US 12,269,167 B2
Surface management of piled granular material
Benjamin H. Johnson, Omaha, NE (US); Chad E. Johnson, Aurora, NE (US); and Zane Zents, Omaha, NE (US)
Assigned to Grain Weevil Corporation, La Vista, NE (US)
Filed by Grain Weevil Corporation, Aurora, NE (US)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/377,414.
Application 18/377,414 is a continuation of application No. 17/982,590, filed on Nov. 8, 2022, granted, now 11,858,145.
Application 17/982,590 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/195,021, filed on Mar. 8, 2021, granted, now 12,037,185.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/277,232, filed on Nov. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/987,311, filed on Mar. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0033918 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/00 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B65D 88/08 (2006.01); B65D 88/66 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1664 (2013.01) [B25J 9/161 (2013.01); B25J 13/006 (2013.01); B25J 13/087 (2013.01); B65D 88/08 (2013.01); B65D 88/66 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A piled granular material surface management robot, the robot comprising:
an auger-based drive system comprising bilateral augers;
a memory; and
a processor coupled with the memory and configured to:
control movement of the robot via the bilateral augers of the auger-based drive system; and
direct a traversal, by the robot, about a surface of a piled granular material in a bulk store, wherein a crust layer of the surface is broken up by auger rotation of the bilateral augers of the auger-based drive system during the traversal.