Patents Examined by Monica L Perry
  • Patent number: 11980146
    Abstract: An agricultural photovoltaic structure (1) is described comprising at least one support structure (2), photovoltaic panels (3) and glass (4) supported by the support structure (2), irrigation means (7) for an underlying agricultural land (6), lighting means (5) of the underlying agricultural land (6), and control means. The support structure (2) comprises at least one frame (23) able to support, side by side, both the photovoltaic panels (3) and the glasses (4), implementing a cover over the agricultural land (6) partly suitable for diffusing light over the underlying agricultural land (6) by the glass (4), The irrigation means (7) include nozzles able to wet the lower part of the photovoltaic panels (3) thus cooling them, the water then falling by gravity onto the agricultural land (6). The control means are able to activate the irrigation means (7) and the lighting means (5) on the basis of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TEP RENEWABLES LTD
    Inventors: Maurizio Croce, Stefano Calabro′
  • Patent number: 11976213
    Abstract: Methods and high visible-light reflective reactive resinous coatings that increase visible light inside a grow house and enhance plant growth therein. A pre-dispersion of a resin, zinc oxide, one or more fillers, and retroreflective microspheres, is mixed with a one-part or two-part reactive coating system to provide a high-reflectance reactive resin coating composition. At least one or more layers of the high-reflectance reactive resin coating composition is coated onto a substrate inside the grow house and allowed to cure. The cured high-reflectance reactive resin layer has a light reflectance increase up to 60% in lumens increasing an amount of visible light inside the grow house to enhance plant growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Laticrete International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ayaz Kutubuddin, Brandon Serraile, Eerik Maandi, Ben Lampi, Aaron Hogan
  • Patent number: 11974531
    Abstract: A multi-level vertical farm comprises a lift apparatus configured to carry growth trays from a bottom to a top position adjacent to a conveyor. The conveyor is configured to transport trays downwardly to near the bottom position and normally is fully loaded with adjacent trays along the entire conveyor. A growth tray in the lowest, bottom position is discharged out of that position to an irrigation or harvesting station. The discharge of a tray from the bottom position causes preceding trays to move downward, thereby opening a space in the top position for another tray, which may be lifted there. A computer system may be connected to the apparatus and programmed to start a motor of the lift apparatus to move the growth trays. The apparatus enables simulating a day-night plant growth cycle, and using thermal convection to apply more warmth to higher positions, in a compact vertical arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Area 2 Farms, PBC
    Inventor: Tyler Baras
  • Patent number: 11974529
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to propose cultivation equipment that can curb complication and upsizing of the equipment even when the number of cultivation stages is increased. Cultivation equipment includes a storage shelf (1) and a plurality of cultivation tanks (3) that are stored in the storage shelf (1) and hold plants (P1) and a cultivation liquid (L1). The cultivation equipment further includes a discharge device (50) and a supply device (51). The discharge device (50) is movable among a plurality of cultivation tanks (3), and discharges the cultivation liquid (L1) from each of the plurality of cultivation tanks (3). The supply device (51) is movable among the plurality of cultivation tanks (3), and supplies the cultivation liquid (L1) to each of the plurality of cultivation tanks (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Fujisawa Kenki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisafumi Fujisawa, Eiji Higuchi, Osamu Hirata
  • Patent number: 11968955
    Abstract: A litter housing assembly includes a housing that has an entry thereby facilitating a feline to enter the housing. The housing is positioned against an exterior wall of the building having the entry being aligned with a window in the exterior wall. A drip pan is positioned in the housing and cat litter is positioned on the drip pan to facilitate the feline to urinate and defecate in the cat litter. A threshold extends away from the housing thereby facilitating the threshold to rest on a sill of the window in the exterior wall of the building and a box is coupled to the threshold. A fluid output is integrated into the box and a hose is fluidly attached to the fluid output to spray a fluid onto the cat litter for washing the cat litter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventor: Melinda Magee
  • Patent number: 11963472
    Abstract: An arrangement of electrodes for removing weeds by contact electrocution comprising: —a general support (1) formed by a first connection means (2) associated with the proximal end of a deformable frame (3), and a first mounting means (5); —a first electrode support (8) associated with said general support (1) by said first connection means (2); —a second electrode support (22) associated with said general support (1) by the distal end (4) of said deformable frame (3); wherein said first electrode support (8) includes a first electrode (15); and wherein said second electrode support (22) includes at least one electrode (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: AGRITECH S.A.
