Patents Examined by Arpád Fabian Kovács
  • Patent number: 11277970
    Abstract: A combine harvester includes a header assembly configured for collecting a crop, a threshing assembly coupled to the header assembly and configured for separating grains of the crop from material other than grain, and a cleaning assembly positioned in association with the threshing assembly and configured for separating the grains from chaff. The cleaning assembly includes a fan assembly having a fan housing with a fan output duct and a fan mounted to the fan housing, and one or more cleaning sieves. The fan assembly is configured to blow air across the one or more cleaning sieves via the fan output duct. The fan output duct includes at least one segmented air deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Ricketts, Curtis Hillen
  • Patent number: 11273990
    Abstract: A draper belt tensioning system having a frame having a first tensioner mount, a roller, and a first belt tensioner. The roller is movable along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a roller rotation axis. The first belt tensioner is connected to the first roller end and selectively connectable to the first tensioner mount. The first belt tensioner includes a first travel stop configured to selectively abut the first tensioner mount with the first tensioner mount between the first travel stop and the first roller end, a first spring, and a first threaded connector configured to move the first roller end closer to and further from the first travel stop upon rotation of the threaded connector. The first travel stop, first spring and first threaded connector are removable from the first tensioner mount without disassembly from each other and without disassembly from the first roller end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Joel T. Cook
  • Patent number: 11272668
    Abstract: A cleaning system for a combine harvester includes a fan, at least one duct having an interior passageway that is positioned to receive an air stream from the fan, and a surface defined within the interior passageway of the at least one duct that is configured to restrict a volume of the flow of air passing through the at least one duct and increase a pressure of the air stream passing through the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank R. G. Duquesne, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Curtis F. Hillen, Michiel Vanderstichele
  • Patent number: 11266070
    Abstract: A header for a combine harvester includes a conveyor belt for conveying crop material in a conveyance direction, and an adjusting device for adjusting a tension of the conveyor belt. The adjusting device includes a link that is movable with respect to a frame member of the header. The link is movable in a direction that is either orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a tensioning direction of the conveyor belt for adjusting the tension of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt may be an infeed conveyor belt or a lateral conveyor belt of a draper header, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Sorensen, Jeff Thomas, Joel Cook, Brian Crow
  • Patent number: 11266069
    Abstract: A cane pickup and separation device mountable to a vehicle, the front of which is depicted in FIG. 1 and identified by reference No. 2. The device includes at least two sorting augers with auger tips, a frame, a separation wall, and a pickup spiral. The sorting augers each have auger tips that are adapted to be positioned slightly above ground level. The sorting augers diverge relative to one another and are inclined upwardly and rearwardly at similar inclined angles ? to the horizontal to define a diverging gap. Behind the augers is the upwardly and rearwardly inclined separation wall. The separation wall is rearward of the pair of augers and extends substantially across the diverging gap. The frame is mountable to the vehicle and is adapted to support the pair of sorting augers and the separation wall. The device further includes at least one pickup spiral set at a shallower angle ? inclination to the horizontal than the steeply inclined angle ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Steven Lawn
  • Patent number: 11266073
    Abstract: A crop cutting device including knives pivotally mounted below a crop guiding surface. Each knife is pivotable between a retracted position in which it is located below the guiding surface and an extended position. At least a cutting edge of the knife projects above the surface. A selector mechanism selectively holds spring loaded parts of operating members to maintain the corresponding knife in its retracted inoperative position while the operating member is moved to its second position. The selector mechanism includes a shaft carrying a plurality of cam elements which are mounted on the shaft and arranged to be moved to a position for blocking a respective spring loaded part upon rotation of the shaft from a non-holding to a holding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Danny N. O. Claeys, Jeremy Graulus, Marek Bucharzewski, Enrico Giuliani, Jan Vanheule, Hans Joseph De Gersem
  • Patent number: 11266072
    Abstract: A separator module for an agricultural machine. The separator module includes a feederhouse configured to receive crop from a harvesting platform, a casing enclosing a rotor positioned therein and rotatable relative to the casing for processing crop from the feederhouse, a cover extending between the feederhouse and the casing, and a noise control treatment coupled to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Manish Singh, Bradley P. Bogue, Kerry M. Cone
