Attwood Corporation

Touchsensor Technologies, LLC

Steelcase Inc.

Ventra Greenwich Holdings Corporation

Bruce Lynn Reniger

Roger D Burdi

Elzie McKinney

Trent Allan Eekhoff

Terry L Lautzenheiser

Warwick M Whitley

Brent A Reichard

Warwick M Whitley, Ii

Todd M Nykerk

Clifton J Ratza

Lester Ray Sullivan

Warwick Mellor Whitley, Ii

A sensor system for sensing liquid level in a bilge, for use in automatic bilge pump actuation. First and second field effect sensors are potted or sealed within a container or the bilge wall and are aligned in a vertical array and each comprise a substantially planar pattern of 'electrodes' or conductive traces disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) along with integrated circuits used to create a loop or arc-shaped electric field. As bilge liquid rises to the proximity or level of the field effect sensors, a change in the arc-shaped electric field is sensed and, in response, a bilge pump is automatically actuated to pump liquid out of the bilge. Optionally, the pump control can be programmed by use of a microprocessor to permit control of on-off timing and prevent undesirable effects of 'sloshing.'

Solid state fluid level sensor

A lens for a vehicle light assembly includes at least one ink marking provided thereon. At least a portion of the ink marking is configured such that it appears generally opaque to a viewer when a light source in the light assembly is not illuminated and does not appear opaque when the light source is illuminated. The ink marking includes an ink composition that includes a transparent ink and a pigmented ink.

Vehicle light assembly and manufacturing method

A lift-up cleat assembly includes a base member having an upper plate shaped to abut a mounting surface and at least one normally vertically oriented tube depending from the plate, wherein the tube has a hollow interior, and a retractable cleat member having an upper cleat-shaped head shaped to retain lines thereon, and at least one normally vertically oriented mounting post depending from the head, wherein the post is telescopingly received in the interior of the tube of the base member and is telescopingly movable along a given length of travel. The cleat assembly also includes a cup-shaped retainer located within the hollow interior of the tube base member and having a central portion fixed with respect to the mounting post of the cleat member and an elastically deformable skirt portion that flexibly abuts the tube of the base member, thereby providing infinitesimally small increments of adjustability of the post of the cleat member within the tube of the base member along the length of travel, and wherein the retainer is shaped to allow liquid located within the interior of the tube of the base member to drain therefrom.

Lift-up cleat

A lift-up cleat assembly includes a base member having an upper plate shaped to abut a mounting surface and at least one normally vertically oriented tube depending from the plate, wherein the tube has a hollow interior, and a retractable cleat member having an upper cleat-shaped head shaped to retain lines thereon, and at least one normally vertically oriented mounting post depending from the head, wherein the post is telescopingly received in the interior of the tube of the base member and is telescopingly movable along a given length of travel. The cleat assembly also includes a cup-shaped retainer located within the hollow interior of the tube base member and having a central portion fixed with respect to the mounting post of the cleat member and an elastically deformable skirt portion that flexibly abuts the tube of the base member, thereby providing infinitesimally small increments of adjustablity of the post of the cleat member within the tube of the base member along the length of travel, and wherein the retainer is shaped to allow liquid located within the interior of the tube of the base member to drain therefrom.

A fold-up navigation light for boats and the like includes an elongate support pole having a bifurcated construction with an upper portion supporting a light, and a lower portion configured for mounting on an associated boat. A pivot coupling selectively interconnects the upper and lower portions of the support pole for rotation between an extended position wherein the upper and lower portions are aligned to support the light at a raised unobstructed location above the boat, and a fully retracted position wherein the upper and lower portions are folded together in a parallel relationship to reduce the length of the support pole to facilitate storage on the boat.

Fold-up navigation light

Navigation light

An all-round marine navigation light which generally limits the direction of light transmission to a selected angle above and a selected angle below a plane in which light transmission is to be generally directed. The navigation light generally includes a base defining a light limiting perimeter wall, a circumferential lens which allows light transmission in all directions of the selected plane, the lens being secured to the base, a cap defining a downwardly projecting light limiting perimeter wall, the cap being secured to the lens, and the upwardly and downwardly projecting perimeter walls blocking light transmission through lower and upper portions of the circumferential lens, respectively, to generally limit the direction of light transmission to a relatively narrow band generally within and/or adjacent to a selected plane. Also disclosed is an all-round marine navigation light having a light assembly, a connector configured for attachment to a pole, and the light assembly being attached to the connector through an articulated joint, whereby the orientation of the marine navigation light can be adjusted with respect to the connector to facilitate mounting of the light to a variety of sloped surfaces while generally limiting the direction of light transmission to a relatively narrow band generally within and/or adjacent to a selected plane.

Anti-glare all-round navigation light

A pole light system for marine craft, which is easily mounted and dismounted and includes a base receptacle having a keyed socket, and a pole having a light assembly at one end and a plug at the other end which is keyed to be received in the socket, whereby insertion of the pole into the socket is limited to a preselected orientation which will permit the use of wiping, self-cleaning electrical contacts on the pole and receptacle. The light assembly includes a base which is securable to the pole, a planar reflector disposed on the base, a hemispherical Fresnel lens which, together with the reflector, define a volume wherein a light bulb is disposed via a two-part, wire form retainer. The reflector which is generally positioned below the lightbulb, in combination with a hemispherical Fresnel lens, efficiently utilize light emitted from the bulb, so that a lower wattage bulb requiring less energy and producing less heat can be used to achieve a desired illumination in a smaller light assembly.

Marine pole light and base

A navigation light assembly for a marine craft includes a base mountable to a deck or other suitable surface of a marine craft, a hemispherical lens which is sealingly attached to an interior wall in the base to form a water-tight space for containing a lightbulb and electrical contacts, and a cap which is attached to the base to securely capture the lens therebetween. A reflector disposed within the water-tight space of behind the lightbulb redirects light outward from the back of the assembly to provide efficient utilization of light emitted from the lightbulb to achieve better visibility of the light from a greater distance using a smaller lightbulb and light assembly. The efficient utilization of light from the lightbulb is further improved by employing a hemispherical Fresnel lens which focuses light along the horizon. The light assembly is easily mounted to the deck and assembled, and is free of exposed fasteners used to attach the assembly to the deck of a marine craft.

Growing community of inventors

Alto, MI, United States of America

Bruce Lynn Reniger