Patents Examined by Arpád Fábián Kovács
  • Patent number: 10869425
    Abstract: A utility vehicle having operator selectable onboard and remote controls also includes a prime mover and a power generating device driven thereby, first and second electric wheel motors, and a drive controller in communication with the wheel motors to control the output thereof and in communication with the onboard controls. A radio control receiver is in communication with the drive controller and with a radio control transmitter having steering and speed controls. The vehicle includes a control mode switch having a first position where the drive controller receives steering and speed control inputs from the onboard controls, and a second position where the drive controller receives steering and speed control inputs from the radio control transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jake Siudyla, Alyn G. Brown, Ivan E. Fox, Jesse L. Probst, Scott W. Keller, K. Mike McCoy
  • Patent number: 10863673
    Abstract: A windrower with a header has a conveying medium with first and second portions connected with a pivot joint and moveable across a plural rollers configured to receive crop material from the header and direct the crop material to a side of the windrower to form a windrow on the ground to the side of the windrower. In an operational position and with the frame selected to one of the predetermined angular adjustments, the conveying medium discharges the harvested crop material at an angle of trajectory determined by the selected angular position of the second portion. The windrower harvests crop with the header, receives the mowed crop on the conveyor system, adjusts a rate at which the mowed crop is discharged from the conveyor system, and adjusts an angle of trajectory at which the mowed crop is discharged from the conveyor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas R. Treffer, Daniel S. Jost, Shane A. Bollinger
  • Patent number: 10856469
    Abstract: A high strength sieve which is lightweight and durable without having to add springs, and without requiring a high level of force to effect adjustment of the louvers. The high strength sieve utilizes hollow tubes to support the louvers. Providing hollow tubes (i.e., rather than solid wires) allows for larger diameter holes to be used in the frame. This provides for increased bearing surfaces, as well as provides for better tolerances. This reduces the movement of the tubes within the holes. Preferably, the tubes are mounted in the frame through holes which are extruded, thereby providing for increased bearing surfaces and a tighter fit. The extruded holes also provide a natural lead-in for the insertion of the tubes (i.e., during assembly of the sieve). Alternatively, solid wires can be provided extending through the extruded holes instead of hollow tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HCC, INC.
    Inventors: David Mammen, Paul Aubry
  • Patent number: 10849272
    Abstract: An implement intended for harvesting and/or gathering farm produce is used together with a self-propelled agricultural machine, more specifically a grain harvester, in order to provide driving power for its crop processing systems. A top roller (11) is positioned at the rear end of each conveyor belt (1) whereby, internally and concentrically thereto, the supports (9) move in a continuous rotating movement with the slats (10); the conveyor belt (1) has electronics for adjusting the speeds of the machine and the belts, varying electronically between these magnitudes according to the proportionality parameter; in addition to also regulating the height of the conveyor belt (1B) through electronics and a pivoting device (26); the set of conveyor belts (1) may also be articulated into a transportation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Indústrias Reunidas Colombo Ltda
    Inventors: Luiz Henrique Bertino, Vagner Nunes Da Silva
  • Patent number: 10842075
    Abstract: In a rotary mower having ten generally horizontal cutter disks forming a total cutting length along the cutter bar of 16 feet, the discharge opening containing the parallel conditioner rolls and a parallel transfer roll has a width of at least 125 inches. This allows a first outermost one of the ten disks and approximately one half of the next adjacent disk to be mounted on the cutter bar outwardly of the discharge opening. A convergence system then includes only first and second impellers with the first impeller mounted on the first disk for rotation therewith and the second impeller mounted on an upper support above the impeller so that the second impeller hangs downwardly toward the second disk for contacting the cut crop and mounted immediately adjacent with the second impeller having a peripheral edge located at or immediately adjacent the vertical plane of the side of the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MacDon Industries
    Inventors: Neil Barnett, Konstantin Kolegaev, Matthew James Stephens
  • Patent number: 10834873
    Abstract: A berry harvester includes a chassis, a berry removal system, a berry delivery system, an inspection station and a container filling station. The container filling station includes a berry delivery apparatus that conveys berries to containers on a container support. A container weighing system includes a container fill indicator generating a weighing signal. A processor is in communication with the weighing system and incorporates a filter for cancelling vibrations from the weighing signal. A method uses the container weighing system and the processor to indicate when a container is filled to contain a desired amount of berries and automatically reset when the filled container is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Oxbo International Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Korthuis, Matthew Schleicher
