US 10869428

Here's a concise summary of US patent 10869428:

US Patent Number: 10869428

Title: Baling apparatus and method

Assignee: Twin Pak LLC (as of 2025-06-26)
Originally assigned to the individual inventor.

Inventors: Michael Jason Grady

Filing Date: 2018-07-02

Issue Date: 2020-12-22

Abstract: The patent describes a baling apparatus and method that includes a baling chamber with one or more stationary splitting knives. These knives divide crop material picked up from a field, discharging the divided bales simultaneously from the baling chamber. An ejection chute structure then receives these divided bales and ejects them in a spaced relationship to each other as the baling apparatus moves along the field. This spacing can be longitudinal (by ejecting bales at staggered times) and/or lateral (by turning the bales within the ejection chute structure).

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus): This claim describes a baling machine designed to move through a field and eject square bales. It features a frame, a baling chamber with an inlet for crop material, and a pickup unit. Key to this invention is a stationary splitting knife located inside the baling chamber. A plunger moves to compress crop material against and past this knife, splitting it into two square bales. An ejection chute at the back of the machine simultaneously receives these two bales and then releases them at different times, creating a longitudinal (front-to-back) separation between them in the field.

• Claim 5 (Apparatus): Similar to Claim 1, this independent claim also describes a baling apparatus with a frame, baling chamber, pickup unit, and a stationary knife for splitting crop material into two square bales. The plunger pushes material against the knife to form these bales. The ejection chute structure, which receives the two bales simultaneously, is designed to eject them at staggered times, causing them to be longitudinally spaced apart. Specifically, it includes two slideways, with the second slideway configured to receive and eject its bale after the first bale is ejected.

• Claim 14 (Method): This independent claim outlines a method for baling crop material. It involves moving a baling machine along a field, picking up crop material, and forming it into flakes. These flakes are then forced into a baling chamber between a plunger and a stationary splitting knife. The plunger pushes the flakes against the knife, splitting them to form two stacks of flakes that are simultaneously tied into first and second square bales. Finally, these two bales are simultaneously discharged from the baling chamber but then ejected by an ejection chute structure at staggered times, resulting in the bales being longitudinally spaced from each other in the field.

• Claim 16 (Apparatus): This claim describes a baling apparatus with a frame, baling chamber, and pickup unit, similar to the other apparatus claims. However, it specifically highlights the use of a plurality of stationary splitting knives within the baling chamber. These knives are vertically positioned in spaced planes, creating multiple baling spaces. The plunger pushes crop material against and past these multiple knives, forming multiple bales simultaneously in these spaces. The ejection chute structure at the rear is designed to simultaneously receive all these bales and then separate them by laterally moving each bale away from its neighbor before ejection.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number 10869428 did not yield any specific active cases linked to this patent as of the current date (April 26, 2026).

A search for litigation involving US patent 10869428 using general web searches, including references to Unified Patents and PACER, did not yield any specific active or concluded litigation cases with the requested details (plaintiff(s), defendant(s), jurisdiction, case number, filing date, and outcome or current status) as of April 26, 2026. While Unified Patents tracks patent litigation and PACER provides access to federal court records, direct results for patent 10869428 were not immediately available through the performed broad queries.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings on file for US Patent 10869428 as of August 4, 2026. This means the patent's claims have not been challenged or evaluated through Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review (PGR), or Covered Business Method (CBM) proceedings at the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). For a potential defendant, this implies that all claims of the patent are currently untested and unhardened by PTAB scrutiny.

Strategic summary

As of the current date, no claims of US patent 10869428 have been canceled or sustained through PTAB trial proceedings. All claims (1-18) remain untested in this forum. This means there is no estoppel landscape established by PTAB decisions. A defendant facing assertion of this patent would have the full range of prior-art grounds available for a potential PTAB challenge (e.g., IPR or PGR, depending on the claims and filing dates).

The absence of PTAB activity could signal several things: the patent may not have been widely asserted, potential infringers have opted for other defensive strategies, or the patent's claims are considered sufficiently robust against IPR challenges based on the prior art known to potential petitioners.

