Patents
US 11847880 B2: Semi-automated canister distribution system and method
- Granted
- 2023-12-19
- Filed
- 2020-03-05 application 16810543
- Type
- Utility · 16 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed including a semi-automated canister distribution system comprising one or more cabinet systems, comprising: a cabinet having at least one compartment having at least one door having an open position and a closed position with a locked state and an unlocked state; a human-machine interface in communication with a cabinet controller configured to: receive first signals from the human-machine interface indicative of entry of a data element indicative of details of a transaction; and transmit second signals to the one or more cabinet indicative of instructions to change at least one of the at least one door between the locked state and the unlocked state; and a unit detection device configured for transmitting third signals indicative of removal of one or more substantially full propane canisters from the cabinet and placement of one or more substantially empty propane canisters in the cabinet.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg231219.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anytime Enterprises, LLC 1 patents | US company or organization | Chickasha, OK | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James P. Clark | Chickasha, OK | 8 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Ivan Zhidov | Chickasha, OK | 8 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| John Gearhart | Chickasha, OK | 3 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| G07F | Coin-freed or like apparatus | G07F11/62 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| G06Q | Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes; systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not otherwise provided for | G06Q20/208 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-01 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | ANYTIME ENTERPRISES, LLC signed 2024-07-31 | ANYTIME PROPANE, LLC BLANCHARD, OK | 68157/452 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.