Patents Examined by Alicia Torres
  • Patent number: 11974516
    Abstract: A support system for an agricultural header includes a first actuator configured to couple to a frame of the agricultural header and to a first element of the agricultural header. The support system also includes a second actuator configured to couple to the frame of the agricultural header and to a second element of the agricultural header. Furthermore, the support system includes a third actuator configured to couple to the frame of the agricultural header and to the second element of the agricultural header. The support system also includes a fluid supply system configured to provide pressurized fluid to the first actuator and to the second actuator. The third actuator is fluidly isolated from the fluid supply system, the first actuator, and the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Thomas, Joel Timothy Cook
  • Patent number: 11968922
    Abstract: A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Michael Strnad, Timothy Kater, Dale M. Koch, Nicholas Minarich, Riley Litwiller
  • Patent number: 11968928
    Abstract: A device for picking fruit is provided with an optical detection means and a robot arm, fitted with a gripper mechanism. The processing unit actuates the robot arm to make the gripper mechanism move about the piece of fruit to be picked from below. Once grasped, the piece of fruit to be picked is rotated in such a way about a substantially horizontal axis that the stalk of the piece of fruit comes away from the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: OCTIVA BELGIUM BV, OCTIVA GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Dries Gielis, Pieter Dondeyne, Sebastiaan De Backer, Jan Anthonis, Tom Coen
  • Patent number: 11968923
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring soil properties and applying fertilizer during a planting operation. Various sensors are disposed in ground engaging components for monitoring soil properties. The ground engaging components may have structure for opening a side trench in the sidewalls of the seed trench and may include liquid application conduits for injecting liquid into the sidewalls of the resulting side trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Jason Stoller, Justin Koch, Brian McMahon, Derek Sauder, Ian Radtke, Michael Strnad, Dale Koch, Matthew Morgan, Tracy Leman, Paul Wildermuth
  • Patent number: 11957090
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for pruning a fruit plant. An exemplary method step includes obtaining an image of the fruit plant that has branches. Next, creating exclusion zones surrounding the branches. Then pruning the fruit plant based upon the exclusion zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: HarvestMoore, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Francis Wilson Moore
  • Patent number: 11957075
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to an insertion plate disposed on an external surface of a cannabis bucking machine configured to receive cannabis plants containing stems and buds. The insertion plate includes a top surface, a first angled surface, a second angled surface, and a bottom surface. One or more additional angled surfaces may also be included. The first angled surface includes a plurality of insertion recesses and the second angled surface includes a plurality of insertion channels. The insertion recesses and channels are substantially conically shaped to function as a funnel for receiving larger cannabis bunches. The unique correspondence between the angle of the surfaces and the shape of the recesses allows feeders to efficiently insert larger cannabis bunches and continue to feed as the bunches are levered down from the insertion recesses to the insertion channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: FRAZER INDUSTRIES LLC
    Inventors: Evan Anton Bouchier, Jesse Kenyon, Bill Belcourt
  • Patent number: 11950528
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a straw hood having a hollow interior space for receiving material other than grain (MOG) from a threshing and separating system of the harvester and chaff from a cleaning system of the harvester. A drive system is provided for powering a straw chopper and a weed seed mill. The drive system includes a single belt positioned outside of the straw hood that is wound at least partially around (i) a straw chopper pulley that powers the straw chopper, (ii) a weed seed mill pulley that powers the weed seed mill, and (iii) a power take off shaft of the harvester that receives power from an engine or other power source of the harvester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Charlotte Van De Wege, Frank R. G. Duquesne, Ruben Vancoillie, Nathan E. Isaac, Pieter Vandevelde
  • Patent number: 11950526
    Abstract: A product on demand nozzle assembly includes a chamber at least partially defined by an external wall and an array of vertically spaced nozzles. Each nozzle has an air inlet, an air and entrained product outlet extending from the external wall, and an entrainment zone between the air inlet and the air and entrained product outlet to receive a product therein to be distributed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Stanley R. Borkgren, William D. Graham, Terry L. Snipes, Elijah B. Garner, Robert T. Casper, Scott C. McCartney, Michael E. Frasier