  • Patent number: 11259465
    Abstract: A harvesting header of an agricultural machine includes a frame, a cutting mechanism coupled to the frame and configured to cut crop, an auger rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the cutting mechanism, and an impeller rotatably coupled to the frame at a location rearward of the auger. The impeller is configured to receive crop from the auger and condition the cut crop. The crop is projected by the auger in a rearward and upward direction relative to the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas A. Nichols, Lance Frahm, Charles S. Sloan
  • Patent number: 11252872
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a first frame plate, a shaking plate, a second frame plate, a sieve body, a driving mechanism, a throwing rod, and a crank and connecting rod mechanism. The shaking plate is mounted in the first frame plate, forms an angle of inclination with a horizontal plane, and is connected to a shaking device. The second frame plate is mounted below the first frame plate, and is connected to the first frame plate through a crank mechanism. The sieve body is mounted in the second frame plate. The driving mechanism is connected to the shaking device and the second frame plate, and configured for driving the shaking device to cause the shaking plate to shake and driving the second frame plate to cause the sieve body to perform a sieving motion. A harvester including the cleaning device is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Qinglin Li, Chengjian Yao, Hanping Mao, Yunlin Huang
  • Patent number: 11252873
    Abstract: A self-adaptive control system comprises a feeding device, a rotary coder, a displacement sensor, a hydraulic regulation system and a controller, wherein, the input end of the controller is electrically connected with the rotary coder, the displacement sensor, a first oil pressure sensor and a second oil pressure sensor respectively, and the output end of the controller is electrically connected with a solenoid directional valve via an interlocking controller; the controller takes the bearing force of piston rods and the rotation speed and the rotation speed change rate of a feeding knife roller as input variables and takes the positions of the piston rods as an output variable, to establish a fuzzy control model of the feeding mouth opening of the feeding device, the extension and retraction of the piston rods in a left oil cylinder and a right oil cylinder under hydraulic driving are regulated actively by controlling a three-position four-way solenoid directional valve, and thereby self-adaptive control of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhan Zhao, Hedong Huang, Jianjun Yin, Zhong Tang, Chunjie Tian
  • Patent number: 11246259
    Abstract: A harvesting head for an agricultural combine includes a frame and a support arm coupled to the frame. The support arm is configured to move between an unlocked state in which the support arm is moveable relative to the frame and a locked state in which the support arm is fixed relative to the frame. The harvesting head includes cutting teeth supported by the support arm relative to the frame. The cutting teeth are configured to move relative to the support arm in a reciprocating motion along a longitudinal axis of the frame. The harvesting head includes a gauge member coupled to the frame. The gauge member is configured to sense a height of the frame relative to a surface. The harvesting head includes a control assembly configured to move the support arm into the locked state based on the height of the frame relative to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Bryan R. Yanke, Duane M. Bomleny, Benjamin M. Lovett
  • Patent number: 11246264
    Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a chassis; an engine to propel the harvesting machine; a header mounted on a front of the chassis; a cutter bar arranged on the header to cut crops during operation of the harvesting machine; a plurality of implements on the chassis configured to facilitate processing the crops cut by the cutter bar; at least one cutter bar load sensor arranged on the header and configured to collect cutter bar load data representing a load on the cutter bar resulting from cutting the crops; and a controller operatively coupled to the at least one cutter bar sensor. The controller is configured to receive the cutter bar load data, determine a cutter bar load value based on the cutter bar load data, and generate an adjustment command for an operational parameter associated with at least one of the implements based on the cutter bar load value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Riley C. Groves
  • Patent number: 11234371
    Abstract: A divider of a header for an agricultural vehicle including a divider body, a receiving member configured for being connected to the frame of the header, and an adjustable connector positionable in between an unfolded work position and a folded transport position. The adjustable connector includes a first member, a second member, and an articulating joint for pivotally connecting the first and second members. The first member mounts the divider body, the second member is slidably connected to and received within the receiving member, and the articulating joint is at least partially received within the receiving member in the unfolded work position such that the first and second members are substantially immobilized and the articulating joint is positioned outside of the receiving member in the folded transport position such that the first and second members are movable relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Douglas D. Sorensen