  • Patent number: 10827681
    Abstract: A combine harvester is disclosed with an infeed arrangement for receiving the harvested material, with a threshing device for degraining the harvested material, and with a cleaning device that is downstream from the threshing device for segregating the harvested material, and thereby separating the grain from the non-grain components. The cleaning device has a sieve device that can rotate about a rotational axis with an at least sectionally sieve-shaped sieve jacket that extends in a peripheral direction around the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10827676
    Abstract: A harvester including a frame supported by a drive assembly for movement along a support surface, a head unit coupled to the harvester and configured to selectively harvest crop material, a camera coupled to the frame and configured to generate one or more images of a field of view, and a controller in operable communication with the camera and the head unit, where the controller is configured to determine one or more crop attributes based at least in part on the one or more images produced by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: John A. Dighton, Bryan E. Dugas, Rahul Gunda, Peter A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10827677
    Abstract: A draper header for a harvester useful for providing hydraulic lifting and lowering of ground wheels. Hydraulic cylinders are capable of being actuated to independently lower and raise the ground wheels of the header while using the floatation pressure from the lift cylinders of the harvester. First and second hydraulic cylinders are fluidically coupled to a charge pressure of the harvester, the charge pressure providing a floatation pressure to position first and second ground wheels at a lowered operation mode and a raised operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Fay, II, Ryan M. Figgins
  • Patent number: 10827678
    Abstract: An agricultural machine includes a frame, and a lifting unit configured to vary a height of an operating unit with respect to a supporting surface for the machine. The lifting unit includes hydraulic cylinder with a liner and first and second pistons both slidingly housed inside the liner and arranged in series to define first and second chambers inside the liner, wherein the first and second pistons are controllable independently. The lifting unit includes a pressure stabilizer in fluid connection with the first chamber and that controls a pressure in the first chamber so that the first piston moves therein as a force generated on the first piston varies. A second control element for the second chamber carries out a volumetric control of the second chamber to control a position of the second piston regardless of a pressure inside the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ROC GROUP S.R.L.
    Inventor: Raffaele Ubaldi
  • Patent number: 10827673
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester comprising a frame and an epicyclical drive supported by the frame. The epicyclical drive includes a first rotatable wheel having a first substantially vertical rotational axis and a first disk. The first disk includes a first eccentric axis rotatable about the first rotational axis. The epicyclical drive further includes a second rotatable wheel having a second substantially vertical rotational axis and a second disk. The second disk includes a second eccentric axis rotatable about the second rotational axis. The header further includes a first cutter bar directly connected to the first disk and a second cutter bar directly connected to the second disk. Operation of the epicyclical drive results in substantially linear oscillating motion of the cutter bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Joel Cook
  • Patent number: 10827683
    Abstract: A sieve assembly for use within an agricultural harvester may generally include a sieve, a crop material sheet, and at least one support element. The sieve extends along a length defined between a first sieve end and a second sieve end and processes a flow of harvested crop material. The sieve also defines a plurality of openings through which cleaned crop material of the flow of crop material is directed. The crop material sheet extends along a length defined between a first sheet end and a second sheet end and receives the cleaned crop material directed through the sieve's openings. The crop material sheet then directs the flow of cleaned crop material towards a separate component of the crop processing system. In addition, the support element(s) is directly coupled between the sieve and the crop material sheet and structurally connects the sieve to the crop material sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank Rik Duquesne, Curtis F. Hillen, Todd Cannegieter, Kevin N. Scotese
  • Patent number: 10820495
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester comprising first and second drive arm assemblies for connecting to respective cutting assemblies, and a drive unit consisting essentially of a hydraulic motor operatively connected to the first and second drive arm assemblies. Operation of the drive unit results in substantially linear and opposed oscillating motion of the cutting assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: David M. DeChristopher
  • Patent number: 10820522
    Abstract: An agricultural machine includes at least one processing device for harvested material and a drive train for the at least one processing device. The drive train has an output transmission stage with an output shaft for the at least one processing device. The output transmission stage includes an input gear and a grooved shaft connected in a non-rotatable manner to the input gear and the output shaft in such a manner that a drive connection between the input gear and the output shaft is achieved via the grooved shaft. The grooved shaft is provided with a ring groove defining a predetermined breaking point. The ring groove is configured in the drive flow direction between the input gear and the output shaft, and the grooved shaft is accessible through an assembly opening on an input gear side of the grooved shaft. The assembly opening is axially aligned with the grooved shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Daniel Vergara
