Systems and methods for processing objects, including automated processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10646991-B2
Application number	US-201815935835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 24, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device is disclosed. The processing system includes a plurality of supply bins providing supply of a plurality of objects, with the plurality of supply bins being provided with a bin conveyance system, a programmable motion device in communication with the bin conveyance system, where the programmable motion device includes an end effector for grasping and moving a selected object out of a selected supply bin, and a movable carriage for receiving the selected object from the end effector of the programmable motion device, and for carrying the selected object to one of a plurality of destination containers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device, said processing system comprising:
a plurality of supply bins providing supply of a plurality of objects, said plurality of supply bins being provided with a bin conveyance system;
a programmable motion device in communication with the bin conveyance system, said programmable motion device including an end effector for grasping and moving a selected object out of a selected supply bin;
a plurality of destination containers provided on an infeed conveyor, wherein the infeed conveyor is sloped to gravity bias the plurality of destination containers toward the programmable motion device; and
a movable carriage for receiving the selected object from the end effector of the programmable motion device, and for carrying the selected object to one of the plurality of destination containers on the infeed conveyor.

2. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movable carriage reciprocally moves between two rows of infeed conveyors holding the plurality of destination containers.

3. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movable carriage is adapted to drop the selected object into a selected destination container.

4. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the destination containers are provided adjacent to an output conveyor.

5. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing system further includes at least one further programmable motion device for grasping and moving a further selected object out of a further selected storage bin, and for providing the further selected object to a further movable carriage.

6. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an infeed sensor that senses an identity of a destination container moving past the infeed sensor in order to index a location of each destination container on the infeed conveyor.

7. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the infeed conveyor terminates adjacent the programmable motion device.

8. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a carriage rail between parallel rows of the destination containers, wherein a single movable carriage is positioned on the rail.

9. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bin conveyance system includes a diverter for selectively providing a supply bin to the programmable motion device.

10. The processing system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the programmable motion device includes an articulated arm, and wherein the articulated arm is positioned adjacent to the diverter.

11. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing system further includes a container displacement system for displacing each destination container onto an output conveyor.

12. The processing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the output conveyor is gravity biased to provide a destination container thereon to a further processing location.

13. The processing system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the further processing location is a shipment transport location.

14. The processing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein one or more of the plurality of destination containers positioned higher on the sloped infeed conveyor are gravity biased to move toward the programmable motion device to fill a space left by the displaced destination container.

15. The processing system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a new destination container is provided at the top of the sloped infeed conveyor to move down the sloped infeed conveyor and refill the destination containers.

16. The processing system as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising an infeed sensor that senses an identity of each destination container moving past the infeed sensor in order to index a location of each destination container on the infeed conveyor.

17. A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device, said processing system comprising:
a programmable motion device including an end effector for grasping and moving a selected object from a plurality of objects;
a movable carriage for receiving the selected object from the end effector of the programmable motion device, and for carrying the selected object to one of a plurality of destination containers; and
a destination container displacement system for urging a selected destination container onto an output conveyor;
wherein the movable carriage reciprocally moves between two parallel rows of the destination containers, and wherein the movable carriage pivots towards one of the two rows of destination containers to drop the selected object into a selected destination containers.

18. The processing system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the two rows of destination container are provided adjacent to the output conveyor.

19. The processing system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the output conveyor is gravity biased to provide a destination container thereon to a further processing location.

20. The processing system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the processing system further includes at least one further programmable motion device for grasping and moving a further selected object from the plurality of objects, and for providing the further selected object to a further movable carriage.

21. The processing system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the system further includes a plurality of supply bins providing supply of the plurality of objects.

22. The processing system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the plurality of supply bins are provided with a bin conveyance system.

23. The processing system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the bin conveyance system includes a diverter for selectively providing a supply bin to the programmable motion device.

24. The processing system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the programmable motion device includes an articulated arm, and wherein the articulated arm is positioned adjacent to the diverter.

25. A method of processing of objects, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of supply bins including a plurality of objects, said plurality of supply bins being provided with a bin conveyance system;
providing a plurality of destination containers on a pair of infeed conveyors, each infeed conveyor being adjacent an outfeed conveyor;
grasping and moving a selected object out of a selected supply bin using a programmable motion device;
providing the selected object to a reciprocating carriage;
carrying the selected object to a selected one of the plurality of destination containers using the reciprocating carriage;
depositing the selected object from the reciprocating carriage to the selected destination container;
displacing the selected destination container onto an output conveyor with a displacement device; and
collapsing the destination containers that are upstream to the displaced destination carrier in the downstream direction to fill a space left by the selected displaced destination container.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the method further includes the step of selectively diverting a supply bin to the programmable motion device.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the reciprocating carriage reciprocally moves between two rows of the destination bins.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Amend Jr John Richard
• Cohen Benjamin
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• Fort William Hartman
• GEYER Christopher
• Hinchey Victoria
• King Jennifer Eileen
• Koletschka Thomas
• Koval Michael Cap
• MARONEY Kyle
• Mason Matthew T
• McMahan William Chu-Hyon
• Price Gene Temple
• Romano Joseph
• Smith Daniel
• SRINIVASA Siddhartha
• Velagapudi Prasanna
• Allen Thomas

Classifications

• B25J9/1615

  characterised by special kind of manipulator, e.g. planar, scara, gantry, cantilever, space, closed chain, passive/active joints and tendon driven manipulators · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• B65G1/0464

  with access from above · CPC title

• B25J9/0093 Primary

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title