Patent notice & virtual marking

AWTT Floating Cover Patents

The self-leveling ballast-chamber float used in AWTT modular floating covers is protected in the United States by two granted patents, US 11,267,536 B2 and US 11,584,482 B2, both active and running to approximately 2040.

What the patents cover

Both patents share the title “Floats with leveling ballast matter chambers.” In plain language, the claims describe a float built with:

  • a central chamber, plus
  • a set of circumferentially spaced peripheral sub-chambers holding ballast matter,
  • arranged so the float’s center of gravity stays near its geometric center when the float tilts.

The engineering consequence is a float that returns itself to a horizontal orientation instead of tipping or stacking when wind and waves act on it — whether deployed as a single float or collectively as a cover across a liquid surface. This is the mechanism behind the pre-filled ballast used in Hexprotect® AQUA.

Granted patents

Patent Family role Filed Granted Est. expiry Status
US 11,267,536 B2 Floats with leveling ballast matter chambers Parent 6 May 2020 8 March 2022 7 August 2040 Active
US 11,584,482 B2 Floats with leveling ballast matter chambers Continuation of application 16/868,102 29 November 2021 21 February 2023 6 May 2040 Active

Inventor of record: Matthieu Alirol, AWTT founder. Dates and status verified against the public Google Patents record on 27 July 2026. Expiry dates are estimates published by that source and account for term adjustment; they are not a legal opinion.

Virtual patent marking

This section provides notice under 35 U.S.C. § 287(a). The AWTT products listed below are covered by one or more of the patents identified. This list may be updated as products and patent rights change.

Product Covered by Mechanism
Hexprotect® AQUA US 11,267,536 B2; US 11,584,482 B2 Pre-filled ballast chambers in an interlocking hexagonal float.

Trademarks

HEXPROTECT is a registered trademark, USPTO Registration No. 4,354,877, registered 18 June 2013.

Specifying or buying a modular floating cover?

If you are writing a specification or evaluating suppliers, the patent position is something you can and should verify directly. AWTT publishes a buyer-side guide covering what to ask and what language to put into a specification.

How to verify a floating cover is patent-licensed

Patent FAQ

Direct answers on AWTT's floating cover patent position for engineers, specifiers, and procurement teams.

What do the AWTT floating cover patents cover?
US 11,267,536 B2 and US 11,584,482 B2 cover a buoyant float with a central chamber and circumferentially spaced peripheral ballast sub-chambers, arranged so the float’s center of gravity stays near its geometric center when the float tilts. The practical effect is a float that self-levels and resists tipping under wind and wave loading, used individually or collectively to cover a liquid surface.

When do the AWTT float patents expire?
US 11,267,536 B2 has an estimated expiration of 7 August 2040. US 11,584,482 B2, a continuation of the same application family, has an estimated expiration of 6 May 2040. Both are listed as active on the public patent record.

Who holds the patents?
Both patents name Matthieu Alirol, AWTT’s founder, as inventor. AWTT manufactures and sells floating cover products that practice these claims.

Is this page a legal notice?
Yes, in part. This page provides virtual patent marking under 35 U.S.C. § 287(a): it associates AWTT products with the patents they practice so that constructive notice is given to the public. It is not legal advice, and it does not assert that any specific third-party product infringes.

How can a buyer or specifier verify a floating cover is patent-licensed?
Ask the supplier to identify, in writing, the patents covering the self-leveling ballast mechanism it sells and its licence or ownership position for the United States. See the AWTT guide on verifying a modular floating cover is patent-licensed for the questions to ask and specification language procurement teams can use.

Sources & further reading

This page is published for informational and patent-marking purposes. It is not legal advice and makes no assertion regarding any third party’s products.