Patents Issued in April 24, 2018
  • Patent number: PP29252
    Abstract: A new and distinct variety of cherry tree denominated ‘ROSALOLAM’ has fruits that ripen early in the season, with big size and two colored fruit skin, very firm, and with a good flavor and eating quality; the fruit is further characterized by its good handling and storage qualities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: AGRO SELECTIONS FRUITS
    Inventors: Arsene Maillard, Laurence Maillard
  • Patent number: PP29253
    Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘H216901’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; strong and sturdy stems; freely and uniformly flowering habit; mophead-type inflorescences with numerous dark red purple-colored sterile flowers; and good postproduction longevity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hydrangea Breeders Association B.V.
    Inventor: Niels Arts
  • Patent number: PP29254
    Abstract: A new Iberis plant named ‘IBSZ0004’ particularly distinguished by its cream white flowers that are early flowering, dark green foliage and a vigorous, mounded plant habit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventor: Henricus Godefridus Wilhelmus Stemkens
  • Patent number: PP29255
    Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Iberis plant named ‘Floribmobi’, characterized by its white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, low vigor, and compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Florensis B.V.
    Inventor: Tobias M. Braeunig
  • Patent number: PP29256
    Abstract: A new Saxifraga plant named ‘SAXZ0013’ particularly distinguished by its red coloured flowers with green leaves on a mounding compact round and well branched plant habit that starts to flower quite late.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventor: Henricus Godefridus Wilhelmus Stemkens
  • Patent number: PP29257
    Abstract: A new Saxifraga plant named ‘SAXZ0016’ particularly distinguished by the blushed red-purple flower color with a darker eye, short peduncles on a vigorous plant habit, and is very early to mature and flower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventor: Henricus Godefridus Wilhelmus Stemkens
  • Patent number: PP29258
    Abstract: A new garden type Chrysanthemum plant named ‘CIFZ00034’ particularly distinguished by the medium to large yellow decorative flowers, compact to medium sized plant with round mound habit, and a natural flowering response in mid-October.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventor: Mark A. Smith
  • Patent number: PP29259
    Abstract: A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named ‘PHALUFREL’, particularly characterized by having purple flowers with unique eye-catching light purple edge, 1 to 2 peduncles, leaves that are obovate, and is propagated by meristem tissue culture, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ANTHURA B.V.
    Inventor: Martinus Nicolaas Gerardus Van Swieten
  • Patent number: PP29260
    Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balangspird’, characterized by its medium violet and white bicolored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, prostrate-spreading growth habit, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ball Horticultural Company
    Inventor: Phuong N. Nguyen
  • Patent number: RE46801
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Donghoon Sohn, Anders P. Jensen
  • Patent number: RE46802
    Abstract: A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes a core having upper and lower curved surfaces and upper and lower plates. At least one of the curved surfaces of the core is metallic, and in some embodiments the entire core is metallic. Each plate has an outer surface which engages a vertebra and a metallic inner curved surface which is shaped to slide over one of the curved surfaces of the core. In some embodiments, the center of rotation of the core is free to move relative to the upper and lower metallic plates. In some embodiments, one or more channels extend across one or both of the curved surfaces of the core for allowing passage of bodily fluid to promote lubrication between the core and at least one of the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Simplify Medical Pty Limited
    Inventors: Malan de Villiers, Ulrich Hahnle, David Hovda
  • Patent number: RE46803
    Abstract: A portable multipurpose whole body exercise device which can be used for general fitness, Pilates-type, core strengthening, therapeutic, and rehabilitative exercises as well as stretching and physical therapy and which includes storable accessories that can be withdrawn from storage within the device and subsequently secured to the main tubular portion of the apparatus. The storable accessories can be used for a variety of resistance, stretching, and strength training exercises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Balanced Body, Inc.
