Technologies Holdings Corporation

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Grote Industries, Inc.

Robert Godfrey

Peter Willem Van Der Sluis

Richard Paul Lewis

Edward Arthur Raleigh

Mark Alan Foresman

Jeffrey Jay Brickl

Matthew Tarrence Woerpel

Keith R Boye

Jared Miller

Bradley A Schaller

Gregory J Hallingstad

Alireza Janani

Morgan Lowery

Brian E Osterbrink

Luke J Sackash

Chad N Klink

Eugene P Frakes

Blake Wagner

Craig M Zell

Jeffrey J Brickl

Brad A Schaller

Kent B Toepfer

Systems and methods for sanitizing, cleaning, and deodorizing a container such as a garbage can. The sanitization product can include a disposable pad covered in a solution that is inserted into indoor or outdoor garbage cans. The solution may be configured to minimize and prevent the spread of bacteria and other germs within a garbage can, which routinely occurs due to spilling of food, liquids, and other garbage within the can. Additionally, the pad may be made of an absorbable material so that any liquids that enter a garbage can can immediately be absorbed. Different solutions may be applied to the product depending on where the pad will be used. Additionally, a kit may be provided that includes multiple disposable pads. For instance, the kit may include a dozen pads, or more or less pads, that help to keep the user's garbage can clean and void of unpleasant odors.

Disposable pad for indoor and outdoor garbage cans, recyclables cans, compost bins, and other containers

Systems and methods for sanitizing, cleaning, and deodorizing the interior of a garbage can are provided. A device is provided that includes a housing and an adjustable nozzle configured to dispense a cleaning solution into the interior of the garbage can. Additionally, the device includes a power source such as a battery, as well as an electronic board that can enable and disable the nozzle. The device can be mounted to an underside of a lid of the garbage can, which allows solution to be sprayed downwardly into the interior of the garbage can and bags contained therein. The adjustable nozzle can be adjusted to a number of different spray patterns. When the solution of the device is depleted, it can be replaced for further use of the device.

Sanitary device for garbage can lids

A dispenser is disclosed that facilitates loading of new rolls of material and the removal of empty cores. The dispenser includes a cradle roller spaced from a pair of abutment rollers. As a roll of material is dispensed, the diameter of the roll reduces causing the roll to drop from the cradle roller to a collection device. A transfer assembly pivots with the roll so that the sheet material continues to be dispensed from the dispenser without interruption. Once the roll of material drops to the collection device, a new roll of material can be loaded into the dispenser for automatic transfer to the new roll once the first roll of material has been completely depleted.

Dispenser with drop down feature and method

Systems, methods and apparatus for dispensing of paper products. A paper product dispenser comprising a housing comprising a product holding area configured to hold a roll; a rotating member configured to rotate, in a first direction, in response to rotation of the roll; a cutting surface in the housing; a cutting blade coupled to the rotating member and having a first position, and a second position in which the cutting blade is in contact with the cutting surface, wherein the rotating member is configured to (i) move the cutting blade from the first position to the second position during a first portion of a rotation cycle of the roll in the first direction and (ii) move the cutting blade from the second position to the first position during a second portion of the rotation cycle of the roll in the first direction.

Paper product dispenser cutting system

A dispenser for dispensing a roll of material is disclosed. The dispenser includes a rear housing and an openable cover. The rear-housing includes a roll transfer apparatus for transferring the roll of material from a first dispensing position to a second dispensing position. The roll transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm engaged with a transfer disk and a transfer latch capable of engaging and disengaging the transfer disk to facilitate movement of the roll of material from a first dispensing position to a second dispensing position. Also disclosed are methods for replacing a roll of material in a dispenser.

Dispenser with mechanical transfer and method

A teat preparation liner comprising an inlet for fluid flow into the liner, an opening, a liner cavity and a spray ring. The liner cavity is positioned adjacent to the opening inside the liner and surrounds a portion of the liner. The spray ring has a hollow interior and a plurality of apertures. The spray ring is coupled to the inlet so that fluid flows from the inlet into the hollow interior of the spray ring and out of the spray ring through the plurality of apertures. The spray ring is positioned inside the liner cavity so that the plurality of apertures face the inside of the liner opening. The spray ring is operable to encircle a dairy animal teat that is positioned inside the liner via the liner opening to simultaneously direct fluid flow from the inlet onto multiple portions of the teat via the apertures.

