Patents by Inventor Eric P. Richard

Eric P. Richard 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: 11547050
    Abstract: An extractor fan assembly for an extractor of a sugarcane harvester comprises a motor, fan blades, and a clamshell hub. The motor comprises an output that rotates about an axis of rotation. The clamshell hub comprises a base and clamp jaws. The base is coupled to the output for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation. The clamp jaws are positioned angularly about the axis of rotation. Each clamp jaw is fastened to and cooperates with the base to clamp a respective fan blade of the fan blades therebetween to position the fan blades angularly about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Matthew J. Hansen, Dusk S. Mixon, Brian J. Fields, Guy Burch, Eric P. Richard, Todd J. Rodrigue
  • Publication number: 20220346317
    Abstract: An extractor for a sugarcane harvester that chops stalks of sugarcane into billets. The extractor comprises a fan, a leaf shredder, and a hub. The fan comprises fan blades to induce a flow of air to separate leaves from billets. The leaf shredder comprises shredding blades to cut leaves prior to their ejection from the extractor. The hub is rotatably driven about an axis of rotation. The fan blades and the cutting blades are coupled to the hub for rotation together with the hub about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: MATTHEW J. HANSEN, ERIC P. RICHARD, DUSK S. MIXON, TODD J. RODRIGUE, GUY E. BURCH, BRIAN J. FIELDS
  • Patent number: 11350570
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester comprises a frame, a knockdown roller, and a telescopic roller support mounted to the frame and to which the knockdown roller is mounted. The roller support is configured to telescope to cause linear movement of the knockdown roller relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Kent M. Almeida, Michael L. Halbrook, Eric P. Richard, Eric L. Baker
  • Patent number: 10932412
    Abstract: A crop divider assembly for a sugarcane harvesting machine that has a first scroll having an upper end and a lower end, a first toe defined along a portion of the lower end of the first scroll, the first toe being a radially inward taper of the first scroll, and a shoe positioned adjacent to a portion of the first toe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric P. Richard, Dusk S. Mixon, Neville H. Toft, Mark A. Matherne, Rafael Braga De Freitas Soares Lopes
  • Publication number: 20200128742
    Abstract: A crop divider assembly for a sugarcane harvesting machine that has a first scroll having an upper end and a lower end, a first toe defined along a portion of the lower end of the first scroll, the first toe being a radially inward taper of the first scroll, and a shoe positioned adjacent to a portion of the first toe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Eric P. Richard, Dusk S. Mixon, Neville H. Toft, Mark A. Matherne, Rafael Braga De Freitas Soares Lopes
  • Publication number: 20190246562
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester comprises a frame, a knockdown roller, and a telescopic roller support mounted to the frame and to which the knockdown roller is mounted. The roller support is configured to telescope to cause linear movement of the knockdown roller relative to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Kent M. Almeida, Michael L. Halbrook, Eric P. Richard, Eric L. Baker
  • Patent number: 10292329
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester comprises a frame, a knockdown roller, and a telescopic roller support mounted to the frame and to which the knockdown roller is mounted. The roller support is configured to telescope to cause linear movement of the knockdown roller relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Kent M. Almeida, Michael L. Halbrook, Eric P. Richard, Eric L. Baker
  • Patent number: 10058028
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester may include a chassis with various discreet and laterally separated mounting locations. Crop divider support modules may be configured to separately and fixedly attach to the chassis at various of the mounting locations, in order to support respective crop dividers in a variety of discreet and laterally separated orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric P. Richard, Michael L. Halbrook, Daniel J. Corbett, John P. Scrivner, Kerry J. Morvant, Marlin L. Goodnight, Dusk S. Mixon
  • Publication number: 20180177129
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester comprises a frame, a knockdown roller, and a telescopic roller support mounted to the frame and to which the knockdown roller is mounted. The roller support is configured to telescope to cause linear movement of the knockdown roller relative to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: KENT M. ALMEIDA, MICHAEL L. HALBROOK, ERIC P. RICHARD, ERIC L. BAKER
