Patents by Inventor William W. Willcox

William W. Willcox 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: 8814468
    Abstract: A small boat dynamic roll stabilizer. The stabilizer includes two or more pairs of spaced-apart flexible bellows or air bags to receive and support a boat hull during passenger loading and unloading. Dynamic pitch is limited or even stopped for the boat hull by maintaining each of the bellows, which each has a contact surface contacting a portion of the hull from below (within the water), at an internal pressure great enough to support dynamic loading of the boat hull while allowing the water to support the hull's static load. A pressure chamber is provided that has its interior volume linked via ducting or piping with the bellows, and a controller uses a feedback loop to operate an actuator to move a piston within the pressure chamber to maintain the pressure of the chamber and linked bellows as the loading of the boat hull dynamically varies during loading and unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Willcox
  • Publication number: 20140224162
    Abstract: A small boat dynamic roll stabilizer. The stabilizer includes two or more pairs of spaced-apart flexible bellows or air bags to receive and support a boat hull during passenger loading and unloading. Dynamic pitch is limited or even stopped for the boat hull by maintaining each of the bellows, which each has a contact surface contacting a portion of the hull from below (within the water), at an internal pressure great enough to support dynamic loading of the boat hull while allowing the water to support the hull's static load. A pressure chamber is provided that has its interior volume linked via ducting or piping with the bellows, and a controller uses a feedback loop to operate an actuator to move a piston within the pressure chamber to maintain the pressure of the chamber and linked bellows as the loading of the boat hull dynamically varies during loading and unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: William W. Willcox
  • Patent number: 8678940
    Abstract: A ride combining two or more vertical rotation axes with vertical translation motion of passenger vehicles. The ride includes a primary turntable rotating about a central axis and includes one to three or more secondary turntables mounted on the primary turntable to rotate with the primary turntable. Each of the secondary turntables is driven to rotate about a secondary rotation axis (vertical axis passing through the center of the sub-turntable). Each of the sub-turntables includes a vertical translation motion assembly that rotates with the sub-turntable and also supports a plurality of passenger vehicles. The passenger vehicles are supported within this assembly so as to be able to rotate (via manual operation or in a controlled manner) about a vertical rotation axis passing through the body of the vehicle. The vertical translation motion assembly is configured to allow each passenger vehicle to be lifted vertically upward a distance above the sub-turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Willcox
  • Publication number: 20130255530
    Abstract: A ride combining two or more vertical rotation axes with vertical translation motion of passenger vehicles. The ride includes a primary turntable rotating about a central axis and includes one to three or more secondary turntables mounted on the primary turntable to rotate with the primary turntable. Each of the secondary turntables is driven to rotate about a secondary rotation axis (vertical axis passing through the center of the sub-turntable). Each of the sub-turntables includes a vertical translation motion assembly that rotates with the sub-turntable and also supports a plurality of passenger vehicles. The passenger vehicles are supported within this assembly so as to be able to rotate (via manual operation or in a controlled manner) about a vertical rotation axis passing through the body of the vehicle. The vertical translation motion assembly is configured to allow each passenger vehicle to be lifted vertically upward a distance above the sub-turntable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: William W. Willcox