Systems, devices, articles and methods for the partition of items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10576507-B2
Application number	US-201715833854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2017
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

Systems, devices, articles, and methods for the partition of a plurality of items. A system including at least one processor, a frame, an end-effector coupled to the frame, a conveyor, a buffer area proximate to the end-effector and overlying at least a part of the conveyor. Coupled to the at least one processor is the end-effector, the conveyor, and a storage device storing processor-executable instructions which cause the at least one processor to direct the end-effector partition a plurality of items into two or more predefined parts per a defined partition for the plurality of items. Items in the two or more parts are placed in the buffer area, transferred to the conveyor, and may be transferred to a plurality of containers. A method of operation of a system including at least one processor and a robot substantially as described and illustrated herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method controlled by at least one processor in communication with at least one end-effector and a conveyor, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of items in an area reachable by the at least one end-effector, wherein the plurality of items admits to a partitioning into a plurality of parts;
partitioning sequentially, by the at least one processor and the at least one end-effector, the plurality of items, wherein partitioning includes:
grasping, by the at least one end-effector, a first respective item from the plurality of items;
identifying, by the at least one processor, an association between the first respective item and a first respective part from the plurality of parts;
assigning, by the at least one processor, a first identity value to the first respective item based, at least in part, on the identified association between the first respective item and the first respective part;
placing, by the at least one end-effector, the first respective item in a buffer area;
grasping, by the at least one end-effector, a second respective item from the plurality of items;
identifying, by the at least one processor, an association between the second respective item and one of the plurality of parts;
assigning, by the at least one processor, a second identity value to the second respective item based, at least in part, on the identified association between the second respective item and the one of the plurality of parts;
in response to comparing the first identity value assigned to the first respective item and the second identity value assigned to the second respective item:
if the second identity value is the same as the first identity value, placing, by the at least one end-effector, the second respective item in the buffer area;
if the second identity value differs from the first identity value, causing a transfer of the first respective item from the buffer area to the conveyor
and placing, by the at least one end-effector, the second respective item in the buffer area; and

causing, by the at least one processor, a relative motion of the conveyor and the buffer area; and
causing, by the at least one processor, a transfer of the first respective item from the conveyor to a first container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein partitioning sequentially, by the at least one processor and the at least one end-effector, the plurality of items further includes:
causing a transfer of the second respective item from the first buffer area to the conveyor; and
causing a transfer of the second respective item from the conveyor to the first container or a second container.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein causing, by the at least one processor, the relative motion of the conveyor and the buffer area includes at least one of:
moving the conveyor in a first direction relative to the buffer area; or
moving the conveyor in a second direction relative to the buffer area, the second direction different than the first direction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein causing a transfer of the first respective item from the buffer area to the conveyor further comprises:
dropping the first respective item from the buffer area to the conveyor, or
moving, by the at least one end-effector, the first respective item from the buffer area to the conveyor.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating, by the at least one processor, processor-readable information stored on or in at least one processor-readable storage device, wherein the processor-readable information represents the first respective item has been placed in the first container.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the plurality of items further comprises receiving the plurality of items in an input area proximate to the end-effector; the method further comprising:
moving, by the at least one end-effector, a third item of the plurality of items from a first location in the input area proximate to the at least one end-effector to a second location in the input area proximate to the at least one end-effector.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein placing, by the at least one end-effector, the first respective item in the buffer area includes:
releasing the first respective item above the buffer area.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring, by the at least one processor, information that defines the plurality of parts for the plurality of items.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parts for the plurality of items is associated with a plurality of orders, and a representative part in the plurality of parts for the plurality of items is associated with a representative order in the plurality of orders.

Assignees

• Kindred Sys Inc

Inventors

• Jain Jinendra Raja
• Fulop Douglas Ian
• Babu George V

Classifications

• G05B2219/31264

  Control, autonomous self learn knowledge, rearrange task, reallocate resources · CPC title

• B07C5/36

  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} · CPC title

• B07C5/362 Primary

  Separating or distributor mechanisms (switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74) · CPC title

• B07C2501/0063

  Using robots · CPC title

• B25J9/0093 Primary

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title