Patents by Inventor Todd Sears
Todd Sears 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: 20250010308Abstract: A cutter assembly in an industrial shredding machine is provided. The cutter assembly includes a wedge that tapers in an outward direction and has a first angled surface, the first angled surface extends from a base side that is configured to seat in a pocket in a rotational shaft. The cutter assembly further includes a holder with a tapered section that tapers in an inward direction toward a base side of the holder and one or more attachment device openings that are each configured to receive an attachment device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2022Publication date: January 9, 2025Applicant: SSI Shredding Systems, Inc.Inventors: Todd Sears, James Blasko
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Patent number: 11708849Abstract: A locking system in an industrial machine is provided. The locking system includes a lock-ring positioned in a lock-ring recess in a rotational shaft, a spacing plate axially interfacing with the lock-ring, and a compression plate with a threaded opening. The locking system further includes a bolt threadingly engaged with the threaded opening in the compression plate and a spring axially interposed between the spacing plate and the compression plate.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: SSI Shredding Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Mcleod, Thomas Garnier, Todd Sears
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Publication number: 20220250082Abstract: A modular industrial reducing machine is provided. The reducing machine includes a removable cutting tray releasably coupled to a first and second axial endwalls in a base frame. Additionally, the removable cutting tray includes a plurality of non-rotating anvils designed to interact with a plurality of cutters during reducing operation to reduce material in the reducing compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2020Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: Todd Sears, Thomas Garnier, Michael Neunzert
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Publication number: 20210033140Abstract: A locking system in an industrial machine is provided. The locking system includes a lock-ring positioned in a lock-ring recess in a rotational shaft, a spacing plate axially interfacing with the lock-ring, and a compression plate with a threaded opening. The locking system further includes a bolt threadingly engaged with the threaded opening in the compression plate and a spring axially interposed between the spacing plate and the compression plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Robert Mcleod, Thomas Garnier, Todd Sears
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Patent number: 10906143Abstract: A method for hardfacing cutting blades used in industrial machinery by creating a channel in the surfaces of an oversize cutting blade that may be filled with hardface weld and machining the outer edge of the main body and channel to create a desired finish profile with a hardfaced edge. Such a cutting blade may additionally have fixed points of reference on the cutting blade which may be used to automate some or all of the process of creating and/or hardfacing a cutting blade to the desired profile.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2017Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: SSI SHREDDING SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Todd Sears, Thomas Garnier
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Patent number: 10440970Abstract: A grain management system can condition a grain mass held in grain storage equipment using environmental inputs, varietal inputs, nutrient inputs, and/or characteristic inputs. The inputs can provide a customized grain conditioning strategy or program to maintain nutritional attributes of the grain mass and/or prevent overdrying, mold, decomposition, or other spoilage of the grain mass. The inputs can be entered by a user or automatically detected or entered based on present or historical data associated with the grain or grain conditioning equipment.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: IntelliFarms, LLCInventors: Johnselvakumar Lawrence, Charles Todd Sears
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Patent number: 10334864Abstract: A grain management system can condition a grain mass held in grain storage equipment using environmental inputs, varietal inputs, nutrient inputs, and/or characteristic inputs. The inputs can provide a customized grain conditioning strategy or program to maintain nutritional attributes of the grain mass and/or prevent overdrying, mold, decomposition, or other spoilage of the grain mass. The inputs can be entered by a user or automatically detected or entered based on present or historical data associated with the grain or grain conditioning equipment.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: IntelliFarms, LLCInventors: Johnselvakumar Lawrence, Charles Todd Sears
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Publication number: 20180117596Abstract: A means for hardfacing cutting blades used in industrial machinery by creating a channel in the surfaces of an oversize cutting blade that may be filled with hardface weld and machining the outer edge of the main body and channel to create a desired finish profile with a hardfaced edge. Such a cutting blade may additionally have fixed points of reference on the cutting blade which may be used to automate some or all of the process of creating and/or hardfacing a cutting blade to the desired profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Todd Sears, Thomas Garnier
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Publication number: 20160183548Abstract: A grain management system can condition a grain mass held in grain storage equipment using environmental inputs, varietal inputs, nutrient inputs, and/or characteristic inputs. The inputs can provide a customized grain conditioning strategy or program to maintain nutritional attributes of the grain mass and/or prevent overdrying, mold, decomposition, or other spoilage of the grain mass. The inputs can be entered by a user or automatically detected or entered based on present or historical data associated with the grain or grain conditioning equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Johnselvakumar LAWRENCE, Charles Todd SEARS