Recommended next steps

Given the absence of PTAB activity, a defendant facing assertion of US Patent 10869428 should:

• Conduct a thorough prior art search: Since no PTAB proceedings have occurred, the patent's claims have not been subjected to the rigorous prior art analysis typical of IPRs. A robust prior art search is essential to identify potential invalidity grounds under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103.
• Evaluate IPR/PGR viability: If strong prior art is found, an Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) petition could be a viable defensive strategy. The absence of previous PTAB challenges means there are no prior institution decisions or final written decisions to navigate.
• Assess all claims: Since all claims are untested, each claim cited in any assertion should be independently evaluated for validity.

Inventors

• Michael Jason Grady (Individual inventor, original applicant and assignee)
  • Employer at time of filing: Not explicitly stated in the patent document. The patent indicates the "Original Assignee: Individual" and "Application filed by Individual," meaning Michael Jason Grady was the original owner at the time of filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee was Michael Jason Grady (an individual).

• Product embodiment: The patent describes a "Baling apparatus and method." While the inventor may have developed or licensed such a product, the patent itself does not explicitly state that the individual inventor shipped a product.
• Primary line of business: Inventor of agricultural machinery.
• Current status: The patent was subsequently assigned to Twin Pak LLC.

Assignment timeline

• 2025-06-06 (executed) / recorded 2025-06-26 — Reel 071538/0133
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: GRADY, MICHAEL JASON
  • Assignee: TWIN PAK LLC
  • Correspondent: TWIN PAK LLC, C/O NATIONAL REGISTERED AGENTS, INC., 530-B HARKLE ROAD STE 100, SANTA FE, NM 87505.
  • Context: Transfer of patent ownership from the individual inventor to an LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 108694428
    2018 : Filed by Michael Jason Grady
    2020 : Issued
    2025 : Assigned to Twin Pak LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer

   • Unclear. The assignee, "TWIN PAK LLC," does not use typical shell entity naming conventions. However, the correspondent address (Reel 071538/0133) is "C/O NATIONAL REGISTERED AGENTS, INC.," which is a registered agent service, a common feature for many LLCs, including both operating companies and shell entities. Without further information on Twin Pak LLC's actual business operations or product shipments, a definitive determination cannot be made.

2. Known asserter in the chain

   • Not present. Twin Pak LLC is not identified as a known NPE on public lists.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain

   • Not present. There is only one assignment recorded for this patent, so no recurrence of correspondents can be observed.

4. Cascading transfers

   • Not present. Only one assignment is recorded.

5. Pre-litigation transfer

   • Not present. No litigation involving US 10869428 has been identified in previous analyses.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale

   • Not present. The transfer (Reel 071538/0133) was from an individual inventor, not a company undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.

7. Privateering

   • Unclear. There is no information to suggest this pattern. The transfer is from an individual inventor to an LLC, not an operating company to an NPE for competitive assertion.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE)

   • Not present. The current assignee, Twin Pak LLC, is not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

• Insufficient data
• Justification: There is only one recorded assignment for US10869428 (Reel 071538/0133), which is a transfer from the individual inventor to Twin Pak LLC. While the correspondent address uses a registered agent service, a common practice for many LLCs, there is insufficient additional evidence (such as product absence, known NPE status, repeated correspondents, or identified litigation) to confidently classify Twin Pak LLC as an NPE or an operating company. Further investigation into Twin Pak LLC's business activities would be required for a more definitive classification.
  USPTO Assignment Center search results for US10869428

The most relevant prior art for US patent 10869428, based on the provided patent text and the scope of its claims, are US3099203A (Klemm et al.) for its focus on splitting bales within a baling chamber, and US3243028A for its features related to bale handling and orientation post-baling.

Here is an analysis of each patent citation:

1. US2478012A

• Full Citation: US2478012A - Baler
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1945-04-02; Publication date: 1949-08-02
• Brief Description: This patent describes a baler, a general agricultural machine for compressing crop material into bales.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As a general baler, it likely discloses fundamental elements like a frame, a baling chamber, a pickup unit, and a plunger for compressing crop material. However, based solely on the title, it does not appear to explicitly disclose the distinguishing features of US10869428, such as a stationary splitting knife for forming multiple bales simultaneously or an ejection chute structure designed to eject bales in a longitudinally and/or laterally spaced relationship. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate independent Claims 1, 5, 14, or 16 in their entirety.