  • Patent number: 11234373
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle crop feeder system having housings defining a crop passage, a conveyor assembly, a rotor, a guide plate, and one or more guide vanes extending from the guide plate. The conveyor assembly propels crop material along a feeder flow direction to the rotor. The rotor has inlet vanes that receive the crop material in a receiving region located below the rotor's axis. The leading edges of the rotor inlet vanes travel towards the receiving region on a first transverse side of the rotor axis and away from the receiving region on a second transverse side of the rotor axis. The guide plate is adjacent the receiving region. The guide vane extends into the crop passage on the first side of the rotor axis, and angled relative to the flow direction with its trailing edge closer to the first rotor axis, in the transverse direction, than the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Shaun A. O'Donnell, Joshua A. Lesher, Frank R. G. Duquesne, Clinton T. Baltz
  • Patent number: 11229163
    Abstract: A reel assembly (200) for a header of a combine harvester is provided. The reel is guided by a cam assembly (300). A baffle (408) is provided to the reel assembly (200) and incorporated into the cam assembly (300) to deflect crop material away from the cam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Herbert M Farley, Barry E. Lehman
  • Patent number: 11224169
    Abstract: A rotary cleaning system for a combine harvester that includes a hollow drum having a plurality of apertures along at least a portion of a length of an exterior surface of the drum, the drum having a feeding end configured to receive a harvested crop and a discharge end configured to expel chaff from the harvested crop and a guiding vane positioned in an interior of the drum, wherein one of the drum and the guiding vane is configured for rotation while the other one of the drum and the guiding vane is stationary to expel grain through the plurality of apertures in the drum. A feeding mechanism can be attached to supply the crop to the hollow drum. A fan can be attached to the rotary cleaning system to generate an air flow stream. A plurality of fingers can be positioned in the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Mingyong Chen, Tyler S. Brammeier, Michael T. Meschke
  • Patent number: 11224167
    Abstract: Example draper heads may include an endless belt conveyor and a catch pan disposed adjacent to the endless belt conveyor to collect crop material and defining a uniform gap formed between at least a portion of the catch pan and a portion of an endless belt of the endless belt conveyor located adjacent to the catch pan. A cleat formed on the endless belt cooperates with the catch pan to transport the collected crop material onto the endless belt. The catch pan may include a contoured end that conforms to a shape formed by the endless belt at an end of the endless belt conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Matthew R. White, Daniel S. Hoffman, Corwin M. Puryk, Justin C. Freehill, Shreyas Modak, Bryan R. Yanke
  • Patent number: 11224164
    Abstract: A header assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine having a traction unit comprises a cutter, a main frame that supports the cutter, a float cylinder configured to be coupled between the main frame and the traction unit, an accumulator, and fluidic circuitry that fluidically couples the accumulator to the float cylinder. The fluidic circuitry is configured to provide a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame, and, based on a control input that corresponds to a lifting operation of the header assembly, provide a restricted flow of fluid, that is restricted relative to the first flow, between the float cylinder and the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Alex Brimeyer, David E. Renner, Praveen Kumar Singh, Todd M. Verhoef
  • Patent number: 11224168
    Abstract: A handheld harvester apparatus may include a threshing assembly and a screening assembly within a housing. The threshing assembly may include a threshing drum with a plurality of blades coupled to a first axle. The plurality of blades may include a set of teeth configured to strip a plurality of seeds and plant material from a plant. The screening assembly may include a paddle assembly configured to receive the plurality of seeds and plant material from the threshing assembly, the paddle assembly including a plurality of paddles coupled to a second axle. The screening assembly may include a screen assembly positioned beneath the paddle assembly, the screen assembly including a plurality of pass-through apertures configured to define a threshold for the plurality of seeds. The screening assembly may include a collection chamber configured to receive any of the plurality of seeds that exit the plurality of pass-through apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventor: Martin Bremmer
  • Patent number: 11224165
    Abstract: An agricultural header includes: a main section including a main frame carrying at least one cutting element; at least one wing section pivotably coupled to the main section and including a wing frame; and a linkage pivotably coupling the at least one wing section to the main section, the linkage including an upper bar and a lower bar which are both coupled to the main frame and the wing frame, the upper bar defining an upper bar axis and the lower bar defining a lower bar axis which is non-parallel to the upper bar axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Joel T. Cook