US 12,144,323 B2
Litter conditioner and method of using the same
Corwin Brent Heatwole, Rockingham, VA (US)
Assigned to Global Nutrient Conditioning LLC, Broadway, VA (US)
Filed by Global Nutrient Conditioning LLC, New Market, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/869,386.
Application 17/869,386 is a continuation of application No. 17/216,120, filed on Mar. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,399,514.
Application 17/216,120 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/066670, filed on Dec. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/952,818, filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0354093 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01K 31/04 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 31/04 (2013.01) 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A litter conditioning vehicle, comprising:
a drive system coupled to a chassis and configured to move the litter conditioning vehicle along a floor of an animal enclosure;
a collection system coupled to a front portion of the chassis, the collection system configured to collect litter from the floor and to reduce a particle size of the litter as it is collected;
a conditioning system coupled along a length of the chassis, the conditioning system including a drum and a heating element, an inner volume of the drum configured to receive the litter collected by the collection system, the drum configured to rotate to tumble the litter disposed in the inner volume, the heating element configured to transfer thermal energy to the litter as the litter is tumbled in the drum;
an exhaust system having an exhaust shroud coupled to an output end of the drum and configured to receive a flow of conditioned litter and exhaust heat from the conditioning system, the exhaust system having a blower configured to direct the exhaust heat through the exhaust shroud and toward the floor; and
a dispersement system coupled to a back portion of the chassis, the dispersement system configured to receive conditioned litter from the conditioning system via the exhaust shroud and to disperse the conditioned litter on the floor behind the litter conditioning vehicle.