Patents Issued the Week of June 2-6

6.6.25

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. 12,320,093 entitled “Crawler Dozer Blade Corner Visibility” issued June 3, 2025 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Michael R. Dorman; Ryan R. Neilson and Michael R. Tigges all of Dubuque, Iowa and Todd R. Simms and Nathan J. Horstman of Peosta, Iowa. Abstract: A crawler dozer includes a main frame having a longitudinal central axis. A push frame includes left and right push beams. A dozer blade is pivotally connected to the left and right push beams. At least one tilt cylinder is connected between the dozer blade and at least one of the left and right push beams. The tilt cylinder includes a larger cylinder portion pivotally connected to the dozer blade and a smaller piston portion pivotally connected to the at least one of the left and right push beams. The tilt cylinder includes a cylinder axis diverging laterally outward relative to the longitudinal central axis of the main frame in a forward direction by a splay angle of at least 2 degrees.

U.S. Patent No. D1,077,617 entitled “Floor Anchor” issued June 3, 2025 to MoveStrong Functional Fitness Equipment, LLC of Charleston, South Carolina. Invented by Jared Kuka of Charleston, South Carolina. Claims: The ornamental design for a floor anchor as shown and described.

U.S. Patent No. 12,320,079 entitled “Method for Operating a Ground Milling Machine” issued June 3, 2025 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Philip Verhaelen of Lohmar, Germany; Bernd Walterscheid of Sankt Augustin OT Buisdor, Germany; Sascha Spöth of Heistenbach, Germany and Florian Peters of Blankenheim, Germany. Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a ground milling machine, in particular a road milling machine, a stabilizer, a recycler, a surface miner or the like, having an interchangeable milling drum, wherein the milling drum is equipped with a plurality of milling tools, in particular round shank picks, wherein the milling drum has a current state, wherein a control unit is provided for controlling at least one function of the ground milling machine, and wherein the milling drum has a characteristic feature or a characteristic feature is assigned to the milling drum. According to the invention, provision is made that at least one data set containing information on the current state of the milling drum is stored in a storage unit, the characteristic feature identifying the milling drum is assigned to the data set in the storage unit, and this data set is transmitted to a processing device.

U.S. Patent No. 12,320,100 entitled “Automatic Mode for Object Detection Range Setting” issued June 3, 2025 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Alek D. Jerauld of Dubuque,, Iowa and Keith J. Lensing of Asbury, Iowa. Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically changing an obstacle detection range setting of an obstacle detection system based at least in part on a determination of a change in work state of a self-propelled vehicle. The change in work state may be a change from a transport state in which the vehicle is moving across a ground surface, to a stationary operating state. Upon detecting a change to a stationary operating state the obstacle detection range may be automatically changed to a shorter range. Upon detecting a change to a transport state the obstacle detection range may be automatically changed to a longer range.

U.S. Patent No. 12,320,080 entitled “Construction Machine” to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Christoph Menzenbach, Neustadt (Wied), Germany. Abstract: In a self-propelled construction machine (1), in particular recycling machine or stabilizing machine, for working a ground (20), comprising at least one machine frame, a working device (10) for working the ground, which is supported on the machine frame (2), wherein the working device is at least partially enclosed by a housing, wherein the housing comprises a plate each at the front and rear end as seen in the main direction of travel that closes off the mixing chamber of the housing towards the front and the rear, respectively, wherein the front plate is adjustable by means of at least one front adjustment device and the rear plate is adjustable by means of at least one rear adjustment device, wherein, in a first working operation, the rear plate as seen in the main direction of travel is supported on the ground in a floating position, it is provided that in a second working operation, the front plate as seen in the main direction of travel is supported on the ground in a floating position.

U.S. Patent No. 12,317,773 entitled “Self-propelled Agricultural Harvester Machine and Header Assembly Control System” to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by Mohan A. Vadnere and Hrishikesh Y. Raste of Pune, India. Abstract: A self-propelled agricultural harvester machine comprising a machine frame, a plurality of ground engaging units for supporting the machine frame from a ground surface, a header assembly for harvesting stalked crops, the header assembly being supported from the machine frame so that the header assembly can be raised, lowered, and tilted relative to the machine frame, at least a first sensor configured to sense at least an orientation of the stalked crops in a path of the agricultural harvester machine, the first sensor configured to output a crop orientation signal, and a controller configured to receive the crop orientation signal from the first sensor and to regulate a header assembly angle relative to the machine frame at least in part in response to the crop orientation signal.

U.S. Patent No. 12,319,079 entitled “Dynamic Mismatch Correction System and Method for Book Binding Machines” issued June 3, 2025 to Lighting Source, LLC of LaVergne, Tennessee. Invented by Zoran Belevski; Joshua Sanders; Danny Howell; John Kwiatkowski; Kenneth McDonald; Joel Brawner and Kevin Mmith all of LaVergne, Tennessee. Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically correcting book portion mismatches in a book binding operation. First sensor outputs relate to a first book portion sequence along a first assembly channel, and second book portion sequence along a second assembly channel, each leading into a book binding stage. A mismatch state between first and second book portions is predicted based on the respective sequences and a defined book assembly batch, responsive to which an intervention event is selected and executed. One such intervention event includes selective routing of the first and/or second book portion associated with predicted mismatch states into a correction channel and reinsertion of the first and/or second book portion into the respective assembly channel corresponding to a modified version of the respective sequence. In some embodiments, a further sensor may be provided at the book binding stage entry for further confirmation/control feedback regarding matched book portions.