Patents by Inventor Nicholas J. Laufenberg
Nicholas J. Laufenberg 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).
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Publication number: 20230148477Abstract: An agricultural vehicle has an engine, a threshing rotor, and a rotor drive system including a planetary gear assembly and a fluid circuit for driving the rotor at a constant acceleration during a start-up procedure of the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Haibo Guo, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Michael Rush
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Patent number: 11452252Abstract: A drive system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a plurality of driven devices. The drive system includes a shaft configured for conveying motive power from the agricultural vehicle to the header, a gearbox configured for being located on the header and for transferring motive power to the plurality of driven devices, and a torque damper. The torque damper is operably connected in between the shaft and the gearbox. The torque damper is configured for reducing a magnitude of a torque spike.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Thamilselvan Karuppannan, Nicholas J. Laufenberg
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Publication number: 20210219483Abstract: A drive system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a plurality of driven devices. The drive system includes a shaft configured for conveying motive power from the agricultural vehicle to the header, a gearbox configured for being located on the header and for transferring motive power to the plurality of driven devices, and a torque damper. The torque damper is operably connected in between the shaft and the gearbox. The torque damper is configured for reducing a magnitude of a torque spike.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2020Publication date: July 22, 2021Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Thamilselvan Karuppannan, Nicholas J. Laufenberg
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Patent number: 10830335Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and a header connected to the frame. The header includes at least one drive line, at least one transmission, at least one rotating cross shaft, and at least one gearbox operably connected to the at least one rotating cross shaft. The at least one gearbox includes a housing connected to the header and configured for housing a working fluid. The housing has an inlet, an outlet, and an end. The at least one gearbox also includes a gear train housed within the housing and an auxiliary sump connected to the end of the housing and fluidly coupled to the inlet and the outlet of the housing such that the working fluid circulates through the housing and the auxiliary sump.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Dan L. Garland, Matthew Flannery, Nathaniel Smith, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Herbert M. Farley, Thamilselvan Karuppannan
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Patent number: 10327386Abstract: A header which is couplable with a base unit of an agricultural harvester. The header includes a rotatably driven first sub-system, a rotatably driven second sub-system, a first input drive, and a second input drive. The first input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The first input drive is configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed. The second input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The second input drive is configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: James M. Gessel, Jaclyn Raetzman, Joel T. Cook, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Jay D. Schroeder
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Publication number: 20190186619Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a frame, a prime mover supported by the frame, and a header connected to the frame. The header includes at least one drive line, at least one transmission, at least one rotating cross shaft, and at least one gearbox operably connected to the at least one rotating cross shaft. The at least one gearbox includes a housing connected to the header and configured for housing a working fluid. The housing has an inlet, an outlet, and an end. The at least one gearbox also includes a gear train housed within the housing and an auxiliary sump connected to the end of the housing and fluidly coupled to the inlet and the outlet of the housing such that the working fluid circulates through the housing and the auxiliary sump.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Dan L. Garland, Matthew Flannery, Nathaniel Smith, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Herbert M. Farley, Thamilselvan Karuppannan
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Publication number: 20170118916Abstract: A header which is couplable with a base unit of an agricultural harvester. The header includes a rotatably driven first sub-system, a rotatably driven second sub-system, a first input drive, and a second input drive. The first input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The first input drive is configured for driving the first sub-system at a first operating speed. The second input drive is mechanically couplable with the base unit. The second input drive is configured for driving the second sub-system at a second operating speed which is independent of the first operating speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2017Publication date: May 4, 2017Inventors: James M. Gessel, Jaclyn Raetzman, Joel T. Cook, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Jay D. Schroeder
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Patent number: 9578804Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester includes a plurality of row units, a plurality of feed/snapping units, and a plurality of chopping units. Each feed/snapping unit is associated with a respective said row unit and operable at a first operating speed. Each chopping unit is associated with at least one respective feed/snapping unit and operable at a constant second operating speed, independent of the first operating speed.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: James M. Gessel, Jaclyn Raetzman, Joel T. Cook, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Jay D. Schroeder
