For Separating One Material From Another Patents (Class 56/16.5)
-
Patent number: 11753250Abstract: A singulation device can singulate items. The items can be received onto a singulation conveyor. A portion of the items can be retained on the singulation conveyor by a retaining ledge. The portion of the items not retained on the singulation conveyor can fall onto a return conveyor. The singulation conveyor can transport the retained items along the length of the ledge. During conveyance, some of the items can fall off of the singulation conveyor onto the return conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Joseph McGrath, Emanuel Moshouris, Danielle Vigent
-
Patent number: 11696527Abstract: Compound headers may include two or more crop harvester types that are operable to harvest different crops simultaneously, such as different crops grown in the same field in an intercropped relationship. The simultaneously harvested crops may be separated into individual crop flows that are handled separately from each other.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventor: Noel W. Anderson
-
Patent number: 11357171Abstract: A sugarcane harvester for harvesting sugarcane including a cutter configured to cut sugarcane into a sugarcane mat and a primary extractor disposed adjacent to the sugarcane mat configured to remove crop residue from the sugarcane mat. An elevator includes a conveyor to move the sugarcane mat to an end of the conveyor and an extractor is operatively connected to the elevator. The extractor includes a fan housing having an arm extending laterally from a sidewall of the fan housing and toward a center of the fan housing. A fan assembly is supported by the arm and is configured to remove crop residue from the sugarcane mat at the end of the conveyor. A cover assembly is fixedly connected to the support arm and subtends a fan of the fan assembly and a portion of the support arm, wherein the cover assembly directs crop debris away from the fan and the support arm.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Surfraj Fattepur, Matthew J. Hansen, Todd J. Rodrigue
-
Patent number: 10721868Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 23, 2019Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: Harvest CROO, LLCInventor: Robert Pitzer
-
Patent number: 9888631Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 16, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLCInventor: Robert Pitzer
-
Patent number: 9888630Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 16, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: HARVEST CROO, LLCInventor: Robert Pitzer
-
Patent number: 9560798Abstract: A mulching device for attachment to a lawnmower includes a cutting assembly separate from the mower blades, wherein the grass clippings are finely cut and then dispersed onto the ground surface. In one embodiment, the cutting assembly includes an auger that compresses the grass clippings prior to cutting them. The mulching device may also include a separation chamber for separating the grass clippings from the forced air exiting the mower deck, so that the grass clippings may be cut in an environment separate from the forced air. In another embodiment, the mulching device includes a dispersion assembly for spreading the cut grass clippings onto a ground surface. The dispersion assembly may include a chute extending from the forced air outlet to a position adjacent the cutting assembly, wherein the forced air exiting the separation chamber is directed onto the cut grass clippings to disperse the cut grass clippings onto the ground surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Inventor: Paul Howard Nyboer
-
Publication number: 20110167777Abstract: A harvester has an operator cab, a motor, a carriage driven by the motor, a crop cutter and collector, a processing body, and an ultra-low flow agricultural forage preservative applicator system for applying a biological solution to forage during harvesting. The forage preservative applicator has a biological solution reservoir, a flush reservoir, a peristaltic pump, a valve operative to either couple the pump with the biological solution or the flush solution, and a dispensing tube, where the biological fluid containing pathways are of functionally like cross-section in the region between the biological solution reservoir outlet and the dispensing tube outlet. A flow detector which does not obstruct the fluid pathway is provided to monitor biological solution flow rate, and a moisture detector and harvest rate detector may be used for automatic control. A method of use is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Inventor: Daniel R. Dohrmann
-
Patent number: 7935227Abstract: A method for collecting biomass, such as straw, and for producing a pyrolysis liquid, such as oil or tar, from the biomass, includes the step of collecting the biomass from a growth site, e.g. a field, by means of a mobile unit. The biomass is continuously fed into a pyrolysis apparatus accommodated by the mobile unit, as the mobile unit is moved across the growth site. While the biomass is processed in the pyrolysis apparatus, further biomass is simultaneously being collected. The pyrolysis apparatus may be a flash pyrolysis or fast pyrolysis apparatus relying on centrifugal forces for forcing biomass towards a reactive surface in a pyrolysis reactor. The mobile unit may be self-propelled.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2006Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Danmarks Tekniske UniversitetInventors: Kim Dam-Johansen, Niels Bech
-
Patent number: 7874133Abstract: A forage harvester having a header for harvesting crop from a field, a chopper for comminuting the crop harvested by the header, a spout from which the chopped crop is discharged and a rotary blower (10) for propelling the chopped crop from the chopper along an intake chute (18) leading to the spout. A deflector plate (14a) is provided at the entrance of the blower. The deflector plate (14a) is pivotable between a first position in which the crop is guided to flow in a substantially tangential direction relative to the trajectory of the blades (10a) of the blower (10) and a second position in which the crop is deflected radially inwards from the tangential direction to impact the blades (10a) of the blower (10) at a point along their length.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2010Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: CNH America LLCInventor: Bernard E. D. Depestel
-
Publication number: 20090056297Abstract: Stalk separator for the de-stalking of small fruit picked in bunches, in particular for the de-stalking of grapes. The invention includes a conveyor belt and a de-stalking device positioned above this conveyor belt. The de-stalking device includes at least two spaced assemblies positioned opposite each other, each assembly featuring a number of stacked separator arms. The mechanical drives communicate a high frequency oscillating movement to the assemblies of stacked separator arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: PELLENC (Societe Anonyme)Inventors: Roger Pellenc, Jean-Marc Gialis
-
