Patents by Inventor John C. Spain

John C. Spain 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).

  • Parcel and article sorting system and method
    Patent number: 9975148
    Abstract: A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Tompkins International
    Inventors: Jianqiang Zhu, Juejing Xu, John C. Spain, Michael C. Futch, James M. Serstad, Richard C. Kaminska, III, Selden W. McKnight, Jr.
  • Parcel and Article Sorting System and Method
    Publication number: 20170183158
    Abstract: A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Jianqiang Zhu, Juejing Xu, John C. Spain, Michael C. Futch, James M. Serstad, Richard C. Kaminska, III, Selden W. McKnight, JR.