Patents by Inventor Daniel Wayne Shrock

Daniel Wayne Shrock 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).

  • Publication number: 20260049849
    Abstract: A sensor system for a grain storage device is presented. The sensor system includes a sensor cable and a roof access port configured to be installed over an opening in a roof of the grain bin that is positioned above the sensor cable. The roof access port includes a housing having a hollow interior and a cover. In one or more arrangements, the system includes a control module positioned in the hollow interior. The control module is communicatively connected to the sensor cable and is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2025
    Publication date: February 19, 2026
    Inventors: David Brownmiller, Dustin Platte, Casey Heilskov, Daniel Wayne Shrock, Matthew Koch
  • Publication number: 20250143226
    Abstract: A grain handling system having an air system is presented that is capable of automatically detecting and clearing a plug in a tube of an air system using a central controller, an air pressure sensor, a dynamic pressure relief valve and a variable frequency drive connected to and controlling a blower motor. When a plug is detected, the central controller stops the flow of grain into the tube and ramps up the output of the blower motor to full capacity. Thereafter, the central controller performs an unplugging routine by opening and closing the dynamic pressure relief valve causing surges of air to impact the plug either breaking up the plug or bumping the plug along the tube until it clears. Once the plug clears, the central controller resumes normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Matthew Koenen Koehler, Daniel Wayne Shrock
  • Publication number: 20250098592
    Abstract: A system is presented for monitoring grain handling systems at a grain handling site. The system includes a central control system and one or more intermediate control devices communicatively connected to the grain handling systems. The central control system is configured to provide a first user interface configured to facilitate creation of a process flow and programming of the intermediate control devices to operate in accordance with the process flow. In one or more arrangements, the central control system is configured to control operation of grain handling systems to optimize the process flow for one or more performance parameters selected by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel Wayne Shrock, Matthew Koch
  • Patent number: 12225857
    Abstract: A grain handling system having an air system is presented that is capable of automatically detecting and clearing a plug in a tube of an air system using a central controller, an air pressure sensor, a dynamic pressure relief valve and a variable frequency drive connected to and controlling a blower motor. When a plug is detected, the central controller stops the flow of grain into the tube and ramps up the output of the blower motor to full capacity. Thereafter, the central controller performs an unplugging routine by opening and closing the dynamic pressure relief valve causing surges of air to impact the plug either breaking up the plug or bumping the plug along the tube until it clears. Once the plug clears, the central controller resumes normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Sukup Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Matthew Koenen Koehler, Daniel Wayne Shrock
  • Publication number: 20240419153
    Abstract: A system is presented for monitoring grain handling systems at a grain handling site. The system includes a central control system and one or more intermediate control devices communicatively connected to the grain handling systems. The central control system is configured to provide a first user interface configured to facilitate creation of a process flow and programming of the intermediate control devices to operate in accordance with the process flow. In response to detecting an error in the process flow during operation, the central control system is configured to prompt the plurality of intermediate control devices to cause the set of the grain handling systems to perform a first set of actions indicated by the process flow if the error occurs before the grain handling systems and perform a second set of actions indicated by the process flow if the error occurs after the grain handling systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Wayne Shrock, Matthew Koch
  • Publication number: 20240074358
    Abstract: A grain handling system having an air system is presented that is capable of automatically detecting and clearing a plug in a tube of an air system using a central controller, an air pressure sensor, a dynamic pressure relief valve and a variable frequency drive connected to and controlling a blower motor. When a plug is detected, the central controller stops the flow of grain into the tube and ramps up the output of the blower motor to full capacity. Thereafter, the central controller performs an unplugging routine by opening and closing the dynamic pressure relief valve causing surges of air to impact the plug either breaking up the plug or bumping the plug along the tube until it clears. Once the plug clears, the central controller resumes normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Matthew Koenen Koehler, Daniel Wayne Shrock
  • Patent number: 11839181
    Abstract: A grain handling system having an air system is presented that is capable of automatically detecting and clearing a plug in a tube of an air system using a central controller, an air pressure sensor, a dynamic pressure relief valve and a variable frequency drive connected to and controlling a blower motor. When a plug is detected, the central controller stops the flow of grain into the tube and ramps up the output of the blower motor to full capacity. Thereafter, the central controller performs an unplugging routine by opening and closing the dynamic pressure relief valve causing surges of air to impact the plug either breaking up the plug or bumping the plug along the tube until it clears. Once the plug clears, the central controller resumes normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sukup Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Matthew Koenen Koehler, Daniel Wayne Shrock
  • Publication number: 20230067298
    Abstract: A sensor system for a grain storage device is presented. The sensor system includes sensor cable segments configured to connected together in series to form a modular multi-segment sensor cable. In one or more arrangements, each sensor cable segment has a housing, a sensor circuit positioned in the housing, a support cable, and a data cable. The sensor circuit has an upper electrical connector and a lower electrical connector. The data cable is configured to communicatively connect the electrical connector of the segment with and the lower electrical connector of another segment. The support cable is configured to operably connect an upper end of the housing in one segment with a lower end of the housing of another segment in the sensors. The support cables and housings in the multi-segment sensor cable prevent strain on data cables and sensor circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Daniel Wayne Shrock
  • Publication number: 20200196532
    Abstract: A grain handling system having an air system is presented that is capable of automatically detecting and clearing a plug in a tube of an air system using a central controller, an air pressure sensor, a dynamic pressure relief valve and a variable frequency drive connected to and controlling a blower motor. When a plug is detected, the central controller stops the flow of grain into the tube and ramps up the output of the blower motor to full capacity. Thereafter, the central controller performs an unplugging routine by opening and closing the dynamic pressure relief valve causing surges of air to impact the plug either breaking up the plug or bumping the plug along the tube until it clears. Once the plug clears, the central controller resumes normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew Koch, Matthew Koenen Koehler, Daniel Wayne Shrock