# US 10,499,680 B2 · Control system for a livestock feed mixer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,680 B2 - Document ID: US10499680B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/457,196 - Filed: 2017-03-13 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-13 - Assignees: Kuhn North America, Inc. - Applicants: Kuhn North America, Inc. - Inventors: Bryan Rowntree; Jacob Veeder; Rodney Zimmerman; Aaron Wepner; William Bassett; Thomas J. Hoffman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499680B2 ## CPC - A23N 17/007: {for mixing feeding-stuff components} - A01K 5/001: {Fodder distributors with mixer or shredder (adaptations of cutting machine A01F29/00)} - B01F 27/721: with two or more helices in the same receptacle - B01F 27/922: with two or more helices, e.g. with intermeshing helices - B01F 33/5021: {the vehicle being self-propelled, e.g. truck mounted, provided with a motor, driven by tracks (B01F33/5022 - B01F33/5027 take precedence)} - B01F 35/212: of the driving system data, e.g. torque, speed or power data - B01F 35/2209: {Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle} - B01F 35/221422: {Speed of rotation of the mixing axis, stirrer or receptacle during the operation} - A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D) - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) ## Abstract A control system for mixing materials having a container to receive the materials, agitators, a driveline to drive the agitators at an output speed with an output torque, an power source to provide an input speed with an input torque, a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source, and an electronic control unit configured to adjust a speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission to provide a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below a control input threshold, and to follow a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope when the input torque is above the control input threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for mixing materials for livestock feed, comprising: a container which receives the materials; agitators which mix the materials in the container; a driveline which drives the agitators at an output speed with an output torque; a power source which provides an input speed with an input torque; a continuously variable transmission that connects the driveline and the power source; and an electronic control unit configured to prevent an external source from being overcome by the output torque required by the agitators and to maintain an increase of the input torque, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive a value of the output torque, calculate a value of the input torque, compare the value of the input torque to a control input threshold, actuate the continuously variable transmission at a first speed ratio which provides a linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a slope, when the input torque is below the control input threshold, and actuate the continuously variable transmission at a second speed ratio which provides a corrected linear relationship between the input torque and the output torque with a corrected slope smaller than the slope, when the input torque is above the control input threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the power source has a maximum input torque higher than the control input threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control system of claim 2, wherein the control input threshold is between 70% and 100% of the maximum input torque. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control system of claim 3, wherein the power source is a tractor with a power take-off. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, further including a torque sensor to produce torque signals transmitted to the electronic control unit to be converted into the value of the output torque. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control system of claim 5, further including a speed sensor to produce speed signals transmitted to the electronic control unit to be converted into the value of the input speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control system of claim 6, further including an input system to receive a value of an output target speed for the agitators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control system of claim 7, wherein the slope corresponds to the ratio between the value of the output target speed and the value of input speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control system of claim 7, wherein the corrected linear relationship verifies that the input torque is equal to a maximum input torque of the power source when the output torque reaches the maximum output torque and the input torque is equal to the control input threshold when the output torque is equal to the product between the control input threshold and the speed ratio. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, the electronic control unit is configured to calculate the value of the input torque based on the output torque.