  • Patent number: 10820510
    Abstract: A control arm linkage system includes a pair of upper control arms and a pair of lower control arms to attach a crop harvesting header to a harvester frame of an agricultural harvester. The attachment of the header to the harvester via the control arm linkage system allows the header to move relative the harvester, with the header being displaced upward and heeled backwards in response to an upward force being imparted onto a lower surface of the header. The control arm linkage system thus allows the header to automatically adjust and adapt to unexpected raised mound that may be encountered along the path of the header during harvesting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Alex Brimeyer, Bryan R. Yanke, Joshua R. Pierson
  • Patent number: 10820509
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, at least one power take off member, and a folding header operably coupled to the agricultural vehicle and supported by the chassis. The folding header includes a center section operably coupled to the chassis of the agricultural vehicle. The center section includes a pair of lateral ends and at least one drive assembly operably coupled to the at least one power take off member of the agricultural vehicle. The folding header also includes at least one additional section pivotally coupled to one of the lateral ends of the center section and operably coupled to the at least one drive assembly. The at least one additional section is selectively pivotable between an operational position and a nonoperational position. The center section is configured to harvest a crop material in both of the operational position and nonoperational position of the at least one additional section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jay D. Schroeder, John Bradley Lukac, Frank R. G. Duquesne, Dan L. Garland, Eric Shuman
  • Patent number: 10820496
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester comprising a frame and an epicyclical drive operatively connected to the frame. The epicyclical drive includes a first rotatable wheel having a first central rotational axis and a first flange. The first flange includes a first eccentric axis rotatable about the first central rotational axis, and a first output shaft spaced from the first eccentric axis. The epicyclical drive further includes a second rotatable wheel having a second central rotational axis and a second flange. The second flange includes a second eccentric axis rotatable about the second central rotational axis, and a second output shaft spaced from the second eccentric axis. The header further includes a first cutter bar directly connected to the first output shaft and a second cutter bar directly connected to the second output shaft. Operation of the epicyclical drive results in substantially linear oscillating motion of the cutter bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Joel Timothy Cook
  • Patent number: 10820517
    Abstract: A combine harvester is disclosed with an infeed arrangement for receiving the harvested material, with a threshing device for degraining the harvested material, and with a cleaning device that is downstream from the threshing device for segregating the harvested material, and thereby a separating the grain from the non-grain components. The cleaning device includes has a sieve device that can rotate about a rotational axis with an at least sectionally sieve-shaped sieve jacket that extends in a peripheral direction around the rotational axis. Separating the grain from the non-grain components is performed by the cleaning device by superimposing a rotary movement and oscillating movement of the sieve jacket such that the oscillating movement is directed transverse to the rotational axis of the sieve device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10820498
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a header carried by the chassis that includes a cutterbar assembly with a plurality of cutting units. Each of the cutting units includes a rotatable disc carrying a plurality of knives each defining at least one cutting edge and a guard assembly including a plurality of extensions. Each of the extensions includes a bottom guard portion connected to a top guard portion to define a knife slot that allows the plurality of knives to pass through during rotation of the disc. At least one rotary driver couples to the rotatable disc of at least one of the cutting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Brown Fay, II
  • Patent number: 10820520
    Abstract: A cleaning system for a combine harvester includes a sieve for capturing grain, and a magnetic propulsion system configured to move the sieve in a reciprocating motion with respect to a stationary housing of the combine harvester. The magnetic propulsion system includes a magnet that moves as the sieve moves and a plurality of electromagnets arranged along a path of movement of the magnet during a throw stroke and a return stroke of the sieve. During the throw stroke, the plurality of electromagnets may be one of attracted to and repulsed by the magnet. During the return stroke, the plurality of electromagnets may be another of attracted to and repulsed by the magnet. The magnet may move along an arc, and the plurality of magnet may be arranged along an arc adjacent to the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Curtis Frederick Hillen, Daniel Thomas Turner