Teat preparation spray ring

A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine that a teat cup is to be attached to a front teat of a dairy livestock, and in response, determine an amount of separation between the front teat and a rear teat. The processor is further configured to calculate, if the amount of separation between the front and rear teats is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, an updated front teat position based on the amount of separation between the front and rear teats and command the robotic arm to move to the updated front teat position. The processor is further configure to determine whether the front teat is found in a scan of the dairy livestock by the laser, and if so, command the robotic arm to attach the teat cup to the front teat.

Vision system for teat detection

A robotic attacher comprises a main arm suspended from a rail, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to an extension of the supplemental arm. The gripping portion comprises a first grabber positioned side-by-side with a second grabber. The first grabber is operable to attach a first teat cup to a first teat of a dairy livestock and the second grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the first grabber in conjunction with the first grabber attaching the first teat cup. The second grabber is operable to attach a second teat cup to a second teat of the dairy livestock and the first grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the second grabber in conjunction with the second grabber attaching the second teat cup.

Robotic arm with double grabber and method of operation

A system comprising a robotic arm, a plurality of grabbers, a sensor, and a preparation cup. The robotic arm has a first end and a recessed portion. The grabbers are coupled to the robotic arm at the first end. The sensor is positioned inside the recessed portion of the robotic arm at a first distance from the first end and at a first angle. The preparation cup is coupled to wings having a body portion, a first extended portion, and a second extended portion. The body portion is coupled to a portion of the preparation cup, the first extended portion extends in a first direction and the second extended portion extends in a second direction. The wings are operable to be magnetically coupled to the plurality of grabbers via the first and second extended portions.

Robotic arm and preparation cup system

A milking cup comprising a body having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion has a first lip formed thereon and the bottom portion has a second lip formed thereon. The first lip and the second lip are separated by a distance. The milking cup further comprises a rotating shell positioned between and secured by the first lip and the second lip, wherein the rotating shell encircles the body and is operable to rotate around the body independently of the movement of the other portions of the body. The rotating shell has a length that corresponds to the distance between the first lip and the second lip.

Milking cup with rotating shell

An apparatus that includes a housing with an input port and a first output port. A piston is disposed within a bore of the housing and includes a bypass via disposed transversely within the bore and a bypass tube disposed longitudinally within the bore. The bypass tube is configured to provide a flow path from the bypass via to a second output port on the bypass tube. The piston includes a sleeve disposed concentrically around the bypass tube. An interior chamber is defined by an exterior surface of the sleeve and an interior surface of the bore of the housing. The piston is configurable between a first configuration that provides a first flow path between the input port and the first output port via the interior chamber and a second configuration that provides a second flow path between the input port and the second output port via the bypass tube.

Actuating dump valve

A system includes a robotic arm, an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm, a board coupled to the robotic arm, and a processor. The imaging device captures imaging data of a rearview of a dairy livestock through a field of view of the imaging device. The board is able to pivot from a down position to an up position and has an aperture through which the imaging device can pass through when the board lowers from the up position to the down position. The processor is coupled to both the imaging device and the board and is configured to identify a tail of the dairy livestock within the imaging data captured by the imaging device and send one or more instructions to raise the board from the down position to the up position, thereby moving the tail out of the field of view of the imaging device.

Vision system with tail positioner

A system includes a robotic arm, an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm, a tail positioner coupled to the robotic arm, and a processor. The imaging device captures imaging data of a rearview of a dairy livestock through a field of view of the imaging device. The tail positioner is able to move from a down position to an up position. The processor is coupled to both the imaging device and the tail positioner and is configured to identify a tail of the dairy livestock within the imaging data captured by the imaging device and send one or more instructions to raise the tail positioner from the down position to the up position, thereby moving the tail out of the field of view of the imaging device.

Growing community of inventors

Monona, WI, United States of America

Robert Godfrey