US 12,269,168 B2
Inciting sediment gravity flow in piled grain
Zane Zents, Omaha, NE (US); Chad E. Johnson, Omaha, NE (US); and Benjamin H. Johnson, La Vista, NE (US)
Assigned to Grain Weevil Corporation, La Vista, NE (US)
Filed by Grain Weevil Corporation, La Vista, NE (US)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/377,471.
Application 18/377,471 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 2024/0033919 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)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A piled grain 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 to traverse about a surface of piled grain in a bulk store; and
direct a traversal, by the robot, about a sloped portion of the surface of the piled grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion through agitation of the sloped portion by auger rotation of the bilateral augers of the auger-based drive system, wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces an angle of slope of the sloped portion.