    Inventors: Darya Kathleen Bronston, Matthew Arf, John Russell Stump
  • Patent number: RE46804
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for regenerative air purification and a method thereof. The system includes a set of gas sensors, a processor, an adsorption gas filters with TiO2 (or TiO2 mixed activated carbon material) coated on the outer surface, a set of auto valves, a set of UV lamps, and a heater near the adsorption filter. The processor is configured to receive input data from the gas sensors and to control the system. During an air cleaning phase, the air is ventilated through the adsorption filter and VOCs are trapped therein. During a regenerative phase, the UV lamps and heater are turned on and the adsorption filter media will be cleaned up via the combined approaches including the heating of the heater, photo-catalytic oxidation and a reversed air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: RE46805
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions containing a novel protein and methods of using those compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of immune related diseases involving detection of the PRO52254 polypeptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: Daryl T. Baldwin, Sarah C. Bodary-Winter, Andrew C. Chan, Hilary Clark, Janet K. Jackman, William I. Wood
  • Patent number: RE46806
    Abstract: A piston and an engine are provided that includes various precise configuration parameters, including dimensions, shape and/or relative positioning of combustion chamber features. More particularly, configuration parameters for a piston crown and a piston bowl located within the piston crown are provided. The piston bowl configuration results in a combustion process that yields decreased heat transfer to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine as well as reduced NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Rishikesh Venugopal, Donald W. Stanton, Bhargav Ranganath, Thomas Bodin
  • Patent number: RE46807
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing and producing a three-dimensional object selection of a base three-dimensional object from a customer device. A base three-dimensional model corresponding to the object is displayed on the customer device, and one or more custom modifications are received. A modified three-dimensional model corresponding to the modified object is prepared and displayed. Once confirmation to produce the modified object is received, data corresponding to the modified three-dimensional model is transmitted to a manufacturing device for production of the object, using the data to do so, such that the object corresponds directly to the modified three-dimensional model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KRAFTWÜRX, INC.
    Inventor: Bryan C. Norman
  • Patent number: RE46808
    Abstract: A gaming machine, at the beginning of a game, determines static symbols for each of the video reels and executes variable display. Then, in a case where the static symbols do not form a winning combination and where the static symbols include symbols constituting a winning combination, video reels displaying symbols not constituting the winning combination are statically displayed after other video reels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Nakayasu Tsukahara
  • Patent number: RE46809
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a memory unit; and a control unit. The memory unit includes: first and second memory strings including first and second memory transistors with first and second select gates, respectively; and first and second wirings connected thereto. In a selective erase operation of a selected cell transistor of the first memory transistors, the control unit applies V1 voltage to the first wiring, applies V2 voltage lower than V1 to a selected cell gate of the selected cell transistor, applies V3 voltage not higher than V1 and higher than V2 to a non-selected cell gate of the first memory transistors, applies V1 or V4 voltage not higher than V1 and not lower than V3 to the first select gate, and applies V2 or V4 voltage higher than V2 and not higher than V3 to the second wiring or sets the second wiring in a floating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryouhei Kirisawa, Masaru Kito, Shigeto Oota, Yoshimasa Mikajiri
  • Patent number: RE46810
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for transmitting information includes processing a downlink transport channel to generate a transport block (TB) having a TB size. The TB size is selected by selecting a modulation and coding scheme index (ITBS) and a physical resource block index (NPRB). The TB size for the selected ITBS and NPRB is selected so that an effective code rate at an user equipment (UE) does not exceed a specified threshold. The effective code rate is defined as a number of downlink (DL) information bits including TB cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits and code block CRC bits divided by a number of physical channel bits on Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). The transport block is mapped to multiple spatial layers. The number of spatial layers N is greater than or equal to three. The multiple spatial layers are transmitted to the UE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FUTUREWEI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ying Jin, Yufei Blankenship
  • Patent number: RE46811
    Abstract: An audio system for a television using a pipe type passive directional acoustic device mounted in a television cabinet. The slotted pipe type passive directional acoustic device includes a first acoustic driver, acoustically coupled to a pipe to radiate acoustic energy into the pipe. The first pipe includes an elongated opening along at least a portion of the length of the pipe. Acoustically resistive material is in the opening. Pressure waves are radiated to the environment through the opening. The pressure waves are characterized by a volume velocity. The pipe, the opening, and the acoustically resistive material are configured so that the volume velocity is substantially constant along the length of the pipe. The passive directional acoustic devices directionally radiate sound waves laterally from the television cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Jankovsky, Eric S. Johanson, Richard Saffran