  • Patent number: 11944038
    Abstract: Electric lawnmowers comprise drive units and mowing units disengageably coupled to the drive units. For example, a drive unit can be disengageably coupled to any one of multiple mowing units (e.g., rotating mowing units, reel mowing units) collecting forming a mowing system. For example, each of the drive and mowing units may be equipped with corresponding mechanical-engagement structures that are configured to be disengageably coupled. Each mowing unit is equipped with its electric motor (e.g., for rotating the cutting blades or the reel of that unit). The electric motor may comprise an electric connector, which is disengageably coupled to the drive unit's electrical wiring. In some examples, each mowing unit can also form a liquid disengageable coupling for circulating a thermal liquid between the drive unit and mowing unit, e.g., for cooling various components of the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: DIMAAG-AI, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Wright, David Beard
  • Patent number: 11944034
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes: a chassis; a threshing and separation system including at least one concave carried by the chassis, the threshing and separation system being configured to thresh and separate a flow of crop material; and a controller carried by the chassis. The controller is configured to: operably couple to a moisture sensor disposed upstream of the threshing and separation system, relative to the flow of crop material; determine a moisture level of crop material headed for the threshing and separation system; and output an adjustment signal to at least one component of the agricultural harvester to adjust performance of the threshing and separation system based at least partially on the determined moisture level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Tyler J. Romoser
  • Patent number: 11937536
    Abstract: A lawn mower deck cleaning apparatus and method are disclosed. The cleaning apparatus has a gravity-fed dispenser assembly that delivers ice discretely through an aperture in the lawn mower deck. The ice impacts the lawn mower blade and a plurality of slingers, which pulverize the ice, causing it to ricochet against the interior surfaces of the lawn mower deck, thereby removing debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: David Jerome Durchman
  • Patent number: 11937543
    Abstract: A brush cutter may include a back plate and a spindle arrangement with the spindle arrangement abutting the back plate. The brush cutter may also include an angular arm mechanically formed integrally with or mechanically connected to the spindle arrangement where the angular arm is at angle ? relative to the back plate. Angle ? is an acute angle. The brush cutter may also include a mower deck, where the mower deck is mechanically connected to the angular arm and a blade, the blade mechanically connected to the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: THE MODERN GROUP, LTD.
    Inventor: Gary Markham
  • Patent number: 11937532
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for positioning a trailing wheel behind a row planting unit in a row planting system and for transferring weight between a row closing unit with row closing wheels and a trailing wheel while providing for independent movement of the trailing wheel and row closing wheels is provided. A trailing or firming wheel assembly is positioned behind a row closing unit with a set of row closing wheels. A cam-based depth limiting system provides for a depth stop and depth limiting adjustments while providing for independent movement of the trailing wheel and set of row closing wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Ronald Steve Martin
  • Patent number: 11925141
    Abstract: A mower deck is disclosed. The mower deck includes a housing having a top wall, at least one blade rotated downwardly of the top wall and about a vertical shaft, and a blade baffle unit extending downwards from the top wall in such a manner as to surround an outer circumferential area of a rotational path of the blade to create therein a mulching blade rotation space, the blade baffle unit having a front baffle located on an advancing side of the traveling vehicle and a rear baffle located on a reversing side of the traveling vehicle. The front baffle extends downwards from the top wall to exceed the rotational path so as to prevent discharge of cut grass pieces via a lower end of the front baffle. The rear baffle extends downwards from the top wall by such an extent to allow discharge of the cut grass pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Shimada, Yusaku Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 11925142
