Depalletization systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12280969-B2
Application number	US-202318368269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2023
Priority date	Sep 14, 2023
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

Warehouse automation and methods of handling materials can be used to make depalletization processes more safe and efficient. In some examples, the depalletization systems can include a U-shaped platform lift that supports one or more workers and that defines a location for a pallet of boxes to be unloaded or “depalletized.” The U-shaped platform lift can be raised and/or lowered to position the workers at the optimal elevations for transferring, with minimal lifting, the boxes from the pallet to a system of conveyors. Such systems are also reconfigurable in multiple ways to further minimize the manual lifting required for the depalletization process as well as the throughput of the depalletization process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A depalletization system comprising:
a platform lift that is operable to be raised and lowered while supporting one or more workers, the platform lift defining a pallet location where the one or more workers can remove boxes from a pallet while standing on the platform lift;
a box discharge conveyor arranged and operable to convey the boxes away from the platform lift;
a transfer conveyor extending between the box discharge conveyor and the pallet location, the transfer conveyor comprising an output end adjacent the box discharge conveyor and an input end that is opposite of the output end and that is a free end;
a transition conveyor having an input end that is pivotably coupled to an output end of the box discharge conveyor; and
a takeaway conveyor arranged for conveying the boxes away from the depalletization system,
wherein an output end of the transition conveyor is slidably coupled to the takeaway conveyor,
wherein the transfer conveyor is pivotable relative to the box discharge conveyor such that the input end is movable upward and downward along an arcuate path,
wherein the transfer conveyor is translatable along the box discharge conveyor,
wherein the box discharge conveyor and the transfer conveyor raise and lower in coordination with the platform lift as the platform lift is raised and lowered, and
wherein an incline angle of the transition conveyor changes as the platform lift is raised and lowered.

2. The depalletization system of claim 1 , further comprising a pallet conveyance means that is arranged and operable to convey the pallet to the pallet location.

3. The depalletization system of claim 1 , wherein the transfer conveyor extends in a cantilevered arrangement toward the pallet location.

4. The depalletization system of claim 1 , wherein the transfer conveyor is: (i) extendable to increase a length of the transfer conveyor between the input and output ends and (ii) retractable to decrease the length of the transfer conveyor between the input and output ends.

5. The depalletization system of claim 1 , wherein the platform lift comprises a U-shaped platform.

6. The depalletization system of claim 5 , wherein the U-shaped platform surrounds the pallet location on exactly three sides.

7. The depalletization system of claim 1 , further comprising an empty pallet handling system comprising a pallet lifting device.

8. The depalletization system of claim 7 , wherein the pallet lifting device is arranged and operable to move an empty pallet from the pallet location to an empty pallet conveyance means that is arranged and operable to convey the empty pallet away from the depalletization system.

9. A depalletization method comprising:
conveying a pallet that has boxes thereon to a pallet location defined by a platform lift, wherein the platform lift is operable to be raised and lowered while supporting one or more workers;
transferring the boxes from the pallet to a transfer conveyor, wherein the transfer conveyor comprises: an output end adjacent a box discharge conveyor and an input end that is opposite of the output end and that is a free end, wherein the transfer conveyor is pivotable relative to the box discharge conveyor such that the input end is movable upward and downward along an arcuate path, and wherein the transfer conveyor is translatable along the box discharge conveyor;
conveying the boxes along the transfer conveyor and onto the box discharge conveyor;
conveying the boxes along the box discharge conveyor and onto a transition conveyor by which the boxes are transported away from the pallet location, wherein the transfer conveyor has an input end that is pivotably coupled to an output end of the box discharge conveyor;
translating the transfer conveyor along the box discharge conveyor;
lowering the platform lift to reduce lifting of the boxes by the one or more workers during the transferring, wherein the box discharge conveyor and the transfer conveyor lower in coordination with the platform lift as the platform lift is lowered, and wherein an incline angle of the transition conveyor changes as the platform lift is lowered; and
conveying the boxes along the transition conveyor to a takeaway conveyor arranged for conveying the boxes away from the depalletization system, wherein an output end of the transition conveyor is slidably coupled to the takeaway conveyor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transfer conveyor extends in a cantilevered arrangement toward the pallet location.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising pivoting the transfer conveyor relative to the box discharge conveyor such that the input end is moved upward and downward along an arcuate path.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising extending the transfer conveyor to increase a length of the transfer conveyor between the input and output ends.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising retracting the transfer conveyor to decrease the length of the transfer conveyor between the input and output ends.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the platform lift comprises a U-shaped platform.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the U-shaped platform surrounds the pallet location on exactly three sides.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, after all of the boxes have been transferred from the pallet, using an empty pallet handling system comprising a pallet lifting device to move the pallet from the pallet location to an empty pallet conveyance means that is arranged and operable to convey the pallet away from the depalletization system.

Assignees

• Target Brands Inc

Inventors

• Pena Ernesto Saldana
• Mutarelli Gervasio
• Shirley Dillon
• Goodwin Joseph

Classifications

• B65G41/003

  mounted for linear movement only · CPC title

• B65G2201/0267

  Pallets · CPC title

• B65G59/026 Primary

  with a stepwise upward movement of the stack · CPC title

• B65G59/00 Primary

  De-stacking of articles (B65G60/00 takes precedence) · CPC title