Patents by Inventor Robert Pitzer

Robert Pitzer 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: 20230047421
    Abstract: A system including a picking apparatus including at least two grippers. Each of the at least two grippers is configured to pick a respective individual crop of crops of a plant. The system is configured to move the at least two grippers of the picking apparatus in a rotational path. The system is configured to stop rotation of the picking apparatus when a first gripper of the at least two grippers is moved to a picking position along the rotational path. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 11483975
    Abstract: A harvesting vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels coupled to the body, and a pick deck coupled to the body. The pick deck can include a plurality of picking systems configured to be carried over plants growing in at least one plant bed to harvest crops of the plants. The pick deck can include at least one sensor system configured to provide distance measurement data of a height of the pick deck over the at least one plant bed. The harvesting vehicle also includes a plurality of actuators each adjustably coupling the pick deck to the body, and a suspension control system configured to adjust at least a vertical position of the pick deck with respect to the body based at least in part on the distance measurement data. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Pitzer, Scott Gordon Scarpinato
  • Patent number: 10721868
    Abstract: A system including a first carrier configured to carry at least one first robotic system. The system also can include a second carrier configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. The first carrier can be movably coupled to and carried by the second carrier. The system can be configured to automatically hold the first carrier in a first position and stationary in a first direction with respect to the surface during a first time period while the vehicle moves the second carrier in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period, such that at least a portion the at least one first robotic system carried by the first carrier is stationary in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20200015420
    Abstract: A system including a first carrier configured to carry at least one first robotic system. The system also can include a second carrier configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. The first carrier can be movably coupled to and carried by the second carrier. The system can be configured to automatically hold the first carrier in a first position and stationary in a first direction with respect to the surface during a first time period while the vehicle moves the second carrier in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period, such that at least a portion the at least one first robotic system carried by the first carrier is stationary in the first direction with respect to the surface during the first time period. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 10420283
    Abstract: A system including a picking apparatus including at least two grippers. Each of the at least two grippers can extend radially from a central axis of the picking apparatus. Each of the at least two grippers can be configured to pick a different individual crop of crops of a plant. The system can be configured to rotate the at least two grippers of the picking apparatus around the central axis in a rotational path. The system can be configured to stop rotation of the picking apparatus when a first gripper of the at least two grippers is rotated to a picking position along the rotational path. The system can be configured to adjust an opening width of the first gripper at the picking position to pick a first individual crop of the crops of the plant. The opening width of the first gripper can be adjusted based on a size of the first individual crop to fit the first gripper around the first individual crop. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20190166764
    Abstract: A harvesting vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels coupled to the body, and a pick deck coupled to the body. The pick deck can include a plurality of picking systems configured to be carried over plants growing in at least one plant bed to harvest crops of the plants. The pick deck can include at least one sensor system configured to provide distance measurement data of a height of the pick deck over the at least one plant bed. The harvesting vehicle also includes a plurality of actuators each adjustably coupling the pick deck to the body, and a suspension control system configured to adjust at least a vertical position of the pick deck with respect to the body based at least in part on the distance measurement data. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Pitzer, Scott Gordon Scarpinato
  • Patent number: 9913428
    Abstract: A vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels movably coupled to the body, a guidance control system. The plurality of wheels can be configured to roll through rows between plant beds such that at least a portion of the body moves above the plant beds. The guidance control system can be configured to guide the vehicle along the rows. The guidance control system can be configured to track a different individual plant location of each individual plant of plants that are either planned for growth or growing in the plant beds. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Pitzer, Kenneth Gardner
  • Publication number: 20180049371
    Abstract: A system including a picking apparatus including at least two grippers. Each of the at least two grippers can extend radially from a central axis of the picking apparatus. Each of the at least two grippers can be configured to pick a different individual crop of crops of a plant. The system can be configured to rotate the at least two grippers of the picking apparatus around the central axis in a rotational path. The system can be configured to stop rotation of the picking apparatus when a first gripper of the at least two grippers is rotated to a picking position along the rotational path. The system can be configured to adjust an opening width of the first gripper at the picking position to pick a first individual crop of the crops of the plant. The opening width of the first gripper can be adjusted based on a size of the first individual crop to fit the first gripper around the first individual crop. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 9897429
    Abstract: A harvesting vehicle including a body including a plurality of picking systems configured to be carried over plants growing in one or more plant beds to harvest crops of the plants. Each picking system can include an imaging system and can be configured to (a) determine a height of the picking system over one of the one or more plant beds as the picking system is carried over the plants and (b) provide distance measurement data based on the height. The harvesting vehicle also can include a plurality of wheels each having a vertical position with respect to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 9888631
    Abstract: A system including a foliage displacement system. The foliage displacement system can include a support structure and two or more surfaces movably coupled to the support structure and configured to move between an open configuration of the foliage displacement system and a closed configuration of the foliage displacement system. The two or more surfaces can be configured to move foliage of a plant toward a center of the plant such that crops of the plant that underlie the foliage are exposed when the foliage displacement system moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 9888630
