Object-gathering apparatus
AssigneeJay Hirshberg
InventorsJay Hirshberg, Casey Cotter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-propelled object-gathering apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system coupled to the chassis and configured to traverse the apparatus over a surface, and a receptacle coupled to the chassis. The apparatus also includes a sweep assembly coupled to the chassis and rotatable with respect to the chassis. The sweep assembly is configured to transfer objects from the surface into the receptacle by mechanical action on the objects, and without the use of negative pressure or vacuum suction acting on the objects during the transfer, in response to rotation of the sweep assembly.
Claims20
An object-gathering apparatus comprising:
- a chassis;
- a plurality of wheels coupled to the chassis and configured to enable the apparatus to move over a surface;
- a receptacle coupled to the chassis;
- a sweep assembly coupled to the chassis and rotatable with respect to the chassis, a roller element comprising bristles configured to transfer objects from the surface into the receptacle by mechanical action on the objects, and without the use of negative pressure or vacuum suction acting on the objects during the transfer, in response to rotation of the sweep assembly;
- a sweep assembly motor coupled to the chassis and drivably coupled to the roller element;
- and a screen coupled to the chassis, the screen comprising screen bristles interdigitated with the bristles of the roller element, wherein the bristles of the roller element pass between the screen bristles during rotation of the sweep assembly.
An object-gathering apparatus comprising:
- a chassis;
- a plurality of wheels coupled to the chassis and configured to enable the apparatus to move over a surface;
- a receptacle coupled to the chassis;
- a sweep assembly coupled to the chassis and rotatable with respect to the chassis, the sweep assembly configured to transfer objects from the surface into the receptacle by mechanical action on the objects, and without the use of negative pressure or vacuum suction acting on the objects during the transfer, in response to rotation of the sweep assembly;
- and
- a vibration element coupled between the chassis and the receptacle, wherein the receptacle is configured to sift debris from the objects in response to operation of the vibration element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.