Patents by Inventor Ronald L. Eichten

Ronald L. Eichten 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: 20150190021
    Abstract: A blower assembly for use with an outdoor power equipment unit comprises a turbine blower having a rotatable outlet duct that is carried on a blower frame in a vertically upright orientation with the fan section of the turbine blower being above the outlet duct. The turbine blower is laterally offset from a longitudinal centerline of the unit such that the height of the turbine blower is not positioned directly in front of the operator to leave the operator with a substantially unobstructed line of sight in a directly forward direction. The outlet duct has an open mouth through which the air flow is directed for clearing or blowing debris from a ground surface. An air egress opening is provided in a lower surface of the outlet duct adjacent the open mouth to allow a portion of the air flow exiting the open mouth to be directed more downwardly towards the ground than a remaining portion of the air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Barkow, Rex R. Bergsten, Ronald L. Eichten
  • Patent number: 7669397
    Abstract: An autonomous mass damper is positioned proximate to each reel cutting unit in a ganged configuration of such cutting units. One mass damper is preferably mounted or directly carried on each such reel cutting unit. The mass damper is free to move independently of vertical up and down movement of the reel cutting unit as the reel cutting unit travels over the ground. The mass damper is connected to the reel cutting unit by a coupler or by coupling components that allow the mass damper to move in a counter motion to vertical up and down bouncing or bobbing of the reel cutting unit. The counter motion of the mass damper lessens or damps the bouncing or bobbing of the reel cutting unit to provide a more consistent height of cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Ronald L. Eichten, Michael J. Gilberg, Robert D. Patton, Ricky A. Galewski
  • Patent number: 7007448
    Abstract: A mass damper is carried on the frame of an reel mower by a pair of elastomeric couplers, one at each end of the mass damper. Each coupler is threadedly secured to one end of the mass damper with the coupler received in a cavity at that end of the mass damper. Each coupler is also clamped to a bracket on the frame of the reel mower. The mass damper can move relative to the frame of the reel mower by shearing the elastomeric material forming the couplers. The weight of the mass damper and the stiffness of the couplers is chosen to damp or lessen the vibration induced in the frame of the reel mower by an internal combustion engine carried on the frame of the reel mower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Ronald L. Eichten, Michael J. Gilberg, Donald A. Keeney
  • Publication number: 20030177746
    Abstract: A mass damper is carried on the frame of an reel mower by a pair of elastomeric couplers, one at each end of the mass damper. Each coupler is threadedly secured to one end of the mass damper with the coupler received in a cavity at that end of the mass damper. Each coupler is also clamped to a bracket on the frame of the reel mower. The mass damper can move relative to the frame of the reel mower by shearing the elastomeric material forming the couplers. The weight of the mass damper and the stiffness of the couplers is chosen to damp or lessen the vibration induced in the frame of the reel mower by an internal combustion engine carried on the frame of the reel mower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Gerald E. Goman, Ronald L. Eichten, Michael J. Gilberg, Donald A. Keeney