Patents Examined by Robert E. Pezzuto
  • Patent number: 10736267
    Abstract: An automated hemp field harvester can be driven by a tractor or attached to various types of self-propelled machines. The automated hemp field harvester has a set of two combing belts that rotate up vertically with a plurality of comb assemblies for stripping the buds and flowers from the hemp plant as the automated hemp field harvester is directed down the row of hemp plants. A set of winged plates in front of the combing belts gather the hemp plants and directs them into the drive assemblies. The comb assemblies are inclined in an upward direction and strip the buds and flowers from the stalks and stems. There is a deflecting plate at the top end of the combing belts to deflect the buds and flowers in a controlled manner to a product discharge conveyor belt to be loaded into a trailer or wagon for removal from the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: RHHE, LLC
    Inventors: Toby R. McCracken, Michael D. Meyer, John Robert Isom
  • Patent number: 10736265
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a cutting unit (1) that has a cutter bar (6) that is operated rigidly or flexibly, depending on the harvest conditions, which can be operated in at least two different operating modes, wherein the cutting unit (1) includes a first sensor assembly (1) disposed on the cutting unit (1) that can be deactivated, which is for operating the cutting unit (1) in a first operating mode, and a second sensor assembly (17) for operating the cutting unit (1) in a second operating mode, wherein, when switching between the at least two operating states, the first sensor assembly (13) or the second sensor assembly (17) is activated without interruption in operation, to execute a distance determination, depending on the selected operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Fuchtling, Andreas Wielenberg, Udo Beschorn
  • Patent number: 10736270
    Abstract: A harvesting header has a set of centrally disposed conditioner rolls comprising conditioning structure to condition crop and a rotary cutter bed. The rotary cutter bed has a plurality of rotary cutters extending across the path of travel of the header to define a cutting plane, each cutter being rotatable about an upright axis, the conditioner rolls being behind the cutter bed to condition crop cut by the rotary cutter bed. The header has a crop-directing header windguard configured to direct the crop down towards the conditioning rolls after the plurality of cutters have severed the crop, the header windguard extending in a rearwardly direction from a position forward of the cutter bed to a position proximate the conditioner rolls, and the header windguard extending transversely at least a width of the rotary cutter bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Dane Austin Mosel, Brendon C. Nafziger, Nicholas H. Williams
  • Patent number: 10729073
    Abstract: Vehicles including a power system incorporating dual drive shafts. An exemplary power system may include an engine having a vertically-oriented crankshaft that extends outwardly both below the engine (lower drive shaft) and above the engine (upper drive shaft). The lower drive shaft may power an implement of the vehicle via an implement drive system, while the upper drive shaft may power drive wheels of the vehicle via a traction drive system. In another embodiment, the second drive shaft may be formed by a jackshaft adjacent the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Exmark Manufacturing Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Christian S. C. Bryant, Nickolas T. Moore
  • Patent number: 10724207
    Abstract: A remote debris tank includes a housing having a top and a bottom discharge opening, a pair of discharge doors mounted to opposing lateral sides of the bottom discharge opening and configured for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, and an actuating shaft operably coupled to the first and second discharge doors. The remote debris tank also includes a crank lever having a plurality of vertices, where the crank lever is secured to the actuating shaft at a first vertex and configured to rotate with the actuating shaft. A first radial arm has a first end articulately connected to a second vertex of the crank lever and a second end articulately connected to the first discharge door. Similarly, a second radial arm is articulately connected to a third vertex of the crank lever and extending away from the actuating shaft to the second discharge door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: VAC-TRON EQUIPMENT, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Showley, Don M. Buckner
  • Patent number: 10724211
    Abstract: A wearing-part holder includes a first stop surface, which is arranged on the front portion of the wearing-part holder, a first contact surface and a second contact surface symmetrically arranged from a centre line L-L from the first stop surface of the wearing-part holder to a second stop surface and a third stop surface, where the second stop surface and the third stop surface are symmetrically arranged on each side of the centre line L-L from the first contact surface and the second contact surface to a third contact surface and a fourth contact surface, where the third contact surface and the fourth contact surface are symmetrically arranged on each side of the centre line L-L from the second stop surface and the third stop surface. A wearing part and a wearing-part system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: COMBI WEAR PARTS AB
    Inventors: Per Quarfordt, Adnan Gabela, Paull Baghramian, Cornelis Wempe, Klaas Geert Wijma
  • Patent number: 10721868
