Patents Examined by Madeline Ivy Runco
  • Patent number: 11032969
    Abstract: A crop dividing device for an agricultural header including a hood and a divider connected to the hood. The divider includes a base member pivotally connected to the hood. The base member includes a receiving section. The divider also includes an ear dam member receivable in the receiving section. The ear dam member is positionable in between a first position for increasing an overall slope of the divider and a second position for decreasing the overall slope of the divider. The ear dam member is connected to the receiving section in the first position, and the ear dam member is connected to one of the hood and base member in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Eric L. Walker, Kyle Lauff, Brian P. Crow, John P. Roeder
  • Patent number: 11026366
    Abstract: Walk-behind power equipment includes: a main body provided with at least one front wheel and left and right rear wheels and a work unit; travel motors provided for the respective rear wheels; a handle extending from the main body rearward and upward; at least one of a tilt angle detector that detects a tilt angle of the main body and a load detector that detects a downward load applied to the handle; a yaw rate detector that detects a yaw rate; and a control unit that drive-controls the travel motors. The control unit determines whether the main body is in a rearward tilted state based on the tilt angle or the downward load, and if it is determined that the main body is not in the rearward tilted state, performs straight-line travel control to set a rotational speed difference between the travel motors to reduce the yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Fukano, Masato Takeda, Keisuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 11013174
    Abstract: An eccentric mount is used to adjust floatation force applied to a cutter bar of a pull type mower when the cut height of the cutter bar is changed. The eccentric mount is rotated to increase or decrease the tension on springs suspending the cutter bar. The eccentric mount is calibrated to adjust incrementally in relation to the position of the skid shoes to provide a floatation force to the cutter bar appropriate to the cutter height as determined by the spring shoe setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Brown Fay, II, Ryan M. Figgins, Daniel Mark Geesey, Cecil Sudbrack
  • Patent number: 11013170
    Abstract: To properly determine a state in which driving of the work unit should be prohibited in power equipment, the power equipment (1) includes: a main body (2); a work unit provided on the main body; a work motor (8) that drives the work unit; a tilt angle detector (41) that detects a tilt angle of the main body; and a control unit (10) that drive-controls the work motor, wherein the control unit performs prohibition control to prohibit driving of the work motor when the tilt angle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined tilt angle determination value and a change rate of the tilt angle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined change rate determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Fukano, Masato Takeda, Keisuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 11006571
    Abstract: A header floatation system that includes a header, a floatation mechanism which includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, an adjustment array which includes at least a first contact point, a bracket which includes at least a second contact point, a skid shoe, and a fastener. The first end of the floatation mechanism can be mechanically linked to the adjustment array. Either the adjustment array or the bracket can include a third contact point. The adjustment array can be mechanically linked to the skid shoe. The fastener can be positioned adjacent to, on, or through at least the first or second contact points aligning contact between the bracket and the adjustment array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Brown Fay, II
  • Patent number: 11006573
    Abstract: Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include at least one cutter housing having a chamber wall with a discharge opening therein. The mowers can include a rolling shutter formed of multiple steel sheets held together by pins. In discharge mode, the rolling shutter can be wrapped around a roller cylinder. In mulching mode the rolling shutter can extend to close off the discharge opening of the mower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shivang Desai
  • Patent number: 10966370
    Abstract: The lawn mower trimming attachment is configured for use with a lawn mower. The lawn mower trimming attachment is configured for use with a string trimmer. The lawn mower trimming attachment attaches the string trimmer to the lawn mower such that the string trimmer can be operated from the lawn mower. The lawn mower trimming attachment is a rotating structure such that the string trimmer can be rotated into position. The lawn mower trimming attachment has an adjustable elevation such that the angle of attack of the working element of the string trimmer can be adjusted. The lawn mower trimming attachment comprises the string trimmer, the lawn mower, an extension apparatus, and a pedestal. The pedestal attaches the extension apparatus to the lawn mower. The extension apparatus attaches the string trimmer to the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Billy Clark
  • Patent number: 10966368
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter is directed to a lawnmower that can include a cutter housing with a first chamber wall defining a first cutting chamber. A first discharge opening can be located in the chamber wall, and the cutter housing can include a slot arrangement. A conversion assembly can include an adjustable wall slidably attached to the cutter housing so as to be selectively movable within the slot arrangement between an opened position and a closed position to place the lawnmower in either a discharge mode or a mulch mode (or somewhere in between).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shivang Desai, Christopher Todd Walker, Teegan L. Kelly, Robert A. Recher
  • Patent number: 10945366
    Abstract: Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include a cutter housing having a cutting chamber and a discharge opening therein. A driving mechanism can be mounted on the cutter housing, and a radius arm can be mounted on or near the blade spindle such that the radius arm is rotatable about the blade spindle. A shutter gate that is arcuate in shape can be mounted on the radius arm so as to rotate with the radius arm between a discharge arrangement and a mulch arrangement. The shutter gate can include a driven element that is driven by the driving mechanism to cause the shutter gate to rotate between the discharge arrangement where the shutter gate allows for discharge of vegetation through the discharge opening, and the mulch arrangement where the shutter gate blocks the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shivang Desai, Christopher Todd Walker
  • Patent number: 10912254
    Abstract: A mowing sickle drive system comprises a knife bar supported by a frame and drive apparatus operable to drive the knife bar in a reciprocating linear motion at a variable drive frequency. A spring is coupled to the knife bar for applying a restoring force to the knife bar toward a neutral position when in motion. The spring has a variable modulus of elasticity that is controlled dependent upon the drive frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventor: Jonas Toft Andersen
  • Patent number: 10897845
    Abstract: Various types of lawnmowers are disclosed that include a cutter housing having a chamber wall and a discharge opening therein. A mulch gate can be provided with an interior scroll-shaped face and can be pivotably attached to the cutter housing so as to be movable between an opened gate position and a closed position. In the opened position, the mulch gate is positioned such that the discharge opening is opened to an exterior of the lawnmower to allow clippings to pass therethrough and out of the lawnmower. In the closed position the mulch gate closes the discharge opening to provide a mulch mode in which clippings remain in the cutter housing for added cutting by the lawnmower blade. When the mulch gate is in the closed gate position, the interior scroll-shaped face of the mulch gate can be substantially continuous with a wall interior surface of the chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher Todd Walker, Robert A. Recher, Shivang Desai, Teegan L. Kelly
  • Patent number: 10834869
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a lift assembly for a lawnmower can include a mower housing configured to house blades for cutting vegetation. A frame can be located above the mower housing, the frame including two longitudinal extending frame members, and at least one pivot bar extending between the two longitudinal extending frame members. A linear actuator can be located adjacent the frame members and connected to the pivot bar such that actuation of the linear actuator causes the pivot bar to rotate about a rotational axis of the pivot bar. At least one cam can be connected to the pivot bar so as to rotate with the pivot bar, the cam including a mower housing attachment element that supports the mower housing such that rotation of the cam varies a distance between the frame and the mower housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Christopher Todd Walker
  • Patent number: 10827664
    Abstract: A pair of mower deck lifting ramps are mounted to a top surface of a mower deck for supporting a pair of tractor tires to ride over belts and pulleys on one side of the deck. A first carrier engagement member and a second carrier engagement member are attached to each drive-over ramp. The first and second carrier engagement members engage the upper and lower parts of a carrier attached to a lift arm of a loader to raise and turn the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Robert Simpson, Samuel Gantt, Giovanni Santoro, Rishika Shekhawat