Patents Issued the Week of July 20-24

7.24.26

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

U.S. Patent No. 12,686,013 entitled “Crusher for Mineral Materials or Recycled Materials” issued July 21, 2026 to Kleemann GmbH of Göppingen, Germany. Invented by Till Krauss of Rechberghausen, Germany, Gerd Meyer of Amstetten, Germany, Jochen Meier of Hülben , Germany, Steffen Häberle of Herbrechtingen, Germany and Rainer Teichert of Haan, Germany. Abstract: A crusher includes first and second crusher bodies defining a crushing gap. A hydraulic cylinder is coupled to one of the crusher bodies to adjust a width of the crushing gap. A pressure relief valve includes a pressure chamber communicated with the hydraulic cylinder. A pressure relief piston is movable between a closed position and an open position. The pressure relief piston includes at least one piston pressure surface delimiting the pressure chamber in the closed position transversely to the actuation direction of the piston, the pressure relief piston including a surface area at an end facing away from the pressure chamber, which surface area delimits the chamber area transverse to the actuating direction of the piston to transfer a closing force to the pressure relief piston in a closing direction of the closed position when pressure is applied in a chamber area.

U.S. Patent No. 12,686,995 entitled “Multifunctional Transmission Valve with Integrated Load Brake Function” issued July 21, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Gunasekaran Nataraj of Udumalpet, India and Phillip W. Grommes of Dubuque, Iowa. Abstract: A self-propelled work vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a plurality of wheels or tracks supporting the vehicle frame from a ground surface. A battery provides electrical power to an electric motor. A hydraulic pump provides hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic system. A steering valve directs hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system to a steering actuator. A steering priority valve prioritizes supply of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system to the steering valve. A proportional relief valve provides a load sense signal to the load sense port of the steering priority valve which shifts the steering priority spool to build hydraulic system pressure. A controller is configured to detect whether the battery is able to be further charged and to control operation of the proportional relief valve to control a hydraulic braking function provided by the steering priority valve.

U.S. Patent No. 12,687,073 entitled “Work Tool Alignment System for Work Vehicle” issued July 21, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Brett S. Graham of Dubuque, Iowa, Arun Narayanan of Pune, India, Abhinav C. Shikhare of Pune, India and Mark A. Simon of Dubuque, Iowa. Abstract: A work vehicle having an implement positioning system can include a frame supported above a ground surface by ground engaging units and a work tool pivotally attached to a distal end of a boom assembly. The boom assembly is coupled to the frame to pivot the work tool through an arc between an upper position and a lower position. The work tool rotates an implement about a tool axis which can be inclined relative to a target axis. A controller receives a boom position signal from a boom position sensor which is indicative of an arc position of the distal end and an inclinometer signal from a tool axis sensor which is indicative of a longitudinal inclination and a transverse inclination to the target axis. The controller is configured to display tool axis inclination information on the display and configured to operate the plurality of ground engaging units based on the inclinometer signal or the boom position signal.

U.S. Patent No. 12,686,181 entitled “Induction Welding of Composite Structures” issued July 21, 2026 to The Boeing Company of Arlington, Virginia. Invented by Emma Louise Morrissey and Ying Shi both of Saint Louis, Missouri, Francis J. Samalot of Santa Clarita, California and Gregory J. Hickman of Charleston, South Carolina. Abstract: A composite structure and methods of forming composite structures are provided. A composite structure comprises a first composite part; a second composite part welded to the first composite part at a joint; and the joint between the first composite part and the second composite part comprising doped fibers.