Patent number: 7318310Abstract: A combine header is disclosed that comprises a shiftable gate which either permits or blocks passage of grain to a particular portion of the combine. The combine header allows for continuous harvesting of multicrop research and test plots without commingling different grain varieties.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Kincaid Equipment Manufacturing, Inc.Inventor: Delmar Kincaid
-
Publication number: 20030079453Abstract: The invention is a harvester particularly suited for harvesting baby greens. The harvester generally comprises a chassis with wheels that travel in the furrows between raised beds, a sorting belt assembly, and an articulated connection to a cutting assembly on a floating header. The floating header rides on the top surface of a raised bed and is articulated so that the floating header can move independently of the chassis to follow the contours of the top of the raised bed so that the cutting assembly can cut at a uniform height. The sorting belt assembly includes a series of belts for collecting and sorting the cut baby greens at the easiest and most effective time to do so, immediately after the baby greens are cut and before the baby greens are clumped in storage bins or in other storage container. The invention further includes a method of using the harvester of the invention in which the forward momentum of harvester and the density of the crop are used to assist the cut product onto the collection belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2002Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventor: Peter de Groot
-
Patent number: 6553300Abstract: A control system for a harvester or similar implement includes a supervisory controller, a set of low-level controllers and a neuro-fuzzy inference system. The supervisory controller employs human expert knowledge and fuzzy logic. The controller monitors the quality of the harvesting process, such as gain loss, dockage, grain damage and the like. Based on the measurements, setpoints for all critical functional elements of the implement are determined. The neuro-fuzzy inference system determines machine settings according to operating conditions and learns from harvester experience. The parameters of the neuro-fuzzy inference system are stored in on-board memory. The neuro-fuzzy system can be used for harvester set-up and as one of the knowledge sources for repeated adjustments during the harvest.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Xinghan Ma, Karl-Heinz Otto Mertins, Folker Beck
-
Patent number: 6499283Abstract: A roller for a crop conditioning system having a roller body with a compressible base mat, with a side of the base mat including a plurality of generally arcuate recessed areas and an plurality of raised areas adjacent the recessed areas, with each raised area including one or more longitudinally oriented slits therein.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2000Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Inventor: Ivan J. Cook
-
Patent number: 6415592Abstract: A harvester system for separating ripe fruit such as tomatoes from harvested plants includes first and second sorters for detecting and sorting loose fruit and accepting or rejecting the loose fruit on the basis of the detected color and a transport conveyor for recycling rejected loose fruit from the second sorter back through the first sorter.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: California Tomato Machinery, LLCInventor: Milton Borchard
-
Publication number: 20020043059Abstract: A single row or single plant harvesting machine which is particularly useful for harvesting test and developmental plots used by plant breeders of cereal grains. The harvester has a cutting head with cutter that severs the stalks of the grain plants and produces cuttings. The cuttings are threshed by an impeller to free the grain, seeds or other plant product. The impeller is also used to generate a vacuum which draws the cuttings into an intake port which feed the thresher. The impeller further conveys the threshed cuttings to a separator which separates the grain seeds from the straw and chaff which are discharged onto the ground. The harvester can be carried on a human operator or be rolled using a wheeled carriage. The harvester eliminates bundling and remote threshing while also speeding and simplifying the harvesting of small test and developmental plots.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2001Publication date: April 18, 2002Inventors: Calvin F. Konzak, Michael A. Davis
-
Patent number: 6272821Abstract: A cotton harvester conveying system includes a cross auger with dual flighting that moves the material to a central location where four rapidly rotating paddles direct the material rearwardly into a separation duct. Heavier trash and debris settle towards the bottom of the auger, and the paddles propel the heavier material along a lower wall of the separation duct. The separation duct includes deflectors which intercept a lower portion of the rearwardly directed material. Heavy material loses momentum as it contacts the deflectors and drops out of the stream of conveyed material. Auger and paddle speed is maintained above approximately 750 rpm to break up clumps and provide efficient skimming action for removal of unwanted heavy material in the separation duct.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2000Date of Patent: August 14, 2001Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventor: Jeffrey Scott Wigdahl
-
Publication number: 20010002682Abstract: The pepper harvester has a harvesting head, a primary conveyor, a shredder, cleaning and separating assemblies, a pepper sizer, a sorting bed and a discharge conveyor. The shredder is mounted above the primary elevator. First and second side plates of the shredder rotatably support three drums for rotation about parallel horizontal axes. The drums have a plurality of radially extending posts. The posts on a first drum project in between the posts on a second drum. The posts on a third drum project between the posts on the second drum. The drums are driven so that the first drum lifts crop material including some pepper from the conveyor. This crop material passes between the first and second drums, between the second and third drums and back to the conveyor. The posts on the drums travel at different speeds and shred cop material other than peppers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2001Publication date: June 7, 2001Inventor: Gregory M. Boese
-
Patent number: 6173559Abstract: A harvester for harvesting leafy vegetables, lettuce and the like which are very delicate and which are grown in precisely configured beds of either a regular or single width (40 inches or 42 inches) or a double width (80 inches). A single conveyer/cutter assembly is located on one side of the harvester centerline and has a width somewhat exceeding the width of a single width bed. The wheels on each side are separated by somewhat more than the width of a double bed. The driver and engine is located on the other side of the centerline. Such a harvester can cut single width beds, or can cut double width beds by making a first pass in one direction and a second pass in the other direction. The single conveyer/cutter reduces the amount of debris and unwanted material from the harvested leafy vegetables.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Inventor: Enrique Nevarez, Sr.