Granted Patent B2

US 12,576,374 · App. 18/316,393 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Benjamin H. Johnson (Omaha, NE); Chad E. Johnson (Aurora, NE); Zane Zents (Omaha, NE)

Assignee: Grain Weevil Corporation

B01F27/1143B65G69/20G05D1/0011G05D1/02B65G2201/042

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . A robot comprising:

an auger-based drive system;

a memory; and

a processor coupled with the memory and configured to:

control movement of the robot, via the auger-based drive system, relative to grain in a grain bin; and

direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is located in a center of the grain bin where the grain lands as it is augured into the grain bin during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system, wherein the traversal is directed according to remote control.

2 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct additional traversal, by the robot, of a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by the auger rotation of the auger-based drive system, wherein the sloped portion is outside of the landing zone portion, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion.

3 . The robot of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the sloped portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the sloped portion of the pile of grain.

4 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

5 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct capture, by a sensor of the robot, a temperature measurement of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

6 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

direct delivery, by the robot, of a probe onto the surface of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

7 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor being configured to direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion comprises the processor being configured to:

direct the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain according to a predetermined pattern of movement stored in the memory.

8 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor being configured to direct traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion comprises the processor being configured to:

direct the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain according to remote control instructions received by the robot.

9 . A method of grain bin management during load-in, the method comprising:

receiving, at a robot, instructions to traverse a surface of pile of grain in a grain bin;

controlling, by a processor of the robot according to the instructions, movement of the robot relative to the grain in the grain bin via an auger-based drive system;

traversing, by the robot under direction by the processor, a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is located in a center of the grain bin where the grain lands as it is augured into the grain bin during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system; and

performing, by the robot under direction by the processor, additional traversal by the robot of a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by the auger rotation of the auger-based drive system, wherein the sloped portion is outside of the landing zone portion, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion.

10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

11 . The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a temperature measurement of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

12 . The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

delivering a probe onto the surface of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

13 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the directing traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion comprises:

directing the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain according to a predetermined pattern of movement stored in a memory of the robot.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions embodied thereon which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of grain bin management during load-in, the method comprising:

controlling movement of a robot, via an auger-based drive system of the robot, relative to grain in a grain bin;

directing traversal, by the robot, of a landing zone portion of a surface of a pile of the grain during load-in of the grain to the grain bin to disperse broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion, wherein the landing zone portion is located in a center of the grain bin where the grain lands as it is augured into the grain bin during load-in, and wherein the dispersal is effected in part by rotation of augers of the auger-based drive system; and

directing additional traversal by the robot of a sloped portion of the pile of grain to incite sediment gravity flow in the sloped portion of the pile of grain by disruption of viscosity of the sloped portion of the pile of grain through agitation of the sloped portion of the pile of grain by the auger rotation of the auger-based drive system, wherein the sloped portion is outside of the landing zone portion, and wherein the sediment gravity flow reduces a slope of the sloped portion and further disperses the broken grain and foreign material away from the landing zone portion.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a temperature measurement of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:

delivering a probe onto the surface of the pile of grain during the traversal of the landing zone portion of the pile of grain.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (116)