Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for separating plants

US9358586B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

15References

32Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Agricultural Robotics LLC · US

Inventors

Claude Brown · Lodi, US
Darrell Mintz · Bow, US
Glenn Sakuma · Bow, US
Bob Tipton · Red Bluff, US
Tom Loftus · Redding, US
Joseph Oran Shannon · Millville, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 21, 2014
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 21, 2034

Classification

Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
CPC primaryA23N15/00
WIPO fieldChemical engineering
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus and method is presented for separating healthy plants from agricultural material, such as harvested plants. The apparatus includes a conveyor to present the agricultural material to a mesh, which may be, for example bristles. A rotating drum with a plurality of protruding tines moves through the mesh and pulls individual plants from the agricultural material. A machine vision system may then sort the healthy, individual plants. The method includes presenting the agricultural material to the mesh, and then pulling individual plants through the mesh.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.