  • Patent number: 9949421
    Abstract: A shark fin wear bar includes a fin edge configured to till the soil. The fin edge is positioned to face in the same direction as the ripper point. The shark fin wear bar also includes a first part configured to abut the rear of the ripper point such that debris from tilling cannot get lodged between the two components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Unverferth Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: William C. Maenle
  • Patent number: 9949422
    Abstract: A seeding implement includes a depth adjustment mechanism configured to facilitate rapid reconfiguration of a ground engaging tool for varying penetration depths. The seeding implement includes a ground engaging tool and a packer arm pivotally coupled to a packer support structure. The seeding implement also includes a packer wheel rotatably coupled to the packer arm, and configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the ground engaging tool into the soil. The seeding implement further includes a depth adjustment assembly including a slot within the packer support structure, a corresponding slot within the packer arm, and a fastener disposed through the slots. In this configuration, the penetration depth of the ground engaging tool is varied by adjusting a position of the fastener within the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicholas George Alfred Ryder, Kevin Hall
  • Patent number: 9949423
    Abstract: An agricultural system includes agricultural equipment and a user interface. The agricultural equipment includes a command and control system and an equipment configuration code file. The command and control system, in operation, configures and controls the agricultural equipment based at least in part on the equipment configuration code file. The agricultural equipment comprises a work vehicle or an implement to be carried or towed by a work vehicle. The user interface displays information to, and receive inputs from a user for one or more data fields in the equipment configuration code file for the agricultural equipment. The data fields comprise a user-given name and at least one of a compatible implement, an accessory, or a task for which the agricultural equipment may be configured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC, Autonomous Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Foster, John Henry Posselius, Bret Todd Turpin, Brandon Chamberlain Adams, James Brian Stewart
  • Patent number: 9949424
    Abstract: A coated seed product, the product comprising: at least one plant seed; and a coating adhered to the exterior of the plant seed, the coating comprising one or more evaporite minerals, preferably polyhalite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Sirius Minerals PLC
    Inventor: Robert Meakin
  • Patent number: 9949425
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one electron beam generator for generating accelerated electrons with which bulk material particles are impingeable during free fall. The electron beam generator has an annular design in which the electrons are emitted and accelerated by an annular cathode. The electrons exit from an electron outlet window in the direction of the ring axis. The annular electron beam generator is arranged in such a way that the ring axis of the electron beam generator is oriented perpendicular to, or at an angle of up to 45° from the horizontal. The apparatus may further include a device for separating bulk material particles arranged above the annular electron beam generator, the bottom wall of said device having at least one opening out of which the bulk material particles fall and, from there, fall through the ring which is formed by the electron beam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Frank-Holm Rögner, André Weidauer, Gösta Mattausch, Jörg Kubusch
  • Patent number: 9949426
    Abstract: A seed delivery apparatus and methods in which a seed conveyor delivers seed from a metering device to a furrow in a controlled manner to maintain seed placement accuracy within the furrow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Ian R. Radtke, Jeremy J. Hodel
  • Patent number: 9949427
    Abstract: A system for distributing a plurality of seeds includes a storage tank operable to store the plurality of seeds. A first meter is downstream of the storage tank. A second meter is downstream of the first meter and is operable to individually meter the plurality of seeds. An outlet conduit is located downstream of the second meter. The first meter is configured to adjust the flow of the plurality of seeds in response to a signal from a sensor located between the first meter and the outlet conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: John M. Schweitzer, Peter R. Nedved
  • Patent number: 9949428
    Abstract: An ammonia applicator system includes adjustable orifices with openings having variable sizes that can be changed remotely, without having to disassemble exit lines from a distribution manifold. In this way, the restriction of the exit lines and, thus, line flow rate can be adjusted remotely and/or automatically, even during ammonia application use. Each adjustable orifice may include a valve and an actuator that controls the valve for changing the size of the opening of the adjustable orifice. The actuator may be a rotary actuator, such as a stepper motor, and the valve may include an adjustment knob and a screw that can rotate to allow a needle to advance or regress through an opening of a valve body of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: James W. Henry, Mohammad Vakil
