Steven T Potter

US Patent:

7083178, Aug 1, 2006

Filed:

Apr 11, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/832644

Inventors:

Steven Dickinson Potter - Watertown MA, US

International Classification:

A63C 17/01

US Classification:

280 87042, 280 8705

Abstract:

A skateboard for use on pavement, ice or snow using a single narrow-footprint wheel, ice-blade or ski-runner attached to each foot, thus requiring the rider to dynamically balance the board. The skateboard is capable of self-propulsion at considerable speed on the flat or uphill by using an undulating motion. It can also lean up to 30 degrees and has a steering circle of only two feet. The board's construction comprises a front footboard, a rear footboard, and a strut which connects the two footboards and resists bending and extension. Each footboard includes a footpad, an attachment (i. e. a wheel, blade or ski), and a pivot joint connecting to the strut. The axis of this joint is aligned perpendicular to the footpad which allows the rider to steer each footboard independently by torsionally rotating the lower leg.

US Patent:

7218019, May 15, 2007

Filed:

Dec 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/726420

Inventors:

Steven D. Potter - Bedford MA, US

Assignee:

Foster-Miller, Inc - Waltham MA

International Classification:

H20K 41/00

US Classification:

310 12, 31015656, 31015601, 310112

Abstract:

A linear reluctance motor including a stator with a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis, each blade including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. A shuttle also includes a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis interleaved with the blades of the stator, each blade of the shuttle also including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. An active component is associated with either the stator, the shuttle, or both. The active component is divided into at least N phases, each phase including a set of blades, a flux return portion, and a coil wound to produce flux through the sets of interleaved blades in a direction substantially transverse to the actuation axis.

US Patent:

7980335, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

Jan 26, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/321903

Inventors:

Steven D. Potter - Bedford MA, US

Assignee:

Foster-Miller, Inc. - Waltham MA

International Classification:

B60B 19/12
B60G 17/00

US Classification:

180 71, 180 72, 301 523, 280 615, 280 6157, 280 5507

Abstract:

An omni-directional wheel includes a hub rotatable about a wheel axis and a first row of angled rollers about the hub each rotatably supported by the hub. There is at least a second row of angled rollers about the hub each also rotatably supported by the hub. The rollers of the second row are axially offset along the wheel axis from the first row, and rotationally offset from the first row about the wheel axis, and not coaxial with the rollers of the first row.

US Patent:

8004127, Aug 23, 2011

Filed:

Apr 24, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/150003

Inventors:

Steven D. Potter - Bedford MA, US

Assignee:

Foster-Miller, Inc. - Waltham MA

International Classification:

H02K 37/08
H02K 16/00

US Classification:

310 4944, 310 4943, 310168, 310268, 310114

Abstract:

A rotary reluctance motor includes a set of inner disks each having an inner diameter root, an outer diameter free end, and a plurality of alternating high permeability teeth and low permeability material segments. A set of outer disks is interleaved with the inner disks to form a disk stack. Each outer disk has an outer diameter root, an inner diameter free end, and a plurality of alternating high permeability teeth and low permeability material segments. The inner and outer disks are configured to bear against and support each other in response to axial magnetic forces. Flux return portions are disposed axially adjacent the disks at each end of the disk stack. A coil is associated with the roots of one of the sets of disks and configured to provide axial flux through the disk stack to rotate one set of disks with respect to the other set of disks.

US Patent:

20070182256, Aug 9, 2007

Filed:

Apr 2, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/732044

Inventors:

Steven Potter - Bedford MA, US

International Classification:

H02K 41/00

US Classification:

310012000

Abstract:

A linear reluctance motor includes a stator with a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis, each blade including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. A shuttle also includes a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis interleaved with the blades of the stator, each blade of the shuttle also including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. An active component is associated with either the stator, the shuttle, or both. The active component is divided into at least N phases, each phase including a set of blades, a flux return portion, and a coil wound to produce flux through the sets of interleaved blades in a direction substantially transverse to the actuation axis.

US Patent:

20090049757, Feb 26, 2009

Filed:

Apr 8, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/082033

Inventors:

Steven D. Potter - Bedford MA, US

International Classification:

E04B 1/343
B63B 35/79

US Classification:

52 223, 52 222, 441 74

Abstract:

A sandwich beam including in one example first and second spaced walls, a core configured to maintain a predetermined spacing between the walls when the core is filled with pressurized gas and to resist shear when the beam is loaded in bending and a port for filling the core with gas biasing both walls in tension. The tension tends to increase in the second wall and decrease and cause a compression load in the first wall in response to a sufficiently large applied bending load. A compression element is fixed only with respect to the first wall and is configured (a) to support the compression load so that the beam is stronger at a given gas pressure and (b) to flex sufficiently to allow the beam to be rolled up when the gas is emptied from the core via the port.

US Patent:

20110065341, Mar 17, 2011

Filed:

Jul 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/829383

Inventors:

Steven Dickinson Potter - Bedford MA, US

International Classification:

B63H 16/04

US Classification:

440101

Abstract:

A push-paddle has a buoyant wedge-shaped push-block attached to the bottom end of a pole. When pressed into the water wedge-end first, the push-block provides high drag and buoyant force for the user to push against and propel a watercraft using a punting-like motion. At the end of the power stroke, the wedge slips easily and quickly up out of the water allowing the user to recoil the push-paddle through the air.

US Patent:

20120291873, Nov 22, 2012

Filed:

May 18, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/068717

Inventors:

Steven Potter - Bedford MA, US
Chris Richburg - Somerville MA, US

International Classification:

F16K 7/00

US Classification:

137 12, 137861

Abstract:

A hydraulic circuit and method includes a valve subsystem between a high pressure source, a medium pressure source, a low pressure return, and an actuator. The valve subsystem is configured and controllable to drive the actuator using the high pressure hydraulic fluid or the medium pressure hydraulic fluid and also to direct low pressure hydraulic fluid exiting the actuator to the low pressure return. A controller is responsive to high pressure criteria and medium pressure criteria associated with the actuator and is configured to operate the valve subsystem to present high pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuator in response to high pressure criteria and to present medium pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuator in response to medium pressure criteria.