Patents by Inventor Mark Pietila

Mark Pietila 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: 20070140792
    Abstract: A soft landing control system for a screeding device is operable to automatically lower a vibrating member relative to a grade setting device after the grade setting device is lowered to the desired grade. The control may be operable to delay lowering the vibrating member relative to the grade setting device at least until the control receives an input indicative of at least a portion of the screed head assembly being moved to a position generally over a newly placed concrete area. Optionally, the control may delay lowering of the vibrating member relative to the grade setting device until a period of time has elapsed after an activating event. Optionally, the control may automatically stop vibration of the vibrating member when the screed head assembly is not moving in the screeding direction and may automatically vibrate the vibrating member when the screed head assembly moves in the screeding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: SOMERO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Quenzi, Carl Kieranen, Frank Anderson, Jeffrey Torvinen, Mark Pietila
  • Publication number: 20070127985
    Abstract: A wheeled strike-off apparatus is movable over a surface of uncured concrete or subgrade materials and is operable to establish a desired grade of the uncured concrete surface or subgrade surface. The apparatus includes a wheeled support and a plow assembly. The plow assembly may be adjustably mounted to a front frame portion and may be vertically adjustable relative to the frame portion. The plow assembly may include a plow member for engaging and establishing the desired grade and/or may include a vibrating member for vibrating and smoothing the concrete after the plow member establishes the desired grade. The apparatus may include a user input that is adjustable by an operator to adjust a down pressure of the plow assembly at the concrete when the wheeled support is moved in a rearward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: SOMERO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Halonen, Russ Stein, Mark Pietila, Michael Keranen, Carl Kieranen
  • Publication number: 20070090203
    Abstract: A wheeled hose moving device is movable over a support surface and is operable to grasp and lift and move a concrete supply hose at the support surface. The wheeled device includes a wheeled support and a hose grasping device movably supported by the wheeled support. The hose grasping device includes a pair of arms that are generally vertically movable relative to the frame portion and that are movable relative to one another. The wheeled support is positionable generally at a concrete supply hose and the hose grasping device is lowerable to a level generally at the concrete supply hose. The arms are movable to engage and grasp the concrete supply hose, and the hose grasping device is operable to lift the grasped concrete supply hose, whereby the grasped and lifted concrete supply hose is movable over the support surface by the wheeled support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Philip Quenzi, Mark Pietila, Timothy Ruonavaara, Michael Keranen
  • Publication number: 20070031191
    Abstract: A screeding apparatus and method for screeding and smoothing an uncured concrete surface includes a vibrating member and a grade setting device adjustably mounted to said vibrating member. The screeding apparatus may include a wheeled support which at least partially supports the vibrating member and/or the grade setting device. The grade setting device may be vertically adjustable to set or indicate the desired grade of the concrete surface as the screeding apparatus is moved over and through the uncured concrete. The level of the screeding apparatus may be automatically adjustable to maintain a desired level and angle of attack of the vibrating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Philip Quenzi, Russ Stein, Mark Pietila, Carl Kieranen, Philip Halonen, Howard Hohmann
  • Publication number: 20060216114
    Abstract: A soft landing control system for a screeding device is operable to automatically lower a vibrating member of a screed head assembly into engagement with a concrete surface at a time and place where the vibrating member is not positioned over an overlap area of already screeded concrete. The vibrating member is automatically lowered onto newly placed concrete at or near the junction or cold-joint between the already screeded concrete and the area of newly placed concrete, so as to avoid depressions in the already placed concrete. Optionally, the soft landing control system may include a timing device and may lower the vibrating member after a period of time following an activating event. Optionally, the control system may detect when the vibrating device is positioned at or near the newly placed concrete and may lower the vibrating member in response to such detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Somero Enterprises, Inc., a corporation of the state of Delaware
    Inventors: Philip Quenzi, Carl Kieranen, Frank Anderson, Jeffrey Torvinen, Mark Pietila
  • Publication number: 20060018715
    Abstract: A wheeled strike-off apparatus is movable over a surface of uncured concrete or subgrade materials and is operable to establish a desired grade of the uncured concrete surface or subgrade surface. The apparatus includes a wheeled support and a plow assembly. The wheeled support may have a front frame portion and a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted at the front frame portion, and may have a rear frame portion and a pair of rear wheels rotatably mounted at the rear frame portion. The plow assembly may be adjustably mounted to the front frame portion and may be vertically adjustable relative to the frame portion via an actuator. The plow assembly includes at least one plow member for engaging and establishing the desired grade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Inventors: Philip Halonen, Russ Stein, Mark Pietila, Michael Keranen, Carl Kieranen
  • Publication number: 20050069385
    Abstract: A screeding apparatus for screeding and smoothing an uncured concrete surface includes a vibrating member and a grade setting device adjustably mounted to said vibrating member. The screeding apparatus may include a wheeled support which at least partially supports the vibrating member and/or the grade setting device. The grade setting device is vertically adjustable, such as via a laser plane responsive control system, to set or indicate the desired grade of the concrete surface as the screeding apparatus is moved over and through the uncured concrete. The level of the screeding apparatus may be automatically adjustable to maintain a desired level and angle of attack of the vibrating member. The vibrating member may be activated only when the screeding apparatus is moved in a screeding direction so as to reduce depressions that otherwise may occur if the vibrating member vibrates on the uncured concrete when not moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Philip Quenzi, Russ Stein, Mark Pietila, Carl Kieranen, Philip Halonen, Howard Hohmann