Patents by Inventor Tom Somers

Tom Somers 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: 20250206391
    Abstract: A track unit includes a belt track guided by guide wheels and support rollers. The belt track includes a core with drive lugs on the inner surface thereof, and ground-engaging lugs arranged in two parallel rows on the outer surface of the core. Each ground-engaging lug includes a load-bearing portion defined as a portion of the lug lying within a contact strip of the core, wherein the contact strips are lateral parts directly contacted by the guide wheels and/or support rollers when the belt track is moving. In one aspect, the ground-engaging lugs have uniform resilience and do not overlap or do not substantially overlap the central portion of the core between the contact strips. In another aspect, the ground-engaging lugs include a non load-bearing portion overlapping the central portion, wherein the non load-bearing portion is at least partially thinner or more resilient than the load-bearing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Inventors: Wim Declercq, Bart De Brouwer, Tom Somers, Thiago Souza
  • Patent number: 11434220
    Abstract: The invention relates primarily to a method of modulation, preferably of in vitro and/or in vivo modulation, of the cold menthol receptor TRPM8, wherein the receptor is contacted with at least one modulator selected from the group consisting of the compounds of the structure type 1 described herein. The present invention further relates to corresponding uses and compositions comprising such compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignees: BASF SE, SYMRISE AG
    Inventors: BenoƮt Join, Jekaterina Ongouta, Michael Backes, Rahim Brodhage, Arnold Machinek, Hubert Loges, Susanne Mundt, Tom Somers, Thomas Subkowski, Jens Wittenberg, Martin Weisel, Wolfgang Siegel, Claus Bollschweiler, Ralf Pelzer
  • Patent number: 9939052
    Abstract: A tension roller assembly includes a tension roller, a pivotable support arm, a tension arm, a compression spring, a rod, first and second spring stops, a mounting plate, and an overcenter assembly connected to an end of the tension arm. The overcenter assembly connects the tension arm to the mounting plate. The overcenter assembly is configured to make a pivoting movement over a pivot trajectory between engaged and disengaged positions. The overcenter assembly further has a center position located between the engaged and disengaged positions. The pivot trajectory between the center position and the disengaged position is divided into a tensioned section in which the end stop does not engage the stop surface and the spring exerts a force on the overcenter assembly, and a free-moving section in which the end stop engages the stop surface and the spring does not exert any force on the overcenter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Stijn Bailliu, Frank Duquesne, Tom Somers, Charlotte Van de Wege, Ruben Vancoillie
  • Publication number: 20170059014
    Abstract: A tension roller assembly includes a tension roller, a pivotable support arm, a tension arm, a compression spring, a rod, first and second spring stops, a mounting plate, and an overcenter assembly connected to an end of the tension arm. The overcenter assembly connects the tension arm to the mounting plate. The overcenter assembly is configured to make a pivoting movement over a pivot trajectory between engaged and disengaged positions. The overcenter assembly further has a center position located between the engaged and disengaged positions. The pivot trajectory between the center position and the disengaged position is divided into a tensioned section in which the end stop does not engage the stop surface and the spring exerts a force on the overcenter assembly, and a free-moving section in which the end stop engages the stop surface and the spring does not exert any force on the overcenter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Stijn Bailliu, Frank Duquesne, Tom Somers, Charlotte Van de Wege, Ruben Vancoillie
  • Patent number: 9125343
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a feeder housing pivotally mounted to the chassis. The agricultural harvester is characterized in that an axle assembly is pivotally mounted to the feeder housing. A hydraulic actuator is coupled with the axle assembly for pivotally moving the axle assembly in upward and downward directions from the feeder housing. A road mode switch provides a first output signal indicative of a field mode and a second output signal indicative of a road mode. A controller is coupled with the road mode switch and the hydraulic actuator. The controller receives the second output signal from the road mode switch and controls the hydraulic actuator, whereby the hydraulic actuator provides a substantially constant down force between the axle assembly and a ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank Duquesne, Tom Somers, Gudrun Baeckelandt, Michael Carpentier, Jeff Trowbridge
  • Publication number: 20150121829
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a feeder housing pivotally mounted to the chassis. The agricultural harvester is characterized in that an axle assembly is pivotally mounted to the feeder housing. A hydraulic actuator is coupled with the axle assembly for pivotally moving the axle assembly in upward and downward directions from the feeder housing. A road mode switch provides a first output signal indicative of a field mode and a second output signal indicative of a road mode. A controller is coupled with the road mode switch and the hydraulic actuator. The controller receives the second output signal from the road mode switch and controls the hydraulic actuator, whereby the hydraulic actuator provides a substantially constant down force between the axle assembly and a ground surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frank Duquesne, Tom Somers, Gudrun Baeckelandt, Michael Carpentier, Jeff Trowbridge
  • Publication number: 20050282601
    Abstract: A drive linkage is described for reciprocating a sieve that is suspended within a frame of a combine harvester for movement in mutually orthogonal directions. The drive linkage comprises a cranking mechanism for imparting a reciprocating motion to the sieve in the direction of travel of the harvester and a pivot arm pivotably connected at one end to one side of the sieve to cause the sieve to move in an arc centred on a pivot axis at the opposite end of the pivot arm as the sieve is reciprocated. In the invention, the pivot axis of the pivot arm is displaced relative to the frame in synchronism with the reciprocation of the sieve in such a manner as to cause the sieve to follow a substantially rectilinear path relative to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Frank Duquesne, Tom Somers