Patents by Inventor Gerald Berton

Gerald Berton 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).

  • Publication number: 20240317379
    Abstract: A remote-control unit for control a marine vessel is provided with a thruster actuator and engine actuators. When the marine vessel lacks a thruster, the thruster actuator, when operated, causes the remote-control unit to transmit engine control signals to each of at least two engines to achieve a virtual thruster effect by the marine vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 12077273
    Abstract: Remote-control units used for docking a marine vessel include both a radio transceiver for communicating with a helm receiver to which control signals for the various vessel systems can be sent, and a WiFi transceiver that can be used to remotely access and adjust the operational profiles stored in the remote control unit. Each of the profiles causes the remote control unit to control one or more vessel systems by ramping up their output over an initial time duration to a maximum profile setting which is a proportion of the maximum output capability of the vessel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: The Yacht Group, LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20240270367
    Abstract: Remote-control units used for docking a marine vessel include both a radio transceiver for communicating with a helm receiver to which control signals for the various vessel systems can be sent, and a WiFi transceiver that can be used to remotely access and adjust the operational profiles stored in the remote control unit. Each of the profiles causes the remote control unit to control one or more vessel systems by ramping up their output over an initial time duration to a maximum profile setting which is a proportion of the maximum output capability of the vessel system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Gerald Berton, Giuseppe Brianza
  • Patent number: 11862955
    Abstract: A thruster power control box assembly includes a housing having a cover. Inside the housing is a switch circuit and a switch control circuit. The switch circuit directs current from an external battery to a pair of thruster cables that are connected to a thruster. The switch control circuit controls the switch circuit by configuring the direction in which current from the battery flows to the thruster cables so that the thruster can operate in both directions. The housing incudes bushings through which the various cables and conductors pass, and are sealed by a compliant plug and a compression nut on each bushing. A terminal box can be used to connect the various cables of the thruster to their corresponding cables of the thruster power control box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: The Yacht Group, LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20230318275
    Abstract: A thruster power control box assembly includes a housing having a cover. Inside the housing is a switch circuit and a switch control circuit. The switch circuit directs current from an external battery to a pair of thruster cables that are connected to a thruster. The switch control circuit controls the switch circuit by configuring the direction in which current from the battery flows to the thruster cables so that the thruster can operate in both directions. The housing incudes bushings through which the various cables and conductors pass, and are sealed by a compliant plug and a compression nut on each bushing. A terminal box can be used to connect the various cables of the thruster to their corresponding cables of the thruster power control box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 11718380
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal portion, a vertical portion that provides a vertical surface that matches an angle of the vessel transom, generally. The horizontal portion includes an enclosure. The vertical portion forms a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster is mounted to the thruster bracket on a rotatable thruster mount that allows the thruster to be rotated in a generally horizontal plane relative to the bracket and the vessel to facilitate low speed maneuvering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: The Yacht Group LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20220371713
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal portion, a vertical portion that provides a vertical surface that matches an angle of the vessel transom, generally. The horizontal portion includes an enclosure. The vertical portion forms a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster is mounted to the thruster bracket on a rotatable thruster mount that allows the thruster to be rotated in a generally horizontal plane relative to the bracket and the vessel to facilitate low speed maneuvering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 11396355
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster can be mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: The Yacht Group, LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 11319044
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster can be mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: The Yacht Group LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20220089268
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster can be mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20220017202
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster can be mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 11220318
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is at a non-right angle relative to a horizontal plane. The transom-facing surface is angled such that the bottom of the support plate portion is further to the rear of the thruster bracket than the top of the upper mounting support portion in order to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster is mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: The Yacht Group LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20210371075
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is at a non-right angle relative to a horizontal plane. The transom-facing surface is angled such that the bottom of the support plate portion is further to the rear of the thruster bracket than the top of the upper mounting support portion in order to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster is mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: 11173985
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes horizontal and vertical members disposed at right angles to each other. The horizontal member includes an enclosure which contains a lamp. A thruster is mounted to the horizontal member, and the vertical member is affixed to the transom of a boat. The thruster is therefore held in spaced-apart relation to the boat, optimizing the flow of water through the thruster, and minimizing the amount of space required, on the transom, for installation of components. The horizontal member, and one of the connectors holding the vertical member to the boat, are hollow, allowing wires to extend into the horizontal member, to provide power to the thruster and the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Publication number: 20210316819
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes horizontal and vertical members disposed at right angles to each other. The horizontal member includes an enclosure which contains a lamp. A thruster is mounted to the horizontal member, and the vertical member is affixed to the transom of a boat. The thruster is therefore held in spaced-apart relation to the boat, optimizing the flow of water through the thruster, and minimizing the amount of space required, on the transom, for installation of components. The horizontal member, and one of the connectors holding the vertical member to the boat, are hollow, allowing wires to extend into the horizontal member, to provide power to the thruster and the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: D931179
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: D971119
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: Gerald Berton
  • Patent number: D994577
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Inventor: Gerald Berton