The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 12, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2010
Vincent E. Bryan, Jr., Quincy, WA (US);
John Ohrt, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Randy Allard, Issaquah, WA (US);
Polly Allard, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Gene Barrow, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Pete Kunzler, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Vincent Bryan, Iii, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Alex Kunzler, Issaquah, WA (US);
Vincent E. Bryan, Jr., Quincy, WA (US);
John Ohrt, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Randy Allard, Issaquah, WA (US);
Polly Allard, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Gene Barrow, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Pete Kunzler, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Vincent Bryan, III, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Alex Kunzler, Issaquah, WA (US);
Picker Technologies LLC, Bellevue, WA (US);
Abstract
A device for transporting articles is disclosed. In the illustrated and described embodiment of the invention, the articles are fruit such as apples, and the articles can be transported from a picking location on a fruit tree to a collection bin or other site. The device includes a tube member adapted to receive and transport the articles, and a plurality of deformable baffles at spaced-apart locations within the tube. Each baffle defines an aperture which permits the article to engage and deform the baffle and aperture so as to create at least a partial momentary seal to encourage article movement through the aperture and down the tube. The article is urged through the tube by a pressure differential created across the article. In the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention, this pressure differential is a pneumatic pressure differential. The tube and the baffle apertures can have non-circular cross-sectional shapes.