Article accumulating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111083-B2
Application number	US-202016776507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

An article accumulating apparatus that uses a robot to transfer to a predetermined location and accumulate an article conveyed thereto is disclosed. The article accumulating apparatus includes a conveyance unit, an accumulation unit, and a discharge unit. The conveyance unit is configured to convey the article. The accumulation unit is disposed in series with the conveyance unit and is configured to accumulate the article. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the article in the conveyance unit to an area outside the accumulation unit. The discharge unit is disposed in a robot movable range that is a range in which the robot holds and transfers the article to the accumulation unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article accumulating apparatus that uses a robot to transfer to a predetermined location and accumulate an article conveyed thereto, the article accumulating apparatus comprising:
a conveyance unit configured to convey the article;
an accumulation unit disposed in series with the conveyance unit and configured to accumulate the article; and
a discharge unit configured to discharge the article in the conveyance unit to an area outside the accumulation unit,
wherein the discharge unit is disposed in a robot movable range that is a range in which the robot holds and transfers the article to the accumulation unit, the discharge unit further configured to discharge the article outside of the robot movable range.

2. The article accumulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the conveyance unit has a conveyance surface to place and convey the article thereon,
the accumulation unit has an accumulation surface that receives the article transferred thereto from the conveyance surface, and
a shortest distance in a horizontal direction between the conveyance surface and the accumulation surface is equal to or less than a thickness of the article.

3. The article accumulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the conveyance unit has a conveyance surface to place and convey the article thereon,
the accumulation unit has an accumulation surface that receives the article transferred thereto from the conveyance surface, and
the conveyance surface and the accumulation surface overlap each other in plan view.

4. The article accumulating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
an article position detection unit configured to detect a position of the article and
a control unit configured to determine whether or not to discharge the article.

5. The article accumulating apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is further configured to discharge the article via the discharge unit in a case where it is determined that the robot does not hold the article before the article reaches a position to be discharged by the discharge unit.

6. The article accumulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the articles are conveyed at unequal intervals.

Assignees

• Ishida Seisakusho

Inventors

• Watanabe Kousuke

Classifications

• B25J9/1623

  Parallel manipulator, Stewart platform, links are attached to a common base and to a common platform, plate which is moved parallel to the base · CPC title

• B65G47/91

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title

• B65G61/00

  Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B65G57/32

  characterised by stacking during transit · CPC title