    Abstract: A system including a first carrier configured to carry at least one first robotic system. The system also can include a second carrier configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. The first carrier can be movably coupled to and carried by the second carrier. The system can be configured to automatically hold the first carrier in a first position and stationary in a first direction with respect to the surface during a first time period while the vehicle moves the second carrier in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period, such that at least a portion the at least one first robotic system carried by the first carrier is stationary in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 10721861
    Abstract: Embodiments for implementing a harvester method, system, and apparatus are provided. For example, a harvester for produce may include a fluid knife system at a front end of the harvester in a travel direction of the harvester, wherein the fluid knife system projects a fluid at a pressure and a direction that cuts produce, a roller bar including one or more fingers extending radially outward and configured to receive produce from the fluid knife system, wherein the roller bar rotates on its axis turning the one or more fingers at the front end lifting the produce cut by the fluid knife system, a plurality of conveyers that receive the produce from the roller bar and are configured to transport the produce through the harvester, and a bin system configured to receive the produce from the plurality of conveyers and package the produce into one or more bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: David Offerdahl, Cayetano Padilla, Mark Borman
  • Patent number: 10721863
    Abstract: An electric mower comprises a blade housing (2b) defining a cavity (7) opening out downward and a vertical passage (32) extending centrally upward from the cavity, a metallic motor support plate (38) attached to a part of the blade housing defining an upper end of the vertical passage and provided with an extension (42) extending beyond the vertical passage in a horizontal direction, an electric motor (8) attached to the motor support plate and having an output shaft (64) extending downward through an opening formed in the motor support plate, a blade (3) attached to a lower end of the output shaft and covered by the blade housing, and a control unit (10) mounted on an upper surface of the extension for controlling the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Uchimi, Keisuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 10716255
    Abstract: The invention provides an adaptive control system and a regulating method for the threshing separation load of the combined harvester and the longitudinal axis. The control system mainly comprises entrainment loss monitoring device, grain breaking rate monitoring device, device for regulating clearance of cutting concave outlet, jitter board load monitoring device, return plate load monitoring device and on-line monitoring and control system. According to the differential signal of the impact force sensor and the inertial force sensor, the cutting flow threshing and separating device is calculated by real-time monitoring of the grain breaking rate, the entrainment loss rate, the tangential groove outlet gap, the cutting drum speed and the longitudinal axis drum speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Lizhang Xu, Chuncai Wei, Yaoming Li, Zhenwei Liang
  • Patent number: 10716257
    Abstract: A header for an agricultural vehicle including a header frame, and at least one row unit supported by the header frame. The at least one row unit including a pair of gatherers configured for conveying a crop material. Each gatherer including a chain and a plurality of plates connected to the chain. The plurality of plates at least partially overlap to define a conveying floor that has a continuous upper portion for receiving and transporting a dislodged crop material and an outer periphery for gathering the crop material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Eric L. Walker
  • Patent number: 10716261
    Abstract: An airflow system for a rotary harvester includes a cleaning charge fan assembly, a cleaning fan assembly, and bonus sieves with fan assemblies. Each of the fan assemblies is powered by a hydraulic motor. By linking the charge fan motor, the left/right tailings fan motors, and the cleaning fan motor in a series hydraulic circuit, each of the motors will increase/decrease in speed at the same time and by the same proportional amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Tribine Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Matousek, Darren J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10716256
    Abstract: A sensor system for determining crop yield. The sensor system comprises a mounting structure mounted to a housing of a grain elevator of an agricultural work machine and has at least one aperture formed therein. A fulcrum assembly is arranged on the mounting structure. A rocker arm is pivotal about a pivot axis of the fulcrum assembly and extends between a first end and a second end. An engagement member is coupled to the second end of the rocker arm and extends through the at least one aperture of the mounting structure. At least one gap distance sensor is mounted to the fulcrum assembly and is configured to detect an inclination of the rocker arm relative to the fulcrum assembly. A processing device is coupled to the gap distance sensor and is configured to correlate the detected inclination of the rocker arm to an applied force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael L. Rhodes, Kevin P. Cowles, Noel W. Anderson, Gurmukh H. Advani
  • Patent number: 10709061
