Patents by Inventor Michael James Longman

Michael James Longman 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: 11945557
    Abstract: A suspension system for supporting a body relative to at least four points, including: a respective front left, front right, back left and back right support arrangement between the respective point and the body, each respective support arrangement including a respective resilience arrangement and a respective control ram, each respective control ram including a respective compression chamber forming at least part of a respective compression control volume; a control arrangement including a first and a second diagonal reversible pump for displacing fluid between diagonally opposite compression control volumes. Each respective resilience arrangement can include a respective damping arrangement to restrict and/or selectively prevent compression and/or expansion of at least a portion of the respective resilience arrangement. Each respective control ram can further include a respective rebound chamber, the front control rams being cross connected and the back control rams being cross connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Nauti-Craft Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Laurence John Walker, Michael James Longman, Richard Monk, Ross McNab
  • Publication number: 20220380004
    Abstract: A suspension system for supporting a body relative to at least four points, including: a respective front left, front right, back left and back right support arrangement between the respective point and the body, each respective support arrangement including a respective resilience arrangement and a respective control ram, each respective control ram including a respective compression chamber forming at least part of a respective compression control volume; a control arrangement including a first and a second diagonal reversible pump for displacing fluid between diagonally opposite compression control volumes. Each respective resilience arrangement can include a respective damping arrangement to restrict and/or selectively prevent compression and/or expansion of at least a portion of the respective resilience arrangement. Each respective control ram can further include a respective rebound chamber, the front control rams being cross connected and the back control rams being cross connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Laurence John Walker, Michael James Longman, Richard Monk, Ross McNab
  • Publication number: 20220363342
    Abstract: A chassis module for a vessel, the chassis module having: a frame; a left linkage arrangement including at least one left hull connection and configured to movably couple the frame to at least one left hull when the left hull connection is connected to the left hull; a right linkage arrangement including at least one right hull connection and configured to movably couple the frame to at least one right hull when the right hull connection is connected to the right hull; at least one left support mount and at least one right support mount for respectively connecting to a respective support providing support for the frame relative to the respective left or right hull when hulls are connected to the hull connections; the frame having a plurality of body attachments to facilitate attachment of the chassis module to a body of a vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER BRIAN HEYRING, MICHAEL JAMES LONGMAN
  • Patent number: 11345442
    Abstract: A hull locating arrangement for a vessel is disclosed that has a body at least partially suspended above at least a first hull by at least one support. The hull locating arrangement includes for the first hull a forward locating linkage and a rearward locating linkage, each of the forward locating linkage and the rearward locating linkage being connected between the first hull and the body to together constrain said hull in the lateral, longitudinal, roll and yaw directions relative to the body. The forward locating linkage includes a forward radius arm and a drop link, the drop link being pivotally connected to the radius arm. The rearward locating linkage includes a rearward radius arm connected between the body and the first hull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Nanti-Craft Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Michael James Longman, Richard Monk
  • Publication number: 20210188399
    Abstract: A hull locating arrangement for a vessel is disclosed that has a body at least partially suspended above at least a first hull by at least one support. The hull locating arrangement includes for the first hull a forward locating linkage and a rearward locating linkage, each of the forward locating linkage and the rearward locating linkage being connected between the first hull and the body to together constrain said hull in the lateral, longitudinal, roll and yaw directions relative to the body. The forward locating linkage includes a forward radius arm and a drop link, the drop link being pivotally connected to the radius arm. The rearward locating linkage includes a rearward radius arm connected between the body and the first hull.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Michael James Longman, Richard Monk
  • Patent number: 10556650
    Abstract: A suspension system for a water craft, the water craft including a chassis which is at least partially suspended above or relative to at least a first hull and a second hull. The suspension system includes a first hull locating arrangement for at least partially constraining the first hull in a lateral, a yaw, a roll and a longitudinal direction relative to the chassis, the first hull locating arrangement comprising a first, a second, a third and a fourth link arranged to directly or indirectly connect between the hull and the chassis. The first, second and third links each extend in at least a lateral direction relative to the chassis and contribute to a lateral constraint on the first hull relative to the chassis. The second link is longitudinally spaced from the first link relative to the chassis to contribute to a hull yaw constraint on the first hull relative to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Nauti-Craft Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Michael James Longman, Richard Monk
  • Publication number: 20190092435
    Abstract: A suspension system for a water craft, the water craft including a chassis which is at least partially suspended above or relative to at least a first hull and a second hull. The suspension system includes a first hull locating arrangement for at least partially constraining the first hull in a lateral, a yaw, a roll and a longitudinal direction relative to the chassis, the first hull locating arrangement comprising a first, a second, a third and a fourth link arranged to directly or indirectly connect between the hull and the chassis. The first, second and third links each extend in at least a lateral direction relative to the chassis and contribute to a lateral constraint on the first hull relative to the chassis. The second link is longitudinally spaced from the first link relative to the chassis to contribute to a hull yaw constraint on the first hull relative to the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Michael James Longman, Richard Monk
  • Patent number: 9849947
    Abstract: A control system for a suspension system of a multi-hulled vessel, the vessel including a chassis portion, at least two hulls moveable relative to the chassis portion. The suspension system of the vessel provides support of at least a portion of the chassis above the at least two hulls, and includes adjustable supports and at least one motor to enable adjustment of a support force and/or displacement of the adjustable supports. The control system includes a fender friction force input for receiving at least one signal indicative of a friction force on a fender portion between a fixed or floating object and the vessel chassis portion, and in response to the fender friction force input, the control system is to adjust the support force and/or displacement between the chassis portion and the at least two hulls to reduce or minimize the friction force on the fender portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Nauti-Craft Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Michael James Longman
  • Publication number: 20160355241
    Abstract: A control system for a suspension system of a multi-hulled vessel, the vessel including a chassis portion, at least two hulls moveable relative to the chassis portion. The suspension system of the vessel provides support of at least a portion of the chassis above the at least two hulls, and includes adjustable supports and at least one motor to enable adjustment of a support force and/or displacement of the adjustable supports. The control system includes a fender friction force input for receiving at least one signal indicative of a friction force on a fender portion between a fixed or floating object and the vessel chassis portion, and in response to the fender friction force input, the control system is to adjust the support force and/or displacement between the chassis portion and the at least two hulls to reduce or minimise the friction force on the fender portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventor: Michael James Longman