Automated container cutting system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12214461-B2
Application number	US-202318480349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2023
Priority date	Sep 1, 2020
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

An automated container cutting system includes a cutting tool configured to cut a container and a force feedback sensor operatively connected to the cutting tool. The force feedback sensor is configured to measure resistive force exerted on the cutting tool. The automated container cutting system includes a processor communicatively coupled to the force feedback sensor. The processor is configured to receive resistive force data from the force feedback sensor and determine whether the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container using the received resistive force data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automated container cutting, the system comprising:
a cutting tool configured to cut a container;
a force feedback sensor operatively connected to the cutting tool, the force feedback sensor configured to measure resistive force exerted on the cutting tool; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the force feedback sensor, the processor configured to:
receive resistive force data from the force feedback sensor; and
determine whether the cutting tool has penetrated through a wall of the container using the received resistive force data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the resistive force data represents resistive force exerted on the cutting tool as the cutting tool pierces the wall of the container.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container upon a reduction of the resistive force exerted on the cutting tool, wherein the reduction of the resistive force represents the cutting tool piercing the wall.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container by determining a force change point within a resistive force trace of the received resistive force data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein based on a determination of the processor that the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container, movement of the cutting tool toward an interior of the container is controlled to limit a cutting depth of the cutting tool.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein based on a determination of the processor that the cutting tool has not penetrated through the wall of the container, further movement of the cutting tool toward an interior of the container is controlled to increase a cutting depth of the cutting tool.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a first type of container, the processor configured to track cuts to a plurality of containers of the first type and establish and/or adjust a programmed cutting depth of the cutting tool for the first type of container based on the tracked cuts.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a torque sensor operatively connected to the cutting tool, the torque sensor configured to measure torque exerted on the cutting tool.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive torque data from the torque sensor, the torque data representing torque exerted on the cutting tool as the cutting tool cuts the wall of the container; and
determine at least one of a dullness of the cutting tool or contact of the cutting tool with an item contained within the container using the received torque data.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cutting platform, wherein the cutting platform comprises an articulated robot arm.

11. A computer-implemented method for automated cutting of containers, the computer-implemented method comprising implementing, by a processor, the following operations:
tracking results of cuts to a plurality of containers of a first container type; and
establishing a programmed cutting depth of a cutting tool for the first container type based on the tracked results.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising implementing, by the processor, the following operations:
tracking other results of cuts to another plurality of containers of a second container type; and
adjusting a programmed cutting depth of the cutting tool for the second container type based on the other tracked results.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein tracking the other results of cuts to another plurality of containers of the second container type comprises recording at least one of a failed cut and/or an over cut, and wherein adjusting the programmed cutting depth for the second container type comprises at least one of increasing the cutting depth for the second container type based on a recorded failed cut and/or decreasing the cutting depth for the second container type based on a recorded over cut to adjust the programmed cutting depth for the second container type.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing cutting depth data of a container source for the second container type as the programmed cutting depth, wherein adjusting the programmed cutting depth comprises adjusting the stored cutting depth data of the container source based on the tracked cuts.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein tracking the results of the cuts to the plurality of containers of the first container type comprises recording at least one of a failed cut or an over cut, and wherein establishing the programmed cutting depth comprises at least one of increasing the cutting depth for the first container type based on a recorded failed cut or decreasing the cutting depth for the first container type based on a recorded over cut to establish the programmed cutting depth for the first container type.

16. An apparatus for automated container cutting, the apparatus comprising:
a cutting tool configured to cut a container; and
a force feedback sensor operatively connected to the cutting tool, the force feedback sensor configured to measure resistive force exerted on the cutting tool, the force feedback sensor communicatively coupled to a processor, wherein the processor receives resistive force data from the force feedback sensor that represents resistive force exerted on the cutting tool as the cutting tool pierces a wall of the container and determines whether the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container using the received resistive force data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the resistive force data of the force feedback sensor is used by the processor to:
determine a reduction of the resistive force exerted on the cutting tool as the cutting tool pierces the wall; or
determine a force change point within a resistive force trace of the received resistive force data.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein movement of the cutting tool is controlled toward an interior of the container to limit a cutting depth of the cutting tool responsive to a determination that the cutting tool has penetrated through the wall of the container.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein movement of the cutting tool toward an interior of the container to increase a cutting depth of the cutting tool is controlled responsive to a determination that the cutting tool has not penetrated through the wall of the container.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
a torque sensor operatively connected to the cutting tool, the torque sensor configured to measure torque exerted on the cutting tool, wherein the processor receives torque data from the torque sensor that represents torque exerted on the cutting tool as the cutting tool cuts the wall of the container and determines at least one of a dullness of the cutting tool or contact of the cutting tool with an item contained within the container using the received torque data.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Edwards James Benjamin
• Durkee Paul

Classifications

• B25J9/1633

  compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control · CPC title

• B25J13/085

  Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J11/0055 Primary

  Cutting · CPC title

• B23Q2717/00

  Arrangements for indicating or measuring · CPC title

• B23Q15/14

  Control or regulation of the orientation of the tool with respect to the work · CPC title