Patents by Inventor Bryan ROWNTREE
Bryan ROWNTREE 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).
-
Publication number: 20220054998Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: KUNH NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
-
Patent number: 11185833Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
-
Patent number: 11162567Abstract: A transmission system for a feed mixer including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is provided. The CVT includes a mechanical loop and a hydrostatic loop. The CVT is operated so that the mechanical portion of the CVT is prevented from overtaking the hydrostatic portion of the CVT at start up of the CVT.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Léandre Guidault, Rodney Zimmerman
-
Publication number: 20200347920Abstract: A transmission system for a feed mixer including a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is provided. The CVT includes a mechanical loop and a hydrostatic loop. The CVT is operated so that the mechanical portion of the CVT is prevented from overtaking the hydrostatic portion of the CVT at start up of the CVT.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Léandre GUIDAULT, Rodney ZIMMERMAN
-
Patent number: 10736347Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
-
Publication number: 20200077694Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
-
Patent number: 10499680Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
-
Publication number: 20190366287Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
-
Publication number: 20180255823Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN