Patents Examined by Keith R Campbell
  • Patent number: 11970336
    Abstract: A belt and a belt conveyor are provided for transporting particulate material and especially oilseeds up the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor can include an intake end having a hopper, a discharge end, a body extending between the intake end and the discharge end and a belt. The belt travels along a travel path in the belt conveyor; the belt traveling through the hopper, up an upper run in the body to the discharge end, down a return run in the body, and back through the hopper. The belt can have a top surface having pairs of adjacent ridges provided on the top surface, each ridge having a pair of arms extending from a point, in a travel direction of the belt, wherein each pair of adjacent ridges define a v-channel on the top surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BRANDT INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventors: Lyndon Graff, Jonathan Robert Carteri
  • Patent number: 11970339
    Abstract: A roller ball assembly is provided. The assembly includes a primary roller ball supported by a support element that is composed of a superhard material. The assembly includes a cup defining a cavity within which the support element is positioned. A cap is coupled with the cup and positioned to retain the primary roller ball within the cavity. Also, a cup is disclosed for supporting roller halls. Additionally, disclosed are system and apparatus incorporating the assembly, as well as to methods of making and using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: XR Reserve LLC
    Inventors: David P. Miess, Gregory Prevost, Michael Williams, William W. King, Michael R. Reese
  • Patent number: 11939168
    Abstract: Vibratory conveyors, vibratory conveyor systems, and related methods are disclosed. An exemplary vibratory conveyor includes a support frame; a pan configured to receive a conveyed material, the pan mounted for cyclic movement relative to the support frame, the pan having a pan axis generally aligned with a conveying direction; and at least two linear servomotors operatively coupled to move the pan relative to the support frame, the at least two linear servomotors comprising a first linear servomotor and a second linear servomotor. The first linear servomotor defines a first linear servomotor actuating axis, the second linear servomotor defines a second linear servomotor actuating axis, and the first linear servomotor actuating axis is oriented obliquely relative to the second linear servomotor actuating axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin Decker Smith, Michael Pierce Woodall, James Cody Bach
  • Patent number: 11897692
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a rotary put wall having a plurality of totes. The apparatus further comprises a vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) placed within the rotary put wall. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) comprises a plurality of chutes to receive one or more items from a robotic device. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is further configured to be rotatable with respect to the rotary put wall and to convey the one or more items into one tote of the plurality of totes of the rotary put wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Sai Prasanth Krishnamoorthy, Matthew R. Wicks, Darius M. Scott
  • Patent number: 11884490
    Abstract: A belt and a belt conveyor are provided for transporting particulate material and especially oilseeds up the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor can include an intake end having a hopper, a discharge end, a body extending between the intake end and the discharge end and a belt. The belt travels along a travel path in the belt conveyor; the belt traveling through the hopper, up an upper run in the body to the discharge end, down a return run in the body, and back through the hopper. The belt can have a top surface having pairs of adjacent ridges provided on the top surface, each ridge having a pair of arms extending from a point, in a travel direction of the belt, wherein each pair of adjacent ridges define a v-channel on the top surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Brandt Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Lyndon Graff, Jonathan Robert Carteri
  • Patent number: 11866263
    Abstract: A belt and a belt conveyor are provided for transporting particulate material and especially oilseeds up the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor can include an intake end having a hopper, a discharge end, a body extending between the intake end and the discharge end and a belt. The belt travels along a travel path in the belt conveyor; the belt traveling through the hopper, up an upper run in the body to the discharge end, down a return run in the body, and back through the hopper. The belt can have a top surface having pairs of adjacent ridges provided on the top surface, each ridge having a pair of arms extending from a point, in a travel direction of the belt, wherein each pair of adjacent ridges define a v-channel on the top surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Brandt Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Lyndon Graff, Jonathan Robert Carteri
  • Patent number: 11858750
