Patents Examined by Julia C Tran
  • Patent number: 12063888
    Abstract: A self-propelled picking vehicle for pineapples based on scraper transportation is provided and includes a baseplate, a driving mechanism, and a propelling mechanism. The driving mechanism is disposed on the baseplate, the propelling mechanism is disposed at a lower end of the baseplate, and the driving mechanism is connected to the propelling mechanism. A front end of the horizontal chain conveyor is provided with a cutting plate. The cutting plate is provided with two disk blades, outer sides of the two disk blades are provided with dividers, and a fruit protector is disposed between the two disk blades. A fruit picking mechanism is disposed on an upper end of the fruit protector. The entire process has achieved automated pineapple picking, efficiency of picking and transportation is improved, and labor intensity of fruit farmers is greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: South Subtropical Crop Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences
    Inventors: Zhong Xue, Xiumei Zhang
  • Patent number: 12041873
    Abstract: A finger-bar-type mower in which blades reciprocate left and right to mow grass. The mower includes: a connection gear which is power-connected to a driving means of the mower; a reduction gear connected to the connection gear; a shaft rotating according to rotation of the reduction gear; a bridge accommodating and supporting the connection gear and the reduction gear; a blade which is power-connected to the shaft and is reciprocated left and right according to rotation of the shaft, the blade including cutting edges; a guide part supporting the bridge and extending along the blade; and wheels respectively connected to both ends of the guide part. The shaft is disposed in center regions of the blade and the guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Inventor: Jae-sik Min
  • Patent number: 12035655
    Abstract: A work machine includes a chassis, a header, and a control system. The header is coupled to the chassis and positioned to remove crop material from the ground. The header includes a reel to draw crop material into the header so that the crop material may be conveyed rearwardly and a plurality of actuators to move the reel relative to a frame of the header in use of the work machine. The control system is coupled to the chassis and includes a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of actuators and a single user input communicatively coupled to the controller that is configured to provide an input signal to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: John L. Peters
  • Patent number: 12016271
    Abstract: Weed seeds are destroyed in the chaff from a combine harvester by repeated high speed impacts caused by a rotor mounted in one of a pair of side by side housings which accelerate the discarded seeds into contact with stator bars at angularly spaced positions around the axis of the rotor. U-shaped bars are symmetrical and can be reversed when the second leg is worn for extended life. Parts of the rotor and stator which are radially outward of other parts are formed with a higher resistance to wear approximately proportional to the radius so that the wear characteristics of the different parts are matched to the velocity of the particles impacting the different portions to generate symmetrical wear throughout the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Tritana Intellectual Property Ltd.
    Inventor: Dean Mayerle
  • Patent number: 12010944
    Abstract: A mower deck transport lock for a parallelogram lift linkage supporting a mower deck at any of a plurality of cutting heights where a striker plate contacts a height of cut selection knob. A transport bracket pivots into engagement with the striker plate only at a transport height above the plurality of cutting heights. A transport lock indicator is activated when the transport bracket pivots into engagement with the striker plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Jorge Cavazos Garcia, Maxwell G Anderson, Sebastian Baena, Wesley E Clontz
  • Patent number: 12010950
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a header and a cab for an operator of the harvester. The header includes a frame, a support arm connected to the frame and a harvesting reel assembly. The harvesting reel assembly includes a central rotatable shaft connected to the support arm, a reel member extending widthwise across the harvesting reel assembly and connected to the central rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, and a first cam assembly rotatable about a first end of the central rotatable shaft. The first cam assembly includes a first cam plate, a first non-circular cam track for guiding rotation of the reel member and a first adjustor. The first adjustor is operatively engaged with the first cam plate and pivotably connected to the support arm for adjusting a rotational position of the first cam assembly relative to the central rotatable shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Nathan R. Drzal
  • Patent number: 12004440
