Patents by Inventor Abram Christiaan KNIP

Abram Christiaan KNIP has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11930781
    Abstract: A milking system includes a milking device, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk that includes a control unit, a tape mover to move and unwind a tape wound on a tape reel and with a base material with reagent pads, that detect a substance in the sample, and a dosing device to provide the sample onto a reagent pad, and a sensor to detect radiation from said reagent pad, and to analyse the detected radiation to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The reagent pad is facing downward during provision of the sample. In this way, the chance of excess liquid falling from the reagent, and possibly onto a camera, is reduced. Smaller reagent pads may be used, it reduces the chance of supplied liquid spilling over to a neighbouring reagent pad, the measures preventing this spilling may be limited, and it is easier to suck away excess fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Michael Gavin, Abram Christiaan Knip
  • Patent number: 11925168
    Abstract: A milking system includes a milking device with a milking control, a milk line, and a sampling/analysis device. The milking control controls the milking based on said analysis. The sampling/analysis device includes a reagent carrier, including a tape with a first side with a reagent pad that detects the presence of a substance in the milk sample and a second side, a dosing device to provide a droplet of said sample onto the reagent pad, a source for emitting source radiation onto the reagent pad, and a sensor to detect response radiation emitted by the reagent pad, and to analyse the detected response radiation to indicate the presence or concentration of said substance. The first side faces away from the sensor during analysing by the sensor. By viewing “from below”, the observed reaction in the reagent is cleaner, and suffers less from artefacts, and the camera will stay cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Michael Gavin, Darby Anne McChesney, Abram Christiaan Knip
  • Patent number: 11889946
    Abstract: The invention provides a heating device comprising a base structure comprising a fluid channel and a heating element, the heating element arranged in use to heat fluid within the fluid channel, the heating device further comprising a cooling means, arranged in use to cool the fluid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik Johan Dees, Abram Christiaan Knip
  • Patent number: 11871722
    Abstract: A robotic milking system includes a milking control, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk, wherein the milking control controls the robotic milking device based on the analysis of the milk sample. The sampling and analysis device includes a control unit, a tape reel with a tape with reagent pads that detect the presence of a substance in the sample, a tape mover, a dosing device to provide a sample onto a reagent pad, a camera to image of the reagent pad with said sample, and to analyse the images to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The lengthwise consecutive substantially rectangular reagent pads are separated by a hydrophobic line, and the control unit recognises said line in the image and determines a position thereof. The control unit controls the tape mover on the basis of the obtained image and line position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventor: Abram Christiaan Knip
  • Patent number: 11311141
    Abstract: An assembly for frothing a fluid having an air channel with a controllable air valve and having a fluid channel with an air inlet emanation point in which the air channel emanates, a pump, a fluid restriction, a heater, and a valve assembly having a first state in which fluid is channeled to a fluid outlet of the fluid channel and a second state in which the fluid is diverted from the fluid channel to a second fluid outlet. A water supply channel is connected to the fluid channel. The assembly also includes a cleaning reservoir and a return channel that is connected to the second fluid outlet of the valve assembly and that emanates in the cleaning reservoir. An electronic controller assembly is configured to control at least the pump, the heater, and the valve assembly, and to operate the assembly in a production mode and a cleaning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik Johan Dees, Abram Christiaan Knip, Jacobus Petrus Maria Dessing
  • Publication number: 20220110290
    Abstract: A milking system with a milking device, a milking control, a milk line in fluid connection with the milking device, and a sampling and analysis device to take a sample of the milk from the milk line and to analyse milk from the sample are disclosed. The milking control is arranged to control the milking device on the basis of the analysis. The sampling and analysis device includes a control unit, a tape reel provided with a tape that is lengthwise provided with a series of consecutive reagent pads that provide a detectable response in the presence of a substance in the sample, a tape mover to move the tape, a dosing device to supply a part of the sample onto a reagent pad on the tape, and a camera to obtain an image of the reagent pad supplied with the droplet, and an analysis device to analyse the obtained images to provide to the milking control device an indication of a presence or concentration of said substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Gerlof DE GROOT, Abram Christiaan KNIP
  • Publication number: 20210341447
    Abstract: A milking system includes a milking device, a milk line for carrying milk from the milking device, and a sampling unit that is arranged to take a sample from the milk line and to test the sample for the presence or concentration of at least one substance. The sampling unit is provided with a control unit and a housing. The housing includes therein a supply reel with a tape that carries reagent, and a sample supplier to supply, under control of the control unit, a part of the sample to the reagent on the tape. The sampling unit further includes a tape displacer displacing the tape under control of the control unit, a sample analyser, and a used tape collector device collecting tape with reagent to which a sample has been supplied. The supply reel at a surface thereof includes a desiccant, or is completely made of a desiccant material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Michael GAVIN, Abram Christiaan KNIP