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer program products are disclosed for container transportation. An example system includes a conveyor network that includes a plurality of conveyors and each conveyor supports one or more containers thereon. Each conveyor defines a conveyor length and a conveyor operating speed. The system further includes a computing device operably coupled to the conveyor network. The computing device receives a starting location and a destination location of a first container within the conveyor network and receives an operating density for each conveyor in the conveyor network. The computing device determines a first travel path for the first container between the starting location and the destination location based upon the conveyor length, the conveyor operating speed, and the operating density for each conveyor in the conveyor network. The first travel path minimizes a total travel time for the first container between the starting location and the destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Kiara Godazandeh, Seyed Shahab Mofidi, Amirhossein Rafati, Akhila Puthengot
  • Patent number: 11851286
    Abstract: An apparatus that conveys pellet-shaped articles may include a hopper that receives a quantity of the pellet-shaped articles. The hopper may include one or more openings to direct a flow of air into the hopper to dislodge jamming or bridging of pellet-shaped articles within the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ackley Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent M. Deluccia, Jr., James T. McNamee
  • Patent number: 11795001
    Abstract: A conveyor apparatus includes a drive unit, a connection interface which transmits analog signals, and a drive control module which is coupled to the drive unit and to the connection interface via signal technology. The drive control module receives analog control signals via the connection interface in an operating state and controls the drive unit as a function of the analog control signals, outputs digital diagnostic signals via the connection interface in a digital communication state, and switches from the operating state to the digital communication state upon receipt of a switchover command. The switchover command is made up of a predetermined analog control signal or a predetermined sequence of analog control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: INTERROLL HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Andreas Hampe, Herbert Henze
  • Patent number: 11780679
    Abstract: A vibratory conveyor includes a feed tray, an electromagnetic linear actuator and a movable drive train interconnecting the feed tray and the electromagnetic linear actuator such that the electromagnetic linear actuator will move the feed tray during energization of the electromagnetic linear actuator. A sensor assembly is positioned to detect movement of the electromagnetic linear actuator. A controller connected to receive an output of the sensor assembly and connected to control energization of electromagnetic linear actuator, wherein the controller is configured to adjust energization of the electromagnetic linear actuator based upon the output of the sensor assembly. A vibratory conveyor in which the movable drive train includes at least one parallel spring element therealong is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BLUE SKY VENTURES (ONTARIO) INC.
    Inventors: Guillaume Savoie-Lavigueur, Simon Lajoie, Alexandre Lebel, Tim Beaudoin-Wallace, Mathieu Lafortune
  • Patent number: 11780686
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transport container (4) for a sorting device (1), which can be moved along a conveying path (2), comprising a support frame (6), wherein at least one support tray (8, 10) is rotatably mounted on the support frame, in particular a first support tray (8) and a second support tray (10) following the first support tray (8) in the conveying direction (A) of the transport container (4), wherein the at least one support tray (8, 10) can be rotationally moved by a control device (12) between a substantially horizontal transport position (P1) for transporting a load (L) and a substantially vertical tilt position (P2) for depositing the load (L), wherein the control device (12) has a control lever (14, 16) connected to the support tray, in particular a first control lever (14) connected to the first support tray (8) and a second control lever (16) connected to the second support tray (10), wherein the control lever (14, 16), in particular the respective first control lever (14) and/or second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Interroll Holding AG
    Inventor: Thomas Eisinger
  • Patent number: 11780677
    Abstract: A compact modular mobile aggregate processing system configured with no stand-alone inter-plant conveyors for decreasing the footprint of the system and an infinitely adjustable flow diverter(s) for increasing the control of and variation of output characteristics of the system; the system further including specialized folding conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Terex USA, LLC
    Inventors: Edwin J. Sauser, Albert D. Botton, Gregory Young
  • Patent number: 11780684
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed for processing objects. The processing system includes a perception system for providing perception data regarding an object, and a primary transport system for providing transport of the object along a primary direction toward a processing location that is identified based on the perception data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, Benjamin Cohen, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Christopher Geyer, Thomas Koletschka, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 11772909
