Patents Examined by John Weiss
  • Patent number: 10098280
    Abstract: A crop loss inhibiting device directs air flow upwardly into cut plants to prevent crops from falling to the ground prior to being collected by a combine. The device includes a combine having a head including a skid plate and a plurality of spaced cutting projections extending forwardly from the skid plate. The combine has a collector positioned rearwardly from the spaced cutting projections wherein the collector receives and collects plants cut by the spaced cutting projections. Each of a pair of manifold tubes is coupled to the combine rearwardly of the spaced cutting projections. Each of the manifold tubes has a plurality of holes facing upwardly away from the spaced cutting projections. A blower is coupled to the manifold tubes creating air flow out through the holes such that the air flow inhibits crops from falling to the ground prior to being collected by the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Inventors: Monte Busser, Curtis R. Theisen
  • Patent number: 10091927
    Abstract: A seed firmer for pressing seeds into soil during planting. The seed firmer includes a mount for attachment to a row unit of a planting machine. An arm defines a ground-facing surface having at least one point of contact with the ground, including a rearmost ground contact point with respect to a direction of forward travel during planting operation. The ground-facing surface has a transition section directly trailing a rearmost ground contact point, the transition section can extending upwardly from the rearmost ground contact point with a radius no less than 25 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Elijah B. Garner, Jacob D. Salowitz, Kamalakannan Natarajan, Mark Underwood, Drew Whitcomb, Charles T. Graham, Dnyanesh Dhobale
  • Patent number: 10093169
    Abstract: A power and cooling assembly is disclosed for use with a vehicle having a deck for a rotatable tool such as a mowing blade. An electric motor is mounted on the deck and used to drive the blades by an output shaft. A circulating pump is connected to a housing of the electric motor and is also driven by the electric motor. The circulating pump is hydraulically connected to at least one sump on the vehicle and at least one electrical component of the vehicle to provide cooling thereto. Additional cooling pumps may be provided on the vehicle and may provide cooling to additional electrical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Scott W. Keller, Raymond Hauser
  • Patent number: 10091940
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a straw walker arrangement positioned downstream from a threshing and separating system. The straw walker arrangement includes a first straw walker positioned to receive crop material from the threshing and separating system, a second straw walker positioned downstream from the first straw walker, and a rotatable drum positioned between the first straw walker and the second straw walker. The rotatable drum is operable to convey crop material from the first straw walker to the second straw walker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Yvan C. C. Vandergucht
  • Patent number: 10091924
    Abstract: A hitch assembly for use by an agricultural machine, in particular a self-propelled windrower, allowing the adjustable position of a hitch for use in both the towing of implements during field operations and the transportation of implements from one location to another. The adjustable hitch advantageously provides stability during the transportation position and is up and out of the way of crop flow during field use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Fay, II
  • Patent number: 10091921
    Abstract: An electric row cleaner actuation assembly is provided. The electric row cleaner actuation assembly includes a row cleaner unit engageable with a soil to clear a planting area for a seed planting device to dispense seeds. The electric row cleaner actuation assembly also includes a motor. The actuation assembly further includes a telescoping tube arrangement comprising an inner tube and an outer tube, the outer tube moveable along the inner tube and operatively coupled to the row cleaner unit. The actuation assembly yet further includes a position driving element engageable with the outer tube to displace the outer tube to adjust a downforce applied to the row cleaner unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel S. Bruck, Matt R. Burk
  • Patent number: 10091931
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a hollow shaft, a cutter blade, flaps, a belt type continuously variable transmission, and a transmission mechanism. The cutter blade extends along a horizontal line which is perpendicular to the hollow shaft. The flaps are provided for the cutter blade. Each of the flaps has a flap angle changeable along the horizontal line. A control force converter unit of the belt type continuously variable transmission converts a displacement force of the movable sheave relative to the fixed sheave in an axial direction into a control force that controls the flap angle of the flaps. The transmission mechanism is accommodated inside the hollow shaft, and transmits the control force to the flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Yoshimura, Koji Kuriyagawa, Satoshi Onodera
  • Patent number: 10085380
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a housing, a drive source, flaps, a grass clippings container, a grass clippings container weight detection unit, an internal pressure detection unit, and a control unit. If it is determined that a first condition where a change amount per predetermined fixed time of the weight detected by the grass clippings container weight detection unit is below a weight change amount reference value and a second condition where a change amount per predetermined fixed time of the internal pressure detected by the internal pressure detection unit has increased to a internal pressure change amount reference value, are satisfied, the control unit implements control to place the flaps in a substantially horizontal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10085374
    Abstract: An agricultural seeder implement includes a seed boot connected directly to an opener. The seed boot includes an inlet and an outlet to a shoot on either side of the seed boot. The seed boot is connected to the opener, and the seed boot and the opener form a channel which extends through the seed boot from the inlet to the outlet. The opener is for being pulled for cutting a furrow in the ground ahead of the outlet, the channel is for guiding a stream of air-driven seed therethrough from the inlet to the outlet, and each said shoot is for receiving the air-driven stream of seed from the outlet and guiding the stream of air-driven seed into the furrow on either side of the seed boot. Each shoot extends outwardly from the seed boot to a deflector for deflecting the stream of air-driven seed downwardly into the furrow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Inventor: Ronald J. Kile
  • Patent number: 10080328
    Abstract: A self-propelled mower includes a rotary cutter bar that feeds cut crop to a driven crop conveying arrangement which delivers the crop to a windrow forming arrangement. The speed at which the crop conveying arrangement delivers crop to the windrow forming arrangement is controlled so as to be a predetermined ratio of the ground speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Timothy J Kraus
  • Patent number: 10080322
