Patents by Inventor Jon Tobin

Jon Tobin 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).

  • Variable volume height adjustable buffer for transferring items from an elevated supply stream to a lower container and method
    Patent number: 6637480
    Abstract: A variable volume buffer is employed to conduct a multitude of articles from an elevated supply stream into a container at a lower elevation while maintaining a drop distance for the articles that is shorter than the distance from the source to the bottom of the container. The bottom of the buffer is vertically displaced in response to the height of the articles in the buffer in a continuous or step-wise function to maintain the fill level of the articles in the buffer at substantially a constant drop distance from the source. Upon the bottom of the buffer moving adjacent the bottom of the container, the gate is opened and the buffer is raised to permit the spilling of the articles directly from the buffer and into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Han-Tek, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Tobin, Kristin Leahy, Stanley May, Timothy Lemley