehicle. An alarm receives a signal from the headroom monitor and produces a warning when the headroom falls below a specified limit.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1999Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, J. Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Burl Amesbury, Christopher C. Langenfeld
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Patent number: 6048485Abstract: A process for forming a catheter tip is described wherein a mold having an internal surface complimentary to the desired external surface of the catheter tip is formed such that it has two temperature zones. A first higher temperature zone is positioned proximally of the catheter distal tip and a lower temperature zone is positioned distal to the higher temperature zone. A catheter to be tipped is placed upon a mandrel or needle and the mold is heated. Upon insertion of the catheter and mandrel into the mold. The catheter material softens and begins to flow within the mold. The higher temperature portion supplies the heat necessary to soften the catheter material and it flow to the lower temperature zone wherein the lower temperature causes the catheter material to become more viscous or resolidify. Upon becoming more viscous, the catheter material, at the very tip, acts as a dam to prevent further flow of material thus eliminating flash from the mold end.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 1996Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Roger Ahlstrom
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Patent number: 4706405Abstract: An elongated fishing lure which has generally flat and parallel sides through most of its length and which includes a through bore extending longitudinally through its length to accommodate a fishing line or leader freely therein.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1985Date of Patent: November 17, 1987Inventor: Douglas Field