2. US3099203A (Klemm et al.)

• Full Citation: US3099203A - Baling machines
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1961-06-07; Publication date: 1963-07-30
• Brief Description: This patent describes a baling machine that produces bales in pairs or sections of a reduced size. It utilizes a stationary blade in the baling chamber and a movable second blade mounted on a plunger. These blades have tapered cutting edges that exert a shearing action on the crop material.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant prior art. It discloses a "stationary blade mounted in a baling chamber" for producing smaller bale sections, which aligns with aspects of the splitting knife in US10869428. However, US10869428 explicitly distinguishes itself by noting that Klemm et al. use "a stationary blade mounted in a baling chamber and a movable second blade mounted on plunger to be movable therewith," which creates a shearing action. In contrast, US10869428's independent claims (1, 5, 14) specify a single stationary splitting knife against and past which the plunger pushes the crop material, ideally without contacting the knife. Furthermore, US3099203A's description does not mention an "ejection chute structure" designed to receive simultaneously discharged bales and then eject them at staggered times for longitudinal spacing or with lateral spacing/rotation, which are critical elements of independent Claims 1, 5, and 14 of US10869428. Independent Claim 16, which requires a "plurality of stationary splitting knives" and an ejection chute for lateral separation, is also not fully anticipated as Klemm describes "a stationary blade" (singular) and lacks the described ejection chute. Therefore, US3099203A does not appear to anticipate the independent claims of US10869428 in their entirety under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

3. US3243028A

• Full Citation: US3243028A - Bale turner and aligner
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1964-04-30; Publication date: 1966-03-29
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for turning and aligning bales, suggesting mechanisms for manipulating bale orientation and position after formation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The title "Bale turner and aligner" directly suggests elements related to the bale manipulation functions of the ejection chute structure in US10869428. Specifically, this reference could potentially anticipate elements of dependent claims like:
  • Claim 2: which requires the ejection chute to "laterally move said first and second bales relating to each other whereby said first and second bales are ejected in laterally spaced relation to each other."
  • Claim 7: which describes an "angled side surface" in a slideway causing a bale to be "turned 90°".
  • Claim 8: which similarly describes turning the second bale 90°.
    However, this reference's title does not suggest the core splitting functionality within the baling chamber by a stationary knife or the time-staggered ejection for longitudinal spacing of the independent claims (1, 5, 14, 16). A full § 102 anticipation would require an examination of the complete patent text to confirm the presence of all specific elements of these dependent claims.

4. US4518124A

• Full Citation: US4518124A - Crop comminuting apparatus having vibrating cutting blades
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1979-10-02; Publication date: 1985-05-21
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for comminuting (reducing to small pieces) crops using vibrating cutting blades.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While it involves cutting crop material, the "vibrating cutting blades" suggest a different mechanism than the stationary splitting knife that compressed material is pushed against and past in US10869428. It also does not appear to describe the formation of multiple square bales or their spaced ejection from a baler. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the independent claims of US10869428 under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

5. US4763574A

• Full Citation: US4763574A - Recompressed hay bale shear
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1987-09-21; Publication date: 1988-08-16
• Brief Description: This patent describes a shear for recompressed hay bales, implying it processes already formed bales rather than raw crop material.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The focus on "recompressed hay bales" indicates that this apparatus operates on pre-existing bales. In contrast, US10869428's claims relate to baling picked-up crop material from a field into new bales. Thus, this reference does not appear to anticipate the primary apparatus or method claims of US10869428.

6. US5742010A

• Full Citation: US5742010A - Hay baler scale
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1996-08-28; Publication date: 1998-04-21
• Brief Description: This patent describes a scale for a hay baler, focusing on measuring bale weight.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The patent's focus is on measurement. It does not disclose the splitting of crop material into multiple bales or the spaced ejection mechanisms central to US10869428. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the claims of US10869428.

7. US5829238A

• Full Citation: US5829238A - Bale accumulator
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1996-08-08; Publication date: 1998-11-03
• Brief Description: This patent describes a bale accumulator, which is a device for gathering or arranging bales after they have been formed and ejected.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While dealing with bale arrangement, this reference's title suggests it operates on bales after they are formed and discharged from the baler. It does not appear to disclose the internal baling chamber's splitting mechanism or the specific ejection chute structure that creates spaced bales as they are ejected from the baler itself. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate the independent claims of US10869428.

