Patents by Inventor Michael J. Minnich

Michael J. Minnich 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: 9706711
    Abstract: A method of harvesting an agricultural product includes guiding the agricultural product through a plurality of inlets in a first direction with a plurality of airflows, separating the agricultural product from the first plurality of airflows, directing the agricultural product to a cross-conveyor, conveying the agricultural product through the cross-conveyor from the plurality of inlets to an outlet in a second direction, and guiding the agricultural product through the outlet in a third direction with a second airflow. The first direction is substantially parallel to a travel direction, the second direction is crosswise to the first direction, and the third direction is substantially parallel to the travel direction. The agricultural product is conveyed through the cross-conveyor substantially without the first plurality of airflows, and the second airflow includes the first plurality of airflows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Minnich, Shaun A. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 9402345
    Abstract: A cotton harvester includes plant cutting apparatus to sever cotton plants from a ground surface, plant conveyor apparatus to convey the severed plants into and through a picking chamber, and cotton picking apparatus including picker spindles that move upwardly into the picking chamber through a floor of the chamber to pick cotton filaments from bolls of the plants conveyed as a flattened mat therethrough and carry the cotton downwardly through the floor to doffers that remove the cotton from the spindles. Cotton conveyor apparatus also below the floor conveys the cotton to a receiver, while the plant residue passes from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Alexandra C. Collier-DeChristopher, Kevin S. Richman, Michael J. Minnich, Geoffrey Rendell, Donald Keller, Christopher D. Sellers, Jesse H. Orsborn
  • Publication number: 20160021822
    Abstract: A cotton harvester includes plant cutting apparatus to sever cotton plants from a ground surface, plant conveyor apparatus to convey the severed plants into and through a picking chamber, and cotton picking apparatus including picker spindles that move upwardly into the picking chamber through a floor of the chamber to pick cotton filaments from bolls of the plants conveyed as a flattened mat therethrough and carry the cotton downwardly through the floor to doffers that remove the cotton from the spindles. Cotton conveyor apparatus also below the floor conveys the cotton to a receiver, while the plant residue passes from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Alexandra C. Collier-DeChristopher, Kevin S. Richman, Michael J. Minnich, Geoffrey Rendell, Donald Keller, Christopher D. Sellers, Jesse H. Orsborn
  • Publication number: 20150135672
    Abstract: In another embodiment, a method of harvesting an agricultural product includes guiding the agricultural product through a plurality of inlets in a first direction with a plurality of airflows, separating the agricultural product from the first plurality of airflows, directing the agricultural product to a cross-conveyor, conveying the agricultural product through the cross-conveyor from the plurality of inlets to an outlet in a second direction, and guiding the agricultural product through the outlet in a third direction with a second airflow. The first direction is substantially parallel to a travel direction, the second direction is crosswise to the first direction, and the third direction is substantially parallel to the travel direction. The agricultural product is conveyed through the cross-conveyor substantially without the first plurality of airflows, and the second airflow includes the first plurality of airflows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Minnich, Shaun A. O'Donnell