Patents by Inventor Chris Rukas

Chris Rukas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12365536
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including an electric motor powered by a battery, a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, a manifold including a plurality of electrically actuated solenoid valves receiving hydraulic power from the hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator powered by the hydraulic pump via the manifold, and one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine a load applied to the hydraulic actuator, operate the manifold to provide regenerative flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator when the load is less than a threshold load, and operate the manifold to provide non-regenerative flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator when the load is greater than or equal to the threshold load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Mills, Greg Steffens, Chris Rukas, Jeremy Andringa, Colin Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20250206523
    Abstract: A method for operating a lift apparatus of a refuse vehicle includes receiving a user input from an operator of the refuse vehicle indicating a desired operating speed of the lift apparatus, operating at least one of an electric motor or an electric actuator to apply a first torque on the lift apparatus, acquiring, from one or more sensors, sensor data corresponding to movement of the lift apparatus, determining, based on the first torque and the sensor data, a weight of a refuse container engaged by the lift apparatus, determining, based on the weight of the refuse container and the desired operating speed, a second torque for the at least one of the electric motor of the electric actuator, the second torque higher than the first torque, and operating the at least one of the electric motor or the electric actuator to apply the second torque on the lift apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Rukas, Cole Adams, Luke Gustafson, John Wolff, Brent Radlinger, Caleb Binder
  • Publication number: 20230312242
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including an electric motor powered by a battery, a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, a manifold including a plurality of electrically actuated solenoid valves receiving hydraulic power from the hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator powered by the hydraulic pump via the manifold, and one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine a load applied to the hydraulic actuator, operate the manifold to provide regenerative flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator when the load is less than a threshold load, and operate the manifold to provide non-regenerative flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator when the load is greater than or equal to the threshold load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Chris Mills, Greg Steffens, Chris Rukas, Jeremy Andringa, Colin Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20230312238
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including a first electric motor powered by a battery, a first hydraulic pump driven by the first electric motor, a packer actuator powered by the first hydraulic pump, a second electric motor powered by the battery, a second hydraulic pump driven by the second electric motor, a door actuator powered by the second hydraulic pump, and a lift actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Mills, Greg Steffens, Chris Rukas, Jeremy Andringa, Colin Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20230312241
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including an electric motor powered by a battery, a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, a hydraulic actuator powered by the hydraulic pump, and one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine a target cycle time for the hydraulic actuator, and control a speed of the electric motor to achieve the target cycle time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Chris Mills, Greg Steffens, Chris Rukas, Jeremy Andringa, Colin Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20230312239
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including an electric motor powered by a battery, a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, a hydraulic actuator powered by the hydraulic pump, and one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine a load of the hydraulic actuator, and control a speed of the electric motor driving the hydraulic pump to achieve the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Chris Mills, Greg Steffens, Chris Rukas, Jeremy Andringa, Colin Wheeler