Automated container unloader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548742-B2
Application number	US-202117244132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2021
Priority date	Apr 29, 2021
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

Various embodiments illustrated herein disclose a container unloader device. The container unloader device comprises a platform to receive a container, wherein the container comprises a package. The container unloader device also comprises a front panel configured to move between a raised orientation and a lowered orientation, wherein when the front panel being is in the raised orientation, the front panel is orthogonal with respect to the platform, and when the front panel is in the lowered orientation, the front panel and the platform form a continuous surface. The platform can be pivoted from a first angle to a second angle, that is greater than the first angle. The package leans against the front panel the front panel is in the raised orientation. The package is released on a surface of a conveyor when the front panel is in the lowered orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a platform to receive a container, wherein the container comprises a package and wherein the platform is at a first angle with respect to a ground surface when the platform receives the container;
a rotary joint to rotate the container around a rotational axis that is normal to the platform;
a front panel configured to move between a raised orientation and a lowered orientation with respect to the platform, wherein in response to the front panel being in the raised orientation, the front panel is orthogonal with respect to the platform, and in response to the front panel being in the lowered orientation, the front panel and the platform form a continuous surface; and
an actuator connected to the platform, wherein the actuator is configured to pivot the platform from the first angle to a second angle with respect to the ground surface that is larger than the first angle, wherein,
the package leans against a surface of the front panel when the front panel is in the raised orientation and the platform is at the second angle; and
the package is released onto a surface of a conveyor when the front panel is in the lowered orientation and the platform is at the second angle, wherein the rotary joint is configured to be positioned between the container and a surface of the platform on which the container is placed.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the front panel further comprises a first side panel and a second side panel.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel are configured to be placed in an upright position with respect to the surface of the front panel.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a roller bed to receive the container, wherein the roller bed is configured to be positioned on the platform.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rotary joint rotates the container with respect to the front panel.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the rotary joint is configured to be positioned between the platform and the container.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator of the device is at least one of a hydraulic actuator or an electric actuator.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the front panel of the device is composed of a friction reducing material.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises a locking mechanism to secure the container on a surface of the platform.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises one or more latches.

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Krishnamoorthy Sai Prasanth
• Pai Ramdas
• Pepley David
• Scott Darius

Classifications

• B65G13/00

  Roller-ways (storage devices comprising roller-ways B65G1/02; endless-chain conveyors comprising load-supporting rollers B65G17/00; rollers or arrangements thereof B65G39/00) · CPC title

• B65G13/11

  Roller frames · CPC title

• B65G65/23 Primary

  Devices for tilting and emptying of containers · CPC title

• B65G41/002

  Pivotably mounted · CPC title

• B65G37/00

  Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes (series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10) · CPC title