Apparatus and method for separating objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077396-B2
Application number	US-202017759591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2020
Priority date	Apr 26, 2020
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of present disclosure relate to an apparatus and a method for separating objects. The apparatus comprises: a separating mechanism configured to separate objects arranged in a stack; a robot configured to hold the separating mechanism; and a controller configured to: cause the robot to move the separating mechanism to a first height; cause the robot to move the separating mechanism towards the stack; in response to a distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaching a distance threshold, cause the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism; and cause the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for separating objects, comprising:
a separating mechanism configured to separate objects arranged in a stack;
a distance sensor configured to detect a distance between the separating mechanism and the stack,
wherein the distance sensor comprises a travel switch configured to be triggered when the distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaches a distance threshold;

a robot configured to hold the separating mechanism; and
a controller configured to:
cause the robot to move the separating mechanism to a first height;
cause the robot to move the separating mechanism towards the stack;
in response to the distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaching the distance threshold, cause the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism; and
cause the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first height has a preset value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a height sensor configured to measure an initial height of the stack, wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine the first height based on the initial height of the stack.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
in response to a determination that a predefined number of objects have been separated from the stack, cause the robot to move the separating mechanism to a third height lower than the first height;
cause the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism at the third height; and
cause the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the separating mechanism is configured to separate the objects by at least one of an air flow, a magnetic force, and a saw tooth strip.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a triggering member arranged near to the separating mechanism and configured to trigger the travel switch when the distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaches the distance threshold; and
a spring coupled to the triggering member and configured to reset the triggering member when the separating mechanism is moved away from the stack.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the objects are blanks made of steel, aluminum or nonmetallic material.

8. A method for separating objects arranged in a stack, the method comprising:
causing a robot to move a separating mechanism to a first height, the separating mechanism being held by the robot;
causing the robot to move the separating mechanism towards the stack;
in response to a distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaching a distance threshold, causing the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism;
causing the separating mechanism to separate the objects;
in response to a determination that a predefined number of objects have been separated from the stack, causing the robot to move the separating mechanism to a third height lower than the first height;
causing the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism at the third height; and
causing the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first height has a preset value.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
determining the first height based on an initial height of the stack measured by a height sensor.

11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
in response to a determination that a height of the stack measured by a height sensor has been reduced by more than a predefined amount, causing the robot to move the separating mechanism to a second height lower than the first height;
causing the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism at the second height; and
causing the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the separating mechanism is configured to separate the objects by at least one of an air flow, a magnetic force, and a saw tooth strip.

13. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to claim 8 .

14. A system for separating and conveying objects, comprising:
at least one apparatus according to claim 1 configured to separate objects arranged on a destacker cart;
a further robot configured to grab objects separated from the destacker cart and place the grabbed objects; and
a conveyor configured to receive the objects from the further robot and convey the received objects.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the destacker cart is liftable or has a constant height, and wherein the destacker cart is movable or fixed.

16. An apparatus for separating objects, comprising:
a separating mechanism configured to separate objects arranged in a stack;
a robot configured to hold the separating mechanism;
a height sensor configured to measure a height of the stack; and
a controller configured to:
cause the robot to move the separating mechanism to a first height;
cause the robot to move the separating mechanism towards the stack;
in response to a distance between the separating mechanism and the stack reaching a distance threshold, cause the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism;
cause the separating mechanism to separate the objects;
in response to a determination that the height of the stack has been reduced by more than a predefined amount, cause the robot to move the separating mechanism to a second height lower than the first height;
cause the robot to stop moving the separating mechanism at the second height; and
cause the separating mechanism to separate the objects.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the height sensor is configured to measure an initial height of the stack, and the controller is further configured to:
determine the first height based on the initial height of the stack.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a distance sensor configured to detect the distance between the separating mechanism and the stack.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the distance sensor comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect the distance between the separating mechanism and the stack.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Shi Guoqi

Classifications

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• B65H2701/173

  Metal · CPC title

• B65H3/0816

  separating from the top of pile · CPC title

• B65G59/04

  by suction or magnetic devices · CPC title