    Inventors: Ariel Alejandro Bettiol, Carlos Juan Torre, Javier Alberto Fuentes, Pedro Ignacio Torre
  • Patent number: 11963493
    Abstract: A grow module, a plant growing system, and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. The grow module comprises a plurality of tray modules including a light tray over a growing tray. The light tray includes a lighting array and at least one sensor. The growing tray is adapted to hold a plurality of plant vessels. The grow module comprises a machine-readable identification. The grow module is configured to hold the plurality of tray modules in a vertically stacked configuration. The lighting array on the light tray is configured to provide light to the plurality of plant vessels on the growing tray in the grow module directly under said light tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MAUI GREENS, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin Robell
  • Patent number: 11957088
    Abstract: A plant-growing container (500) can include a lower portion (506) and a wall (502) extending upwardly from the lower portion (506). The wall (502) can include a first aperture (512). The plant-growing container (500) can further include an orifice (510) formed by an upper portion (504) of the wall (502) and configured to receive a removable seed receptacle. The plant-growing container (500) can further include a reservoir provided by a lower portion (506) of the wall (502). The container (500) can be configured to be removably inserted into a port of a module of a plant-growing system, wherein the reservoir can be configured to receive a first volume of fluid from a fluid that is circulated through the plant-growing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Gardyn Inc.
    Inventor: Francois-Xavier Rouxel
  • Patent number: 11957111
    Abstract: A method for producing poultry at a hatchery includes incubating a batch of eggs in incubating trays in an incubating device during a first incubating period of between about 7 to about 11 days, and then, for each egg of the batch of eggs, determining of gender of the chick embryo, in particular after determination if the egg contains a well-developed or more specifically a living embryo, and based on the gender of a chick embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a male batch portion and a female batch portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SELEGGT GmbH
    Inventor: Tjitze Meter
  • Patent number: 11957091
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cultivation arrangement. A first and a second rack are arranged adjacent and aligned with each other, providing a working space therebetween. Each rack comprises support structures arranged at support heights for supporting cultivation packages at a plurality of heights. The support heights are aligned with each other. The support structures comprises one or more guiding members and the arrangement comprises moving means arranged for moving packages from the first to the second rack or back, via the working space. Cultivation packages can be supported such that at most a single package is supported at each of the aligned support heights. This enables the packages to be alternatingly supported in either the first or the second rack across the support heights. The arrangement further includes an operator platform contiguous to the working space which is moveable in a vertical direction to enable working at different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CHRISTIAENS GROUP B.V.
    Inventor: Martinus Leonardus Hendrikus Maria Christiaens
  • Patent number: 11950548
    Abstract: Systems and methods herein improve plant growth through a combination of monochromatic laser light and Emerson effect enhancement. A microcontroller can change the frequency of a laser module and an LED array to enhance growth. For example, 663 nm can be used as an energy pump, and a phytochrome effect can be applied at 730 nm during flowering to extend the amount of time a flowering plant can handle light. A racking system can accept slidable LED lights for easy positioning. Additionally, a controller can use one or more scalar wave guides for channeling scalar energy. These can be active or passive. In one example, a controller causes the scalar wave guide to create an electromagnetic cancelation field whereby the device harnesses the fundamental earth Shuman resonance of 7.83 Hz and amplifies it to create anions in a predominantly cation rich environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ATIRA SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Riccardo A. de Wet
  • Patent number: 11950581
    Abstract: A folding pet water bottle, including: a drinking water basin and a water bottle component, one end of the water bottle component being pivotally connected to the drinking water basin, the water bottle component including a storage position and a use position, the water bottle component being located in the drinking water basin when in the storage position, the water bottle component being rotated from the storage position to a position away from the drinking water basin and reaching the use position, the water bottle component forming an angle with the drinking water basin for pet drinking water when in the use position, and the water in the water bottle component being able to be discharged into the drinking water basin when in the use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Shenzhen Rongcheng Innovation Technology Co., LTD
    Inventor: Fangjian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11944069
    Abstract: A two-handed dog leash is provided having a rigid tubular member having a first handle, a second handle, and central portion. The central portion is positioned between the first and second handles and defines a centrally located aperture. A cleat assembly is positioned within the centrally located aperture. A leash terminating member secures a first end of a flexible leash within the central portion. The flexible dog leash having a second end configured to pass through the cleat assembly within the centrally located aperture and the flexible dog leash is capable of extending and retracting through the cleat assembly such that the length between the second end and rigid tubular member is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ergo Dog, LLC
