Patents by Inventor Martin Kirchmair

Martin Kirchmair 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: 12345004
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle has a frame; a working tool hinged at the back of the frame around a yaw axis; and actuation system, which is configured to act between the working tool and the frame; and a control device, which is configured to calculate a value of the steering radius of the crawler vehicle and to control the actuation system so as to selectively: enable the working tool to freely oscillate about the yaw axis when the calculated value of the steering radius is comprised within a reference interval; keep the position of the working tool blocked with respect to the frame when the calculated value of the steering radius is outside the reference interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Alex Wood, Jean Francois Labbe
  • Patent number: 12320085
    Abstract: A snow groomer vehicle includes a frame, a tool connected to the frame through a front connecting device equipped with an actuator assembly operable to determine a relative position of the tool with respect to the frame, a satellite navigation device and a control system. The control system includes a processing unit and a memory device, containing a target map representing a desired surface to be obtained by processing the snowpack over a region. The processing unit determines a position and orientation of the frame from the data provided with satellite navigation device and determines a configuration of the tool as a function of the position and orientation of the frame and of the target map, so that the passage of the tool causes a removal of the snowpack that conforms the snowpack to the target map. The actuator assembly is operated so as to bring the tool into the determined configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Richard Casartelli
  • Publication number: 20250172249
    Abstract: A refueling station to refuel a crawler vehicle with hydrogen at a work site is configured to be transported to the work site and has a compressor unit configured to receive, as an input, hydrogen from a hydrogen source and/or from a hydrogen distribution network and to compress the received hydrogen; and an injection nozzle, which is connected to the compressor unit and is configured to be coupled to a hydrogen accumulator of the crawler vehicle so as to dispense the compressed hydrogen into the hydrogen accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2024
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Jamie Thom, Roberto Pegoraro, Alberto Paoletti
  • Patent number: 12263808
    Abstract: A tracked vehicle comprising a first and a second track, a mechanical power generator assembly; an assembly of operating devices coupled to the generator assembly; a first and a second drive wheel coupled respectively to the first and to the second track, and to the generator assembly; a user interface to receive inputs from an operator; and a control unit coupled to the user interface to receive inputs; the control unit being coupled to the mechanical power generator assembly and being configured to enable or disable starting of the mechanical power generator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Richard Casartelli
  • Patent number: 12257899
    Abstract: A snow groomer with touch screen controls for tensioning tracks, suspension, drive unit, accessories and other, comprising: a plurality of tracks; at least one accessory device selected in a group comprising a shovel or blade, a tiller assembly and a winch assembly; and a user interface comprising a display and a selector device for receiving commands from an operator, preferably the selector device is a device that detects a touch of an operator on the display; a control unit coupled to the user interface, in particular to the display, for sending images to be displayed to the display and receiving commands from the display which are related to the touches detected; wherein the control unit is configured to display on the display a main screen divided into a plurality of main screen portions, wherein the plurality of main screen portions are displayed together in the main screen and each in a different position in the main screen; wherein each main screen portion is configured to display an image that ill
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Prinoth, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Stephan Muehlsteiger
  • Publication number: 20250091451
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle has a first track and a second track; a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel independent of each other and coupled to the first and to the second track respectively; a first electric motor and a second electric motor mechanically coupled to the first and to the second drive wheel respectively; an electric energy storage unit configured to deliver electric power; and an electric power transmission assembly, which is configured to transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the first and to the second electric motor and comprises a first inverter electrically coupled to the first electric motor, and a second inverter electrically coupled to the second electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Francesco Salis, Roberto Pegoraro, Gregor Maurer, Markus Unterholzner
  • Patent number: 12252063
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle for ski runs has a frame; a cab; two tracks; a user interface located in the cab; a plurality of sensors configured to acquire signals correlated to the operation of the crawler vehicle, to the weather and/or snow conditions, and to the position of the crawler vehicle in relation to reference points and/or possible obstacles; a control unit for processing said signals and providing additional signals; and at least one projector for projecting on surfaces outside the cab, in particular on the ski run, at least one contoured beam as a function of at least one of the additional signals to provide one piece of information to the driver and/or human beings in the vicinity of the crawler vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Andreas Muigg, Richard Casartelli, Alberto Paoletti
  • Publication number: 20240174121
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle has a frame; a first energy storage assembly configured to be removed from the crawler vehicle and to be replaced by a further first energy storage assembly; a propulsion system configured to be powered by the first energy storage assembly; a connection interface configured to selectively and relatively quickly connect/disconnect the first energy storage assembly to/from the propulsion system; a first motorized track and a second motorized track; and a transmission assembly configured to transmit power from the propulsion system to the first and to the second track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Andreas Muigg, Martin Kirchmair
  • Publication number: 20240060258
    Abstract: A snow groomer vehicle including a frame, two tracks, and a drive unit connected to the two tracks to move the snow groomer vehicle. The snow groomer vehicles includes at least one working device selected from the group of working devices including: a winch, a tiller assembly, and a shovel, in particular the working device being connected to the frame by a connecting device. The snow groomer vehicle includes at least one control device configured to control at least one parameter of the snow groomer vehicle, preferably relating to the tracks or to the at least one working device, the control device being configured to control in a first operating mode the at least one parameter based on the operator's control instructions received via the user interface, on the data received via the radio communication unit, and on the position detected via the position detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Francesco Salis, Alberto Paoletti
