Patents by Inventor Russell K. Layton, Jr.
Russell K. Layton, Jr. 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).
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Patent number: 11919119Abstract: A skate blade alignment system used to align a skate blade sharpening system. The skate alignment system can align a grinding wheel for sharpening a skate blade secured within the skate blade sharpening system. A controller can enable alignment operations and control an alignment process.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2019Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Velasa Sports, Inc.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor, Clive Bolton, Alex Taylor Willisson
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Publication number: 20220032419Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a skate sharpening system comprising an operative unit and a base, the operative unit comprising a central body, the central body comprising a skate receiving slot, a skate clamp being positioned adjacent to the skate receiving slot such that a skate can be secured within the skate receiving slot for a sharpening operation, the operative unit further comprising a grinding unit, the grinding unit being configured to translate along a length of the slot such that the grinding unit can conduct the sharpening operation on the skate that is secured within the skate receiving slot, the operative unit being positioned over at least a portion of the base, the base comprising a swarf-receiving cavity, the operative unit and the base being pivotably connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2020Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Brian Austin, Russell K. Layton, JR.
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Publication number: 20200016716Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system used to sharpen the blades of ice skates. The skate sharpener can include a housing that includes an elongated slot for receiving the blade of an ice skate for sharpening, and clamp jaws for retaining the skate. The housing can include at least one slot cover to engage the skate blade. Engagement of the skate blade can be sensed by a controller to enable sharpening operations to proceed. The skate blade sharpening system can automatically operate a grinding wheel and move the rotating grinding wheel back and forth along the lower face of the skate blade a desired number of times to sharpen the skate blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventors: Russell K. Layton, JR., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor, Clive Bolton, Alex Taylor Willisson
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Patent number: 10335925Abstract: A blade holder tool is disclosed for a user to hold a skate blade and insert the skate blade into a sharpener unit for a sharpening operation. The blade holder tool includes an upper portion graspable by a user to hold the blade holder tool and place the blade holder tool in an inserted position in the sharpener unit. It further includes a lower blade-engaging portion that grasps the skate blade and locates the skate blade in a sharpening position in the sharpener unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Patent number: 10300574Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system used to sharpen the blades of ice skates. The skate sharpener can include a housing that includes an elongated slot for receiving the blade of an ice skate for sharpening, and clamp jaws for retaining the skate. The housing can include at least one slot cover to engage the skate blade. Engagement of the skate blade can be sensed by a controller to enable sharpening operations to proceed. The skate blade sharpening system can automatically operate a grinding wheel and move the rotating grinding wheel back and forth along the lower face of the skate blade a desired number of times to sharpen the skate blade.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor, Clive Bolton, Alex Taylor Willisson
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Publication number: 20180354090Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system used to sharpen the blades of ice skates. The skate sharpener can include a housing that includes an elongated slot for receiving the blade of an ice skate for sharpening, and clamp jaws for retaining the skate. The housing can include at least one slot cover to engage the skate blade. Engagement of the skate blade can be sensed by a controller to enable sharpening operations to proceed. The skate blade sharpening system can automatically operate a grinding wheel and move the rotating grinding wheel back and forth along the lower face of the skate blade a desired number of times to sharpen the skate blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor, Clive Bolton, Alex Taylor Willisson
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Patent number: 10065282Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system retains a skate blade in a sharpening position whose centerline has a first location relative to a first visual reference feature. A motor-driven rotating shaft has a wheel-mounting location for mounting a grinding wheel for sharpening operation. The shaft accepts an alignment wheel at the wheel-mounting location during an alignment, the alignment wheel having a second visual reference feature having a second location relative to a centerline of the grinding wheel when occupying the wheel-mounting location. An adjustment mechanism moves the shaft transversely during alignment to vary relative position between the wheel-mounting location and the sharpening position including an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the sharpening position, the aligned position being indicated by alignment of the first visual reference feature with the second visual reference feature during alignment.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor
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Patent number: 9902035Abstract: A grinding wheel for use in a skate blade sharpening system includes a metal grinding ring having an abrasive-coated outer surface for contacting a skate blade to be sharpened during sharpening, and a generally disk-shaped hub to which the grinding ring is fixedly mounted. The hub and grinding ring are configured for mating with an arbor on a rotating shaft of the skate blade sharpening system. Generally the hub is of a less expensive and lower-density material than the grinding ring. In one embodiment, the hub is of a lightweight material such as thermoplastic.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Patent number: 9897430Abstract: An ice skate blade edge measurement device includes a measurement device frame and a measurement indicator. The measurement device frame defines at least one storage location for the measurement indicator such that, when not being used to measure an alignment of a pair of sharpened skate blade edges, the measurement indicator can be stored. One storage location can be on a front side of the measurement device frame away from a measurement location and another storage location can be on a back side of the measurement device frame.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Gregory Scott Torrisi
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Publication number: 20170355056Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system used to sharpen the blades of ice skates. The skate sharpener can include a housing that includes an elongated slot for receiving the blade of an ice skate for sharpening, and clamp jaws for retaining the skate. The housing can include at least one slot cover to engage the skate blade. Engagement of the skate blade can be sensed by a controller to enable sharpening operations to proceed. The skate blade sharpening system can automatically operate a grinding wheel and move the rotating grinding wheel back and forth along the lower face of the skate blade a desired number of times to sharpen the skate blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor, Clive Bolton, Alex Taylor Willisson
