Automated handling and manipulation of packages and packages specially adapted therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12037152-B2
Application number	US-202117167814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2021
Priority date	Feb 4, 2021
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for handling and manipulating packages in automated or semi-automated fashion and packages adapted for the same. The systems may include package-holding devices, package-manipulating devices, and package-detection components for locating packages or portions thereof in a three-dimensional space. The packages may include features that enable automated or semi-automated handling and manipulation thereof, such as different types of opening/closing mechanisms with different geometric structures that allow for holding, shifting, and manipulating the packages and/or portions thereof with the package-manipulating devices. The packages additionally or alternatively may include mechanical fasteners, magnets, and/or spring-biased opening/closing mechanisms for keeping the packages closed prior to manipulation thereof. Such packages and systems may be used in a logistics network to the increase speed, accuracy, and efficiency of processing packages having, at least in part, a non-fixed geometry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a support frame;
a detection component configured to perform at least one of imaging, sensing, or scanning to locate, in a three-dimensional space in which the system operates, a first contact point and a second contact point located on a package;
a package-holder coupled to the support frame, the package-holder comprising:
a first package-engaging structure, and
a second package-engaging structure,
the package-holder configured to engage the first contact point on the package using the first package-engaging structure and to engage the second contact point on the package using the second package-engaging structure,
the package having an opening/closing mechanism comprising:
a first side comprising a first magnet,
a second side comprising a second magnet, and
a recess that is at least one of fixed to or integrally formed within the first side and the second side,

wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are oriented to bias the first side and the second side towards each other when in magnetic proximity; and

a package-manipulator coupled to the support frame and comprising a third package-engaging structure comprising a movable mechanism with a distal end, wherein the third package-engaging structure is configured to:
adaptively reposition to a location in the three-dimensional space that is between the first side and the second side and at the recess based on the detection component locating the first contact point and the second contact point,
operate the moveable mechanism to engage the distal end with the recess of the opening/closing mechanism, and subsequently,
displace the first side and the second side apart against the bias of the first magnet and the second magnet to transition the opening/closing mechanism from a closed configuration to an open configuration.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detection component is further configured to identify the first contact point on the package from a first unique identifier associated with the first contact point and the second contact point on the package from a second unique identifier associated with the second contact point.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first package-engaging structure is configured to adaptively re-position to engage the first contact point based on a first location of the first package-engaging structure in the three-dimensional space as determined by the detection component, and the second package-engaging structure is configured to adaptively re-position to engage the second contact point based on a second location of the second package-engaging structure in the three-dimensional space as determined by the detection component.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises a mechanism that is operable to shift parts of the distal end apart when the distal end is positioned in the recess, thereby separating the first side and the second side.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a package-supply apparatus that is configured to advance a plurality of packages into the three-dimensional space in which the system operates, wherein the package-holder and the package-supply apparatus are configured to operate in coordination.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-axis robot that is configured to adaptively reposition the third package-engaging structure to the location.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first contact point comprises a first rigid structure, the second contact point comprises a second rigid structure, and the package comprises an enclosure having an unfixed geometry that is coupled to the first rigid structure and the second rigid structure.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detection component comprises one or more LIDAR sensors.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detection component comprises one or more scanners configured to identify machine-readable indicia.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detection component comprises one or more radio-frequency identification (RFID) communication elements.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distal end is configured to at least one of pivot, expand, or actuate to shift the first side and the second side until the first magnet and the second magnet are separated such that the opening/closing mechanism remains in the open configuration.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first package-engaging structure and the second package-engaging structure are at least one of shiftable or actuatable to assist the first side and the second side to at least one of bend, bow, or flex into the open configuration.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first package-engaging structure is configured to adaptively reposition in the three-dimensional space to engage the first contact point based on a location of the first package-engaging structure in the three-dimensional space as determined by the detection component.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second package-engaging structure is configured to adaptively reposition in the three-dimensional space to engage the second contact point based on a location of the second package-engaging structure in the three-dimensional space as determined by the detection component.

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Bell Julian Leland
• Woodrough Jr Stephens B
• Ashtiani Justin

Classifications

• B65B57/00

  Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices (registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18) · CPC title

• B65B7/02

  Closing containers or receptacles deformed by, or taking-up shape, of, contents, e.g. bags, sacks · CPC title

• B65D2313/04

  of magnetic type · CPC title

• B65D33/16

  End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices (valves of valve bags {B65D31/14}; closures of filled bags B65D77/10) · CPC title

• B65D33/2584

  characterized by the slider · CPC title