Patents by Inventor Eric Brian Smith

Eric Brian Smith 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: 20070277752
    Abstract: A vehicle has an engine movably mounted on a frame, a fan mounted on an engine driven shaft, a radiator fixedly mounted on the frame, and a hollow shroud assembly which extends from the fan to the radiator. The shroud assembly includes an inner shroud member, an outer shroud member and a flexible annular seal member which interconnects the inner and outer shrouds. The inner shroud member is mounted to the engine and fixed with respect to the engine and the fan. The inner shroud member integrally forms an aspirator port. The outer shroud member is fixed with respect to the frame. The flexible seal member sealingly engages the inner and outer shroud members. The seal member has an annular gripping part and an annular lip which projects away from the gripping part. The gripping part grippingly engages an end of the outer shroud member. The lip engages an outer surface of the inner shroud member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Jeremy Van Essen
  • Patent number: 6863357
    Abstract: A wheel assembly comprises a tire supported by an underlying wheel. The tire has inner and outer surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second recesses. Cables are in the tire proximate the inner surface. The wheel has inner and outer flanges, and an outer surface. The outer surface of the wheel receives the inner surface of the tire. The outer surface of the outer flange has lesser and greater diameter portions extending from respective sides. The lesser diameter portion covers at least 60 percent of the width of the outer surface. The greater diameter portion, defines a side flange, integral with the outer flange. A second side flange is removably mounted to the outer flange. The side flanges comprise side-facing abutment surfaces which interface with side-facing surfaces on the tire. The difference between the lesser and greater diameters is greater than radial stretch capability of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert
  • Publication number: 20040084960
    Abstract: A wheel assembly comprises a tire supported by an underlying wheel. The tire has inner and outer surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second recesses. Cables are in the tire proximate the inner surface. The wheel has inner and outer flanges, and an outer surface. The outer surface of the wheel receives the inner surface of the tire. The outer surface of the outer flange has lesser and greater diameter portions extending from respective sides. The lesser diameter portion covers at least 60 percent of the width of the outer surface. The greater diameter portion, defines a side flange, integral with the outer flange. A second side flange is removably mounted to the outer flange. The side flanges comprise side-facing abutment surfaces which interface with side-facing surfaces on the tire. The difference between the lesser and greater diameters is greater than radial stretch capability of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert
  • Patent number: 6669312
    Abstract: A wheel assembly comprises a tire supported by an underlying wheel. The tire has inner and outer surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second recesses. Cables are in the tire proximate the inner surface. The wheel has inner and outer flanges, and an outer surface. The outer surface of the wheel receives the inner surface of the tire. The outer surface of the outer flange has lesser and greater diameter portions extending from respective sides. The lesser diameter portion covers at least 60 percent of the width of the outer surface. The greater diameter portion, defines a side flange, integral with the outer flange. A second side flange is removably mounted to the outer flange. The side flanges comprise side-facing abutment surfaces which interface with side-facing surfaces on the tire. The difference between the lesser and greater diameters is greater than radial stretch capability of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert
  • Patent number: 6588861
    Abstract: Novel wheel assemblies for use in track drive systems in a tracked vehicle, in support of improving uniformity of pressure distribution across the width of the track, between the track and the underlying ground surface, where track installed on the vehicle is wider than the wheel bodies which are supplied as original equipment with the tracked vehicle. Such improved uniformity of pressure is achieved by adding, to the wheels of such tracked vehicle, auxiliary wheel bodies which extend the widths of the wheels to widths more reflective of the width of the track being used in such vehicle. In cases where different track widths are sequentially employed on a given vehicle, auxiliary wheel assemblies of respective different widths can be sequentially mounted, removed, and the like to reflect the widths of the tracks being employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert
  • Publication number: 20030080616
    Abstract: Novel wheel assemblies for use in track drive systems in a tracked vehicle, in support of improving uniformity of pressure distribution across the width of the track, between the track and the underlying ground surface, where track installed on the vehicle is wider than the wheel bodies which are supplied as original equipment with the tracked vehicle. Such improved uniformity of pressure is achieved by adding, to the wheels of such tracked vehicle, auxiliary wheel bodies which extend the widths of the wheels to widths more reflective of the width of the track being used in such vehicle. In cases where different track widths are sequentially employed on a given vehicle, auxiliary wheel assemblies of respective different widths can be sequentially mounted, removed, and the like to reflect the widths of the tracks being employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert
  • Publication number: 20030080617
    Abstract: A wheel assembly comprises a tire supported by an underlying wheel. The tire has inner and outer surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second recesses. Cables are in the tire proximate the inner surface. The wheel has inner and outer flanges, and an outer surface. The outer surface of the wheel receives the inner surface of the tire. The outer surface of the outer flange has lesser and greater diameter portions extending from respective sides. The lesser diameter portion covers at least 60 percent of the width of the outer surface. The greater diameter portion, defines a side flange, integral with the outer flange. A second side flange is removably mounted to the outer flange. The side flanges comprise side-facing abutment surfaces which interface with side-facing surfaces on the tire. The difference between the lesser and greater diameters is greater than radial stretch capability of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric Brian Smith, Craig Edward Rehmert