Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Hoffman

Thomas J. Hoffman 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: 20240016095
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic wrapping bales in a bale wrapper, including placing a bale on a loading table and performing a wrapping cycle. The wrapping cycle including rotating a wrapping hoop to apply a wrapping material to a bale surface, moving a bale pushing device from a first position toward a second position to push the bale through the wrapping hoop, dispensing from a first material applicator and a second material applicator, determining presence of the wrapping material, by a sensor on the wrapping hoop, adjusting based on the determining, a ratio of moving speed to rotational speed of the wrapping hoop, to apply a predetermined amount of wrapping material independent of the presence of wrapping material dispensing, continuing to move the bale pushing device until the second position is reached, stopping the rotation of the wrapping hoop, and moving the bale pushing device to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Shane WILLIAMS, Justin H. MAINWARING, Grant J. HEINEMAN, Jacob L. PETERSON, Dana Eric REDMAN, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
  • Publication number: 20220054998
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: KUNH NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11185833
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20210045292
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for use with mergers are disclosed. A disclosed method for processing a material on a ground surface includes detecting, via one or more sensors, an object of interest associated with the material when a merger is forming a windrow on the ground surface. The method also includes a step for facilitating removal of the object of interest from the material in response to the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC
    Inventors: Damion D. Babler, Dana E. Redman, Dennis Williams, Reid L. Christ, Thomas J. Hoffman, Timothy G. Osterhaus, William J. Bassett
  • Patent number: 10736347
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20200077694
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
  • Patent number: 10499680
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20190366287
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed including a container that receives the materials, agitators that mix the materials in the container, a driveline that drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, a power source that provides an input speed at an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source and having a hydrostatic loop to provide a speed ratio between the input speed and the output speed, a plurality of sensors positioned between the power source and the agitators that provides mixing signals commensurate to mixing parameters, and an electronic control unit configured to receive the mixing signals, extract mixing parameter values from the mixing signals, and actuate the continuously variable transmission and adjust the speed ratio based on the mixing parameter values to enhance efficiency of the mixing of the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20180255823
    Abstract: A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
  • Patent number: 6123176
    Abstract: An elevator rope tension monitoring assembly is disclosed. The rope tension monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors that produce an output corresponding to the level of tension in each of the ropes. A controller compares the relative levels of sensed tension and generates a warning signal if a sufficient deviation in the relative level of tension in the ropes is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman, Frederick H. Barker
  • Patent number: 5886308
    Abstract: An elevator rope speed monitoring assembly is disclosed. The rope speed monitoring assembly includes a plurality of sensors that monitor the movement of the individual ropes. The sensors output a signal indicative of the speed of the movement of the ropes. A controller compares the relative movement of the ropes and generates a warning signal if a sufficient deviation between relative rope speeds is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Ericson, Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 4778225
    Abstract: A vehicle braking system equipped with an adaptive braking system with traction control to control drive wheel slip during vehicle acceleration includes a conventional vacuum brake booster having a vacuum chamber normally connected to engine manifold vacuum and an atmospheric chamber connected to the vacuum chamber when the brakes are released but which is connected to atmosphere when a brake application is effected. The traction control system includes a control unit which actuates a solenoid valve under wheel slip conditions during vehicle acceleration to cut off communication between the vacuum chamber and engine manifold vacuum. The traction control system also cuts off communication between the vacuum chamber and the atmospheric chamber and initiates communication of the atmospheric chamber directly to engine manifold vacuum, thereby effecting a brake application proportional to engine manifold vacuum, which varies as a function of engine power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Rudolph, Thomas J. Hoffman, Jerry L. Cage, Michael E. Gatt
  • Patent number: 4356813
    Abstract: A solar energy concentrating device for concentrating the intensity of solar radiation impinging on a solar collector includes a plurality of adjacently positioned tapered solar energy passageways having solar energy reflecting walls. These tapered solar energy passageways are disposed in an arcuate array to form a solar energy concentrating device. The convex side of the concentrating device is the outer surface of the concentrating device through which solar energy enters the tapered solar energy passageways, and the concave side of the concentrating device is the inner surface of the concentrating device from which concentrated solar energy emerges from the concentrating device. A solar collector is located to the concave side of the concentrating device so that the concentrated solar energy leaving the concentrating device will impinge on the solar collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hoffman, Jose G. Martin