Systems and methods for providing singulation of objects for processing using object movement redistribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11826787-B2
Application number	US-202016998049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2020
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A processing system including a singulation system is disclosed. The singulation system includes a conveying system for moving objects to be processed from a source area along a first direction, a detection system for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for redistribution on the conveying system, and a movement redistribution system for redistributing the certain selected objects on the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:
moving objects to be processed from a source area;
detecting objects on a conveying system;
selecting certain selected objects for redistribution on the conveying system;
redistributing the certain selected objects on the conveying system by moving the certain selected objects, using an end effector of a programmable motion device, to provide a singulated stream of objects on the conveying system, each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects being provided one per a predefined zone on the conveying system, said predefined zone being provided as one of a plurality of zones;
passing each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects through a perception system towards a further conveying system, the perception system including a plurality of perception units that provide perception data for identifying each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects;
moving each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects along the further conveying system; and
urging an object among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system toward a destination location based on the perception data.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the source area includes a contained area from which objects are drawn by an input cleated conveyor to the conveying system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes providing one object per cleated area of a cleated conveyor of the conveying system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein moving the objects to be processed includes moving the objects on a conveyor that moves in discrete increments.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein moving the objects to be processed includes the use of a plurality of conveyors.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes moving an object upstream on the conveying system from a current location into one of the plurality of zones.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes moving an object toward a center of one of the plurality of zones on the conveying system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein passing each of the objects through the perception system includes dropping the objects to fall through the perception system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the perception system includes an opening in a housing of the perception system, and wherein the method further includes providing perception data from the plurality of perception units of the perception system for identifying each object dropped through the perception system onto the further conveying system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of perception units include a plurality of cameras, a plurality of scanners, or a combination thereof.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein urging the object among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system toward the destination location based on the perception data includes dropping the object into the perception system directly from the conveying system.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein urging the object among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system includes urging the object into a movable carriage.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movable carriage is reciprocally movable between a plurality of destination locations.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of destination locations comprises opposing rows of processing bins.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each processing bin is provided in a pull-out drawer.

16. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:
moving objects to be processed from a source area to a first end of a conveying system;
detecting objects on the conveying system;
selecting certain selected objects for redistribution on the conveying system;
redistributing the certain selected objects on the conveying system by moving the certain selected objects, using an end effector of a programmable motion device to the first end of the conveying system to provide a singulated stream of objects on the conveying system, each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects being provided one per a predefined zone on the conveying system;
passing each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects through a perception system towards a further conveying system, the perception system including a plurality of perception units that provide perception data for identifying each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects as each object passes through the perception system;
moving each of the objects of the singulated stream of objects along the further conveying system; and
urging an object among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system toward a destination location based on the perception data.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the source area includes a contained area from which objects are drawn by an input cleated conveyor to the conveying system.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes providing one object per cleated area of a cleated conveyor of the conveying system.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein moving the objects to be processed includes moving the objects on a conveyor that moves in discrete increments.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein moving the objects to be processed includes the use of a plurality of conveyors.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes moving an object upstream on the conveying system from a current location into one of the plurality of zones.

22. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein redistributing the certain selected objects includes moving an object toward a center of one of the plurality of zones on the conveying system.

23. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein passing each of the objects through a perception system includes dropping the objects to fall through the perception system.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the perception system includes an opening in a housing of the perception system, and wherein the method further includes providing perception data from a plurality of perception units of the perception system for identifying each object dropped through the perception system onto the further conveying system.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the plurality of perception units include the plurality of cameras, a plurality of scanners, or a combination thereof.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the method further includes urging one or more objects among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system into any of the plurality of destination areas adjacent to the further conveying system based on the perception data provided by the plurality of perception units.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 , wherein urging the object among the singulated stream of objects from the further conveying system includes urging the object into a movable carriage.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 , wher

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Operating Company Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Amend Jr John Richard
• Cohen Benjamin
• Fort William Hartman
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• GEYER Christopher
• 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

• B07C1/04 Primary

  Forming a stream from a bulk; Controlling the stream, e.g. spacing the articles · CPC title

• B65G47/26

  arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles · CPC title

• B65G47/49

  without bodily contact between article or load carrier and automatic control device {, e.g. the destination marks being electrically or electronically detected} · CPC title

• B07C3/18

  Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks {(applying data to information carriers G06K1/12)} · CPC title

• B65G47/08 Primary

  spacing or grouping the articles during feeding (during transit by conveyor B65G47/28) · CPC title