Patents by Inventor Robert J. Bisson

Robert J. Bisson 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: 8640972
    Abstract: A sprayer has a tank for holding a spray solution that is applied to a ground or turf surface. The sprayer includes an agitation system having a plurality of agitation nozzles that extend into the tank that are accessible from outside the tank and can be removed and replaced without using tools. The sprayer may include a rinse system carried onboard the sprayer which is segregated from the spray and agitation systems to avoid contaminating the rinse liquid prior to the time the rinse liquid is sprayed into the tank through rinse nozzles. The rinse nozzles include upwardly and downwardly directed nozzle ports and a bottom spinner for thoroughly cleaning all interior surfaces of the tank. The sprayer may also include a chemical eductor mounted on the side of the tank, whose weight is counterbalanced by springs, and which easily pivots between lower and upper positions on the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Todd A. Otto, Brannon W. Polk, David J. Norlander, Robert J. Bisson, Bruce A. Granger, John H. Weber
  • Patent number: 8573510
    Abstract: A turf sprayer has a truss shaped center boom and a pair of pivotal truss shaped wing booms within which spaced spray nozzles are supported. A drift shroud system comprises three integral and one-piece drift shrouds comprising a center shroud for the center boom and a pair of side shrouds for the wing booms. Each shroud is attached to an underside of the corresponding boom in a manner such that the shrouds project below the booms and not substantially above the booms to leave the truss-shapes of the booms open and unobscured to provide access to the spray nozzles within the booms. The shrouds each have openings in a top wall thereof for receiving the spray exiting from the nozzles with the spray passing downwardly between spaced front and rear walls of the shrouds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Bisson, Brannon W. Polk, David J. Norlander, Timothy P. Sosnowski, Bart T. Ellson
  • Publication number: 20120292402
    Abstract: A sprayer has a tank for holding a spray solution that is applied to a ground or turf surface. The sprayer includes an agitation system having a plurality of agitation nozzles that extend into the tank that are accessible from outside the tank and can be removed and replaced without using tools. The sprayer may include a rinse system carried onboard the sprayer which is segregated from the spray and agitation systems to avoid contaminating the rinse liquid prior to the time the rinse liquid is sprayed into the tank through rinse nozzles. The rinse nozzles include upwardly and downwardly directed nozzle ports and a bottom spinner for thoroughly cleaning all interior surfaces of the tank. The sprayer may also include a chemical eductor mounted on the side of the tank, whose weight is counterbalanced by springs, and which easily pivots between lower and upper positions on the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Todd A. Otto, Brannon W. Polk, David J. Norlander, Robert J. Bisson, Bruce A. Granger, John H. Weber, Daniel E. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20120091227
    Abstract: A turf sprayer has a truss shaped center boom and a pair of pivotal truss shaped wing booms within which spaced spray nozzles are supported. A drift shroud system comprises three integral and one-piece drift shrouds comprising a center shroud for the center boom and a pair of side shrouds for the wing booms. Each shroud is attached to an underside of the corresponding boom in a manner such that the shrouds project below the booms and not substantially above the booms to leave the truss-shapes of the booms open and unobscured to provide access to the spray nozzles within the booms. The shrouds each have openings in a top wall thereof for receiving the spray exiting from the nozzles with the spray passing downwardly between spaced front and rear walls of the shrouds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Robert J. Bisson, Brannon W. Polk, David J. Norlander, Timothy P. Sosnowski, Bart T. Ellson
  • Publication number: 20110178978
    Abstract: A method of predicting the behavior of software agents in a simulated environment involving modeling a plurality of software agents representing entities to be analyzed, which may be human beings. Using a set of parameters that governs the behavior of the agents, the internal state of at least one of the agents is estimated by its behavior in the simulation, including its movement within the environment. This facilitates a prediction of the likely future behavior of the agent based solely upon its internal state; that is, without recourse to any intentional agent communications. In one embodiment, the simulated environment is based upon a digital pheromone infrastructure. The simulation integrates knowledge of threat regions, a cognitive analysis of the agent's beliefs, desires, and intentions, a model of the agent's emotional disposition and state, and the dynamics of interactions with the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: H. Van Dyke Parunak, Sven Brueckner, Robert S. Matthews, John A. Sauter, Steven M. Brophy, Robert J. Bisson
  • Patent number: 7921066
    Abstract: A method of predicting the behavior of software agents in a simulated environment involves modeling a plurality of software agents representing entities to be analyzed, which may be human beings. Using a set of parameters that governs the behavior of the agents, the internal state of at least one of the agents is estimated by its behavior in the simulation, including its movement within the environment. This facilitates a prediction of the likely future behavior of the agent based solely upon its internal state; that is, without recourse to any intentional agent communications. In the preferred embodiment the simulated environment is based upon a digital pheromone infrastructure. The simulation integrates knowledge of threat regions, a cognitive analysis of the agent's beliefs, desires, and intentions, a model of the agent's emotional disposition and state, and the dynamics of interactions with the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Inventors: Henry Van Dyke Parunak, Sven Brueckner, Robert S. Matthews, John A. Sauter, Steven M. Brophy, Robert J. Bisson
  • Patent number: 7364096
    Abstract: This invention relates to a sprayer having a center boom and pivotal wing booms. The wing booms can be pivoted from an extended spray position to an elevated transport position by lifting and lowering each wing boom about a longitudinal lift pivot axis. In addition, each wing boom can bi-directionally breakaway relative to the center boom by virtue of a breakaway pivot arranged between the lift pivot axis and the innermost end of the wing boom. The breakaway pivot has at least one pair of nested cams that are biased into their nested condition by at least one spring. The center boom carries a pair of support cradles that direct or cam one wing boom forwardly and the other wing boom rearwardly as the wing booms are lifted into the transport position such that the wing booms form an X-shape relative to one another. The support cradles are partially flexible to allow the wing booms to release from the cradles if they strike an obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Timothy P. Sosnowski, Robert J. Bisson, Bart T. Ellson, David J. Norlander