    Abstract: Electric power equipment such as a lawn mower is provided with a travel unit driven by a travel motor for propelling the equipment, a work unit driven by a work motor to perform prescribed work such as cutting grass as the equipment travels, and a control unit configured to decrease a rotational speed of the travel motor in response to an increase in a load applied to the work motor, and to increase the rotational speed of the travel motor in response to a decrease in a load applied to the work motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Fukano, Masato Takeda, Keisuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 10709060
    Abstract: A riding lawn care vehicle (10) may include a power unit (20), a working element (30) configured to perform a work function, a working element driver (40) providing operable coupling between the power unit and the working element to drive the working element based on operation of the power unit, and an external charger (100) operably coupled to the working element driver to charge one or more external batteries of a device other than the riding lawn care vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventors: Gent Simmons, Sean Dwyer
  • Patent number: 10709067
    Abstract: Mowers are provided with a safety system to prevent obstacles, such as animals, located in the field from being hit by cutters of the mower. The safety system includes a control unit and at least one detector to detect the obstacle and then provide a warning signal to the control unit, when the obstacle is detected. The control unit provides a separation signal to at least one safety device in response to receiving the warning signal, and the at least one safety device causes separation between the obstacle and the at least one cutter in response to receiving the separation signal. The safety device may be at least one shield which is movable between a retracted position and a protecting position in which it extends in front of the at least one cutter to prevent contact between the at least one cutter and the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: AGRO INTELLIGENCE APS
    Inventors: Ole Green, Claes Lund Dühring Jæger, Klaus Springer, Kjeld Jensen, Kim Arild Steen, Morten Larsen, Tom Simonsen, Jacob Gad Linding
  • Patent number: 10701858
    Abstract: A mobile vehicle, a ground treating equipment and an orientation adjusting method thereof are provided. The ground treating equipment includes a frame, a ground treating unit, a connecting rod set, a connecting rod driving unit, a rotation driving unit, two pressure sensors and a controller. The ground treating unit is mounted at the frame. Two ends of the connecting rod set are connected to the frame and the mobile vehicle. The connecting rod driving unit is mounted at the connecting rod set for adjusting the orientation of the connecting rod set. The rotation driving unit is mounted between the frame and the connecting rod set for driving the frame to rotate relative to the connecting rod set. The pressure sensors are mounted at the frame for sensing two pressure values between the frame and ground, or the pressure sensors are mounted at the rotation driving unit for sensing two pressure values while the frame is driven to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yun-Sheng Ku, Yi-Tien Yan, Jiun-Hua Li, Shu-Hui Yang, Wei-Chieh Chang, Ling-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 10701861
    Abstract: A combine having a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, a grain tank for storing the separated grain, a grain tank level sensor for detecting a level of grain in the grain tank, and a controller that controls the combine. The controller is configured to receive the level of grain from the grain tank level sensors, determine a volume of a grain base from the level of the grain, determine a volume of a grain heap above the grain base, determine a total volume by combining the volume of the grain base with the volume of the grain heap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Gould, Cory Hunt, Bart M. A. Missotten, John H. Posselius
  • Patent number: 10694673
    Abstract: A lawn mower including a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the frame to support the frame for movement along the ground, and a cutting deck supported by the frame. The cutting deck has a discharge opening. The lawn mower also includes a cutting blade rotatably mounted below the cutting deck and driven by the prime mover. The cutting blade is rotatable within a cutting plane. The lawn mower further includes a blower supported by the cutting deck adjacent the discharge opening to draw cut vegetation from under the cutting deck and discharge the cut vegetation away from the cutting deck. The blower is obliquely angled relative to the cutting plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Ariens Company
    Inventors: Brent P. Berglund, Matthew P. Schuller-Rach
  • Patent number: 10694666
    Abstract: A harvesting machine along with a method of operating the harvesting machine. The harvesting machine includes a frame having a first end and a second end. A rotatable pick-up head is pivotally mounted on the first end and is capable of urging a crop into the machine. A cutting mechanism is mounted on a bottom plate for cutting the stems of the plants. A crimper mechanism is positioned downstream of the bottom plate and is capable of compacting the cut stems into a moving web. A moisture removal mechanism is positioned after the crimper mechanism to lower the moisture in the cut stems. A crop converging mechanism is located downstream of the moisture removal mechanism and reduces the width of the moving web into a ribbon. A chopper then chops the ribbon into small pieces so that they can be blown into a storage wagon for transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Baum Machine, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger J Baum, Charles J. Baum, William J Powel-Smith