    Abstract: A header including at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that has two actuator mechanisms. When changing from the field mode to the transport mode, the first actuator mechanism brings the wheel assembly forward from a position behind the header, after the header has been lifted up from the ground. After completion of this first movement, a second actuator mechanism swivels the wheel assembly to a position that is transversal to the header, after which the header is lowered to the ground. The two-step approach enables the changeover between field mode and transport mode without pivoting or otherwise moving the header relative to the feeder. The wheel axle may be pivotably suspended from a frame element that executes the swiveling movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Dré W. J. Jongmans, Bart M. A. Missotten, Kenneth De Ceunynck, Sam Reubens, Frederik Tallir, Pieter Van Overschelde, Michiel Desmyter
  • Patent number: 12004452
    Abstract: A system for detecting one or more parameters associated with a header configured for use with an agricultural vehicle includes a header component and a radar sensor supported relative to the header component. The radar sensor has a field of view along which the radar sensor is configured to transmit radio waves for reflection off a surface. At least a portion of the header component is positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor or passes through the field of view of the radar sensor and is formed from one or more radar-transparent materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Cory Douglas Hunt
  • Patent number: 12004446
    Abstract: A folding rear cross system for a harvesting device having a harvesting direction and a discharge includes first and second substantially linearly aligned reversible endless belt sections, positioned near the discharge and oriented transverse to the harvesting direction. Each belt section has an inboard end disposed in overlapping relationship with the inboard end of the other. A lifting device is attached to selectively lift and lower the first and second reversible endless belt sections to reverse the overlapping relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Spudnik Equipment Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan Egan, James Yearsly
  • Patent number: 11991954
    Abstract: A locking mechanism includes a pin configured to movably couple to a first element of an agricultural header, wherein the first element includes one of an arm and a frame. The locking mechanism also includes a mount configured to couple to a second element of the agricultural header, wherein the second element includes the other of the arm and the frame. The pin is disposed within an opening of the mount, the opening has a first portion configured to receive the pin while the pin is in a first position and to block relative movement between the pin and the mount to block rotation of the arm, and the opening has a second portion configured to receive the pin while the pin is in a second position and to enable relative movement between the pin and the mount to enable rotation of the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin David Kemmerer, Joel Timothy Cook, Jeffrey D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11980128
    Abstract: A weed whacker attaches to the front of a riding lawn mower. The week whacker is attached to the riding lawn mower through a pivoting linkage, and is supported on castors which may be adjustable in height. The weed whacker may thereby traverse uneven terrain which differs from the terrain traversed by the riding lawn mower, continuing to provide an even cut over the terrain. The weed whacker draws its power from the riding lawn mower. The weed whacker may be shifted between the right and left sides of the riding lawn mower. The weed whacker may be controlled by the driver of the riding lawn mower, including unwinding additional cutting wire in response to a control signal from a controller used by the driver of the riding lawn mower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Inventor: Dennis DeLauter
  • Patent number: 11968926
    Abstract: A forage harvester that includes a cutterhead assembly and two frame parts between which the cutterhead assembly is rotatably suspended. The forage harvester assembly is held on both frame parts by a clamp bearing that defines a rotary axis. Contact points between an element on the frame part side and an element on the assembly side of the clamp bearing lie on a spherical surface centered on the rotary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Look, Jochen Rathjens
  • Patent number: 11968930
    Abstract: An adjustment apparatus for a forage harvester having a shear bar adjustably mounted on a housing. A chopper drum is supported from the housing and mounted for rotation about an axis and further provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced knife supports to which at least one chopper knife can be adjustably secured. In use the chopper knives cooperate with the shear bar to chop incoming crop. The adjustment apparatus includes a lateral element, at least one location element and at least one radially inwardly directed guide surface. The adjustment apparatus also includes at least one shear bar alignment surface on one or more of the location elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Tschirdewahn, Markus Uhl, Burkhard Freiburg-Neuhaus
  • Patent number: 11957076
    Abstract: A method for controlled activation of cutting discs of row dividers of a machine for harvesting tall, stalky plants, such as sugarcane and sorghum. The method is used in a harvester machine including an operating cabin, at least one row divider equipped with at least one lollipop activated rotationally, and at least one cutting disc activated rotationally. The method includes steps of measuring a workload of the lollipops, comparing the workload of the lollipops with a predefined workload threshold in order to, thus, determine whether to reinitiate the measurement of the workload or to activate the at least one cutting disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: João Augusto Marcolin Lucca
