Patents by Inventor Robert Kerchner

Robert Kerchner 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: 20100057286
    Abstract: The device concerns an ultra lightweight, solar powered, self-propelled, programmable, low-speed crawling lawn mower, and an operating method for use of such invention. The unit consists of a cover housing/solar cell deck with watertight compartment(s) for circuitry; sitting atop an open slow-cutting head, with a pair of spoke wheels at either side. The front spoke wheels function as drive wheels, followed by freely turning back reference wheels equipped with incremental rotary encoders to measure their relative turn rates. The two drive wheels are connected to two variable speed drive motors and gearboxes (disconnectable during programming), which are in turn powered individually and independently by a processor. Such processor follows a memory pattern, matching this against real-time reference wheel data to determine relative power levels appropriate for the two front drive wheels. Intermittent stationary reference points may be derived by a sensor plate on the rear of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Robert Kerchner