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Publication number: 20160183547Abstract: A grain management system can condition a grain mass held in grain storage equipment using environmental inputs, varietal inputs, nutrient inputs, and/or characteristic inputs. The inputs can provide a customized grain conditioning strategy or program to maintain nutritional attributes of the grain mass and/or prevent overdrying, mold, decomposition, or other spoilage of the grain mass. The inputs can be entered by a user or automatically detected or entered based on present or historical data associated with the grain or grain conditioning equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Johnselvakumar LAWRENCE, Charles Todd SEARS
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Patent number: 8128015Abstract: A cutter assembly for a rotary, shear-type shredder including a cutting-tool carrier having a body possessing a rotational axis, a shear cutting tool, and a generally radial, sliding-friction-type, heat-cycle, binding interface removably anchoring the tool to the carrier body. This assembly is made by (a) forming a projection on one of the tool and the carrier, (b) forming a generally complementary, projection-receiving void space in the other of the tool and the carrier, whereby the projection and the void space nominally have an interference-fit relationship relative to one another, (c) creating a temperature differential between the tool and the carrier to an extent producing a clearance-fit relationship therebetween, (d) following that creating, fitting the projection snugly inside the void space, (e) reducing the created temperature differential toward zero, and (f) thereby establishing a robust, linear-sliding-friction anchoring interface between the tool and the carrier.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: SSI Shredding Systems, Inc.Inventor: Todd A. Sears
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Publication number: 20100270410Abstract: A material shredder including an elongate rotor including distributed, outwardly projecting cutting teeth having cutting edges collectively defining a rotor cutting profile, and an elongate bed-knife disposed operatively adjacent the rotor and possessing distributed cutting edges collectively defining a bed-knife cutting profile which meshes complementarily with the rotor cutting profile with rotation of the rotor, these two profiles collectively defining an elongate shredding interface wherein there are certain reverse-facing, mutually facing, respective cutting edges in the teeth and bed-knife that face, respectively, toward and away from the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2010Publication date: October 28, 2010Inventor: Todd A. Sears
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Publication number: 20090014570Abstract: A cutter assembly for a rotary, shear-type shredder including a cutting-tool carrier having a body possessing a rotational axis, a shear cutting tool, and a generally radial, sliding-friction-type, heat-cycle, binding interface removably anchoring the tool to the carrier body. This assembly is made by (a) forming a projection on one of the tool and the carrier, (b) forming a generally complementary, projection-receiving void space in the other of the tool and the carrier, whereby the projection and the void space nominally have an interference-fit relationship relative to one another, (c) creating a temperature differential between the tool and the carrier to an extent producing a clearance-fit relationship therebetween, (d) following that creating, fitting the projection snugly inside the void space, (e) reducing the created temperature differential toward zero, and (f) thereby establishing a robust, linear-sliding-friction anchoring interface between the tool and the carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2008Publication date: January 15, 2009Inventor: Todd A. Sears
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Publication number: 20070203756Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product to create a quote for providing a benefit, such as an employee benefit of a group health insurance policy or a retirement plan. Products that can be associated with the quote are automatically determined using at least one rule for associating products with quotes. A product can be associated with the quote if the product satisfies the rules. Rules can require another product to be included with the product in the quote, require a given value for an attribute of the product, or require a relationship between the values of attributes of different products. Rules can also be added to specify how data for the products are presented in a display via a user interface. A user can use a configuration user interface to set up rules.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2002Publication date: August 30, 2007Inventors: Todd Sears, Ann Klein, Hong Qian, Hang Lu
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Patent number: 6375106Abstract: A blade assembly for a waste reduction machine includes a hub which is mounted on a rotatable shaft. A plurality of attachment devices are located at spaced-apart intervals on the periphery of the hub. Each attachment device has a tooth releasably attached to it. The attachment device includes an elongate threaded element which is oriented generally perpendicular to a radial line on the hub which intersects the threaded element. The threaded element engages the tooth and pulls it onto or pushes it off of the attachment device. The attachment device includes an elongate locking element and the tooth includes a slot which slidingly interfits onto the locking element. The locking element and slot are configured so as to prevent the tooth from moving radially outwardly from the periphery of the hub.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: SSI Shredding Systems, Inc.Inventor: Todd Sears
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Patent number: 5671543Abstract: A tape measure marking device and method for use thereof in which a C-member is removably attached to the tape case across a narrow dimension thereof, by an existing screw in the tape case being inserted through the C-member. The C-member includes an implement holding member projecting to a side of the tape case, the implement holding member providing for releasably attaching a marking or cutting implement to the tape case. The C-member further includes an indexing member disposed across a substantial portion of an extensible tape being extended from the tape case and the implement holding member provides for centering marking implements having different sizes and shapes to register with the indexing member.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Inventor: Todd A. Sears