    Abstract: A linear motor conveyor system including: a track comprising a shaped guide rail; a plurality of moving elements, each moving element having: a body; at least two bearings supported by the body and configured to match with the shaped guide rail, wherein the bearings are mounted to the moving element such that the moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements. A moving element for moving on a track of a conveyor system, the moving element including: a first set of bearings shaped to match with a first shaped guide rail; a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail; and a body supporting the first and the second bearing, wherein the body is shaped to allow the first bearing to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ATS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Albert Kleinikkink, Roger Hogan, Ian Cameron
  • Patent number: 11731843
    Abstract: A conveyance device can include a conveyance surface and a conveyance constraint. The conveyance surface can receive a container and advance the container along the conveyance pathway. The conveyance constraint can be positioned across the conveyance pathway and include an opening. The conveyance constraint can block containers having a width or height larger than the respective width or height of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev Dwivedi, Ganesh Krishnamoorthy, Michael Alan Bray
  • Patent number: 11718482
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring disturbance forces experienced by a mover in an independent cart system monitors current generated by a controller and a feedback signal corresponding to operation of the mover in response to the current generated by the controller. The controller stores a value of the current reference and of the feedback signal, sampled in tandem, and determines a disturbance force experienced by the mover as it travels along the track as a function of the stored values of the current reference and of the feedback signal. The controller may store the measured disturbance force experienced by the mover as a function of the location of the mover along the track. For each subsequent time the mover travels along the same length of track, the controller may add a compensation value to the current reference to reduce the disturbance force experienced by the mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhong Huang, Sean Lu, Tracy M. Clark
  • Patent number: 11713196
    Abstract: A conveyor drive system for installation in a load-holding compartment, the load-holding compartment having a compartment floor having a top surface, the conveyor drive system includes a linear actuator, a framework, and at least one linear-actuator-to-slat connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hallco Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy M. Berthelsen
  • Patent number: 11702289
    Abstract: A storage and order-picking system including a warehouse, wherein the warehouse includes a storage module formed by two racks including one rack aisle therebetween; separation stations associated with the storage module, each separation station having associated therewith a respective pick up location; separate conveying systems for feeding storage containers from the warehouse to the pick up locations of the separation stations, respectively; and a robot arranged between the separate conveyors such that the robot can pick up during one movement cycle from each of the separate conveying systems respectively one article and can deliver between the corresponding article pick up locations one article which has already been picked up to a deposition location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SSI Schäfer Automation GmbH (DE)
    Inventors: Elmar Issing, Christian Herzmaier
  • Patent number: 11667473
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the technology disclosed herein relate to a sensor device. An elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end and extends along a longitudinal axis. A plurality of sensors are fixed relative to the sleeve. A first endcap is coupled to the first end, where the first endcap has an endcap body. A first axle is coupled to the endcap body, where the first axle extends along the longitudinal axis and the first axle defines a retaining feature. An intermediate component is coupled to the first axle, and the intermediate component is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The sensor device has an orientation locking structure that is configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Banner Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Dennis R. Luer, Richard C. Bragg
  • Patent number: 11661282
    Abstract: The present application relates to a spherical object falling buffer device including a flow-limiting pipe assembly and a central column assembly; wherein the flow-limiting pipe assembly includes a flow-limiting pipe, a redirecting joint and a sphere outlet pipe; a diameter of the flow-limiting pipe is greater than that of the sphere outlet pipe, and an inner surface of the redirecting joint is a conical surface; the central column assembly includes at least a central column arranged in the flow-limiting pipe; a flow-guiding region is provided between the flow-limiting pipe and the central column, and a plurality of gravity flow guide grooves are provided on an outer peripheral surface of the central column. The spherical object falling buffer device may restrict, guide and buffer spherical objects during falling, and avoids collision damage of the spherical objects or the stock bin due to the excessive falling speed of the spherical objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Haiquan Zhang, Junfeng Nie, Xin Wang, Hongke Li, Zuoyi Zhang, Yujie Dong