Autonomous truck loader and unloader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029374-B2
Application number	US-201715466953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

An autonomous device for loading and unloading trucks comprises a mobile body, a robot arm and a body conveyor system to convey cartons during loading and unloading. A manipulator attaches to a moveable end of the robot arm and is maneuverable within the tight confines of the truck. The manipulator picks up a row of articles at a first location and places the row of articles down at a second location. The manipulator is reconfigurable to match to both locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manipulator attached to a movable end of a robotic arm for unloading and loading articles by picking up a row of side by side articles from a first location in a first configuration and placing the side by side row of articles down on a second location in a second configuration, the manipulator comprising:
a horizontal member attachable to the movable end of the robotic arm; and
a plurality of head elements each vertically movably attached to the horizontal member and each vertically movable independent from another, each including at least one vacuum cup configured to attach, hold, and release articles as required, each head element independently moveable up or down vertically relative to another to vertically reconfigure the head elements of the manipulator to match with and to pick up the row of side by side articles in the first configuration and to vertically reposition the plurality of head elements and picked up articles to place the row of side by side articles down in the second configuration.

2. The manipulator of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of vertical guides secured to the member with each vertical guide having a head element attached thereto, each head element configured to independently move up or down upon a vertical axis of the respective vertical guide as the plurality of head elements move to the first configuration and to the second configuration.

3. The manipulator of claim 2 wherein each head element has linear bearings to engage with a respective vertical guide and to slide vertically thereon.

4. The manipulator of claim 1 wherein the manipulator includes at least one drive motor to vertically position the plurality of head elements.

5. The manipulator of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of head elements is operably engaged with a respective drive motor to individually position the respective head element up and down along the vertical axis.

6. The manipulator of claim 4 wherein the drive motor rotates to move the head element up and down along the vertical axis.

7. The manipulator of claim 4 wherein each drive motor further comprises a pinion and each head element further comprises a rack in operative engagement with the pinion, wherein when the drive motor actuates, the pinion moves the rack and the head element up and down along the vertical axis.

8. The manipulator of claim 4 wherein the drive motor is attached to the member.

9. The manipulator of claim 8 wherein each head element further comprises a shelf cylinder attached to the head element and to the shelf, the shelf cylinder configured to move the shelf up and down in the vertical direction.

10. The manipulator of claim 9 wherein each shelf cylinder comprises a cylinder block attached to the head element having a double acting piston configured to move up and down within the cylinder block to move the shelf up and down in the vertical direction.

11. The manipulator of claim 9 wherein the shelf cylinder further comprises at least one vertical guide shaft operably attached to the dual acting cylinder and in guided engagement with the cylinder block to guide the shelf as it moves up and down.

12. The manipulator of claim 1 wherein each head element further comprises a shelf extending therefrom with each shelf independently movable up and down along the vertical axis to receive and support articles thereon.

13. The manipulator of claim 12 wherein the shelf comprises a bumper configured to press against an article pile below the one or more articles being picked up or dislodged from the article pile.

14. The manipulator of claim 13 wherein the shelf comprises a plurality of tines spaced apart with each tine extending from the head element in a direction to receive and support articles.

15. The manipulator of claim 14 wherein the plurality of tines are configured to fit between conveyor rollers.

16. The manipulator of claim 1 wherein each head element further comprises at least one extension cylinder attached to the head element with the vacuum cup attached to an extendable end of the extension cylinder.

17. The manipulator of claim 16 wherein each at least one extension cylinder is a dual acting cylinder having an extendable and retractable rod with the vacuum cup attached to a front end thereof.

18. The manipulator of claim 17 wherein the vacuum cup is not coaxial with the extendable and retractable rod.

19. The manipulator of claim 17 wherein the vacuum cup further comprises a vacuum port connectable to a vacuum source to attach the vacuum cup to articles with vacuum.

20. The manipulator of claim 17 wherein the vacuum cup is connectable to a bleed line to provide pressurized air to the vacuum cup to break vacuum in the vacuum cup and to release articles held therewith.

21. The manipulator of claim 17 wherein the at least one extension cylinder includes a bore extending through at least a portion of the rod to deliver vacuum to the vacuum cup through the dual acting cylinder.

22. The manipulator of claim 17 wherein the vacuum cups of the manipulator can operably couple with an anti-crush feature to prevent crush damage to articles.

23. The manipulator of claim 1 wherein each head element is configured to move up and down independently on a vertical guide relative to the member and each head element includes a shelf extending therefrom independently movable up and down relative to the head element.

24. The manipulator of claim 1 wherein the robotic arm is attached to a mobile body of an autonomous loading unloading device and the manipulator at the movable end of the robotic arm can be configured and reconfigured by the autonomous loading unloading device during the loading and unloading of articles in a truck trailer.

25. The manipulator of claim 24 wherein the autonomous loading unloading device further comprises a systems control box and a vision camera, wherein when the camera takes an image of one of the first and second locations, the systems control box processes the image and reconfigures the manipulator to match at least one of the first location and the second location.

26. The manipulator of claim 25 wherein the camera can take one or more images and the systems control box can perform image processing for edge recognition on the one or more images.

27. The manipulator of claim 25 wherein when the camera has taken one or more images of the first location and the second location and the systems control box has processed the one or more images, the systems control box can determine the appropriate movements of the robot arm and manipulator for a loading sequence and can move the robot arm and manipulator autonomously without further visualization until the loading sequence is complete.

28. The manipulator of claim 27 wherein the camera can obtain images during one selected from real time unloading actions, before loading actions, and after loading actions.

29. The manipulator of claim 25 wherein when the camera has taken one or more images of the first location and the second location and the systems control box has processed the one or more images, the systems control box can determine the appropriate movements of the robot arm and manipulator for an unloading sequence and can move the robot arm and manipulator autonomously without further visualization until the unloading sequence is complete.

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Mccollum Joshua
• Simone Thomas S
• Girtman Michael

Classifications

• B65G67/24

  Unloading land vehicles · CPC title

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B25J15/10

  with three or more finger members {(B25J15/0009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B25J15/0014 Primary

  having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported · CPC title

• B65G57/03

  from above · CPC title