Patents by Inventor Lawrence Retzlaff

Lawrence Retzlaff 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: 20170367267
    Abstract: A baling system for baling crop material includes a baling chamber. Moveable doors partly define the chamber and the shape of the bale. Hydraulic tension cylinders extend and retract to apply a force to the moveable doors and the growing bale, and transducers measure the lengths of the tension cylinders. An electronic control unit receives the lengths from the transducers, and communicates via a display at least a relative difference between the lengths for consideration in steering the baling system. In particular, the lengths being equal indicates the growing bale is substantially straight and the baling system should be steered straight, and the lengths being unequal indicates the growing bale is developing a curvature and the baling system should be steered in the direction of the cylinder having the shorter length. The transducers may be located external or internal to the cylinders, and may measure the lengths continuously or periodically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas G. Schrag, Lawrence Retzlaff
  • Patent number: 9738216
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a towed implement proximity system, the system comprising: a first device comprising a transceiver, the first device configured to: transmit a signal; receive a first signal at a first angle and a second signal at a second angle responsive to the transmitted signal, the first and second signals comprising first information and second information, respectively, the first and second information each corresponding to respective positional information; and a controller coupled to the first device, the controller configured to determine a relative position in three axes between a first machine and a second machine based on the first and second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Kendrick, Lawrence Retzlaff, Gerald R. Johnson, Quentin Guhr
  • Publication number: 20160250965
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a towed implement proximity system, the system comprising: a first device comprising a transceiver, the first device configured to: transmit a signal; receive a first signal at a first angle and a second signal at a second angle responsive to the transmitted signal, the first and second signals comprising first information and second information, respectively, the first and second information each corresponding to respective positional information; and a controller coupled to the first device, the controller configured to determine a relative position in three axes between a first machine and a second machine based on the first and second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Patrick KENDRICK, Lawrence RETZLAFF, Gerald R. JOHNSON, Quentin GUHR
  • Patent number: 9340150
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a towed implement proximity system, the system comprising: a first device comprising a transceiver, the first device configured to: transmit a signal; receive a first signal at a first angle and a second signal at a second angle responsive to the transmitted signal, the first and second signals comprising first information and second information, respectively, the first and second information each corresponding to respective positional information; and a controller coupled to the first device, the controller configured to determine a relative position in three axes between a first machine and a second machine based on the first and second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Kendrick, Lawrence Retzlaff, Gerald Johnson, Quentin Guhr
  • Publication number: 20150029011
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a towed implement proximity system, the system comprising: a first device comprising a transceiver, the first device configured to: transmit a signal; receive a first signal at a first angle and a second signal at a second angle responsive to the transmitted signal, the first and second signals comprising first information and second information, respectively, the first and second information each corresponding to respective positional information; and a controller coupled to the first device, the controller configured to determine a relative position in three axes between a first machine and a second machine based on the first and second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: AGCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Kendrick, Lawrence Retzlaff, Gerald Johnson, Quentin Guhr