    Abstract: A system including one or more first carriers each configured to carry two or more robotic systems. The system also can include one or more second carriers configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. Each of the one or more first carriers each can be movably coupled to and carried by one of the one or more second carriers. The system can be configured to automatically hold each of the one or more first carriers in a first carrier position and stationary with respect to the surface for a first time period while the vehicle moves the one or more second carriers in a first direction with respect to the surface, such that at least a portion of each of the two or more robotic systems carried by each of the one or more first carriers is carried in a stationary manner with respect to the surface for the first time period by each of the one or more first carriers. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 9554513
    Abstract: A system including a picking apparatus including a plurality of grippers each spaced apart and extending radially from a central axis of the picking apparatus, and each configured to pick a different individual crop of crops of plants. The picking apparatus can be configured to use a first one of the plurality of grippers to pick a first individual crop of the crops at a first time. During a second time period that starts with a second one of the plurality of grippers picking a second individual crop of the crops and ends with a third one of the plurality of grippers picking a third individual crop of the crops, the picking apparatus can be configured to offload the first individual crop from the first one of the plurality of grippers. The second time period can start after the first time. The second and third ones of the plurality of grippers can be configured to hold the second and third individual crops, respectively, at the end of the second time period. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Patent number: 9480202
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a device for selectively harvesting crops on a plant. The device can include a picking apparatus. The picking apparatus can be rotatable around a central axis. The picking apparatus can include a plurality of grippers each spaced apart and extending radially from the central axis, and each configured to pick a different individual one of the crops. Each of the plurality of grippers can be adjustable between an open position and a closed position. Each of the plurality of grippers can be configured in the open position to open around the individual crop. Each of the plurality of grippers can be configured in the closed position to securely hold the individual crop when the picking apparatus is rotated around the central axis. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20160157428
    Abstract: A system including one or more first carriers each configured to carry two or more robotic systems. The system also can include one or more second carriers configured to be coupled to a vehicle that is movable across a surface. Each of the one or more first carriers each can be movably coupled to and carried by one of the one or more second carriers. The system can be configured to automatically hold each of the one or more first carriers in a first carrier position and stationary with respect to the surface for a first time period while the vehicle moves the one or more second carriers in a first direction with respect to the surface, such that at least a portion of each of the two or more robotic systems carried by each of the one or more first carriers is carried in a stationary manner with respect to the surface for the first time period by each of the one or more first carriers. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20160157431
    Abstract: A system including a picking apparatus including a plurality of grippers each spaced apart and extending radially from a central axis of the picking apparatus, and each configured to pick a different individual crop of crops of plants. The picking apparatus can be configured to use a first one of the plurality of grippers to pick a first individual crop of the crops at a first time. During a second time period that starts with a second one of the plurality of grippers picking a second individual crop of the crops and ends with a third one of the plurality of grippers picking a third individual crop of the crops, the picking apparatus can be configured to offload the first individual crop from the first one of the plurality of grippers. The second time period can start after the first time. The second and third ones of the plurality of grippers can be configured to hold the second and third individual crops, respectively, at the end of the second time period. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20160157430
    Abstract: A system including a foliage displacement system. The foliage displacement system can include a support structure and two or more surfaces movably coupled to the support structure and configured to move between an open configuration of the foliage displacement system and a closed configuration of the foliage displacement system. The two or more surfaces can be configured to move foliage of a plant toward a center of the plant such that crops of the plant that underlie the foliage are exposed when the foliage displacement system moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20160157429
    Abstract: A vehicle including a body, a plurality of wheels movably coupled to the body, a guidance control system. The plurality of wheels can be configured to roll through rows between plant beds such that at least a portion of the body moves above the plant beds. The guidance control system can be configured to guide the vehicle along the rows. The guidance control system can be configured to track a different individual plant location of each individual plant of plants that are either planned for growth or growing in the plant beds. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Pitzer, Kenneth Gardner
  • Publication number: 20160161238
    Abstract: A harvesting vehicle including a body including a plurality of picking systems configured to be carried over plants growing in one or more plant beds to harvest crops of the plants. Each picking system can include an imaging system and can be configured to (a) determine a height of the picking system over one of the one or more plant beds as the picking system is carried over the plants and (b) provide distance measurement data based on the height. The harvesting vehicle also can include a plurality of wheels each having a vertical position with respect to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Harvest CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer
  • Publication number: 20150173297
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a device for selectively harvesting crops on a plant. The device can include a picking apparatus. The picking apparatus can be rotatable around a central axis. The picking apparatus can include a plurality of grippers each spaced apart and extending radially from the central axis, and each configured to pick a different individual one of the crops. Each of the plurality of grippers can be adjustable between an open position and a closed position. Each of the plurality of grippers can be configured in the open position to open around the individual crop. Each of the plurality of grippers can be configured in the closed position to securely hold the individual crop when the picking apparatus is rotated around the central axis. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: HARVEST CROO, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Pitzer