Patents by Inventor Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN

Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN 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: 20230286184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a graft element (1) for joining together plant stem sections. The graft element is made of a resilient material and takes the form of a tubular structure having a hollow center that extends in a longitudinal direction so as to form a cylinder (2). The graft element further comprises a side opening (3) along its length and two elongated members. The side opening is connected to the hollow center over the entire length of the graft element. The two elongated members are located at opposite sides of the side opening and oriented substantially parallel thereto. The elongated members are provided with cutouts for receiving a gripping unit. The invention further relates to systems and methods for joining plant stem sections using the graft element. Finally, the invention relates to a system and a method for preparing the graft element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Wim STRUIJK, Wim VAN DER EL, Dirk Jan DE KONING, Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN
  • Patent number: 9907235
    Abstract: A cutting holding unit for planting cuttings in a cultivation medium comprising a cutting clamp comprising two opposing members for clamping a portion of a cutting at a clamping position; and a holding device comprising two opposing members arranged to hold the cutting at a position closer to a cutting end that is to be put into the cultivation medium than the clamping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: IG SPECIALS B.V.
    Inventors: Wim Struijk, Wim Van Der El, Dirk De Koning, Willem Nicolaas Schouten
  • Patent number: 9516819
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for placing cuttings of plants in a cultivation medium. The apparatus has a cuttings supply system for supplying a plurality of cuttings, a camera system for identifying cuttings among the plurality of cuttings that are suitable for individual pick up using pattern recognition, a pick-up tool for picking up cuttings identified by the camera system, and a planting system for simultaneously planting multiple cuttings in the cultivation medium. The planting system and the pick-up tool are separate entities. Furthermore, the pick-up tool is arranged for suitably placing picked-up cuttings in the planting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: IG SPECIALS B.V.
    Inventors: Wim Struijk, Wim Van Der El, Dirk Jan De Koning, Willem Nicolaas Schouten
  • Publication number: 20160270302
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for placing cuttings of plants in a cultivation medium. The apparatus has a cuttings supply system for supplying a plurality of cuttings, a camera system for identifying cuttings among the plurality of cuttings that are suitable for individual pick up using pattern recognition, a pick-up tool for picking up cuttings identified by the camera system, and a planting system for simultaneously planting multiple cuttings in the cultivation medium. The planting system and the pick-up tool are separate entities. Furthermore, the pick-up tool is arranged for suitably placing picked-up cuttings in the planting system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: IG Specials B.V.
    Inventors: Wim STRUIJK, Wim VAN DER EL, Dirk DE KONING, Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN
  • Patent number: 9301453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for placing cuttings of plants in a cultivation medium. The apparatus has a cuttings supply system for supplying a plurality of cuttings, a camera system for identifying cuttings among the plurality of cuttings that are suitable for individual pick up using pattern recognition, a pick-up tool for picking up cuttings identified by the camera system, and a planting system for simultaneously planting multiple cuttings in the cultivation medium. The planting system and the pick-up tool are separate entities. Furthermore, the pick-up tool is arranged for suitably placing picked-up cuttings in the planting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: IG SPECIALS B.V.
    Inventors: Wim Struijk, Wim Van Der El, Dirk Jan De Koning, Willem Nicolaas Schouten
  • Publication number: 20140053460
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a graft element for joining together plant stem sections. The graft element is made of a resilient material and takes the form of a tubular structure having a hollow center that extends in a longitudinal direction so as to form a cylinder. The graft element further comprises a side opening along its length and two elongated members. The side opening is connected to the hollow center over the entire length of the graft element. The two elongated members are located at opposite sides of the side opening and oriented substantially parallel thereto. The elongated members are provided with cutouts for receiving a gripping unit. The invention further relates to systems and methods for joining plant stem sections using the graft element. Finally, the invention relates to a system and a method for preparing the graft element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: IG Specials B.V.
    Inventors: Wim STRUIJK, Wim VAN DER EL, Dirk Jan DE KONING, Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN
  • Publication number: 20130333600
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for placing cuttings of plants in a cultivation medium. The apparatus has a cuttings supply system for supplying a plurality of cuttings, a camera system for identifying cuttings among the plurality of cuttings that are suitable for individual pick up using pattern recognition, a pick-up tool for picking up cuttings identified by the camera system, and a planting system for simultaneously planting multiple cuttings in the cultivation medium. The planting system and the pick-up tool are separate entities. Furthermore, the pick-up tool is arranged for suitably placing picked-up cuttings in the planting system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: IG Specials B.V.
    Inventors: Wim STRUIJK, Wim VAN DER EL, Dirk Jan DE KONING, Willem Nicolaas SCHOUTEN