    Abstract: A flexible cultivator implement frame includes a center section and two wing sections. The center section has a main portion and two side portions supported at opposing sides of the main portion for pivotal movement relative to the main portion about respective flexing axes. The flexing axes of the center section are sloped to extend forwardly and laterally outwardly relative to the forward working direction. Each wing section has an inner portion and an outer portion pivotally coupled to the inner portion about a respective flexing axis. The flexing axes of the wing sections are sloped to extend forwardly and laterally inwardly relative to the forward working direction so as to be oriented transversely to the flexing axes of the center section of the frame such that the flexible frame follows ground contours while minimizing undesirable stresses in and twisting of various pivots and frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Inventors: Johan Redekop, Terrance Friggstad
  • Patent number: 10070581
    Abstract: A control unit of a lawn mower performs switching control for switching operation between a first control mode and a second mode. In the first control mode, during rotation of an engine at a first reference rotation speed, in the case where a change amount of rotation speed of the engine per unit time has exceeded a reference speed change amount, the rotation speed is maintained at a second reference rotation speed, and an flap angle is increased. In the second control mode, during rotation of the engine at a second reference rotation speed, in the case where an opening angle of a throttle valve has fallen below a reference opening angle, the rotation speed is maintained at the first reference rotation speed, and the flap angle is decreased. The second reference rotation speed is higher than the first reference rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10070586
    Abstract: A sugarcane feed roller structure comprises a sugarcane feed roller, a motor, a coupling, and a seal. The coupling interconnects the motor and the sugarcane feed roller, and comprises a splined joint. The seal protects the splined joint. An associated method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Guy Burch, Mark S. Louviere, Blake C. Gettig
  • Patent number: 10070580
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a drive source for driving a cutter blade through a rotation shaft, a flap provided for the cutter blade in a manner that the flaps have a flap angle changeable along a horizontal line which is perpendicular to the rotation shaft, an actuator for controlling the flap angle of the flaps, a control unit for controlling the actuator, and a blade switching unit for switching the cutter blade between an operation state and a stop state. When the control unit determines that a stop switch signal has been received from the blade switching unit, the control unit controls the actuator to increase the flap angle of the flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10070579
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a housing having an opened bottom, a drive source for driving the cutter blade in the housing, a flap provided for the cutter blade in a manner that the flap has a changeable flap angle, a grass clippings container storing cut lawn grass, a grass clippings container weight detection unit for detecting weight of the grass clippings container, and a control unit. The control unit controls at least one of the rotational speed of the drive source and the flap angle of the flap in correspondence with the weight detected by the grass clippings container weight detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10070584
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a housing with an opened bottom, a hollow shaft extending in a vertical direction of the housing and including a lower end positioned within the housing, a cutter blade, flaps provided for at least part of the cutter blade in a manner that the flaps have a flap angle changeable along a horizontal line, an actuator for outputting an output to control the flap angle of the flap, and a transmission mechanism accommodated in the hollow shaft for transmitting the output of the actuator to the flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10064323
    Abstract: An agricultural implement includes the use of one or more electromechanical hydraulic cylinder assembly in place of hydraulic cylinders. The assemblies may take various forms for actuation, and can convert an electric power source to hydraulic power for use on or with the implement. A control system is also provided for connecting to a tractor to provide control information to the assemblies or to a central hydraulic supply via a ISOBUS that rebroadcasts input controls from a source, such as a tractor used in conjunction with the agricultural implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustan Hahn, Merlan Rolffs, John P. Mulherin, Courtney N. Achen, Gary Volz, Steve Nolte, Ryan Legge, Rhett Schildroth
  • Patent number: 10065691
    Abstract: A combine harvester comprising a pair of track units at a front of the harvester. The track units are suspended so that a frame of the units is pivotable about a centrally placed pivot axis, the axis dividing the track units between a front and rear portion. For each of the track units, the harvester comprises at least one variable length actuator mounted between the chassis of the harvester and the frame of the track unit, the actuator being mounted so that it is capable of actuating an upward or downward tilting of the front portion of the track unit. The actuator is operated to counteract an excessive downward or upward tilting of the front portion of the unit. The actuator may be operated by a control mechanism working on the basis of measurements performed by suitable sensor arrangements that monitor or predict the downward or upward tilting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Bart M. A. Missotten, Koen Landuyt
  • Patent number: 10064333
    Abstract: A method for controlling crop material speed through a rotor/cage assembly of an agricultural combine. The method includes the steps of monitoring a grain loss of the combine; computing an engine power reserve value; and adjusting an orientation of a vane coupled to the cage responsive to the engine power reserve value and to the grain loss, a cleaning system load and/or a straw length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank R. G. Duquesne, Jonathan E. Ricketts, Herbert M. Farley, Wayne T. Flickinger, Brecht Vanmullem, Arno Leenknegt, Dré Waltherus Joachim Jongmans, Glenn Aesaert
  • Patent number: 10058023
    Abstract: A system for electronically pulsing agricultural product with seed includes a seed transport mechanism affixed to a seed planter row unit. A seed sensing device senses dispensation of the seed from the seed transport mechanism. An agricultural product conduit dispenses agricultural products into the seed transport mechanism to provide dispensing of the products with the seed as the seed and product exit the seed transport mechanism. A control interface electronic system dispenses a particular quantity of product with the seed in the seed transport mechanism. A pulsing valve dispenses products from the conduit when the seed sensing device senses the dispensation of the seed. A seed release speed is provided which is proportional to the ground speed of the seed planter row unit to minimize seed tumbling and optimize accurate placement of seed and product at varying ground speeds of the row unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: AMVAC CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Larry M. Conrad, Richard L. Rice, Rex A. Rysdam, Richard M. Porter