Patents by Inventor Michael John Minnich

Michael John 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: 10070585
    Abstract: An air system (50) for an agricultural harvester (10) includes an air flow splitter component (52) configured to be coupled to the agricultural harvester (10). The air flow splitter component (52) has an inlet (56) configured to receive air and a plurality of air outlets (58) configured to distribute the air. The air system also includes a plurality of air flow paths (60). Each air flow path of the plurality of air flow paths extends from a respective one of the plurality of air outlets and is configured to extend to a corresponding drum (12) of the agricultural harvester. Additionally, each air flow path includes a discharge outlet (80) that is configured to be disposed between a bottom surface (81) of the corresponding drum (12) and a bottom disc (85) of a doffer (42) of the corresponding drum (12) while the air system (50) is coupled to the agricultural harvester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Minnich, Robert D. Crandall, Timothy Alan Meeks, Arlan Davis, Jeffrey Mark Norton
  • Publication number: 20170071129
    Abstract: An air system (50) for an agricultural harvester (10) includes an air flow splitter component (52) configured to be coupled to the agricultural harvester (10). The air flow splitter component (52) has an inlet (56) configured to receive air and a plurality of air outlets (58) configured to distribute the air. The air system also includes a plurality of air flow paths (60). Each air flow path of the plurality of air flow paths extends from a respective one of the plurality of air outlets and is configured to extend to a corresponding drum (12) of the agricultural harvester. Additionally, each air flow path includes a discharge outlet (80) that is configured to be disposed between a bottom surface (81) of the corresponding drum (12) and a bottom disc (85) of a doffer (42) of the corresponding drum (12) while the air system (50) is coupled to the agricultural harvester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Michael John Minnich, Robert D. Crandall, Timothy Alan Meeks, Arlan Davis, Jeffrey Mark Norton
  • Publication number: 20160014960
    Abstract: An agricultural moistener system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to provide a feedback signal based at least in part on a sensed moisture about a harvester, a sensed accretion of an agricultural product within the harvester, or any combination thereof. The controller is configured to receive the feedback signal and to control application of a solution to one or more spindles based at least in part on the feedback signal. The solution is configured to reduce a first accretion of the agricultural product about the one or more spindles, a second accretion of the agricultural product in an outlet of the harvester, or any combination thereof. The one or more spindles is configured to harvest the agricultural product from a field, and the outlet is configured to receive the agricultural product from the one or more spindles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Paula J. Meagher, Michael John Minnich, Dominick B. Rizzon, Michele Monzio Compagnoni, Jesse H. Orsborn