Timothy J O'Connor

US Patent:

6986294, Jan 17, 2006

Filed:

Aug 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/223339

Inventors:

Guy A. Fromme - Louisville CO, US
Timothy O'Connor - Lafayette CO, US
David A. Gutow - Boulder CO, US
Dean A. Paschen - Lafayette CO, US
Vincent A. Hirsch - Boulder CO, US
Gary Emerson - Golden CO, US
Charles Bradford - Longmont CO, US
Leon C. Webb - Naples FL, US
Paul Hendershott - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

Bintech LLLP - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G01M 19/00

US Classification:

738658, 73866

Abstract:

Bulk material measurement packages are described including the preferred embodiment of an automated instrument package (AIP) suited to mount on the inside ceiling of a large silo. The gimbaled AIP vertical mounting bracket rotates in an approximate 360 azimuth. An instrument housing is mounted to the vertical mounting bracket, and it rotates approximately 190 in a vertical plane. The instrument housing has at least one range finding sensor such as a scanning laser to measure the top surface contours of the bulk material. The instrument housing can also contains other sensors such as air and quality instruments including temperature, humidity, spectral recognition sensor to detect grain/material type and/or flow rate, gas detectors for sniffing off-odors/spoilage/or safety problems, and live video. Optionally grain penetrating radar (GPR), time domain reflectometry (TDR), ultrasonics, and portable sensors are taught as well as alternate packaging.

US Patent:

7707003, Apr 27, 2010

Filed:

Feb 23, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/816737

Inventors:

Timothy C. O'Connor - Lafayette CO, US
Guy A. Fromme - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

Bin Tech L.L.L.P. - CO

International Classification:

G01C 19/00

US Classification:

702150, 7386173, 353 5, 356 2, 356300, 356306, 702179, 705500

Abstract:

A method and system collects and manipulates information from various sources for the purpose of determining the location of loads of material in a bulk material storage container and tracing the number and identity of bulk material sources, such as farms or processing plants, for loads located within a bulk material storage container. Such production source information is thus uniquely associated with a particular non-liquid bulk material load. Surface mapping of a surface of bulk material stored in a storage container is performed before and after material is added to the container, and are used to determine position of loads within the storage container. Embodiments of the present invention, using knowledge of the position of loads within the container, may be used for the purposes of preplanning and enhancing blended load-out batches.

US Patent:

8314712, Nov 20, 2012

Filed:

Apr 2, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/753419

Inventors:

Guy Fromme - Louisville CO, US
Timothy O'Connor - Lafayette CO, US

Assignee:

Bin Tech L.L.L.P. - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G08B 17/10
G08B 23/00
G01N 1/00

US Classification:

340632, 73 2341, 340633, 340634, 3406936

Abstract:

An apparatus is disclosed for facilitating spoilage detection in bulk grain storage bins via dust-free or substantially dust-free air sampling. Dust particles are passively removed from sampled air without the use of barrier filters or electrostatic screens, but instead through the use of a non-linear pathway that is open at one end and closed at the other end. A system is disclosed that incorporates a coiled pathway as an air inlet element combined with a carbon dioxide or other gas detector element to provide an integrated detector module suitable for permanent installation in a dusty bulk grain storage bin environment to provide spoilage gas measurements over time. The system may communicate data to a central data storage system via cellular telephone or long range radio frequency data transmission. Alerts and alarms are generated and transmitted electronically to users via email, SMS text, automated phone messages and other means.

US Patent:

20130319082, Dec 5, 2013

Filed:

Nov 20, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/681975

Inventors:

- , unknown
Timothy O'Connor - Lafayette CO, US

International Classification:

G01N 27/00

US Classification:

73 3105

Abstract:

An apparatus is disclosed for facilitating spoilage detection in bulk grain storage bins via dust-free or substantially dust-free air sampling. Dust particles are passively removed from sampled air without the use of barrier filters or electrostatic screens, but instead through the use of a non-linear pathway that is open at one end and closed at the other end. A system is disclosed that incorporates a coiled pathway as an air inlet element combined with a carbon dioxide or other gas detector element to provide an integrated detector module suitable for permanent installation in a dusty bulk grain storage bin environment to provide spoilage gas measurements over time. The system may communicate data to a central data storage system via cellular telephone or long range radio frequency data transmission. Alerts and alarms are generated and transmitted electronically to users via email, SMS text, automated phone messages and other means.