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: 20220054998
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: KUNH NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11185833
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11162567
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Léandre Guidault, Rodney Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20200347920
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Léandre GUIDAULT, Rodney ZIMMERMAN
  • Patent number: 10736347
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20200077694
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
  • Patent number: 10499680
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20190366287
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20180255823
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN