Patents by Inventor Mitchell R. Usasz

Mitchell R. Usasz 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: 20160037706
    Abstract: A steering system and method are described for a vehicle having steerable front and rear wheels. A rear hydraulic steering device may be coupled to one or more of the rear wheels. A rear valve assembly may hydraulically control the rear hydraulic steering device to steer the rear wheels based upon a rear steering command. In a rear steering assist mode, the rear steering command may be determined based upon a manual steering input received at a steering input device. In an automated steering mode, the rear steering command may be determined based upon a target path of the agricultural vehicle that is determined independently of the manual steering input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: THOMAS D. BEBERNES, THOMAS A. NICHOLS, DAVID V. ROTOLE, WALTER C. WRIGHT, ERIC R. LANG, MITCHELL R. USASZ
  • Patent number: 9120504
    Abstract: A four-bar linkage is provided as a mechanical interface for transferring respective outputs from a speed/direction control device and a hydraulic steering cylinder to displacement control arms of a pair of pumps of a dual-path hydrostatic transmission including a pair of motors respectively coupled for driving a pair of front wheels of a vehicle. The hydraulic steering cylinder is fixed and has a piston rod slidably coupled to an input arm of the four-bar linkage in such a way that a rotation speed decrease occurs as the arm and a linked control plate are pivoted from a neutral position, the control plate transferring pivotal movement to effect differential movement of the displacement control arms. This results in the vehicle speed decreasing during a turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Thomas D. Bebernes, Stephen E O'Brien, Thomas A. Nichols, Mitchell R. Usasz, Kyle R. Teach, David V. Rotole, Walter C. Wright
  • Publication number: 20140138167
    Abstract: A four-bar linkage is provided as a mechanical interface for transferring respective outputs from a speed/direction control device and a hydraulic steering cylinder to displacement control arms of a pair of pumps of a dual-path hydrostatic transmission including a pair of motors respectively coupled for driving a pair of front wheels of a vehicle. The hydraulic steering cylinder is fixed and has a piston rod slidably coupled to an input arm of the four-bar linkage in such a way that a rotation speed decrease occurs as the arm and a linked control plate are pivoted from a neutral position, the control plate transferring pivotal movement to effect differential movement of the displacement control arms. This results in the vehicle speed decreasing during a turn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Thomas D. Bebernes, Stephen E. O'Brien, Thomas A. Nichols, Mitchell R. Usasz, Kyle R. Teach, David V. Rotole, Walter C. Wright