Patents by Inventor Michael Robert Himes

Michael Robert Himes 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: 11363909
    Abstract: A processor of a sensor device receives a plurality of images capturing a scene that depicts at least a portion of a conveyer entering a treatment area of a food processing system. The processor processes one or more images, among the plurality of images, to detect one or more characteristics in the scene. Processing the one or more images includes detecting presence or absence of a product on the at least the portion of the conveyor depicted in the scene, and classifying the scene as having one or more characteristics among a predetermined set of characteristics. The sensor device provides characteristics information indicating the one or more characteristics detected in the scene to a controller. The characteristics information is to be used by the controller to control operation of one or both of the conveyor and the treatment area of the food processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Reed Jacob Hendershot, Avishek Guha, Shawn Haupt, Ankit Naik, Michael Robert Himes, Erdem Arslan
  • Publication number: 20210321820
    Abstract: A processor of a sensor device receives a plurality of images capturing a scene that depicts at least a portion of a conveyer entering a treatment area of a food processing system. The processor processes one or more images, among the plurality of images, to detect one or more characteristics in the scene. Processing the one or more images includes detecting presence or absence of a product on the at least the portion of the conveyor depicted in the scene, and classifying the scene as having one or more characteristics among a predetermined set of characteristics. The sensor device provides characteristics information indicating the one or more characteristics detected in the scene to a controller. The characteristics information is to be used by the controller to control operation of one or both of the conveyor and the treatment area of the food processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Reed Jacob Hendershot, Avishek Guha, Shawn Haupt, Ankit Naik, Michael Robert Himes, Erdem Arslan
  • Publication number: 20200030397
    Abstract: A method of harvesting trichomes from a cannabis plant piece containing one or more trichomes attached to biomass material, the biomass material including one or more of stalk material, flower material, and leaf material, including freezing a cannabis plant piece by exposing the plant piece to a cryogenic fluid to create a frozen plant piece; processing the frozen plant piece to separate the trichomes from the biomass material using one or more screens; removing the biomass that has been prevented from passing through the one or more screens; and collecting the trichomes that have passed through the one or more screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Robert Himes, Eric Charles Bender, Mark Wayne Lanham, Andrew Vincent Shlanta
  • Patent number: 8573000
    Abstract: A cryogenic tunnel freezer (10) having modular design and construction including a lower section (16) that can be raised and lowered relative to an upper section (14), the upper and lower sections (14, 16) defining a tunnel (12) when the lower section (16) is in a closed (raised) position. Product is moved through the tunnel (12) via a belt (22) formed of arrays of plastic modules (76) that are reinforced by metal chains (140) and rods (150). The lower run (23) of the belt (22) rides on the floor (48) of the lower section (16) and the upper run (21) rides on the lower run (23) when the belt (22) is operated. The flow of cryogenic fluid through the tunnel (12) is aided by vaporization of a cryogenic fluid and baffles (98), but no air-moving devices located within the tunnel (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Trembley, Jeremy Paul Miller, Michael Robert Himes