8. US6339986B1

• Full Citation: US6339986B1 - Apparatus for processing large square hay bales into smaller recompressed bales
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 1997-11-03; Publication date: 2002-01-22
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for taking large square hay bales and recompressing them into smaller bales.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US4763574A, this patent focuses on processing already formed large bales into smaller ones, rather than forming new bales from raw crop material picked from a field, as described in US10869428. Thus, it does not anticipate the apparatus or method claims of US10869428 that begin with picking up crop material from a field and baling it.

9. US7895944B2

• Full Citation: US7895944B2 - Baling systems and methods
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 2008-03-24; Publication date: 2011-03-01
• Brief Description: This patent describes general baling systems and methods.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is a general title for baling technology. Without specific details, it is unlikely to disclose the unique combination of a stationary splitting knife in the baling chamber, simultaneous bale formation, and the specialized ejection chute for spaced and staggered bale distribution, which are the defining characteristics of US10869428's independent claims (1, 5, 14, 16).

10. US20140367965A1

• Full Citation: US20140367965A1 - Safe Knotter For An Agricultural Baler
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 2012-01-16; Publication date: 2014-12-18
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on a safety mechanism for the knotter in an agricultural baler.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The subject matter is specific to a knotter safety feature. It does not disclose the splitting of crop material into multiple bales within the baling chamber or the spaced ejection mechanisms of US10869428. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the claims.

11. US20160278294A1

• Full Citation: US20160278294A1 - Device and Method for Tracking and Marking Baled Forage Material with Sensed Moisture Content
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 2015-03-24; Publication date: 2016-09-29
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device and method for tracking and marking baled forage material, including sensing moisture content.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The patent focuses on post-baling processes (tracking, marking) and moisture sensing, not the core mechanisms of splitting crop material to form multiple bales or the spaced ejection described in US10869428. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the claims.

12. US20160290798A1

• Full Citation: US20160290798A1 - Bale Measurement System and Method
• Publication/Filing Date: Priority date: 2013-11-22; Publication date: 2016-10-06
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for measuring bales.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The patent's subject matter is bale measurement. It does not disclose the splitting of crop material within the baling chamber or the spaced ejection mechanisms of US10869428. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the claims.

Disclaimer: A definitive determination of anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 requires a full review of the text and drawings of each cited prior art patent and a detailed claim-by-claim comparison. The analysis above is based on the limited information provided by the titles and brief descriptions within US10869428.

Obviousness Analysis (35 U.S.C. § 103) for US10869428

A patent claim is considered obvious if "the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art." (35 U.S.C. § 103). This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the independent claims of US10869428 obvious, along with motivations for a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (PHOSITA) to combine them.

The independent claims of US10869428 (Claims 1, 5, 14, and 16) generally cover:

1. A baling apparatus with a frame, baling chamber, pickup unit, a stationary splitting knife (or plurality thereof) that the plunger pushes crop material against and past to form multiple bales simultaneously.
2. An ejection chute structure that simultaneously receives these multiple bales and ejects them in a spaced relation (longitudinally by staggered timing/delay and/or laterally by turning/spreading) to facilitate collection.

Primary Combination: US3099203A (Klemm et al.) in view of US3243028A (Bale turner and aligner)

This combination primarily addresses independent Claims 1, 5, and 14, which describe an apparatus or method for forming two bales with a stationary splitting knife and ejecting them in a longitudinally and/or laterally spaced relationship.

1. Claimed Splitting Mechanism (Stationary Knife & Plunger Action):

• US3099203A (Klemm et al.) teaches a baling machine that produces bales in pairs or sections of a reduced size, explicitly utilizing a "stationary blade mounted in a baling chamber". Klemm et al. also describe a movable second blade mounted on the plunger, which, along with the stationary blade, performs a shearing action.
• The distinguishing feature of US10869428's independent claims (e.g., Claim 1) is a "stationary splitting knife" and a plunger pushing the compressed crop material "against and past" this knife to "center split" the material, preferably without contacting the knife.
• Motivation for Modification: A PHOSITA, seeking to simplify the bale-splitting mechanism taught by Klemm et al. or to reduce wear on moving parts, would find it obvious to eliminate the movable blade if a stationary blade alone could effectively split the compressed crop material. The design of stationary knives with "angled vertical cutting edges tapering to a leading cutting edge" (as described in US10869428's Detailed Description) would be a routine engineering design choice to facilitate a clean "center split" as material is pushed past it by the plunger, thereby achieving the splitting function without the need for a complex shearing action involving a second movable blade. Thus, modifying Klemm et al.'s design to use only a stationary splitting knife, against which the plunger pushes the material, would be an obvious simplification and optimization.

