Systems and methods for providing singulation of objects for processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538394-B2
Application number	US-201715824009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A processing system including a singulation system is disclosed. The singulation system includes a conveying system for moving objects to be sorted from a source area along a first direction, a detection system for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for removal from the conveying system, and a removal system for removing the certain selected objects from the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system including a singulation system, the singulation system comprising:
a conveying system including a cleated conveyor for moving objects to be sorted from a conveying system source area along a conveyor direction;
a detection and selection system including at least one perception unit and at least one computer processing unit for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for removal from the conveying system; and
removal means for removing the certain selected objects from the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects in the conveyor direction, wherein the removal means provides that one object is provided per cleated area on the cleated conveyor.

2. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conveying system further includes an infeed conveyor in communication with an infeed hopper.

3. The processing system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the infeed conveyor is a cleated conveyor.

4. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the removal means includes a robotic arm and an end effector for grasping the certain selected objects.

5. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the removal means includes an urging member for urging the certain selected object from the conveying system.

6. The processing system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the urging member is a push member for pushing the certain selected object from the conveying system.

7. The processing system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the urging member is a pull member for pulling the certain selected object from the conveying system.

8. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the removal system includes a chute that leads back toward an input source area.

9. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing system further includes a drop scanner, and wherein the conveying system leads to an area that is higher than the drop scanner.

10. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing system includes a plurality of destination areas along a further conveying system, as well as a plurality of urging members for urging objects on the further conveying system into assigned destination areas.

11. The processing system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the further conveying system includes a cleated conveyor.

12. A singulation system comprising:
an input conveying system including a cleated conveyor for moving objects to be sorted from an input source area along an input direction;
a detection and selection system including at least one computer processing unit and a processing unit for selecting certain selected objects for removal from the conveying system while the objects move along a primary conveyor in a primary conveyor direction that is different than the input direction; and
removal means for removing the certain selected objects from the primary conveyor and for returning the certain selected objects to the input source area such that a singulated stream of objects may be provided to an object processing system, wherein the removal means provides that one object is provided per unit area of the primary conveyor in the primary carrier direction toward the object processing system.

13. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the primary carrier conveyor is a non-cleated conveyor.

14. The singulation system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the primary carrier conveyor is a cleated conveyor.

15. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the input source area includes a contained area from which the cleated conveyor draws objects.

16. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the removal means includes a robotic arm and an end effector for grasping the certain selected objects.

17. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the removal means includes an urging member for urging the certain selected object from the conveying system.

18. The singulation system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the urging member is a push member for pushing the certain selected object from the conveying system.

19. The singulation system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the urging member is a pull member for pulling the certain selected object from the conveying system.

20. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the removal system includes a chute that leads back toward the input source area.

21. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the object processing system includes a drop scanner, and wherein the conveying system leads to an area that is higher than the drop scanner.

22. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the object processing system includes a plurality of destination areas along a further conveying system, as well as a plurality of urging members for urging objects on the further conveying system into assigned destination areas.

23. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the further conveying system includes a cleated conveyor.

24. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the singulation system includes a plurality of destination areas along a further conveying system, as well as a plurality of urging members for urging objects on the further conveying system into assigned destination areas.

25. The singulation system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the further conveying system includes a cleated conveyor.

26. A processing system including a singulation system, the singulation system comprising:
conveying means for moving objects to be sorted from a conveying system source area along a conveyor direction;
a detection system including at least one perception unit and at least one computer processing unit for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for removal from the conveying system;
removal means for removing the certain selected objects from the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects in the conveyor direction; and
a drop scanner into which the singulated stream of objects may sequentially fall, wherein the conveying means leads to a drop area that is higher than the drop scanner.

27. The processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the conveying means includes a cleated conveyor.

28. The processing system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the removal means provides one object per cleated area on the cleated conveyor.

29. The processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the conveying means includes a non-cleated conveyor.

30. The processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the conveying means includes a conveyor that moves in increments.

31. The processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the removal means includes a robotic arm and an end effector for grasping the certain selected objects.

32. The processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the removal means includes an urging member for urging the certain selected object from the conveying system.

33. The processing system as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the urging member is a push member for pushing the certain selected object from the conveying system.

34. The processing system as claimed in claim 32

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Cohen Benjamin
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• GEYER Christopher
• Koletschka Thomas
• MARONEY Kyle
• Mason Matthew T
• Price Gene Temple
• Romano Joseph
• Smith Daniel
• SRINIVASA Siddhartha
• Velagapudi Prasanna
• Allen Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/22

  Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors (during feeding B65G47/14) · CPC title

• B65G47/82

  Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} · CPC title

• B65G47/902

  provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B65G47/256

  removing incorrectly orientated articles · CPC title