Patents Examined by Tara Mayo
  • Patent number: 11974513
    Abstract: A method for a cylindrical device includes semi-helically oriented teeth, knives, or blades radially outward from an outer surface of the cylindrical device or rotor is provided. Each tooth, knife, or blade is part of a row of teeth, knives, or blades. Each row is oriented with an offset angle such that the spirally orientation completes angular offset of about 90° or less. The knives may have sharpened edges that are oriented to cut on different planes as the cylindrical device rotates. The knives may be held in place by holders that have configurations to oriented the knives at certain angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ENTERPRISE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Mark G. Bowling
  • Patent number: 11963470
    Abstract: An agricultural device for soil processing with two sets of working rollers comprises a supporting frame, which comprises a central part, a left wing and a right wing. The left and right wings are rotatably attached to the central part. At least two rows of working units are attached to the supporting frame. The working units are arranged in regular distances in every row. A left set of rollers is attached to the left wing and a right set of rollers is attached to the right wing. The sets of rollers are divided into front rollers and rear rollers and provided with attachments and discs. The discs on the sets are located between these attachments. The number of discs of rear rollers differs exactly by one disc from the number of discs of front rollers. The distances between individual discs are the same along the whole width of the agricultural device. The discs of front rollers are located in the same plane as the working units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BEDNAR FMT s.r.o.
    Inventors: Jakub Sigut, Pavel Syrovatka, Jan Bednar
  • Patent number: 11963484
    Abstract: A covering soil mulching apparatus according to an embodiment includes a soil scattering part at the rear end of the agricultural machine and including a scattering part frame and a scattering unit provided on a lower end side of the scattering part frame and scattering soil on a floor, a mulching film laying part including a laying part frame connected to a rear end side of the soil scattering part and a mulching film holding part having a mulching film wound around the mulching film holding part and spreading the mulching film on the floor, an oscillating plate above the mulching film holding part and guiding the scattered soil to be transported to a rear side and laid on an upper surface of the mulching film, and a soil oscillating part including oscillator for oscillating the oscillating plate to prevent formation of a soil wall on the oscillating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: GREEN AND SEED CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sung-jin Choe
  • Patent number: 11953041
    Abstract: A machine for rotary driving screw anchors into underlying ground and related. The machine has a mast with a rotary driver and a mandrel driver oriented on a common axis. The mandrel driver passes a mandrel through the rotary driver and the screw anchor to allow the mandrel to be actuated ahead of the screw anchor while the rotary driver drives the screw anchor into the ground. Alternatively, the mandrel driver may also drive a hammering drill through the screw anchor to clear a path ahead of it through subsurface rocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ojjo, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Almy, Johann Karkheck, Tyrus Hudson, David Warner, Jack West, David Mar
  • Patent number: 11952744
    Abstract: A ditch forming apparatus having: a frame; a primary ditch forming assembly having: a) a first subassembly for penetrating and separating subjacent ground material; and b) a second subassembly for directing separated ground material away from a ditch being formed; and a ground treatment assembly to facilitate delivery of ground material to the second subassembly and having a ground engaging component that is turned around a first axis. At least one of: a) a vertical height of the first axis relative to the frame; b) a variable vertical force generated between the at least one ground engaging component and frame; c) a fore and aft position of the first axis relative to the frame; d) a speed of turning of the at least one ground engaging component around the first axis; and e) a direction of turning of the at least one ground engaging component around the first axis, can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Crary Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Richard, Rachelle Radi
  • Patent number: 11952751
    Abstract: A shroud retention system for a work tool is disclosed. The shroud retention system may have an adapter attached to the work tool. The shroud retention system may also have a shroud that slidably engages with the adapter. The shroud may have a retainer slot. Further, the shroud retention system may have a spring assembly disposed in the shroud. The spring assembly may have a block that slidably moves relative to the adapter. The spring assembly may also have a resilient member disposed between the adapter and the block. In addition, the spring assembly may have a retainer disposed in the retainer slot. The retainer may engage with the block. The retainer may have at least one recess disposed on the retainer front face or on the retainer rear face. The recess may extend partway toward the other of the retainer front face or the retainer rear face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Bjerke, Scott A. Schick, Thomas M. Congdon
