Patents by Inventor Françis LECLAIR

Françis LECLAIR 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: 10558223
    Abstract: There is provided an autonomous vehicle for pushing feed lying on a floor, comprising a frame; a skirt rotatably connected to the frame, wherein a bottom portion of the skirt continuously contacts the floor to push the feed. The vehicle comprises a sensor assembly for detecting a magnetic field emitted from a magnetic guiding element inserted in the floor and a control unit mounted for directing rotation of the skirt and for guiding the vehicle along a predetermined path formed by the magnetic guiding element. Also provided is an autonomous vehicle with a skirt drive mechanism mounted to the frame for driving rotation of the skirt, and an autonomous vehicle comprising a prism-shaped skirt rotatably connected to the frame. There is also provided methods for installing a magnetically guided autonomous vehicle and for pushing feed using an autonomous vehicle, as well as systems and kits comprising said vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: ROVIBEC INC.
    Inventors: Francis Leclair, Pascal Leclerc, Marc-Antoine Durand, Richard Fleurent, Marjolaine Marcotte, Yvon Therrien, Jean-Pierre Malleret, Kevin Rousseau, Victor Rousseau, Martin Rousseau, Claude Beauregard
  • Publication number: 20190129443
    Abstract: There is provided an autonomous vehicle for pushing feed lying on a floor, comprising a frame; a skirt rotatably connected to the frame, wherein a bottom portion of the skirt continuously contacts the floor to push the feed. The vehicle comprises a sensor assembly for detecting a magnetic field emitted from a magnetic guiding element inserted in the floor and a control unit mounted for directing rotation of the skirt and for guiding the vehicle along a predetermined path formed by the magnetic guiding element. Also provided is an autonomous vehicle with a skirt drive mechanism mounted to the frame for driving rotation of the skirt, and an autonomous vehicle comprising a prism-shaped skirt rotatably connected to the frame. There is also provided methods for installing a magnetically guided autonomous vehicle and for pushing feed using an autonomous vehicle, as well as systems and kits comprising said vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Francis LECLAIR, Pascal LECLERC, Marc-Antoine DURAND, Richard FLEURENT, Marjolaine MARCOTTE, Yvon THERRIEN, Jean-Pierre MALLERET, Kevin ROUSSEAU, Victor ROUSSEAU, Martin ROUSSEAU, Claude BEAUREGARD
  • Publication number: 20170231186
    Abstract: An automatic animal processing device for automatically retrieving a domestic animal partly from a stall to process the animal while restraining the animal. The animal processing device includes an animal controlling mechanism operative to engage, position and restrain the animal for processing. The animal controlling mechanism may include at least on articulated arm to constrain and immobilize an animal to process it, e.g. milk it. The animal processing device may be a milking machine may be a milking machine having a milking head assembly and a cleaning system therefor whereby the milking head assembly is cleaned inside a compartment. The animal processing device may be a dual animal milking machine having full and half operation modes whereby two sets of processing equipments are used to service two animals simultaneously or only one set is used for both respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Victor ROUSSEAU, Marc-Andre JETTE, Françis LECLAIR
  • Publication number: 20070187369
    Abstract: Weld deposit compositions with improved crack resistance, improved wear resistance, and improved hardness are provided by controlling matrix grain size and balancing Titanium and/or Niobium with Carbon and/or Boron content. Additionally, the presence of coarse chromium carbides is drastically decreased to reduce the amount of check-cracking. Preferably, the weld deposit is produced from a flux-cored or metal-cored wire. The weld deposit characteristics include a matrix having a fine grain size, small evenly dispersed carbides within the matrix, and a small amount of Carbon in the matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Ravi Menon, Jack Wallin, Francis LeClaire
  • Publication number: 20070187458
    Abstract: Compositions for stainless steel weld overlays having enhanced wear resistance are provided by incorporating second phase Titanium Carbide (TiC) and/or Niobium Carbide (NbC) into matrices of various types of stainless steel such as 316L and 420. Preferably, TiC and NbC precipitates are formed in-situ during the weld overlay process while minimizing the amount of Carbon (C) going into solid solution in the matrix of the weld overlay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Ravi Menon, Jack Wallin, Francis LeClaire