Patents by Inventor Glen R. Simula
Glen R. Simula 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).
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Patent number: 7399139Abstract: A device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at two locations by height adjustment mechanisms that raise and lower the two locations of the contouring assembly independently of each other. The contouring assembly creates a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of at least one location of the contouring assembly is based on a comparison of the measured position of one portion of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. Control of the height of the other location is preferably based on the height above a physical reference measured with a proximity sensor. A pivot or tilting controller may control the tilting of the contouring assembly to follow the slope of the profile stored in computer memory.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignees: Somero Enterprises, Inc., Michigan Technological UniversityInventors: Carl B Kieranen, Charles A Hallstrom, Glen R Simula, Nils P Ruonavaara, James D Waineo
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Patent number: 7144191Abstract: A contouring machine control system, contouring/smoothing method, and kit for enabling a contouring machine to automatically contour three-dimensional surfaces includes a contouring member, such as a screed or dirt grading blade, a target either attached to the contouring member or located at a remote location, a tracking device at the other of the contouring member or remote location that tracks the target and measures the position of the target in three dimensions, a proximity sensor adjacent one end of the contouring member to detect its height above a physical reference, and a controller/computer for controlling the height of the two ends of the contouring member. One of the ends is controlled as a function of a stored profile of the desired surface to be contoured and the target or tracking device position, while the second end is controlled as a function of the current height of the proximity sensor above the reference.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2005Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Somero Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Carl B Kieranen, Charles A Hallstrom, Glen R Simula, Nils P Ruonavaara, James D Waineo
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Patent number: 7137675Abstract: A hollow-shell road wheel for tracked vehicles includes a generally triangular, outer circumferential cavity formed by an outer rim and two wall members that extend radially inward at angles to a generally planar flange at approximately the mid-radius point of the hollow-shell road wheel. A series of hollow-shell road wheels assembled in a back-to-back configuration support the tracked-vehicle and act as guides for the track of the tracked-vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: GS Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Glen R Simula, Steven J Tarnowski, Adam C Johnson
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Patent number: 6929420Abstract: A device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by height adjustment mechanisms. The height adjustment mechanisms raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of at least one end of the contouring assembly is based on a comparison of its measured position with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. A pivot or tilting controller may control the tilting of the contouring assembly to follow the slope of the profile stored in computer memory.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignees: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc., Michigan Technological UniversityInventors: Carl B. Kieranen, Charles A. Hallstrom, Glen R. Simula, Nils P. Ruonavaara, James D. Waineo
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Publication number: 20020098039Abstract: A contouring device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by a pair of fluid cylinders. The fluid cylinders are controlled to raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of one of the fluid cylinders is based on a comparison of the measured position of a first end of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. The measurement of the position of the first end of the contouring assembly is achieved by a tracking device which tracks the position of a target positioned on the first end of the contouring assembly and which determines the three dimensional position of the target.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2001Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Carl B. Kieranen, Charles A. Hallstrom, Glen R. Simula, Nils P. Ruonavaara, James D. Waineo
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Patent number: 6227761Abstract: A contouring device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by a pair of fluid cylinders. The fluid cylinders are controlled to raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of one of the fluid cylinders is based on a comparison of the measured position of a first end of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. The measurement of the position of the first end of the contouring assembly is achieved by a tracking device which tracks the position of a target positioned on the first end of the contouring assembly and which determines the three dimensional position of the target.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1998Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignees: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc., Michigan Technological UniversityInventors: Carl B. Kieranen, Charles A. Hallstrom, Glen R. Simula, Nils P. Ruonavaara, James D. Waineo
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Patent number: RE39834Abstract: A contouring device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by a pair of fluid cylinders. The fluid cylinders are controlled to raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of one of the fluid cylinders is based on a comparison of the measured position of a first end of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. The measurement of the position of the first end of the contouring assembly is achieved by a tracking device which tracks the position of a target positioned on the first end of the contouring assembly and which determines the three dimensional position of the target.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignees: Michigan Technological University, Somero Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Carl B. Kieranen, Charles A. Hallstrom, Glen R. Simula, Nils P. Ruonavaara, James D. Waineo