  • Patent number: 11944026
    Abstract: An agricultural implement has implement settings for soil engaging tools that are controlled based on measured temporal and long-term soil properties in a field. A controller receives data from various soil and optical sensors and provides decision support for adjusting the implement settings. The soil sensors include a square or modified square electrical array that includes two independent, isolated disk coulters running side-by-side followed by two independent, isolated soil engaging runners. One runner has an optical sensor for organic matter, and the other runner has a temperature and moisture sensor. Above-ground optical sensors can be used to measure soil and plant material ahead of and behind the soil engaging tool. The controller can provide real time alerts to an operator that adjustments to the implement settings are needed, or the adjustments can be made automatically based on operator set thresholds, factory settings, or historical individual or global grower adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Veris Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lund, Chase Maxton, Kyle Jensen, Tyler Lund, Paul Drummond
  • Patent number: 11937525
    Abstract: A combination of a tractive machine and plow, has a driver assistance system having an input/output unit. The plow is adjustable with machine parameters, wherein a portion is manually adjustable and/or automatically adjustable by means of the tractive machine. A plow adjust assistant determines in a dialog with an operator in a plurality of dialog steps, optimized machine parameters of the plow and/or of the tractive machine that are to be adjusted. The plow adjust assistant automatically adjusts a portion of the machine parameters determined in the first dialog step and/or gives the operator a portion for adjusting and determines further optimized machine parameters of the plow based on these machine parameters and gives these further optimized machine parameters of the plow to the operator for adjustment of the plow in a second dialog step and/or automatically adjusts them at the plow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Tractor SAS
    Inventors: Christian Ehlert, Jan Carsten Wieckhorst, Jona Pieper, Christian Birkmann, Jens Heydekorn
  • Patent number: 11930728
    Abstract: A control system for a double-acting air cylinder of an agricultural implement includes a valve assembly configured to control a base end air pressure and a rod end air pressure of the double-acting air cylinder. The control system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly. The controller is configured to determine a target base end air pressure and a target rod end air pressure based on a target force of the double-acting air cylinder and a target damping factor of the double-acting air cylinder. The controller is also configured to control the valve assembly such that a first difference between the base end air pressure and the target base end air pressure is less than a first threshold value and a second difference between the rod end air pressure and the target rod end air pressure is less than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Chad Michael Johnson, Trevor Phillip Stanhope, Michael Christopher Conboy, Grant Thomas Macdonald
  • Patent number: 11926989
    Abstract: A blade assembly includes an adapter board including a lower tool bit attachment portion, terminating in a lower adapter board free end, the lower adapter board free end defining a bottom surface defining a plurality of shank receiving bores. A plurality of bushings are disposed in a corresponding one of the plurality of shank receiving bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David Bruno Parzynski, Jr., Thomas Marshall Congdon, Tobias James Toennies
  • Patent number: 11882780
    Abstract: An agricultural system comprising a plough. The plough comprising: a plough body; a stone-trip-mechanism that is configured to be tripped when the plough body encounters a stone or other obstruction; and a trip-sensor configured to provide trip-data in response to the stone-trip-mechanism being tripped. The agricultural system also includes a location-determining-system associated with the plough, wherein the location-determining-system is configured to provide location-data that is representative of a location of the plough; and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive the trip-data; and store location-data provided by the location-determining-system as a trip-location based on the trip-data, wherein the trip-location is a location of the plough at the time that the stone-trip-mechanism is tripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Hertzog, Bengt Per-Inge Linderson, Per Dennis Wallin, Carl Ola Fredrik Nilsson, Robert Svensson, Rickard Karl Gustav Nåhdin
  • Patent number: 11882782
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Dillon Sloneker, Jeremy Hodel
  • Patent number: 11883866
    Abstract: An in-situ steam thermal desorption process for remediating pesticide contaminated sites comprises S1, determining a contaminated layer; S2, primary steam injection; S3, secondary steam injection and regulator injection; wherein the regulator comprises the following components in parts by weight: 0.2-0.8 parts by weight of hyper-thermophilic microbial agent, 0.5-0.9 parts by weight of carbamyl phosphate, 2-3 parts by weight of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, 3-4 parts by weight of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, 15-17 parts by weight of wort, and 5-6 parts by weight of sodium octadecyl sulfate; S4, tertiary steam injection; S5, conservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEE
