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).
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Publication number: 20240016095Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2022Publication date: January 18, 2024Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Shane WILLIAMS, Justin H. MAINWARING, Grant J. HEINEMAN, Jacob L. PETERSON, Dana Eric REDMAN, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
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Publication number: 20220054998Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: KUNH NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Patent number: 11185833Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20210045292Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INCInventors: Damion D. Babler, Dana E. Redman, Dennis Williams, Reid L. Christ, Thomas J. Hoffman, Timothy G. Osterhaus, William J. Bassett
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Patent number: 10736347Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20200077694Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
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Patent number: 10499680Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Jacob Veeder, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, William Bassett, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20190366287Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan Rowntree, Rodney Zimmerman, Aaron Wepner, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20180255823Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: KUHN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bryan ROWNTREE, Jacob VEEDER, Rodney ZIMMERMAN, Aaron WEPNER, William BASSETT, Thomas J. HOFFMAN
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Patent number: 6123176Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman, Frederick H. Barker
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Patent number: 5886308Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Richard J. Ericson, Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman
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Patent number: 4778225Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 10, 1987Date of Patent: October 18, 1988Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.Inventors: Robert S. Rudolph, Thomas J. Hoffman, Jerry L. Cage, Michael E. Gatt
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Patent number: 4356813Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 2, 1981Date of Patent: November 2, 1982Inventors: Thomas J. Hoffman, Jose G. Martin