Systems and methods for providing singulation of objects for processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12168577-B2
Application number	US-202318374713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

A processing system including a singulation system is disclosed. The singulation system includes a conveying system for moving objects to be sorted 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 removal from the conveying system, and a removal system for removing the certain selected objects from the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing objects comprising:
providing a plurality of objects from an infeed area to an object conveyance system that is moving in a first direction;
perceiving perception data from a perception system regarding the plurality of objects on the object conveyance system as the objects are moved in the first direction, said perception data being representative of locations of the plurality of objects on the object conveyance system and potential identification information regarding each of the plurality of objects;
selecting certain objects from the plurality of objects using a computer processing system, said selected certain objects being selected to be removed from the object conveyance system based, at least in part, on the perception data and the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects; and
returning the selected certain objects from the object conveyance system to the infeed area such that remaining objects of the plurality of objects that remain on the object conveyance system form a singulated stream of objects spaced apart from one another on the object conveyance system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is not identified.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one object that is not identified is included in the selected certain objects that are returned to the infeed area.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the object that is not identified is included in the singulated stream of objects and is assigned a destination location for exceptions.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is necessary to speed up or simplify a subsequent operation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is awaited at a destination location.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is necessary to complete the destination location.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of objects from the infeed area to an object conveyance system includes providing the plurality of objects in an infeed hopper.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of objects from the infeed area to an object conveyance system includes moving the plurality of objects along an inclined cleated conveyor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes providing the singulated stream of objects to a plurality of destination locations via a further conveyance system.

11. A method of processing objects comprising:
receiving a plurality of objects at an object conveyance system that is moving in a first direction;
perceiving perception data from a perception system regarding the plurality of objects on the object conveyance system as the objects are moved in the first direction, said perception data being representative of potential identification information regarding each of the plurality of objects;
selecting certain objects from the plurality of objects using a computer processing system, said selected certain objects being selected to be removed from the object conveyance system based, at least in part, on the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects such that the at least one object is selected to speed up or simplify a subsequent operation, wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is not identified; and
removing the selected certain objects from the object conveyance system such that remaining objects of the plurality of objects that remain on the object conveyance system form a singulated stream of objects spaced apart from one another on the object conveyance system.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the object that is not identified is included in the selected certain objects that are removed from the object conveyance system.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the object that is not identified is included in the singulated stream of objects and is assigned a destination location for exceptions.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is awaited at a destination location.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is necessary to complete the destination location.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further includes providing the plurality of objects from an infeed area to the object conveyance system that is moving in the first direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the plurality of objects from the infeed area to an object conveyance system includes providing the plurality of objects in an infeed hopper.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the plurality of objects from the infeed area to an object conveyance system includes moving the plurality of objects along an inclined cleated conveyor.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further includes providing the singulated stream of objects to a plurality of destination locations via a further conveyance system.

20. An object processing system comprising:
an infeed area from which a plurality of objects are provided to an object conveyance system that is moving in a first direction;
a perception system for perceiving perception data regarding the plurality of objects on the object conveyance system as the objects are moved in the first direction, said perception data being representative of locations of the plurality of objects on the object conveyance system and potential identification information regarding each of the plurality of objects;
a processing system for selecting certain objects from the plurality of objects, said certain objects being selected to be removed from the object conveyance system based, at least in part, on the perception data and the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects, wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indication that the at least one object is not identified; and
a removal system for removing the selected objects from the object conveyance system such that remaining objects of the plurality of objects that remain on the object conveyance system form a singulated stream of objects spaced apart from one another on the object conveyance system.

21. The object processing system of claim 20 , wherein the object that is not identified is included in the selected objects that are removed from the object conveyance system.

22. The object processing system of claim 20 , wherein the object that is not identified is included in the singulated stream of objects and is assigned a destination location for exceptions.

23. The object processing system of claim 20 , wherein the potential identification information regarding at least one of the objects includes an indicatio

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Operating Company Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Cohen Benjamin
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• GEYER Christopher
• Koletschka Thomas
• MARONEY Kyle
• Mason Matthew T
• Price Gene Temple
• Romano Joseph
• Smith Daniel
• SRINIVASA Siddhartha
• Velagapudi Prasanna
• Allen Thomas

Classifications

• B65G2203/046

  RFID · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B65G2201/0285

  Postal items, e.g. letters, parcels · CPC title

• B65G47/902

  provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements · CPC title

• B65G47/82

  Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} · CPC title