    Inventors: Mei Li, Shengtian Zhang, Liming Han, Lu Yang, Jinzhong Wan, Qun Li, Yan Zhou, Tingting Fan, Decheng Jin, Yuanchao Zhao, Xiang Wang
  • Patent number: 11882779
    Abstract: An earth working roller comprises a support structure (11), wherein to form a roller body (36) rotatable about a roller axis of rotation (A) on a radially outer region of the support structure (11), a plurality of first earth working units (30) is provided extending substantially in the direction of the roller axis of rotation (A) and/or a plurality of second earth working units (38) is provided extending substantially in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: HAMM AG
    Inventor: Matthias Meier
  • Patent number: 11879246
    Abstract: A method for managing the flow of water beneath a ground surface uses modules. Assemblies of such modules are disclosed. The modules include supports and a deck portion, and the supports are spaced apart and form multiple channels with a main section of the deck portion. The deck portion also includes at least one section extending from a main section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventors: Justin Ivan May, Tom Heraty, Philip J. Burkhart
  • Patent number: 11849662
    Abstract: A system for identifying soil layers within a field includes a non-contact-based sensor configured to capture data indicative of a subsurface soil layer within the field. Furthermore, the system includes a computing system communicatively coupled to the non-contact-based sensor. In this respect, the computing system is configured to determine a thickness of the subsurface soil layer in a vertical direction based on the data captured by the non-contact-based sensor. Moreover, the computing system is configured to identify the subsurface soil layer as one of a compaction layer or a B-horizon based on the determined thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventor: James W. Henry
  • Patent number: 11844295
    Abstract: An earth working roller comprises a support structure (11), wherein to form a roller body (36) rotatable about a roller axis of rotation (A) on a radially outer region of the support structure (11), a plurality of first earth working units (30) is provided extending substantially in the direction of the roller axis of rotation (A) and/or a plurality of second earth working units (38) is provided extending substantially in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: HAMM AG
    Inventor: Matthias Meier
  • Patent number: 11832545
    Abstract: A system for limiting plugging within an agricultural implement. The system includes a ground engaging tool configured to be supported by the agricultural implement. An actuator is coupled to the ground engaging tool. The actuator is operable to apply a down pressure on the ground engaging tool. A soil moisture sensor is positioned forward of the ground engaging tool. The soil moisture sensor is configured to measure a soil moisture forward of the ground engaging tool. A controller is communicatively coupled to the soil moisture sensor. The controller is configured to receive, from the soil moisture sensor, a signal that corresponds to the soil moisture forward of the ground engaging tool. The controller is further configured to adjust the down pressure on the ground engaging tool applied by the actuator based at least in part on the signal from the soil moisture sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
    Inventor: Dean A. Knobloch
  • Patent number: 11825762
    Abstract: An agricultural row unit adapted to be moved over soil by an agricultural planter to clear crop residue includes a residue clearing disk or brush. The row unit may include a motor to drive rotation of a crop residue disk or brush. The agriculture row unit may also include a controller configured to adjust the operating speed of the motor in response to factors internal and/or external to the agricultural row unit. The factors may include at least one of a speed of the agricultural planter along the row, a height of crop residue disk or brush the relative to a surface of the soil, a height of the crop residue disk or brush relative to a surface of the soil, amount of crop residue in the row, and a downforce pressure on the row unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Cary S. Hubner, Grant J. Wonderlich, Mark E. Barker
  • Patent number: 11812678
    Abstract: An implement operating apparatus has a U-shaped drive frame supported on drive wheels, each pivotally mounted about a vertical wheel pivot axis. A steering control selectively pivots each drive wheel. A power source is connected through a drive control to rotate the drive wheels in either direction. First and second implements are configured to perform implement operations and to rest on the ground and when the drive frame is maneuvered to an implement loading position with respect to each implement, the implement is connectable to the drive frame and movable to an operating position supported by the drive frame. When the implement is in the operating position, the steering and drive controls are operative to move and steer the drive frame and implement along a first travel path or a second travel path oriented generally perpendicular to the first travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOT Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Norbert Beaujot