US 12,485,536 B2
Vacuum tube assembly for material removal
Jonathan M. Byars, Lafayette, CO (US); Matthew Stanton, Denver, CO (US); James Gregory Braeckel, III, Highlands Ranch, CO (US); Stefan Michael Elsener, Erie, CO (US); Samuel Creighton, Golden, CO (US); Simon Patrick Hall, Denver, CO (US); Jacob John Schmidt, Denver, CO (US); Peter Edward Gayler, Arvada, CO (US); Richard Reisbick, Westminster, CO (US); Kevin Taylor, Boulder, CO (US); and Jacob Fitzgerald, Wheat Ridge, CO (US)
Assigned to AMP Robotics Corporation, Louisville, CO (US)
Filed by AMP Robotics Corporation, Louisville, CO (US)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/725,316.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/182,162, filed on Apr. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0347842 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1653 (2013.01) [B25J 9/163 (2013.01); B25J 9/1666 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B65G 47/917 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sorting system, comprising:
a vacuum generator configured to generate a vacuum airflow;
one or more tubes coupled to the vacuum generator and configured to channel the vacuum airflow;
an actuation mechanism coupled to the one or more tubes, wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to actuate at least one tube from a first position relative to a material stream to a second position relative to the material stream, wherein the first position is farther from the material stream than the second position; and
a processor configured to:
detect a clog has occurred in a first tube in the one or more tubes; and
cause a positive airflow to be channeled through the first tube to remove the clog.