Apparatus and method for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427407-B2
Application number	US-202016751559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2020
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

Apparatus for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods with an increased throughput of piece goods are provided. An apparatus includes an optically transparent turntable having a support surface for piece goods which support surface extends in an X and Y direction of the apparatus, a first conveying device for arranging a piece good on the support surface of the turntable, a first optical reading device arranged below the turntable for detecting the dimensions of a piece good and an identifier, a second optical reading device for detecting the height of a piece good resting on the support surface and an identifier, a storage area for a plurality of piece goods which storage area is arranged downstream of the turntable, a second conveying device with a gripping device for piece goods, wherein the gripping device is movable over the storage area, at least in an X and Y direction, in such a way that piece goods can be arranged side by side in the storage area in the X and/or Y direction. Methods for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods, comprising:
an optically transparent turntable having a support surface for piece goods extending in an X and Y direction of the apparatus, wherein the turntable cooperates with a rotary drive coupled to a control device and is rotatable about an axis of rotation extending in a Z direction extending orthogonally to the X and Y directions, and wherein the X direction corresponds to a longitudinal axis and the Y direction corresponds to a transverse axis of the apparatus;
a first conveying device for arranging a piece good on the support surface of the turntable and comprising a first gripping device that is movable in the X, Y and Z directions, the first gripping device comprising:
a rotary bearing;
first and second suction tubes coupled to opposing sides of the rotary bearing; and
first and second suction heads coupled to the first and second suction tubes, respectively, the first and second suction heads having different diameters;

a first optical reading device arranged in the Z direction below the turntable and coupled to the control device for detecting dimensions of a piece good resting on the support surface and an identifier on one side surface of a resting piece good, which side surface faces the support surface;
a second optical reading device coupled to the control device for detecting a height of a piece good resting on the support surface and an identifier on a side surface of a resting piece good which side surface is orthogonal to the support surface;
a storage area arranged downstream of the turntable for a plurality of packaged goods, wherein the arrangement of the turntable and of the storage area defines the longitudinal axis; and
a second conveying device coupled to the control device and having a second gripping device for piece goods, wherein the second gripping device is movable, at least in the X and Y directions, over the storage area, so that piece goods can be arranged side by side in the storage area in any of the X and Y directions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third optical reading device arranged in the Z direction above the turntable and coupled to the control device, the third optical reading device configured to detect dimensions of the piece good resting on the support surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third optical reading device arranged in the Z direction above the turntable and coupled to the control device, the third optical reading device configured to detect an identifier on one side surface facing away from the support surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical coarse detection device coupled to the control device and configured to determine a spatial orientation of a piece good.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a discarding device arranged between the turntable and a storage surface, the discarding device configured to remove piece goods.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conveying device comprises a suction pad that is movable in the X, Y and Z directions.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the suction pad comprises two differently dimensioned suction heads.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second conveying device comprises suction pads that are movable in the X, Y and Z directions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the suction pad comprises two differently dimensioned suction heads.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second conveying device comprises a clamping gripper that is movable at least in the X and Y directions.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a supply device; and
a position detection device arranged above the supply device in the Z direction.

12. A method for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods, the method comprising:
a) arranging, with one of a first suction head and a second suction head of a first conveying device comprising a rotary bearing, first and second suction tubes coupled to opposing sides of the rotary bearing, the first and second suction heads having different diameters and being coupled to the first and second suction tubes respectively, a single piece good on a first side surface on a support surface of an optically transparent turntable, the support surface extending in an X and Y direction, wherein the turntable cooperates with a rotary drive coupled to a control device, and which turntable is rotatable about an axis of rotation extending in a Z direction extending orthogonally to the X and Y directions, and wherein the X direction corresponds to a longitudinal axis and the Y direction corresponds to a transverse axis of an apparatus;
b) scanning the first side surface and detecting the X, Y dimensions of the piece good resting on the support surface with a first optical reading device arranged below the turntable in the Z direction, and determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the first side surface;
c) scanning a second side surface facing a second reading device, which second side surface is designed orthogonally to the first side surface, and detecting a Z dimension of the piece good resting on the support surface with a second optical reading device, and if no identifier is detected on the first side surface, determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the second side surface;
d) rotating the turntable so that a next side surface, which is perpendicular to the first side surface, faces the second optical reading device, if no identifier is detected, wherein the next side surface is scanned with the second reading device, and determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the next side surface;
e) repeating step d) until one of three next side surfaces are scanned and an identifier is detected;
f) removing the piece good from the turntable and sending the piece good for further use if no identifier was detected in step e);
g) determining, by a control device when an identifier and all dimensions of the resting piece good are detected, a storage location in a storage area arranged downstream of the turntable based on one of the detected dimensions and the detected identifier; and,
h) gripping the piece good with a gripping device of a second conveying device after determining the storage location and moved to the storage location, whereby the gripping device is moveable in any of the X, Y and Z directions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein steps b) and c) are carried out simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein steps b) and c) are staggered.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein step b) further comprises:
scanning a side surface by a third optical reading device arranged above the turntable in the Z direction, said side surface facing the third optical reading device; and
determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the side surface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein step b) further comprises:
detecting the X, Y dimensions of the piece goods resting on the support surface.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein step a) further comprises:
determining, by a coarse detection device, a spatial orientation of the piece good held by a first conveying device before arranging the piece goods on the support surface of the turntable.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the coarse detection device comprises an optical reading device and, when determining the spatial orientation, the pie

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Hellenbrand Christoph

Classifications

• B65G57/04

  by suction or magnetic devices · CPC title

• B65G47/244

  by turning them about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying plane · CPC title

• B65G47/248

  by turning over or inverting them (B65G47/244 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G47/80

  Turntables carrying articles or materials to be transferred, e.g. combined with ploughs or scrapers · CPC title

• B65G2203/0216

  Codes or marks on the article · CPC title