Patents by Inventor Christopher D. Austin

Christopher D. Austin 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: 11319174
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jr., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Publication number: 20210039901
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, JR., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Patent number: 10815083
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jr., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Patent number: 10745224
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jr., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Publication number: 20190367293
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, JR., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Patent number: 10287107
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jr., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Publication number: 20180265308
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, JR., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Patent number: 9540607
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for preparing a plurality of containers having a suspension of a solid wherein the concentrations of the solid in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same and the volumes of the suspension in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cytonet, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D. Austin, Patricia M. Whelton, Sonya O. Meheux Sherwood
  • Publication number: 20160001985
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, JR., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Patent number: 9061849
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jr., Jacob L. Timm, Matthew G. Good, William P. McConnell, Robert L. Schlender, Christopher D. Austin
  • Publication number: 20120305129
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for preparing a plurality of containers having a suspension of a solid wherein the concentrations of the solid in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same and the volumes of the suspension in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher D. Austin, Patricia M. Whelton, Sonya O. Meheux Sherwood