US Patent 11965297 Object-gathering apparatus

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.