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Publication number: 20170259390Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system retains a skate blade in a sharpening position whose centerline has a first location relative to a first visual reference feature. A motor-driven rotating shaft has a wheel-mounting location for mounting a grinding wheel for sharpening operation. The shaft accepts an alignment wheel at the wheel-mounting location during an alignment, the alignment wheel having a second visual reference feature having a second location relative to a centerline of the grinding wheel when occupying the wheel-mounting location. An adjustment mechanism moves the shaft transversely during alignment to vary relative position between the wheel-mounting location and the sharpening position including an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the sharpening position, the aligned position being indicated by alignment of the first visual reference feature with the second visual reference feature during alignment.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Russell K. Layton, JR., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor
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Publication number: 20170252901Abstract: A blade holder tool is disclosed for a user to hold a skate blade and insert the skate blade into a sharpener unit for a sharpening operation. The blade holder tool includes an upper portion graspable by a user to hold the blade holder tool and place the blade holder tool in an inserted position in the sharpener unit. It further includes a lower blade-engaging portion that grasps the skate blade and locates the skate blade in a sharpening position in the sharpener unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Publication number: 20170191817Abstract: An ice skate blade edge measurement device includes a measurement device frame and a measurement indicator. The measurement device frame defines at least one storage location for the measurement indicator such that, when not being used to measure an alignment of a pair of sharpened skate blade edges, the measurement indicator can be stored. One storage location can be on a front side of the measurement device frame away from a measurement location and another storage location can be on a back side of the measurement device frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventors: Russell K. Layton, JR., Gregory Scott Torrisi
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Patent number: 9669508Abstract: A grinding wheel assembly for use in a sharpening system includes a grinding wheel configured to be mounted in the sharpening system to carry out sharpening operations in which the grinding wheel removes material from a blade to be sharpened, such as the blade of an ice skate. The grinding wheel assembly further includes an identification tag attached to the grinding wheel, the identification tag having (1) secure memory including a usage location for persistently and securely storing a usage tracking value, and (2) interface circuitry for engaging in communication with a transceiver of the sharpening system to enable electronic circuitry of the sharpening system to both read from and write to the usage location to track usage of the grinding wheel for sharpening operations. The memory may also store other data including user-specific system parameters usable to customize operation, and fault information usable to diagnose fault conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Patent number: 9573236Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system retains a skate blade in a sharpening position whose centerline has a first location relative to a first visual reference feature. A motor-driven rotating shaft has a wheel-mounting location for mounting a grinding wheel for sharpening operation. The shaft accepts an alignment wheel at the wheel-mounting location during an alignment, the alignment wheel having a second visual reference feature having a second location relative to a centerline of the grinding wheel when occupying the wheel-mounting location. An adjustment mechanism moves the shaft transversely during alignment to vary relative position between the wheel-mounting location and the sharpening position including an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the sharpening position, the aligned position being indicated by alignment of the first visual reference feature with the second visual reference feature during alignment.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor
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Patent number: 9566682Abstract: A skate blade retention mechanism for retaining a skate blade in a sharpening position to be sharpened includes a pair of elongated jaws configured for symmetrical jaw opening and closing movements about a centerline of the skate blade in the sharpening position. A biasing mechanism is configured and operative to apply a bias force to symmetrically bias the jaws toward a closed position with sufficiently high force to retain the skate blade in the sharpening position when the skate blade is located between the jaws as so biased. An actuator is configured to actuate the jaws against the bias force to an open position under user control to permit insertion and removal of the skate blade.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Publication number: 20160346893Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system retains a skate blade in a sharpening position whose centerline has a first location relative to a first visual reference feature. A motor-driven rotating shaft has a wheel-mounting location for mounting a grinding wheel for sharpening operation. The shaft accepts an alignment wheel at the wheel-mounting location during an alignment, the alignment wheel having a second visual reference feature having a second location relative to a centerline of the grinding wheel when occupying the wheel-mounting location. An adjustment mechanism moves the shaft transversely during alignment to vary relative position between the wheel-mounting location and the sharpening position including an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the sharpening position, the aligned position being indicated by alignment of the first visual reference feature with the second visual reference feature during alignment.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Russell K. Layton, JR., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Matt Hanczor
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Patent number: 9475175Abstract: A skate blade sharpening system includes a blade retention mechanism that holds a skate blade to be sharpened, and a rotating shaft configured to have a grinding wheel mounted on it, where the grinding wheel contacts the skate blade during sharpening. An arbor on the rotating shaft is of a heat-conducting material and has a heat-conducting mating with the grinding wheel when the grinding wheel is mounted on the rotating shaft. The arbor includes a set of vanes contributing to fan-like air flow about the arbor and grinding wheel for convective heat dissipation during the sharpening operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Publication number: 20160250732Abstract: A blade holder tool for inserting a loose skate blade into a sharpener unit for sharpening includes blade-engaging features that engage blade retention features of the skate blade, and a spacing component providing user-controlled variable spacing of the blade-engaging features to hold skate blades across a range of sizes. The tool may include an elongated tool body having a bottom portion configured to receive the skate blade, the tool body supporting the blade-engaging features and spacing component. The blade-engaging features may include a pair of biased-closed housing members engaging the retention features of the skate blade, and a separate tool body may not be required. A spring or elastic member is connected between housing members to bias closed the blade-engaging features. Mechanical and/or graphical features may be used for positioning and orienting the skate blade to the blade holder tool, and/or the blade holder tool to the sharpener unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2015Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Russell K. Layton, JR., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev
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Patent number: D793830Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: VELASA SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Russell K. Layton, Jr., Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Zachary S. Hastings