  • Patent number: 9961832
    Abstract: A method and control system are disclosed for orientating base cutters of a sugarcane harvester. A sugarcane harvester may include a crop divider, a rear base cutter, and a front base cutter. An indicator of a position of the crop divider may be determined. A target orientation of the front base cutter may be determined based upon the position indicator. The front base cutter may be adjusted with respect to a chassis of the harvester, in order to place the front base cutter in the target orientation. If adjusting the front base cutter includes moving the front base cutter beyond a predetermined range of motion, the rear base cutter may be adjusted with respect to the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: John P. Scrivner, Eric P. Richard, Kerry J. Morvant, Marlin L. Goodnight, Dusk S. Mixon
  • Patent number: 9857785
    Abstract: A method and control system are disclosed for adjusting orientations of knockdown rollers for sugarcane harvesters. An upper knockdown roller may be moved along a first adjustment path using a first actuator. A lower knockdown roller may be moved along a second adjustment path using a second actuator. A substantially tangential alignment may be maintained for an outer diameter of the upper knockdown roller and an outer diameter of the lower knockdown roller with respect to a reference point along a cutting path of the base cutter assembly, during or after movement of the upper and lower knockdown rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Eric P. Richard
  • Publication number: 20170049046
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester may include a chassis with various discreet and laterally separated mounting locations. Crop divider support modules may be configured to separately and fixedly attach to the chassis at various of the mounting locations, in order to support respective crop dividers in a variety of discreet and laterally separated orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Eric P. Richard, Michael L. Halbrook, Daniel J. Corbett, John P. Scrivner, Kerry J. Morvant, Marlin L. Goodnight, Dusk S. Mixon
  • Patent number: 9516813
    Abstract: A sugarcane harvester may include a chassis with various discreet and laterally separated mounting locations. Crop divider support modules may be configured to separately and fixedly attach to the chassis at various of the mounting locations, in order to support respective crop dividers in a variety of discreet and laterally separated orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Richard, Michael L. Halbrook, Daniel J. Corbett, John P. Scrivner, Kerry J. Morvant, Marlin L. Goodnight, Dusk S. Mixon
  • Publication number: 20150359177
    Abstract: A modular assembly for a sugarcane harvester is disclosed. A sugarcane harvester may include a chassis with various discreet and laterally separated mounting locations. Crop divider support modules may be configured to separately and fixedly attach to the chassis at various of the mounting locations, in order to support respective crop dividers in a variety of discreet and laterally separated orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: ERIC P. RICHARD, MICHAEL L. HALBROOK, DANIEL J. CORBETT, JOHN P. SCRIVNER, KERRY J. MORVANT, MARLIN L. GOODNIGHT, DUSK S. MIXON
  • Publication number: 20150362904
    Abstract: A method and control system are disclosed for orientating base cutters of a sugarcane harvester. A sugarcane harvester may include a crop divider, a rear base cutter, and a front base cutter. An indicator of a position of the crop divider may be determined. A target orientation of the front base cutter may be determined based upon the position indicator. The front base cutter may be adjusted with respect to a chassis of the harvester, in order to place the front base cutter in the target orientation. If adjusting the front base cutter includes moving the front base cutter beyond a predetermined range of motion, the rear base cutter may be adjusted with respect to the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: John P. Scrivner, Eric P. Richard, Kerry J. Morvant, Marlin L. Goodnight, Dusk S. Mixon
  • Publication number: 20150331408
    Abstract: A method and control system are disclosed for adjusting orientations of knockdown rollers for sugarcane harvesters. An upper knockdown roller may be moved along a first adjustment path using a first actuator. A lower knockdown roller may be moved along a second adjustment path using a second actuator. A substantially tangential alignment may be maintained for an outer diameter of the upper knockdown roller and an outer diameter of the lower knockdown roller with respect to a reference point along a cutting path of the base cutter assembly, during or after movement of the upper and lower knockdown rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventor: Eric P. Richard