Patents by Inventor Fabrice Thomas

Fabrice Thomas 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: 11565917
    Abstract: A self-erecting crane including a mast mounted on a rotating platform and supporting a boom is configurable between a transport configuration and a working configuration. The mast supports a hitch element suitable for being coupled on a fifth wheel provided on a rear platform of a tractor truck, the hitch element being located in a front hitch area of the mast which is dimensioned to come above the rear platform. The self-erecting crane also includes a mooring system located on the front hitch area and a removable ballasting element. In the transport configuration, the removable ballasting element is configured to be temporarily moored on the mast by the mooring system so that the removable ballasting element is located under the mast in the front hitch area. In the working configuration, the removable ballasting element is mounted on the rotating platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Manitowoc Crane Group France
    Inventors: Olivier Gevaudant, Fabrice Thomas, Eric Millet
  • Patent number: 11148914
    Abstract: This defining method comprises the steps of: —simulating a crane comprising: i) a boom made up of elements and ii) a lifting member that is able to move along the boom, —selecting several elements to be tested, maximum stresses, and several ranges along the boom, and —carrying out the following analysis steps of: •choosing a theoretical load, •calculating stresses brought about by the theoretical load in each element to be tested, •comparing these stresses with maximum stresses, •increasing or decreasing the theoretical load depending on whether stresses are less than or greater than the maximum stresses, •repeating the calculating step and the comparison step and the step of increasing or decreasing until the maximum theoretical load is found, and •recording i) the range and ii) the maximum theoretical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MANITOWOC CRANE GROUP FRANCE
    Inventors: Christophe Barbet, Adrien Gourru, Fabrice Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210300733
    Abstract: A self-erecting crane including a mast mounted on a rotating platform and supporting a boom is configurable between a transport configuration and a working configuration. The mast supports a hitch element suitable for being coupled on a fifth wheel provided on a rear platform of a tractor truck, the hitch element being located in a front hitch area of the mast which is dimensioned to come above the rear platform. The self-erecting crane also includes a mooring system located on the front hitch area and a removable ballasting element. In the transport configuration, the removable ballasting element is configured to be temporarily moored on the mast by the mooring system so that the removable ballasting element is located under the mast in the front hitch area. In the working configuration, the removable ballasting element is mounted on the rotating platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Olivier GEVAUDANT, Fabrice THOMAS, Eric MILLET
  • Patent number: 10577228
    Abstract: This automatic unfolding and folding tower crane comprises a mast and a jib which are movable between an operation configuration and a transport configuration. The mast has a first mast section (2.1) and a second mast section (2.2). The jib has a first jib section (4.1) and a second (4.2) jib section. The first jib section (4.1) has an upper limit (4.11) and a lower limit (4.12) defining a height (H4.1) of the first jib section (4.1). The first mast section (2.1) is rotatably connected to the first jib section (4.1) about a hinge axis (Y24). The jib direction (X4) is shifted with respect to the mast direction (Z2) parallel to the hinge axis (Y24). A distance between the hinge axis (Y24) and the lower limit (4.12) is greater than 75% of the height (H4.1) of the first jib section (4.1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: MANITOWOC CRANE GROUP FRANCE
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Verchere, Poerio Betti, Olivier Gevaudant, Fabrice Thomas
  • Publication number: 20180155159
    Abstract: This defining method (100) comprises the steps of: —simulating a crane comprising: i) a boom made up of elements and ii) a lifting member that is able to move along the boom, —selecting several elements to be tested, maximum stresses, and several ranges along the boom, and —carrying out the following analysis steps of: •choosing a theoretical load, •calculating stresses brought about by the theoretical load in each element to be tested, •comparing these stresses with maximum stresses, •increasing or decreasing the theoretical load depending on whether stresses are less than or greater than the maximum stresses, •repeating the calculating step and the comparison step and the step of increasing or decreasing until the maximum theoretical load is found, and •recording i) the range and ii) the maximum theoretical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Christophe Barbet, Adrien Gourru, Fabrice Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170183203
    Abstract: This automatic unfolding and folding tower crane comprises a mast and a jib which are movable between an operation configuration and a transport configuration. The mast has a first mast section (2.1) and a second mast section (2.2). The jib has a first jib section (4.1) and a second (4.2) jib section. The first jib section (4.1) has an upper limit (4.11) and a lower limit (4.12) defining a height (H4.1) of the first jib section (4.1). The first mast section (2.1) is rotatably connected to the first jib section (4.1) about a hinge axis (Y24). The jib direction (X4) is shifted with respect to the mast direction (Z2) parallel to the hinge axis (Y24). A distance between the hinge axis (Y24) and the lower limit (4.12) is greater than 75% of the height (H4.1) of the first jib section (4.1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Jean-Paul VERCHERE, Poerio BETTI, Olivier GEVAUDANT, Fabrice THOMAS
  • Patent number: 5016978
    Abstract: An optical switch comprising a base (1) having a light path (4, 5) passing therethrough, a guide slot (6) intersecting said path, a moving shutter (24) displaceable at least partially inside said guide slot (6) between a position where it allows light to pass along said path and a position where it interrupts said passage, and a return spring (22) for the shutter, the switch being characterized in that said shutter (24) and said spring (22) constitute portions of a deformable blade (2), the spring (22) being fixed at one of its ends to the base, and the moving portion of said blade having a surface (21) which is large enough to be capable of responding to magnetic attraction exerted against the action of said spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Inventors: Alain Fargette, Andre Marland, Fabrice Thomas, Alain Souloumiac