  • Patent number: 11950532
    Abstract: A mower combination having an agricultural vehicle and a number of mowing units suitable for cutting a standing crop connected to the agricultural vehicle, including a front mowing unit and two lateral mowing units located behind and to the sides of the front mowing unit, each of the lateral mowing units being provided with conveyor units to deposit cut crop as a swath. A control unit receives a plurality of signals, representing the location of the mower combination, a displacement of each of the conveyor units and/or a direction of operation of each of the conveyor units. The control unit receives the plurality of signals and compares them against a predetermined set of values and as required adjusts the displacement or direction of operation of at least one conveyor unit based on this comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Fillep, Ronnie Kinast
  • Patent number: 11950531
    Abstract: A trimmer attachment for use with a lawn mower includes a deck mounting plate configured for attachment to the lawn mower, one or more mounting tabs extending up from the deck mounting plate, a curved pivoting arm rotatably coupled to the one or more mounting tabs, a pivoting motor for rotating the pivoting arm, and a trimmer head coupled to the pivoting arm. Rotation of the pivoting arm by the pivoting motor causes the trimmer head to rotate between a stowed position and an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: CoJa Industries, LLC
    Inventors: James Patrick, Cody Armstrong
  • Patent number: 11944024
    Abstract: A combination sod cutting and sprinkler cap removal tool includes a socket having a cavity and outer surface extending between proximal and distal ends, a cutting means disposed circumferentially about the distal end, an internal gear formed within the cavity, and a removable rotating means insertable into the cavity and configured to rotatably engage and be axially arrested by the internal gear whether the rotating means is inserted through the proximal end or the distal end. Interior gear teeth of the internal gear have both inner and outer engagement surfaces. When inserted through the proximal end, the rotating means engages the outer engagement surfaces to configure the distal end of the tool for cutting sod by rotation of the cutting means. When the rotating means engages the internal gear through the distal end, the proximal end of the tool is configured for removing a sprinkler cap by engaging the inner engagement surfaces with gripping surfaces of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Kody J. Ketterling
  • Patent number: 11944027
    Abstract: A header that includes at least one support and transport wheel assembly having an axle and two wheels. The wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system that includes an actuator mechanism configured to actuate a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels, the swivel movement being configured to bring the wheel assembly to or from a position wherein the axle is transversal to the longitudinal direction of the header. The wheel assembly is equipped with a drawbar that is deployable from a storage position to a deployed position, wherein the movement of the drawbar between the positions is synchronized with the swivel movement of the wheel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America, LLC
    Inventors: Dré W. J. Jongmans, Bart M. A. Missotten, Kenneth De Ceunynck, Sam Reubens, Frederik Tallir, Pieter Van Overschelde, Michiel Desmyter
  • Patent number: 11937546
    Abstract: A header including a front and rear wheel assembly, each assembly having an axle and two wheels. Each wheel assembly is coupled to the main body of the header by an actuating system having an actuator mechanism for actuating a swivel movement of the axle and the wheels to bring the wheel assembly to or from a road transport position. The front and rear wheel assemblies are equipped with tie rod arrangements for steering the header when it is transported on the road. The wheels of the wheel assemblies are operated as caster wheels. The tie rod arrangement of the front wheel assembly is coupled to a pivotable base connected to, or connectable to, a drawbar. The wheel assemblies have respective actuators which are synchronized so as to synchronize the position of the front and rear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Dré W. J. Jongmans, Bart M. A. Missotten, Kenneth De Ceunynck, Sam Reubens, Frederik Tallir, Pieter Van Overschelde, Michiel Desmyter
  • Patent number: 11942301
    Abstract: Apparatus and methodology for lawn mower security systems provide the ability to safeguard ride-on style lawn mowers against unauthorized cranking of its engine if the mowers have push/pull mower deck or power-takeoff (PTO) switch technology. Security components secured to a PTO or mower deck switch to prevent the ability to position such switch in a disengaged position. Therefore, existing safety and interlock features of the existing ride-on mower otherwise prevent someone from being able to crank the mower, which helps to guard against unauthorized use and/or theft of the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: JENDYK MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventor: Bryant F. Lewis