    Inventor: Stephen Joshua Bonds
  • Patent number: 11944076
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for stimulating a desired response, such as ovulation and egg laying, fertility, hunger, growth, mood and sexual maturity in birds or ayes, by controlling the pulsing of two or more different wavelength bands, duty cycle, and frequency of photon bursts within a photon signal to a bird, where the photon modulation and duty cycle is based upon the specific needs of the bird.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Xiant Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Daren Suntych
  • Patent number: 11944070
    Abstract: An apparatus (200) for controlling an animal or animal positions by applying one or more form of stimulus is disclosed. The apparatus (200) comprises at least one position sensing device (240) that is configured to detect at least one position of at least part of the animal as at least one position value. At least one controller (210) is operatively connected to at least one position sensing device (140). The controller (210) is programmed to read and compare the at least one position value with at least one predetermined value relating to the at least one position for determining if at least one control action is required. The control action relates to transmitting of at least one control signal to the stimulus device (250) to administer at least one form of stimulus to the animal that is able to be sensed by the animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HALTER USA INC
    Inventors: Craig Piggott, Chris Bloomfield
  • Patent number: 11944079
    Abstract: A gamefish attractor system is modular, having interconnects that are configured to attach a first cover assembly to a second cover assembly to produce two separate cover regions and also attach to a spawning bed. Each cover region has a pair of fins attached to a frame by the interconnects. The fins extend up from the floor of the body of water to provide cover or shelter for the gamefish. A cover assembly has a cover frame that includes frame extensions that extend from a first fin to a second fin. Two cover regions may share a fin to produce the adjacent cover regions. The frame extensions are coupled to the fins by interconnects that may be detachably attachable to the fin and to the frame extension. A cover frame may include a spawning tray wherein the interconnects couple the fins to the spawning tray to form a cover region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Efficiency Products, LLC
    Inventors: Jim E. Fulbrook, David J. Fulbrook, Jason D. Fulbrook
  • Patent number: 11944052
    Abstract: A modular vessel assembly configured to hold one or more plants in a cultivation environment is provided. The vessel assemblies may be assembled from multiple components, each component having an identical design. Aspects of the present disclosure allow for high-volume production of a single component that is versatile enough to join with other identical or substantially similar components to form a tower of vessels configured to hold a number of plants during cultivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: STEM Cultivation, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle W. Moffitt, Kaylor Moffitt
  • Patent number: 11937578
    Abstract: An apparatus (300) for applying at least one stimulus to an animal for controlling the animal or animal positions is disclosed. The apparatus (300) is configured to be worn by the animal and comprising a housing (305 carrying at least one stimulus device (350a, 350b, 350c, 350a?, 350b?, 350c?) that is configured to apply at least one stimulus to the animal at two or more levels of intensity. The stimulus is applied on a basis of a control signal received from at least one controller (310) that is in electronic communication with the at least one stimulus device (350a, 350b, 350c, 350a?, 350b?, 350c?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: HALTER USA INC
    Inventors: Craig Piggott, Chris Bloomfield
  • Patent number: 11937561
    Abstract: Modular cultivation systems utilized in a Vertical Farm or Plant Factory is described herein. The modular cultivation system has a growing module that includes an expandable and collapsible support frame with growing boards or pods, lighting boards, and an irrigation system arranged within the support frame to maximize the quantity of crops that can be grown within an available volume of space in a Vertical Farm unit, warehouse or greenhouse per unit time. The modular cultivation system further includes a mover robot for moving the growing module. The Vertical Farm relies on an ambulatory cultivation system and a cyclical automated operational protocol for planting, growing and harvesting made possible by the ambulatory growing module. Thus, access for crop planting, maintenance and harvesting is conveniently carried out through automation, that is, by commanding a specific ambulatory cultivation system to move autonomously to designated locations in the vertical farm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
    Inventors: Joel L. Cuello, Yaser Mehdipour, Jack Welchert
  • Patent number: 11939982
    Abstract: A system for distributing particulate material from an agricultural machine includes a fan configured to provide an airflow in a supply line for distributing particulate material, a hydraulic system configured to drive the fan at a plurality of fan speeds, and a control system configured to control the hydraulic system. The control system executes a program stored in a non-transient medium operable to: determine a given product application rate for distributing the particulate material; determine a given ground speed of the agricultural machine; determine a fan speed for achieving the given product application rate at the given ground speed; and control the hydraulic system to drive the fan at the fan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Rex Ruppert, David Hafvenstein