2. Claimed Ejection Chute Structure and Spaced Relation (Longitudinal and Lateral):

• US3099203A (Klemm et al.) does not teach an ejection chute structure designed to specifically eject the multiple bales in a longitudinally or laterally spaced relation.
• US3243028A (Bale turner and aligner) directly teaches an "apparatus for turning and aligning bales". This reference demonstrates mechanisms for manipulating bale orientation and position post-baling. Dependent claims 2, 7, and 8 of US10869428, which describe lateral movement and 90° turning of bales via angled surfaces, are particularly addressed by the general concepts in US3243028A.
• Motivation for Combination: A PHOSITA, seeking to improve the efficiency of the baling process beyond just producing smaller bales (as proposed by Klemm et al.), would recognize the subsequent problem of collecting these multiple, closely discharged bales. US10869428 explicitly states that "current baling apparatus and methods do not move the most amount of baled material in the least amount of time" and that the invention "increases the amount of crop material baled from field in the least amount of time by dividing square bales into smaller bales and by distributing the in the field in a pattern to facilitate collecting the bales with conventional equipment."
  Therefore, after producing multiple bales simultaneously using a modified Klemm-like splitting mechanism, a PHOSITA would be strongly motivated to combine this with a bale handling system to optimize their field distribution for collection. US3243028A provides exactly such a system for "turning and aligning" bales, which could readily be adapted to create both longitudinal (by staggering release times) and lateral (by using angled surfaces to spread or turn bales) spacing. The idea of delaying one bale relative to another for longitudinal spacing (as in Claims 1, 5, 14) is a basic mechanical expedient for separating objects discharged sequentially or near-simultaneously. Implementing this delay via a "shelf" (as in Claim 6 of US10869428) is an obvious design choice for a chute. Using angled surfaces to achieve lateral spacing and/or 90° rotation (as in Claims 2, 7, 8) is directly taught or made obvious by US3243028A's focus on bale turning and aligning. The overall motivation is to enhance the logistical efficiency of baling and bale collection, reducing labor and time.

Secondary Combination for Plurality of Knives: US3099203A (Klemm et al.) + US3243028A (Bale turner and aligner) for Claim 16

Claim 16 specifically requires a "plurality of stationary splitting knives" and an ejection chute for lateral separation.

• Plurality of Knives: Starting from Klemm et al.'s teaching of using a stationary blade to create multiple bale sections, it would be obvious for a PHOSITA to scale this concept by incorporating "a plurality of stationary splitting knives" into the baling chamber (as shown in FIG. 15 of US10869428). Increasing the number of simultaneous outputs (bales) is a common engineering approach to enhance throughput and efficiency in manufacturing and agricultural machinery.
• Ejection Chute for Lateral Separation: Once more than two bales are simultaneously produced, the problem of efficient distribution for collection becomes even more critical. The teachings of US3243028A regarding bale turning and aligning would provide a clear motivation and means for a PHOSITA to design an ejection chute structure (as described in Claim 16) that can "separate said bales from each other by laterally moving one of said bales away from an adjacent bale prior to ejection." This would involve adapting the angled surfaces or similar mechanisms taught for bale manipulation in US3243028A to handle and laterally space multiple bales exiting the baling chamber.

Conclusion on Obviousness:

Based on the above analysis, the independent claims of US10869428 (Claims 1, 5, 14, and 16) would likely have been obvious to a PHOSITA at the time of the invention based on the combination of US3099203A (Klemm et al.) and US3243028A (Bale turner and aligner). Klemm et al. provide the foundational concept of splitting crop material into multiple bale sections within the baling chamber using stationary blades. A PHOSITA would be motivated to refine this splitting mechanism (e.g., by simplifying to a single stationary knife or increasing the number of knives) for efficiency and to address wear. Subsequently, to overcome the challenge of efficiently collecting these multiple bales, a PHOSITA would be motivated to integrate the bale manipulation teachings of US3243028A to achieve desired longitudinal and lateral spacing upon ejection, thereby facilitating subsequent collection and optimizing overall baling logistics.