Patents by Inventor Christopher Michael Richards

Christopher Michael Richards 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: 10029859
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the disk assembly that rotates the bowl assembly and the assemblies rotate at different speeds but in the same direction. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore Papsdorf, Michael John Mers-Kelly, Christopher Michael Richards
  • Publication number: 20170327322
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the disk assembly that rotates the bowl assembly and the assemblies rotate at different speeds but in the same direction. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore PAPSDORF, Michael John MERS-KELLY, Christopher Michael RICHARDS
  • Patent number: 9751699
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore Papsdorf, Michael John Mers-Kelly, Christopher Michael Richards
  • Publication number: 20170088364
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore PAPSDORF, Michael John MERS-KELLY, Christopher Michael RICHARDS
  • Patent number: 9511950
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore Papsdorf, Michael John Mers-Kelly, Christopher Michael Richards
  • Publication number: 20120234648
    Abstract: An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Clifford Theodore Papsdorf, Michael John Mers-Kelly, Christopher Michael Richards