Apparatus and method for handling moving piece goods, and a conveying, processing and/or packaging plant with an apparatus for handling moving piece goods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034534-B2
Application number	US-201716309277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2017
Priority date	Jul 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus ( 10 ) and method for handling moved piece goods ( 2 ), and a conveying, processing, and/or packaging plant including the apparatus ( 10 ). The apparatus ( 10 ) comprises at least one manipulator ( 5 ) for piece goods ( 2 ), at least one transport device ( 3 ) by which the moved piece goods ( 2 ) are transportable to a seizing range ( 4 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 5 ), and at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) assigned to the seizing range ( 4 ) and/or to a movement range of the at least one manipulator ( 5 ). The optical detection device ( 40 ) obtains space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data of at least one piece good ( 2 ) that is being moved. The at least one manipulator ( 5 ) and/or further conveyor components of the apparatus ( 10 ) can be calibrated and/or controlled based on the detected space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus ( 10 ) for handling moved piece goods ( 2 ), the apparatus ( 10 ) comprising:
at least one manipulator ( 5 ) for piece goods ( 2 );
at least one transport device ( 3 ) wherein the moved piece goods ( 2 ) are transportable to a seizing range ( 4 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 5 );
at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) assigned to the seizing range ( 4 ) of the at least one manipulator ( 5 ), wherein the optical detection device ( 40 ) is capable of obtaining space coordinates, position data, or contour data of at least one piece good ( 2 ) that is being moved in transport direction (TR),
wherein at least the manipulator ( 5 ) or further conveyor components of the apparatus ( 10 ) are calibratable, or controllable based on the space coordinates, position data, or contour data; and
wherein in the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is movable independently of the manipulator ( 5 ).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is at least temporarily movable parallel to a horizontal conveying device ( 6 ) that is assigned to the seizing range ( 4 ).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) comprises at least one light barrier arrangement ( 41 ) with an optical path that is aligned to be transverse to the transport direction (TR) and approximately horizontal or parallel to a support plane or transport plane of the horizontal conveying device ( 6 ).

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the light barrier arrangement ( 41 ) comprises a reflection light barrier.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) comprises at least one edge scanner that provides space coordinates, position data, or contour data for a foremost located piece good ( 2 ) or for a contour edge ( 30 ) facing forward or backward relative to transport direction (TR).

6. The apparatus claim 2 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) comprises at least one camera with downstream image evaluation that provides space coordinates, position data, or contour data for a foremost located piece good ( 2 ), or for a contour edge ( 30 ) that faces a forward or backward relative to transport direction (TR).

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) comprises an independent drive.

8. The apparatus ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is linearly movable, and the manipulator ( 5 ) is movable within a two-dimensional plane.

9. The apparatus ( 10 ) of claim 8 , wherein the manipulator ( 5 ) is movable within a three-dimensional space.

10. A method for handling moved piece goods ( 2 ), comprising:
transporting the piece goods ( 2 ) to a seizing range ( 4 ) of at least one manipulator ( 5 );
seizing the at least one transported piece good ( 2 ) in the seizing range ( 4 ) and spatially separating the seized piece good from the subsequent piece goods ( 2 ), and bring the seized piece good ( 2 ) into a specified relative target position (P), or target alignment relative to the subsequent piece goods ( 2 );
detecting, by at least one optical detection device ( 40 ) movable independently of the at least one manipulator ( 5 ), at least space coordinates or a position datum of one of the piece goods ( 2 ) that is being moved in transport direction (TR) to the seizing range ( 4 ), and providing a position datum to a control unit or an analysis unit ( 12 ), wherein at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is assigned to the seizing range ( 4 ); and
calibrating or controlling the at least the manipulator ( 5 ) or further associated conveyor components based on the space coordinates, position data, or contour data.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising moving the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) at least temporarily parallel to a horizontal conveying device ( 6 ) that is assigned to the seizing range ( 4 ).

12. The method claim 11 , further comprising moving the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) at least temporarily along, and approximately in synchrony with, a support plane or transport plane of the horizontal conveying device ( 6 ).

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising moving the at least one manipulator ( 5 ) in the seizing range ( 4 ) based on the space coordinates or position data provided by the control unit or analysis unit ( 12 ) for one moved piece good ( 2 ), or for the piece good's contour edge ( 30 ) facing backward relative to transport direction (TR).

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising calibrating the at least one manipulator ( 5 ) to seize:
individual, spaced-apart piece goods ( 2 );
spaced-apart groups ( 9 ) with two or more piece goods ( 2 );
spaced-apart, equally or differently sized groups ( 9 ), each group having the same or different number of piece goods ( 2 ) being transported to the seizing range ( 4 ), wherein the groups are arranged in an uninterrupted formation (F), or in an interrupted row ( 1 ) having equally, or differently sized spaces ( 25 , 26 ) between consecutive piece goods ( 2 ), or groups ( 9 ) of piece goods ( 2 ).

15. The method claim 12 , wherein the seizing step further comprises seizing at least one foremost disposed piece good ( 2 ) and spatially separating the seized piece good ( 2 ) from the subsequent piece goods ( 2 ) based on the space coordinates or position data provided by the control unit or analysis unit ( 12 ):
for a piece good ( 2 ) that is located foremost in the seizing range ( 4 ) or entering foremost into the seizing range ( 4 );
or for a contour edge ( 30 ) that faces forward or backward relative to transport direction (TR).

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) remains stationary for a specified period of time after detecting a contour edge ( 30 ), or at least one foremost disposed subsequent piece good, and wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is subsequently guided along in synchrony with the horizontal conveying device ( 6 ),
wherein the manipulator generates a signal after seizing and spatially separating at least one piece good ( 2 ), whereupon after generating the signal, the movement of the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is stopped, and the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is activated, or
wherein a movement of the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) opposite to the transport direction (TR) is triggered, and the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is activated, and wherein the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) is moved opposite to the transport direction (TR) until it detects a forward-facing contour edge ( 30 ) of a subsequent piece good ( 2 ).

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) to follow the position of the foremost located piece good's ( 2 ) contour edge ( 30 ) that faces forward in transport direction (TR) at least until the foremost located piece good ( 2 ) is seized by the manipulator ( 5 ), and separated from the subsequent piece goods ( 2 ).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein, the after seizing and separation of the at least one foremost transported piece good ( 2 ), moving the at least one movable optical detection device ( 40 ) opposite to the transp

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Beer Erhard
• Mehdi Arsalan
• Astner Michael
• Kollmuss Manuel

Classifications

• B65G47/086 Primary

  cubiform articles · CPC title

• B65G65/02

  Loading or unloading machines comprising essentially a conveyor for moving the loads associated with a device for picking-up the loads · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B65G47/905 Primary

  Control arrangements · CPC title