Robotic litter processing system

• US 10,399,045 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mike Altomare
• Original Assignee: Mike Altomare
• Inventors: Altomare, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US15/481,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20170293305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/015 Floor coverings, e.g. bedding-down sheets ; Stable floors
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/04 Dropping-boards; Devices for removing excrement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/53 using driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/112 with arms, paddles, vanes or blades
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1143 screw-shaped, e.g. worms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/72 with helices or sections of helices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5021 the vehicle being self-propelled, e.g. truck mounted, provided with a motor, driven by tracks B01F33/5022 - B01F33/5027 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16

Abstract

A litter processing system is provided implementing one or more robotic vehicles to process livestock litter, detect conditions of the litter with a plurality of sensors, and treat the litter based upon data collected by the sensors. The vehicles may include processors and software that control vehicle tasks. The vehicle'"'"'s onboard software may be controlled by a server having an instance of the software thereby controlling operation of the vehicles and collecting sensor data from the vehicles via a wireless network.

Claims

1. A robotic litter processing system, comprising:

a first robotic litter processing vehicle including;

an elongate housing with a length, width, front, rear, top, center and two opposing sides creating an inner space for mounting components;

an on-board processor having software executing from a non-transitory medium;

a plurality of sensors communicating raw data at least to the processor;

at least two rotatable parallel tracks operated by a motor and axle assembly and controlled by the software providing mobility for the vehicle over the litter;

a litter accumulating auger shaft mounted laterally in the front housing making contact with the litter, having auger flutes in a spiral formation positioned on the auger shaft forcing the litter to the center of the housing;

a computerized server storing and executing an instance of the software, communicating wirelessly with the processor;

wherein the sensors include at least optical sensors gathering first data including at least stationary and mobile obstacles, communicates the first data to the processor wherein the software assists in navigation of the vehicle to avoid making contact with the obstacles.

2. The litter processing system of claim 1, wherein a spreading auger shaft is installed laterally towards the rear of the housing having auger flutes in a spiral formation angled to spread litter away from the vehicle towards the two opposing sides.

3. The litter processing system of claim 2, wherein a mixing auger shaft is installed longitudinally between the litter accumulating and spreader auger shafts including means for mounting litter blending protrusions and apertures including at least tines for mixing the litter.

4. The litter processing system of claim 1, wherein the tracks are located between the center and front of the housing and a tilling plate is positioned between the tracks and the litter accumulating auger shaft, the tilling plate including an angled sharp edge extending towards the tracks having teeth and slots allowing litter to pass between the teeth, a leveling plate is positioned at the rear of the housing, supporting the vehicle.

5. The litter processing system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors are moisture, PH, temperature and ammonia sensors located near the front of the housing making contact with the litter sending second data to one or both of the processor and server.

6. The litter processing system of claim 1, wherein the housing includes means for storing dry and liquid litter treatment agents above the mixing auger shaft, means for dispensing the dry and liquid agents, the software determining types of treatment and type of agents dispensed based upon the second data.

7. The litter processing system of claim 6, wherein the agents include any one of liquids and solids comprising at least specific enzymes, drying agents, moisturizing agents, ammonia neutralizing agents, and PH adjustment agents.

8. The litter processing system of claim 6 wherein one or more of the sensors are also located at the rear of the housing after the spreading auger shaft, making contact with the litter and sending third data to the processor.

9. The litter processing system of claim 8, wherein additional vehicles are employed in the system to perform specific additional litter processing jobs controlled by the software via direct communication between the vehicles or from the server, based at least upon the third data.

10. A method for processing litter, comprising the steps of;

a) providing a robotic vehicle having an elongate housing with a length, width, front, rear, top, center and two opposing sides creating an inner space for mounting components;

b) operating the vehicle via a local processor storing and executing an instance of operating software and cooperating with an instance of the software stored on and executing from a computerized server wirelessly connected to the processor;

c) mobilizing the robotic vehicle, by the software, to traverse livestock litter by operating at least two rotatable parallel tracks mounted in the housing via a motor and axle assembly providing mobility for the vehicle over the litter;

d) gathering raw data by a plurality of sensors mounted on the vehicle and communicating the raw data to the processor;

e) gathering first raw data by the sensors including at least an optical sensor detecting at least stationary and mobile obstacles, communicating the first data to the processor and the software navigates the vehicle to avoid making contact with the obstacles

f) accumulating litter by a first auger shaft mounted laterally in the front of the housing making contact with the litter, the first auger shaft having auger flutes in a spiral formation positioned to force the litter to the center of the housing.

11. The method of claim 10, including a step for spreading litter away from the vehicle towards the two opposing sides by a second auger shaft having auger flutes in a spiral formation angled to engage the litter forcing it towards the two sides, the second auger shaft installed laterally towards the rear of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a third auger shaft is installed longitudinally between the first and second auger shaft including means for mounting litter blending protrusions and apertures including at least tines for mixing the litter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the tracks are located between the center and front of the housing and the litter is processed by a tilling plate positioned between the tracks and the first auger shaft, the tilling plate including an angled sharp edge extending towards the tracks having teeth and slots allowing litter to pass between the teeth, and a leveling plate is positioned at the rear of the housing, supporting the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more of the sensors are moisture, PH, temperature and ammonia sensors located near the front of the housing making contact with the litter sending second data to one or both of the processor and server.

15. The litter processing system of claim 14 wherein one or more of the sensors are also located at the rear of the housing after the second auger shaft, making contact with the litter and sending third data to the processor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing includes means for storing dry and liquid litter treatment agents above the mixing auger shaft, means for dispensing the dry and liquid agents, the software determining types of treatment and type of agents dispensed based upon the second data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the agents include any one of liquids and solids comprising at least specific enzymes, drying agents, moisturizing agents, ammonia neutralizing agents, pesticides, insecticides and PH adjustment agents.