Patents by Inventor Brandon J. McMillen

Brandon J. McMillen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10661766
    Abstract: A braking system of a work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, a proportional control valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a fluid output configured to be fluidly coupled to a braking system of a trailer. A first fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the base valve, and a second fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the proportional control valve. The base valve includes a predefined fixed gain and the proportional control valve includes an adjustable ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Patent number: 10328912
    Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in an air trailer brake circuit of a trailer includes providing a controller, a base valve, a first sensor, a second sensor, a leak control valve having a solenoid, a pneumatic fluid supply, a first brake output, and a second brake output. The method further includes supplying a first pressure to an inlet of the base valve and outputting a second pressure from an outlet of the base valve. The first pressure is detected with the first sensor and the second pressure is detected with the second sensor. The method also includes communicating the detected first pressure and the second pressure to the controller, and comparing a difference between first pressure and the second pressure to a threshold. A leak is detected in the air trailer brake circuit if the difference satisfies the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow
  • Publication number: 20190084535
    Abstract: A braking system of a work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, a proportional control valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a fluid output configured to be fluidly coupled to a braking system of a trailer. A first fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the base valve, and a second fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the proportional control valve. The base valve includes a predefined fixed gain and the proportional control valve includes an adjustable ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Patent number: 10173652
    Abstract: A braking system of a work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, a proportional control valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a fluid output configured to be fluidly coupled to a braking system of a trailer. A first fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the base valve, and a second fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the proportional control valve. The base valve includes a predefined fixed gain and the proportional control valve includes an adjustable ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Patent number: 10166956
    Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in a hydraulic trailer brake circuit of a trailer includes providing a controller, a base valve, a first sensor, a second sensor, a control valve having a solenoid, a reduction valve, a hydraulic fluid supply, a first brake output, and a second brake output. The method also includes supplying a first pressure to an inlet of the base valve and outputting a second pressure from an outlet of the base valve to the first brake output. The first pressure is detected by the first sensor and the second pressure is detected by the second sensor, and the detected first and second pressures are communicated to the controller. The difference between the first and second pressures are compared to a threshold, and a leak is detected in the hydraulic trailer brake circuit if the difference satisfies the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Patent number: 10040436
    Abstract: A braking system of a trailer and work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a hydraulic base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a pneumatic base valve fluidly coupled to the supply. A proportional control valve is also fluidly coupled to the supply, and it includes an outlet disposed in fluid communication with the inlets of the hydraulic base valve and the pneumatic base valve. The system further includes a hydraulic output configured to be fluidly coupled to a hydraulic braking system of a trailer, and a pneumatic output configured to be fluidly coupled to a pneumatic braking system of a trailer. The hydraulic output is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the hydraulic base valve, and the pneumatic output is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pneumatic base valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Publication number: 20180029571
    Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in a hydraulic trailer brake circuit of a trailer includes providing a controller, a base valve, a first sensor, a second sensor, a control valve having a solenoid, a reduction valve, a hydraulic fluid supply, a first brake output, and a second brake output. The method also includes supplying a first pressure to an inlet of the base valve and outputting a second pressure from an outlet of the base valve to the first brake output. The first pressure is detected by the first sensor and the second pressure is detected by the second sensor, and the detected first and second pressures are communicated to the controller. The difference between the first and second pressures are compared to a threshold, and a leak is detected in the hydraulic trailer brake circuit if the difference satisfies the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Publication number: 20180029569
    Abstract: A braking system of a trailer and work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a hydraulic base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a pneumatic base valve fluidly coupled to the supply. A proportional control valve is also fluidly coupled to the supply, and it includes an outlet disposed in fluid communication with the inlets of the hydraulic base valve and the pneumatic base valve. The system further includes a hydraulic output configured to be fluidly coupled to a hydraulic braking system of a trailer, and a pneumatic output configured to be fluidly coupled to a pneumatic braking system of a trailer. The hydraulic output is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the hydraulic base valve, and the pneumatic output is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pneumatic base valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Publication number: 20180029572
    Abstract: A braking system of a work machine includes a pressurized fluid supply, a base valve fluidly coupled to the supply, a proportional control valve fluidly coupled to the supply, and a fluid output configured to be fluidly coupled to a braking system of a trailer. A first fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the base valve, and a second fluid path is selectively fluidly coupling the supply to the fluid output via the proportional control valve. The base valve includes a predefined fixed gain and the proportional control valve includes an adjustable ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Ryan A. Pence, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow, Aaron M. Quinn
  • Publication number: 20180029570
    Abstract: A method of detecting a leak in an air trailer brake circuit of a trailer includes providing a controller, a base valve, a first sensor, a second sensor, a leak control valve having a solenoid, a pneumatic fluid supply, a first brake output, and a second brake output. The method further includes supplying a first pressure to an inlet of the base valve and outputting a second pressure from an outlet of the base valve. The first pressure is detected with the first sensor and the second pressure is detected with the second sensor. The method also includes communicating the detected first pressure and the second pressure to the controller, and comparing a difference between first pressure and the second pressure to a threshold. A leak is detected in the air trailer brake circuit if the difference satisfies the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Troy E. Schick, Brandon J. McMillen, Jordan Tagtow