Patents by Inventor Seth Steensma
Seth Steensma 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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Patent number: 12653174Abstract: A sprayer nozzle assembly includes a control valve configured to control a flow rate of agricultural product according to a duty cycle having valve open and valve closed positions. The assembly includes a sprayer tip having a tip orifice for spraying the agricultural product. A throttled interface duct interconnects the control valve and the sprayer tip. The throttled interface duct includes an interface duct profile. The interface duct profile is configured to decrease a flow characteristic of the agricultural product while the control valve is in the valve closed position.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: June 16, 2026Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.Inventors: Travis Burgers, Seth Steensma, Justin Krosschell, Jared Ernest Kocer
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Patent number: 12628808Abstract: A sprayer nozzle assembly includes a control valve configured to control a flow rate of agricultural product according to a duty cycle having valve open and valve closed positions. The assembly includes a sprayer tip having a tip orifice for spraying the agricultural product. A throttled interface duct interconnects the control valve and the sprayer tip. The throttled interface duct includes an interface duct profile. The interface duct profile is configured to decrease a flow characteristic of the agricultural product while the control valve is in the valve closed position.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 19, 2026Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.Inventors: Travis Burgers, Seth Steensma, Justin Krosschell, Jared Ernest Kocer
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Publication number: 20260107934Abstract: A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2025Publication date: April 23, 2026Inventors: Justin Krosschell, Drew John Waltner, Travis Burgers, Jacob Deines, Seth Steensma
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Patent number: 12458012Abstract: A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2023Date of Patent: November 4, 2025Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.Inventors: Justin Krosschell, Drew John Waltner, Travis Allen Burgers, Jacob David Deines, Seth Steensma
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Publication number: 20230329220Abstract: A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Justin Krosschell, Drew John Waltner, Travis Allen Burgers, Jacob David Deines, Seth Steensma
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Patent number: 11612160Abstract: A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.Inventors: Justin Krosschell, Drew John Waltner, Travis Burgers, Jacob Deines, Seth Steensma
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Publication number: 20210400946Abstract: A sprayer nozzle assembly includes a control valve configured to control a flow rate of agricultural product according to a duty cycle having valve open and valve closed positions. The assembly includes a sprayer tip having a tip orifice for spraying the agricultural product. A throttled interface duct interconnects the control valve and the sprayer tip. The throttled interface duct includes an interface duct profile. The interface duct profile is configured to decrease a flow characteristic of the agricultural product while the control valve is in the valve closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Travis Burgers, Seth Steensma, Justin Krosschell, Jared Ernest Kocer
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Publication number: 20210219538Abstract: A sprayer control system includes a plurality of smart nozzles each having at least one control valve with a valve operator, an electronic control unit for the valve operator, and one or more spray nozzles. The at least one control valve and the ECU control a flow rate of liquid agricultural product through the nozzles. A duty cycle modulator is in communication with the ECU and generates an applied duty cycle for the at least one control valve. The duty cycle modulator includes a specified duty cycle input having a specified duty cycle and a pressure monitor associated with the at least one control valve. A pressure comparator compares the valve pressure determined with the pressure monitor with a system pressure and generates a pressure error. An applied duty cycle generator generates the applied duty cycle based on the specified duty cycle modified by the pressure error.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Justin Krosschell, Drew John Waltner, Travis Burgers, Jacob Deines, Seth Steensma
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Publication number: 20170314580Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. An operator cavity is within the valve body, and the valve body includes a valve operator socket surface. A valve operator is slidably coupled with the valve body and in the operator cavity. The valve operator includes an operator surface configured to selectively isolate the fluid inlet from the fluid outlet, and an end surface. At least one of the valve operator socket surface or the end surface of the valve operator include a discontinuous interface. The discontinuous interface includes a recessed surface, and one or more interface breaking projections extending from the recessed surface, the one or more interface breaking projections space the recessed surface from the valve operator socket surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Seth Steensma, Brent A. Driesen