  • Publication number: 20240010477
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle for the preparation of ski runs; the crawler vehicle comprising: a frame; a winch mounted on the frame for selectively unwinding and winding a cable that can be anchored to a point outside the crawler vehicle; an arm, which is mounted swivelling with respect to the frame around a determined axis, and is configured to guide the cable; an actuating system of the arm around the determined axis; a control device of the actuating system of the arm for selectively setting one of the following operating modes when the cable is under tension: enabling the free rotation of the arm around the determined axis; rotating the arm around the determined axis; locking the position of the arm with respect to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Markus Unterholzner, Gregor Maurer, Francesco Salis
  • Publication number: 20230366160
    Abstract: A snow groomer vehicle comprising: a frame (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (70); a tiller assembly (9) connected to the frame (2) by a connecting device (21), preferably the tiller assembly (9) comprising a tiller (9a) and a finisher (9b); at least one control device (17) coupled to the tiller assembly (9) and configured to control at least two parameters of the tiller assembly the control device (17) comprising a memory configured to store at least two groups of values (N, M), preferably four groups of values (N, M, P, Q), relating to the at least two parameters (A, B), wherein each group of values (N, M) includes at least one value for each of the at least two parameters (A, B); the control device (17) being configured to receive the selection of a group of values of the at least two groups of values (N, M) and control the at least two parameters of the tiller assembly (9) according to the values of the selected group of values (N; M).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Stephan Muehlsteiger, Andreas Silbernagl, Alberto Paoletti
  • Publication number: 20230278626
    Abstract: A tracked vehicle for preparing ski slopes has a chassis extending along a longitudinal axis; a winch mounted on the chassis; a boom pivoting about a pivot axis to guide and orientate the cable of the winch between the chassis and the cable anchor point; an actuation system for rotating the boom about the pivot axis relative to the chassis in a first and second direction; and a user interface comprising a first and a second switch arranged in front of an operator and to the right and left of each other and configured to rotate the boom so as to steer the tracked vehicle to the right and to the left respectively when the cable is anchored to the cable anchor point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Francesco Salis
  • Publication number: 20230259154
    Abstract: Tracked vehicle comprising: a frame extending along a longitudinal axis; a plurality of tracks; at least an accessory device selected from a group comprising a blade, a tiller assembly and a winch assembly; and a user interface comprising a control device coupled to the plurality of tracks to drive the advance of the tracked vehicle; and a joystick coupled to the at least accessory device to drive the movements of the at least accessory device; wherein the joystick comprises a lever configured so that it can be move in any direction with respect to a rest position; wherein the joystick comprises a detector assembly to detect a movement of the lever with respect to the rest position and to emit an output signal based on the detected movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Richard Casartelli, Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti, Francesco Salis
  • Publication number: 20230228050
    Abstract: A snow groomer vehicle comprising: at least one implement selected from: a blade and a tiller assembly; at least one first detection device configured to define data by processing the areas of the environment behind the snow groomer and framed by said first detection device; at least one satellite navigation device and/or a second detection device; wherein the second detection device is configured to define data by processing the areas of the environment in front of the snow groomer vehicle and framed by said device; a control system including a processing unit configured to process the data from the satellite navigation device and/or from at least the second detection device and to define an objective map of a desired snow treatment; the processing unit being configured to define at least one first desired implement configuration defined on the basis of an objective map in such a way that the passage of the implement causes the snowpack to change according to a desired conformation; the processing unit be
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: PRINOTH S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Salis, Martin Kirchmair, Richard Casartelli, Alberto Paoletti
  • Publication number: 20230213947
    Abstract: Method for locating a vehicle, such as a crawler vehicle and in particular a snow grooming vehicle, within a working region, the working region comprising at least one reference element. The method comprising: acquiring a reference model of the working region comprising reference data relating to the at least one reference element; detecting, via at least one sensor of the vehicle, data relating to an area of the working region surrounding the vehicle; comparing the data detected by the at least one sensor with the reference data to verify whether at least a part of the data detected by the at least one sensor corresponds to the reference data; and determining a position of the vehicle within the working region on the basis of the comparison between the data detected by the at least one sensor and the reference data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventor: Martin Kirchmair
  • Publication number: 20230202288
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle for the preparation of ski runs has a frame; a cabin mounted on the frame; a first and a second drive wheel driven by a first and a second hydraulic motor respectively; a battery assembly and an electric motor fed by the battery assembly, which are mounted on the frame behind the cabin and mainly under the cabin; and a power transmission assembly configured to transmit power from the electric motor to the hydraulic motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Alberto Paoletti
  • Publication number: 20230160164
    Abstract: A snow tooth for a snow tiller for preparing the snowpack of ski slopes; the snow tooth comprising a first projection having a first height and a second projection having a second height, the first height and the second height; the snow tooth being shaped so as to be connected to a rotating shaft and have, in use, a main direction of rotation. The first projection is arranged along the snow tooth so that, in use, the first projection sinks into the snowpack before the second projection in particular when, in use, the snow tooth is attached to a shaft of the snow tiller and the shaft rotates in the main direction of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Markus Unterholzner, Mirko Insam
  • Patent number: D1003316
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Stephan Mühlsteiger, Martin Kirchmair
  • Patent number: D1020791
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Stephan Mühlsteiger, Martin Kirchmair
  • Patent number: D1040863
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Markus Unterholzner, Mirko Insam