Patents by Inventor Glenn Sakuma

Glenn Sakuma 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).

  • Publication number: 20240009879
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for trimming plants is described. Workers place individual plants separating individual plants from plant and non-plant matter. In one embodiment, an air curtain is directed to a falling mixture of plant and non-plant matter. The air directs some of the plant and non-plant material into a waste or recycling bin and permits further processing of individual plants. In another embodiment, individual plants are placed in a trim belt and then passed through a trimming station that trims the individual plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Agricultural Robotics LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Levesque, Darrell Mintz, Garrett Wallis, James A. Moshier, Glenn Sakuma, Hebe M. Bradley, Richard Bessette
  • Patent number: 9358586
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for separating healthy plants from agricultural material, such as harvested plants. The apparatus includes a conveyor to present the agricultural material to a mesh, which may be, for example bristles. A rotating drum with a plurality of protruding tines moves through the mesh and pulls individual plants from the agricultural material. A machine vision system may then sort the healthy, individual plants. The method includes presenting the agricultural material to the mesh, and then pulling individual plants through the mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Agricultural Robotics LLC
    Inventors: Claude Edward Brown, Darrell Mintz, Glenn Sakuma, Bob Tipton, Tom Loftus, Joseph Oran Shannon
  • Publication number: 20150053593
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for separating healthy plants from agricultural material, such as harvested plants. The apparatus includes a conveyor to present the agricultural material to a mesh, which may be, for example bristles. A rotating drum with a plurality of protruding tines moves through the mesh and pulls individual plants from the agricultural material. A machine vision system may then sort the healthy, individual plants. The method includes presenting the agricultural material to the mesh, and then pulling individual plants through the mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Claude Edward Brown, Darrell Mintz, Glenn Sakuma, Bob Tipton, Tom Loftus, Joseph Oran Shannon