Patents by Inventor Heath Toennies

Heath Toennies 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: 20240065126
    Abstract: A disc blade angle adjustment assembly for a tillage implement includes a base structure configured to couple to a frame of the tillage implement. The disc blade angle adjustment assembly also includes a vertical guide plate coupled to the base structure, in which the vertical guide plate has an elongated opening. Furthermore, the disc blade angle adjustment assembly includes a vertical support configured to couple to a disc blade support of the tillage implement. The disc blade support is configured to pivotally couple to the frame at a pivot point. The disc blade angle adjustment assembly also includes multiple rollers rotatably coupled to the vertical support and disposed within the elongated opening of the vertical guide plate. The rollers are configured to block rotation of the disc blade support about a longitudinal axis of the disc blade support via engagement with the vertical guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Heath A. Toennies, Timothy Richard Blunier, Sven Nathaniel Setterdahl, Jared Paul Schaffer
  • Publication number: 20240065130
    Abstract: A disc blade angle adjustment system for a tillage implement includes a first actuator having a cylinder, a piston disposed within the cylinder, and a single rod extending from the piston. The first actuator is configured to couple to a frame of the tillage implement and to a first disc blade support. The disc blade angle adjustment system also includes a second actuator having a cylinder, a piston disposed within the cylinder, and a single rod extending from the piston. The second actuator is configured to couple to the frame of the tillage implement and to a second disc blade support. In addition, the disc blade angle adjustment system includes a conduit extending between a cap end of the first actuator and a cap end of the second actuator or between a rod end of the first actuator and a rod end of the second actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Heath A. Toennies, Timothy Richard Blunier, Sven Nathaniel Setterdahl, Jared Paul Schaffer
  • Patent number: 11674535
    Abstract: A hydraulic system including a first cylinder conduit configured to couple to a cylinder, an auxiliary conduit configured to couple to a case drain conduit, and a pressure regulator coupled to the first cylinder conduit and to the auxiliary conduit. The pressure regulator may block fluid flow to the auxiliary conduit if a first fluid pressure is less than or equal to a threshold pressure and enable fluid flow if the first fluid pressure is greater than the threshold pressure. The hydraulic system further includes a supplemental conduit with a check valve that directs fluid from the auxiliary conduit to a reservoir. The check valve blocks fluid flow if a second fluid pressure is less than or equal to a third fluid pressure, and enables fluid flow if the second fluid pressure greater than the third fluid pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies
  • Patent number: 11629736
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for an agricultural system includes a hydraulic circuit and a bi-directional filter disposed on a bi-directional fluid line of the hydraulic circuit. The bi-directional filter includes a check valve fluid line having a check valve configured to block a fluid from flowing through the check valve fluid line in a first direction and to enable the fluid to flow through the check valve fluid line in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and a filter fluid line having a filter configured to enable the fluid to flow through the filter fluid line in the first direction and the second direction. The filter is configured to block particles that are greater than a threshold size from passing through the filter fluid line, and the filter fluid line is in a parallel flow configuration with respect to the check valve fluid line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies
  • Publication number: 20220307527
    Abstract: A hydraulic system including a first cylinder conduit configured to couple to a cylinder, a second cylinder conduit configured to fluidly coupled to the cylinder, and a bypass conduit fluidly coupled both to the first cylinder conduit upstream of the cylinder and to the second cylinder conduit downstream of the cylinder. The bypass conduit is configured to enable intermittent fluid flow of a hydraulic fluid from the first cylinder conduit to the second cylinder conduit while bypassing at least a portion of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies
  • Publication number: 20210372439
    Abstract: A hydraulic system including a first cylinder conduit configured to couple to a cylinder, an auxiliary conduit configured to couple to a case drain conduit, and a pressure regulator coupled to the first cylinder conduit and to the auxiliary conduit. The pressure regulator may block fluid flow to the auxiliary conduit if a first fluid pressure is less than or equal to a threshold pressure and enable fluid flow if the first fluid pressure is greater than the threshold pressure. The hydraulic system further includes a supplemental conduit with a check valve that directs fluid from the auxiliary conduit to a reservoir. The check valve blocks fluid flow if a second fluid pressure is less than or equal to a third fluid pressure, and enables fluid flow if the second fluid pressure greater than the third fluid pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies
  • Publication number: 20210363731
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for an agricultural system includes a hydraulic circuit and a bi-directional filter disposed on a bi-directional fluid line of the hydraulic circuit. The bi-directional filter includes a check valve fluid line having a check valve configured to block a fluid from flowing through the check valve fluid line in a first direction and to enable the fluid to flow through the check valve fluid line in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and a filter fluid line having a filter configured to enable the fluid to flow through the filter fluid line in the first direction and the second direction. The filter is configured to block particles that are greater than a threshold size from passing through the filter fluid line, and the filter fluid line is in a parallel flow configuration with respect to the check valve fluid line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies
  • Patent number: 10544840
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch assembly includes a rotating shaft. A first clutch and a second clutch are coupled to the shaft. A first passageway located within the shaft supplies an actuating fluid to the first clutch. A second passageway located within the shaft supplies the actuating fluid to the second clutch. A first bleed passage is fluidly coupled with the first passageway. A second bleed passage is fluidly coupled to the second passageway and the first bleed passage. A first outlet is fluidly coupled to the first bleed passage. A second outlet is fluidly coupled to the second bleed passage. The first outlet and the second outlet merge together to form an outlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Konrad Garrett, Heath Toennies
  • Publication number: 20190178307
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch assembly includes a rotating shaft. A first clutch and a second clutch are coupled to the shaft. A first passageway located within the shaft supplies an actuating fluid to the first clutch. A second passageway located within the shaft supplies the actuating fluid to the second clutch. A first bleed passage is fluidly coupled with the first passageway. A second bleed passage is fluidly coupled to the second passageway and the first bleed passage. A first outlet is fluidly coupled to the first bleed passage. A second outlet is fluidly coupled to the second bleed passage. The first outlet and the second outlet merge together to form an outlet passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Konrad Garrett, Heath Toennies
  • Publication number: 20160252179
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a transmission assembly includes a pump having a first and a second section to pressurize fluid to first and second pressure, respectively, and supply it to a clutch via a first supply line and to a variator via a second supply line, respectively. The system further includes an accumulator and a pressure relieving valve (PRV), both connected to first supply line for maintaining pressure in the first supply line. The system uses the PRV to maintain the second pressure by relieving oil from the second supply line or by reducing oil from the first supply line to the second supply line. The system further includes a first and second flow control valve. First valve restricts flow of fluid from the variator to the sump, and such restriction allows the fluid to flow towards the PRV for being supplied to the first supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Heath A. Toennies