  • Patent number: 9949429
    Abstract: An adjustable guided rake apparatus and method, which enable an adjustable guided rake user to configure an adjustable rake guide to a specified height in relation to a secondary surface, which will then define the height of the grading edge of the grading rake head in relation to a primary surface. The adjustable guided rake user is able to move the grading rake head along a primary surface, in order to shift material along the surface, while the adjustable rake guide runs along the secondary surface, guiding the grading rake head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Darren Green
  • Patent number: 9949430
    Abstract: The present invention includes a control system for manually varying the speed of a walk behind belt-driven self-propelled lawn mower. The self-propelled lawn mower transmission is equipped with a lever for tilting the transmission for tightening or loosening the belt, and this increases or decreases the lawn mower speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GXi Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon W. Jackson, William R. Best
  • Patent number: 9949431
    Abstract: A riding yard maintenance vehicle may include a positioning module. The positioning module may include processing circuitry configured to receive information indicative of vehicle position of the riding yard maintenance vehicle, receive an indication of a triggering event that indicates a presence of an obstacle proximate to the riding yard maintenance vehicle, and cause recordation of an obstacle identifier in association with the vehicle position responsive to receipt of the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventors: Mikael Willgert, Sean Dwyer, Bernard Drew
  • Patent number: 9949432
    Abstract: A vegetation chopping roller for an agricultural land roller implement including a drum body having an outer periphery which is generally cylindrical about a drum axis of rotation and a plurality of protruding mounting flanges upon which chopping blades are mounted using threaded fasteners. A seating surface is fixedly supported in relation to the drum body in association with each blade which receives the inner edge of the associated blade abutted thereon such that the threaded fasteners are substantially isolated from shear forces by the abutment of the blades with the seating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Johan Redekop
  • Patent number: 9949433
    Abstract: A cutting longitudinal swaths grain harvesting and baling combine, includes a grain cutting and conveying system, a threshing and separation system, a grain cleaning apparatus, a grain collection and holding system, a straw compression and baling apparatus, a chassis travelling system, and a driving system; when the combine is harvesting grain in fields, the stalks are cut and conveyed to the threshing and separation system by the grain cutting and conveying system; the threshed and separated straw is compressed and baled by the straw compression and baling apparatus; the threshed and separated grain is cleaned by the grain cleaning apparatus; and the cleaned grain is conveyed by the grain collection and holding system to a grain storage bin. The combine can achieve harvesting of grain such as rice and wheat as well as compression and baling of threshed straw, having advantages of high working efficiency, stable performance, a simple process, and being time and labor saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yaoming Li, Lizhang Xu, Zhong Tang
  • Patent number: 9949434
    Abstract: A crop residue spreader including at least one impeller, at least one radial housing, and at least one blower outlet opening. The at least one radial housing includes a crop residue outlet opening. The at least one impeller is configured to be rotatably driven around a rotation axis such that a crop residue flow is ejected through the crop residue outlet opening of the at least one radial housing, such that the crop residue flow is converted from an incoming crop residue flow into a wider outgoing crop residue flow. The at least one separate blower outlet opening is separate from the crop residue outlet opening of the at least one radial housing. The at least one blower outlet opening is configured to provide an outgoing airflow to accelerate the crop residue flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Frederik Baes, Yvan C. C. Vandergucht
  • Patent number: 9949435
    Abstract: A grain tank level sensing system for a combine which harvests grain. The combine includes an upwardly open grain tank fillable with harvested grain and a cover that is displaceable for closing off the open grain tank. An actuator displaces the cover between an open and close position and either single or dual ultrasonic sensors continuously detect the level of grain in the tank and generate a signal proportional to the level of grain in the grain tank. A control system receives the signal from the ultrasonic sensors and generates an indication of the level in the tank to a monitor and/or disables the actuator to initiate the closing function when the grain tank is full.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Clayton E. Banks, Jr., Michael A. Conrad, William M. McCully
  • Patent number: 9949436
    Abstract: A grass mower is provided with a plurality of rotating shafts passing through a ceiling wall of a mower deck and extending upward, disposed in a side-by-side state; cutting blades respectively linked to the rotating shafts in an internal space of the mower deck; an electric motor mounted at a location to the lateral outside relative to a rotation path of the cutting blades within the mower deck, and having an output shaft extending upward; and a power transmission mechanism positioned above the ceiling wall of the mower deck, and configured to transmit power from the output shaft to the rotating shafts of the cutting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 9949437
