Patents by Inventor Jason S. Bench

Jason S. Bench 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: 12263920
    Abstract: A retrofit kit retrofits a buoy to provide dynamic control of a freeboard of the retrofitted buoy. The retrofit kit includes buoyancy chambers, an air reservoir, and a valve arrangement. A method for retrofitting a buoy retrofits a buoy to provide dynamic control of a freeboard of the retrofitted buoy. The buoyancy chambers surrounding a vertical axis of the buoy with a center of mass of the buoy disposed on the vertical axis below the buoyancy chambers. The buoyancy chambers provide a variable buoyancy ranging from a minimum buoyancy to a maximum buoyancy. The air reservoir inflates of the buoyancy chambers. The valve arrangement dynamically sets the freeboard of the buoy upon inflation and deflation of the buoyancy chambers for varying the variable buoyancy between the minimum buoyancy and the maximum buoyancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Bret R. Thomson, Jason S. Bench, Kevin A. Merhoff, Brandon J. Wiedemeier, Nathan Todd Miller, Minh Vuong, Bryan B. Bui-Tuong
  • Publication number: 20230399079
    Abstract: A retrofit kit retrofits a buoy to provide dynamic control of a freeboard of the retrofitted buoy. The retrofit kit includes buoyancy chambers, an air reservoir, and a valve arrangement. A method for retrofitting a buoy retrofits a buoy to provide dynamic control of a freeboard of the retrofitted buoy. The buoyancy chambers surrounding a vertical axis of the buoy with a center of mass of the buoy disposed on the vertical axis below the buoyancy chambers. The buoyancy chambers provide a variable buoyancy ranging from a minimum buoyancy to a maximum buoyancy. The air reservoir inflates of the buoyancy chambers. The valve arrangement dynamically sets the freeboard of the buoy upon inflation and deflation of the buoyancy chambers for varying the variable buoyancy between the minimum buoyancy and the maximum buoyancy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Bret R. Thomson, Jason S. Bench, Kevin A. Merhoff, Brandon J. Wiedemeier, Nathan Todd Miller, Minh Vuong, Bryan B. Bui-Tuong