    Abstract: A configuration of a direct drive lawnmower spindle assembly to protect sensitive electric motor components is provided. A spindle shaft of the spindle assembly is supported by upper and lower bearings. An upper end of the spindle shaft is mounted to a rotor of the electric motor and a lower end of the spindle shaft extends through the clearance opening. The lower bearing is supported by a lower bearing carrier that is mounted to the bottom of the spindle housing. The lower bearing can be serviced by removing the lower bearing carrier. A clearance gap between the spindle shaft and the clearance opening is sufficiently small to limit spindle shaft tipping to a degree that will not damage the motor. The invention also provides a friction coupling system for coupling a blade with the rotating spindle shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Ariens Company
    Inventors: Matthew P. Schuller-Rach, Joshua R. Wilson, Michael J. Holeton, Brent P. Berglund
  • Patent number: 11917940
    Abstract: Electric lawnmowers comprise mowing-unit decks with fluid passages used for cooling batteries, power electronics units, and/or drive motors. Specifically, a lawnmower comprises a drive unit (with a battery, power electronics, and one or more drive motors) and a mowing unit (with a mowing-unit deck). The deck's fluid passage is fluidically coupled to the drive unit (e.g., the motor and power electronics). The thermal liquid is heated by the drive unit's components and cooled as the liquid passes through the deck's fluid passage. The mowing unit may be equipped with a pump (for circulating this liquid), which can be powered by an electric motor on the mowing unit. The same motor may be used for rotating the cutting blades. The drive unit may have an additional cooling circuit providing immersion cooling to the batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: DIMAAG-AI, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Wright, David Beard
  • Patent number: 11917941
    Abstract: A method for processing harvest yield data includes the steps of receiving load data from a grain cart and receiving harvest yield data from a combine harvester. The load data and harvest yield data are post-processed to generate enhanced harvest yield data. The combine harvester and the grain cart can operate in an on-the-go unloading harvest operation or a stationary unloading harvest operation. Post-processing can include creating a field boundary for a harvest area, determining a start time and start position for the combine harvester within the field boundary, and determining an end time and end position for the combine harvester within the field boundary. The total grain yield weight estimated by a yield monitor can be calibrated to match the grain cart total scale weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio R. Asebedo, Jared Ochs, Brian Sorbe
  • Patent number: 11910747
    Abstract: A work machine includes a housing, a motor positioned on an upper surface of the housing, a battery connected with the motor, and a blade to be driven by the motor. An air introduction member that cools a control device by causing air to flow is provided on an inside of a motor case. Plural bottom surface ventilation ports and plural side surface ventilation ports are provided in the motor case. Both of the ventilation ports cause air to flow into the inside of the motor case. The plural bottom surface ventilation ports and the plural side surface ventilation ports are disposed at positions lower than the air introduction member and the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Makoto Uchimi
  • Patent number: 11910745
    Abstract: A mower includes a pair of drive wheels, a pairs of non-drive wheels, and a mower deck. The mower deck includes a central deck housing, a first blade housing, a second blade housing, and an actuator coupled to the central deck housing and at least one of the first blade housing and the second blade housing. The first blade housing is pivotally coupled to a first side of the central deck housing so as to be angularly displaceable relative to the central deck housing, the second blade housing is pivotally coupled to a second side of the central deck housing so as to be angularly displaceable relative to the central deck housing. The actuator is configured to selectively raise and lower at least one of the first blade housing and the second blade housing relative to the central deck housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Laurin, Mark J. Melone, E. Mark Lynch
  • Patent number: 11903341
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are handheld seed harvesters comprising: an elongate handle housing a driveshaft; a motor engaged with the elongate handle and the driveshaft; a reel rotatably and demountably engaged with the elongate handle and driveshaft by way of a quick-release system at an end opposite the motor, the reel having a plurality of filaments for removing seeds from plants extending outward therefrom; a hopper partially housing the reel for collecting the seeds; a handle assembly secured to the elongate handle and the hopper; and a shoulder strap securable to the elongate handle for carrying the harvester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: GREAT PLAINS RESTORATION SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Tannas, James Luyendyk