    Abstract: A cooling system for a crop harvester. The cooling system includes a thermal transfer system configured to transfer heat from an engine of the crop harvester to air and crops passing through a crop chute of the crop harvester to cool the engine and dry crops passing through the crop chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Powell
  • Patent number: 9949438
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a harvester capable of continuous bailing of crop material, particularly to a harvester comprising a crop supply chamber positioned in front of a bale chamber, capable of storing crop material during the wrapping of a bale of harvested crop material. The crop supply chamber further comprises a supply inlet at the bottom of the crop supply chamber, a movable control plate positioned within the crop supply chamber, and a movable rear wall capable of adjusting the size of the supply inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Kevin M. Smith
  • Patent number: 9949439
    Abstract: A wrapping material is provided comprising a plurality of wrapping units, each said wrapping unit having a leading edge at one of thereof and a tail edge at an opposing edge thereof, where each one of said plurality of wrapping units is serially connected to at least one other of said plurality of wrapping units at the corresponding leading edge, tail edge, or both. In a further embodiment, discrete adhesive areas are disposed on the first surface of said plurality of wrapping units. In a still further embodiment, the discrete adhesive areas are covered by a protective cover, wherein the protective cover is attached to the first surface of the next said serially connected wrapping unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Tama Plastic Industry
    Inventors: Itamar Harchol, Tsafrir Lior, Yori Costa, Matan Inbar
  • Patent number: 9949440
    Abstract: An agricultural baler having a baling chamber, an intake duct leading into the baling chamber and a stuffer mechanism for transferring slice of crop in the intake duct into the baling chamber, wherein the baler comprises a wall segment positioned substantially in line with an inner wall surface of the baler, the wall segment being suspended from the inner wall surface via at least one load measurement sensor in such a manner that both a load perpendicular to, and a load parallel to the inner wall are derivable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Bart M. A. Missotten, Didier O. M. Verhaeghe
  • Patent number: 9949441
    Abstract: A sensor detects a characteristic of accumulated crop material and a controller manipulates the speed of a baling chamber in response thereto. The speed of a baling chamber of a variable speed baler is manipulated in response to a characteristic of an accumulated crop material. For example, the height of accumulated crop material in an accumulation area may be detected and the speed of the baling chamber manipulated in response thereto. The rate of growth of the bale may also be determined and used in manipulating the speed of the baling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Olander, Maynard Herron
  • Patent number: 9949442
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a frame; a threshing and separating system carried by the frame; a cleaning system carried by the frame; a mounting surface carried by the frame; and a residue system including a chopper carried by the frame and supplied with crop material from the threshing and separating system and/or the cleaning system. The chopper includes a chopper frame mounted to the mounting surface and having at least one shaft opening formed through; a chopper shaft held in the at least one shaft opening that is configured to rotate and is carried by the frame independently of the chopper frame; at least one rotating knife carried by the chopper shaft; and at least one stationary knife held in the chopper frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Craig E. Murray, Justin L. Montenguise, Nicholas S. Shane
  • Patent number: 9949443
    Abstract: A bale processor has a bale chamber mounted on a frame and a disintegrator shreds material from a bale and discharges shredded material laterally. A fan receives the shredded material through a fan inlet and blows the material out through a fan discharge. A conveyor receives the shredded material from the disintegrator along an inner side thereof. A side opening extends along an outer side of the conveyor and a side door is movable from a closed position, where the side opening is closed and the conveyor is enclosed and moves the shredded material along the conveyor and into the fan inlet, to an open position where the outer side of the conveyor is open and the conveyor moves the shredded material laterally out through the side opening. An auger conveyor mounted only on an end opposite the fan inlet leaves the fan inlet unobstructed, increasing capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Highline Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Blake Neudorf, Montgomerie Summach
  • Patent number: 9949444
    Abstract: A pre-vegetated vegetation element for greening artificial or natural surfaces is provided which retains sufficient strength over a prolonged period of time and which is bio-compostable at the end of the lifetime of the vegetation element includes a three-dimensional entangled mat of extruded filaments having an open space of at least 50%, a two-dimensional material layer, oriented plane parallel to the three-dimensional entangled mat of extruded filaments and connected to the three-dimensional entangled mat of extruded filaments, wherein the three-dimensional entangled mat of extruded filaments is filled with a substrate and a vegetation is grown on it to form a pre-vegetated vegetation mat, wherein the three-dimensional entangled mat of extruded filaments and the two-dimensional material layer include synthetic polymeric material selected such that the pre-vegetated vegetation element is bio-compostable according to EN 13432.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: XF Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Karl Wohlfahrt
