Parcel delayering systems and methods for automatic parcel processing based on accurate de-layering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061308-B2
Application number	US-201715701770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for delayering parcels. A parcel delayering system for automatic processing of a plurality of parcels includes a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors configured for de-layering the plurality of parcels. One or more of the conveyors has a high-friction belt which is inclined in a direction of travel and arranged such that a first conveyor section discharges from above onto a second conveyor section. The parcel delayering system includes a system or processor configured to progressively increase a duty cycle from stage to stage of the multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in a velocity of the conveyors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A parcel delayering system for automatic processing of a plurality of parcels, the system comprising:
a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors configured for de-layering the plurality of parcels, wherein one or more of the conveyors has a high-friction belt which is inclined in a direction of travel and arranged such that a first conveyor section discharges from above onto a second conveyor section, wherein each subsequent stage operates at a higher velocity than a previous stage; and
a processor configured to progressively increase a duty cycle from stage to stage of the multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in a velocity of the conveyors.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein a velocity of at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors is repeatedly and abruptly varied between a predetermined minimum velocity and a predetermined maximum velocity for each stage, to increase shearing between layered, inclined parcels of the plurality of parcels in each stage.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first conveyor of the sequential cascading conveyors receives the plurality of parcels at an input as a multi-layer bulk flow of the parcels.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a last conveyor of the sequential cascading conveyors outputs the plurality of parcels to an output, and the output plurality of parcels are substantially delayered into a single parcel layer.

5. A method for delayering a plurality of parcels, comprising:
receiving, at an input, a plurality of parcels, wherein the plurality of parcels is a multi-layer bulk flow of the parcels;
transporting the plurality of parcels on a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors;
during transport, operating at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher duty cycle than a previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors;
during transport, operating the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher velocity than the previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors; and
outputting the plurality of parcels to an output, wherein the output plurality of parcels are substantially delayered into a single parcel layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, during transport, repeatedly and abruptly varying a velocity of at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors between a predetermined minimum velocity and a predetermined maximum velocity.

7. A method for delayering a plurality of parcels, comprising:
receiving, at an input, a plurality of parcels, wherein the plurality of parcels is a multi-layer bulk flow of the parcels;
transporting the plurality of parcels on a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors, wherein one or more of the sequential cascading conveyors has a high-friction belt which is inclined in a direction of travel and arranged such that a first conveyor section discharges from above onto a second conveyor section;
during transport, operating at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher duty cycle than a previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors; and
outputting the plurality of parcels to an output, wherein the output plurality of parcels are substantially delayered into a single parcel layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, during transport, operating the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher velocity than the previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, during transport, repeatedly and abruptly varying a velocity of at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors between a predetermined minimum velocity and a predetermined maximum velocity.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing system to control a parcel delayering system to:
receive, at an input, a plurality of parcels, wherein the plurality of parcels is a multi-layer bulk flow of the parcels;
transport the plurality of parcels on a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors;
during transport, operate at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher duty cycle than a previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors;
during transport, operate the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher velocity than the previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors; and
output the plurality of parcels to an output, wherein the output plurality of parcels are substantially delayered into a single parcel layer.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the parcel delayering system is further controlled to, during transport, repeatedly and abruptly vary a velocity of at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors between a predetermined minimum velocity and a predetermined maximum velocity.

12. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing system to control a parcel delayering system to:
receive, at an input, a plurality of parcels, wherein the plurality of parcels is a multi-layer bulk flow of the parcels;
transport the plurality of parcels on a multi-stage arrangement of sequential cascading conveyors, wherein one or more of the sequential cascading conveyors has a high-friction belt which is inclined in a direction of travel and arranged such that a first conveyor section discharges from above onto a second conveyor section;
during transport, operate at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher duty cycle than a previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors by adding pulsation in the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors; and
output the plurality of parcels to an output, wherein the output plurality of parcels are substantially delayered into a single parcel layer.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the parcel delayering system is further controlled to, during transport, operate the at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors at a higher velocity than the previous one of the sequential cascading conveyors.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the parcel delayering system is further controlled to, during transport, repeatedly and abruptly vary a velocity of at least one of the sequential cascading conveyors between a predetermined minimum velocity and a predetermined maximum velocity.

Assignees

• Siemens Industry Inc

Inventors

• Dwivedi Rajeev
• Yaklin Michael
• Zhu Jocelyn

Classifications

• B65G47/31 Primary

  by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series · CPC title

• B65G59/066

  by means of rotary devices or endless elements · CPC title

• G05B19/41865 Primary

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• G05B2219/45054

  Handling, conveyor · CPC title

• G05B2219/49374

  Speed up each conveyor between two stations, at stations synchronize in phase · CPC title