Patents by Inventor Tomasz J. Walczak

Tomasz J. Walczak 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: 20230366530
    Abstract: A directionally manipulatable view enhancement apparatus including a fixed base, a rotatable support supported on the fixed base and rotatable about a pan axis, a yoke disposed on and pivotable with respect to the rotatable support about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the pan axis, a pan motor that rotates the rotatable support and yoke about the pan axis, a tilt motor that rotates the yoke about the tilt axis, and a first clutch between the rotatable support and the pan motor permitting the rotatable support to rotate relative to the fixed base independently of the pan motor or a second clutch between the yoke and the tilt motor allowing the yoke to rotate relative to the rotatable support independently of the tilt motor. The yoke retains an electrical component and the pan motor and tilt motor are in electrical communication with a controller remote from the fixed base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. SOUSA, Kevin M. SMITH, Sean BROWN, Tomasz J. WALCZAK
  • Patent number: 11747000
    Abstract: A directionally manipulatable view enhancement apparatus including a fixed base, a rotatable support supported on the fixed base and rotatable about a pan axis, a yoke disposed on and pivotable with respect to the rotatable support about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the pan axis, a pan motor that rotates the rotatable support and yoke about the pan axis, a tilt motor that rotates the yoke about the tilt axis, and a first clutch between the rotatable support and the pan motor permitting the rotatable support to rotate relative to the fixed base independently of the pan motor or a second clutch between the yoke and the tilt motor allowing the yoke to rotate relative to the rotatable support independently of the tilt motor. The yoke retains an electrical component and the pan motor and tilt motor are in electrical communication with a controller remote from the fixed base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Publication number: 20220205622
    Abstract: A directionally manipulatable view enhancement apparatus including a fixed base, a rotatable support supported on the fixed base and rotatable about a pan axis, a yoke disposed on and pivotable with respect to the rotatable support about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the pan axis, a pan motor that rotates the rotatable support and yoke about the pan axis, a tilt motor that rotates the yoke about the tilt axis, and a first clutch between the rotatable support and the pan motor permitting the rotatable support to rotate relative to the fixed base independently of the pan motor or a second clutch between the yoke and the tilt motor allowing the yoke to rotate relative to the rotatable support independently of the tilt motor. The yoke retains an electrical component and the pan motor and tilt motor are in electrical communication with a controller remote from the fixed base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Whelen Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. SOUSA, Kevin M. SMITH, Sean BROWN, Tomasz J. WALCZAK
  • Patent number: 11280482
    Abstract: A directionally manipulatable view enhancement apparatus including a fixed base, a rotatable support supported on the fixed base and rotatable about a pan axis, a yoke disposed on and pivotable with respect to the rotatable support about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the pan axis, a pan motor that rotates the rotatable support and yoke about the pan axis, a tilt motor that rotates the yoke about the tilt axis, and a first clutch between the rotatable support and the pan motor permitting the rotatable support to rotate relative to the fixed base independently of the pan motor or a second clutch between the yoke and the tilt motor allowing the yoke to rotate relative to the rotatable support independently of the tilt motor. The yoke retains an electrical component and the pan motor and tilt motor are in electrical communication with a controller remote from the fixed base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Patent number: 11168874
    Abstract: A spotlight controller including a housing having a first control axis, a fixed base configured to mate with the housing, the housing rotatable relative to the base about a second control axis substantially perpendicular to the first control axis, a handle configured to engage the housing and pivot about the first control axis, a housing sensor arranged to detect the position of the housing relative to the base and generate a housing position signal, a handle sensor arranged to detect the position of the handle relative to the housing and generate a handle position signal, and a controller operatively connected to the housing sensor and the handle sensor, wherein the controller receives the housing position signal and the handle position signal and generates spotlight control signals based on the housing position signal and the handle position signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Publication number: 20210239303
    Abstract: A directionally manipulatable view enhancement apparatus including a fixed base, a rotatable support supported on the fixed base and rotatable about a pan axis, a yoke disposed on and pivotable with respect to the rotatable support about a tilt axis substantially perpendicular to the pan axis, a pan motor that rotates the rotatable support and yoke about the pan axis, a tilt motor that rotates the yoke about the tilt axis, and a first clutch between the rotatable support and the pan motor permitting the rotatable support to rotate relative to the fixed base independently of the pan motor or a second clutch between the yoke and the tilt motor allowing the yoke to rotate relative to the rotatable support independently of the tilt motor. The yoke retains an electrical component and the pan motor and tilt motor are in electrical communication with a controller remote from the fixed base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: David J. SOUSA, Kevin M. SMITH, Sean BROWN, Tomasz J. WALCZAK
  • Publication number: 20200370738
    Abstract: A spotlight controller including a housing having a first control axis, a fixed base configured to mate with the housing, the housing rotatable relative to the base about a second control axis substantially perpendicular to the first control axis, a handle configured to engage the housing and pivot about the first control axis, a housing sensor arranged to detect the position of the housing relative to the base and generate a housing position signal, a handle sensor arranged to detect the position of the handle relative to the housing and generate a handle position signal, and a controller operatively connected to the housing sensor and the handle sensor, wherein the controller receives the housing position signal and the handle position signal and generates spotlight control signals based on the housing position signal and the handle position signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: David J. SOUSA, Kevin M. SMITH, Sean BROWN, Tomasz J. WALCZAK
  • Patent number: 10775029
    Abstract: A spotlight system including a spotlight continuously rotatable about a spotlight pan axis and tiltable about a spotlight tilt axis. The system includes a spotlight controller including a housing continuously rotatable about a controller pan axis. The housing has a circumferential lip that engages with a fixed based and a hub engaged with a handle. The handle rotates about a controller tilt axis perpendicular to the controller pan axis. A controller board is electrically connected to a slip ring that penetrates the base, with a pan input sensor, a tilt input sensor, and a microprocessor. The pan input sensor measures the position of the housing relative to the base, the tilt input sensor measures the position of the handle relative to the housing, and the microcontroller interprets the positions and generates control signals corresponding to the direction of a spotlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Publication number: 20190368702
    Abstract: A spotlight system including a spotlight continuously rotatable about a spotlight pan axis and tiltable about a spotlight tilt axis. The system includes a spotlight controller including a housing continuously rotatable about a controller pan axis. The housing has a circumferential lip that engages with a fixed based and a hub engaged with a handle. The handle rotates about a controller tilt axis perpendicular to the controller pan axis. A controller board is electrically connected to a slip ring that penetrates the base, with a pan input sensor, a tilt input sensor, and a microprocessor. The pan input sensor measures the position of the housing relative to the base, the tilt input sensor measures the position of the handle relative to the housing, and the microcontroller interprets the positions and generates control signals corresponding to the direction of a spotlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Patent number: D866486
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Sean Brown, David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Patent number: D883238
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Sean Brown, David J. Sousa, Kevin M. Smith, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Patent number: D905311
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Smith, David J. Sousa, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak
  • Patent number: D921259
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: WHELEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Smith, David J. Sousa, Sean Brown, Tomasz J. Walczak