  • Patent number: 9949445
    Abstract: A plant trimming guide apparatus, including a plurality of guide blades made of a resilient material, and a flat collar having a length, a width, an attachment surface, and made of a resilient material. Each of the plurality of guide blades has a pivot end that is secured pivotably with a common securement pin, and an opposed based end, with the plurality of base ends attached to and extending from an attachment surface of the collar, in a series along the length between the first end and the second end of the collar. Securing the first and second ends of the collar into a formed ring with the attachment surface facing outwardly causes the guide blades to extend radially from the common pivot ends and bend semi-spherically to the base ends, forming a spherical trimming guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher Scott Jackson
  • Patent number: 9949446
    Abstract: A canopy treatment system to treat plants is disclosed. In one implementation according to examples of the present disclosure, a method comprises moving a canopy treatment system proximate to a plant to be treated, the canopy treatment system including a hot fluid generating system and a canopy, the canopy defining a treatment region and in fluid communication with the hot fluid generating system. The method further comprises lowering the canopy relative to the hot fluid generating system to position the canopy around the plant with the plant within the treatment region of the canopy; and heating the plant within the canopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Skavis Corporation
    Inventors: Randall James Davis, Charles Francis Noll, Jr., Tom Wallis Airhart, James Seth Niece, Brian Lee Kelley, Matthew Phillip Vogel
  • Patent number: 9949447
    Abstract: A canopy treatment system to treat plants is disclosed. In one implementation according to examples of the present disclosure, a canopy treatment system comprises a hot fluid generating system configured to heat a fluid, the hot fluid generating system including a canopy valve; and a canopy in fluid communication with the hot fluid generating system, the canopy defining a treatment region, the canopy valve of the hot fluid generating system selectively positionable to control fluid flow between the hot fluid generating system and the canopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Skavis Corporation
    Inventors: Randall James Davis, Charles Francis Noll, Jr., Tom Wallis Airhart, James Seth Niece, Brian Lee Kelley, Matthew Phillip Vogel
  • Patent number: 9949448
    Abstract: A modular in-line drip emitter may include a flow restrictor and a replaceable attachment. The flow restrictor may provide fluid communication between an inlet and a fluid outlet chamber. The flow restrictor may include rate limiting fluid path producing a predefined range of flow rate over a predefined pressure differential range between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The attachment may be sized and shaped to mount to the flow restrictor. In some embodiments the attachment includes an inlet opening oriented for receiving fluid from a conduit and a fluid outlet attachable to the fluid inlet of the flow restrictor. In some embodiments the attachment includes a sleeve fitting into a conduit with an annular outlet chamber attachable to the outlet chamber of the flow restrictor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Amirim Products Development & Patents Ltd.
    Inventor: Amir Cohen
  • Patent number: 9949449
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a fluid-emission device. An example fluid-emission device includes a tubular body, a fluid-source coupler, and a tip member disposed opposite the tubular body from the fluid-source coupler. A fluid-transmission lumen in the tubular body fluidly couples the tip member to the fluid-source coupler. The tip member includes a plate having a plurality of fluid-emission lumens that fluidly couple the fluid-transmission lumen to an environment outside the tubular body. The tip member includes a spearhead disposed opposite the plate from the fluid-transmission lumen. The tip member has a spacer disposed between the plate and the spearhead to separate the spearhead from the fluid-emission lumens. The fluid-emission device can be used by inserting the tip member into material and delivering fluid to a target, such as delivering water or fertilizer to plant roots or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Wiser Watering LLC
    Inventor: Tom Ryan
  • Patent number: 9949450
    Abstract: A plurality of wireless transmitters tethered to a plurality of soil moisture probes, each of said probes having first and second elongate conductive materials encapsulated in a non-conductive substrate, coupled to a power source and configured to be placed in the soil to form a capacitor. An irrigation control box is equipped with a receiver and a processor coupled to a plurality of irrigation control valves, each irrigation control valve corresponding to an irrigation zone wherein at least one probe is placed. The processor converts signal data received from the plurality of transmitters into a soil moisture value and (i) opens a control valve corresponding to the zone to which the probe corresponds upon detecting that the soil moisture value in the zone has dropped below a threshold value and (ii) closes the control valve upon detecting that the soil moisture value has raised above a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MorpH2O Water Management, LLC
    Inventors: Jon Richings, Sr., Scott Martin