  • Publication number: 20210315181
    Abstract: A robotic milking system includes a milking control, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk, wherein the milking control controls the robotic milking device based on the analysis of the milk sample. The sampling and analysis device includes a control unit, a tape reel with a tape with reagent pads that detect the presence of a substance in the sample, a tape mover, a dosing device to provide a sample onto a reagent pad, a camera to image of the reagent pad with said sample, and to analyse the images to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The lengthwise consecutive substantially rectangular reagent pads are separated by a hydrophobic line, and the control unit recognises said line in the image and determines a position thereof. The control unit controls the tape mover on the basis of the obtained image and line position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventor: Abram Christiaan KNIP
  • Patent number: 11089900
    Abstract: An assembly for frothing milk, including an air supply assembly including an air channel having an air inlet and a downstream end. The assembly also includes a fluid channel extending from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet. The fluid channel subsequently includes an air inlet emanation point to which the downstream end of the air channel is connected, a frothing unit including a pump and a flow-through heating unit. The flow-through heating unit bounds a heating unit fluid channel that is a part of the fluid channel and has a small thermal mass and a steep temperature profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Abram Christiaan Knip, Eduard Pater
  • Publication number: 20210195863
    Abstract: A milking system includes a milking device with a milking control, a milk line, and a sampling/analysis device. The milking control controls the milking based on said analysis. The sampling/analysis device includes a reagent carrier, including a tape with a first side with a reagent pad that detects the presence of a substance in the milk sample and a second side, a dosing device to provide a droplet of said sample onto the reagent pad, a source for emitting source radiation onto the reagent pad, and a sensor to detect response radiation emitted by the reagent pad, and to analyse the detected response radiation to indicate the presence or concentration of said substance. The first side faces away from the sensor during analysing by the sensor. By viewing “from below”, the observed reaction in the reagent is cleaner, and suffers less from artefacts, and the camera will stay cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Michael GAVIN, Darby Anne MCCHESNEY, Abram Christiaan KNIP
  • Publication number: 20210185972
    Abstract: A milking system includes a milking device, a milk line, and a sampling and analysis device for the milk that includes a control unit, a tape mover to move and unwind a tape wound on a tape reel and with a base material with reagent pads, that detect a substance in the sample, and a dosing device to provide the sample onto a reagent pad, and a sensor to detect radiation from said reagent pad, and to analyse the detected radiation to indicate a presence or concentration of said substance. The reagent pad is facing downward during provision of the sample. In this way, the chance of excess liquid falling from the reagent, and possibly onto a camera, is reduced. Smaller reagent pads may be used, it reduces the chance of supplied liquid spilling over to a neighbouring reagent pad, the measures preventing this spilling may be limited, and it is easier to suck away excess fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Michael GAVIN, Abram Christiaan KNIP
  • Publication number: 20200221899
    Abstract: The invention provides a heating device comprising a base structure comprising a fluid channel and a heating element, the heating element arranged in use to heat fluid within the fluid channel, the heating device further comprising a cooling means, arranged in use to cool the fluid channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Hendrik Johan Dees, Abram Christiaan Knip
  • Publication number: 20190069713
    Abstract: An assembly for frothing a fluid having an air channel with a controllable air valve and having a fluid channel with an air inlet emanation point in which the air channel emanates, a pump, a fluid restriction, a heater, and a valve assembly having a first state in which fluid is channeled to a fluid outlet of the fluid channel and a second state in which the fluid is diverted from the fluid channel to a second fluid outlet. A water supply channel is connected to the fluid channel. The assembly also includes a cleaning reservoir and a return channel that is connected to the second fluid outlet of the valve assembly and that emanates in the cleaning reservoir. An electronic controller assembly is configured to control at least the pump, the heater, and the valve assembly, and to operate the assembly in a production mode and a cleaning mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik Johan DEES, Abram Christiaan KNIP, Jacobus Petrus Maria DESSING
  • Publication number: 20190000263
    Abstract: An assembly for frothing milk, including an air supply assembly including an air channel having an air inlet and a downstream end. The assembly also includes a fluid channel extending from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet. The fluid channel subsequently includes an air inlet emanation point to which the downstream end of the air channel is connected, a frothing unit including a pump and a flow-through heating unit. The flow-through heating unit bounds a heating unit fluid channel that is a part of the fluid channel and has a small thermal mass and a steep temperature profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Abram Christiaan KNIP, Eduard PATER