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Publication number: 20150305240Abstract: A header for an agricultural harvester includes a plurality of row units, a plurality of feed/snapping units, and a plurality of chopping units. Each feed/snapping unit is associated with a respective said row unit and operable at a first operating speed. Each chopping unit is associated with at least one respective feed/snapping unit and operable at a constant second operating speed, independent of the first operating speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2014Publication date: October 29, 2015Applicant: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLCInventors: James M. Gessel, Jaclyn Raetzman, Joel T. Cook, Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Jay D. Schroeder
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Patent number: 7428456Abstract: A system and method for actively decelerating a combine rotor is provided. The system includes an electronic control system configured to disengage the combine rotor from an engine, to brake the combine rotor at a first deceleration rate for a first time interval, and to subsequently brake the combine rotor at another deceleration rate until the rotor is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: John G. Brome, Douglas L. Wolken, Nicholas J. Laufenberg
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Patent number: 7186201Abstract: A system and method for actively decelerating a combine rotor is provided. The system includes an electronic control system configured to disengage the combine rotor from an engine, to brake the combine rotor at a first deceleration rate for a first time interval, and to subsequently brake the combine rotor at another deceleration rate until the rotor is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2005Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: John G. Brome, Douglas L. Wolken, Nicholas J. Laufenberg
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Patent number: 6929574Abstract: A two speed shift mechanism for a belt drive that includes a rotatable shaft with a first pulley, and a tube concentric with the shaft and rotatable therearound. The tube includes a shift hub supporting a second pushy in axially spaced relation to the first pulley for concentric rotation about the shift hub. The mechanism further includes a collar mounted around the shift hub for rotation therewith and for axial movement between a position adjacent the first pulley and a position adjacent the second pulley. In a first position, the collar and the first pulley include elements engageable for connecting the collar to the first pulley for rotation of the collar, the shift hub, and the tube. In a second position, the collar and the second pulley include elements engageable for connecting the collar to the second pulley for rotation of the collar, the shift hub, and the tube.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2004Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Peter J. Ungs
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Publication number: 20040204273Abstract: A two speed shift mechanism for a belt drive, including a rotatable shaft including a first pulley mounted thereon for rotation therewith, a tube concentric with the shaft and rotatable therearound, the tube including a shift hub mounted around a portion thereof for rotation therewith, and the shift hub supporting a second pulley in axially spaced relation to the first pulley for concentric rotation about the shift hub. The mechanism includes a collar mounted around the shift hub in the space between the pulleys for rotation with the shift hub and for axial movement relative thereto between a position adjacent the first pulley and a position adjacent the second pulley.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2004Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Peter J. Ungs
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Patent number: 6773367Abstract: A two speed shift mechanism for a belt drive that includes a rotatable shaft with a first pulley, and a tube concentric with the shaft and rotatable therearound. The tube includes a shift hub supporting a second pulley in axially spaced relation to the first pulley for concentric rotation about the shift hub. The mechanism further includes a collar mounted around the shift hub for rotation with the fit hub and for axial movement between a position adjacent the first pulley and a position adjacent the second pulley. In a first position, the collar and the first pulley include elements engageable for connecting the collar to the first pulley for rotation of the collar, the shift hub and the tube. In a second position, the collar and the second pulley include elements engageable for connecting the collar to the second pulley for rotation of the collar, the shift hub, and the tube.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2002Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Case CorporationInventors: Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Peter J. Ungs
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Publication number: 20040009834Abstract: A two speed shift mechanism for a belt drive, including a rotatable shaft including a first pulley mounted thereon for rotation therewith, a tube concentric with the shaft and rotatable therearound, the tube including a shift hub mounted around a portion thereof for rotation therewith, and the shift hub supporting a second pulley in axially spaced relation to the first pulley for concentric rotation about the shift hub. The mechanism includes a collar mounted around the shift hub in the space between the pulleys for rotation with the shift hub and for axial movement relative thereto between a position adjacent the first pulley and a position adjacent the second pulley.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2002Publication date: January 15, 2004Inventors: Nicholas J. Laufenberg, Peter J. Ungs