Multi-check in-line container inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358024-B1
Application number	US-202318215928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2023
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

Techniques for a multi-check in-line container inspection system are provided herein. In an example, a computer system determines, during movement of a container in a scanning tunnel, first sensor data generated by a first sensor attached to a frame that forms the scanning tunnel. The movement is caused by material handling equipment. The computer system determines, during the movement of the container in the scanning tunnel, second sensor data generated by a second sensor attached to the frame. The computer system performs a first container integrity check based on the first sensor data and a second container integrity check based on the second sensor data. The computer system causes a corrective action to be initiated based on at least one of the first container integrity check or the second container integrity check indicating a container defect.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A material handling system comprising:
material handling equipment comprising a first controller and at least one of a conveyor belt or conveyor rolls, and configured to move a container;
a frame forming a scanning tunnel and mounted around a portion of the material handling equipment such that to surround at least a section of the conveyor belt or a set of the conveyor rolls;
a first sensor having a first sensor type, attached to the frame, and configured to generate first sensor data of a first sensor data type during movement of the container in the scanning tunnel, the movement caused by the material handling equipment;
a second sensor having a second sensor type different than the first sensor type, attached to the frame, and configured to generate second sensor data of a second sensor data type during the movement of the container in the scanning tunnel;
a third sensor disposed inside the scanning tunnel at a height of an upper surface of the container and configured to generate third sensor data indicating whether an item over-height is sensed; and
a second controller configured to:
receive, during the movement of the container in the scanning tunnel, the first sensor data and the second sensor data;
perform a first container integrity check based at least in part on the first sensor data;
perform a second container integrity check based at least in part on the second sensor data, the second container integrity check being of a different type than the first container integrity check;
perform a third container integrity check based at least in part on the third sensor data, wherein the third container integrity check indicates the item over-height upon the third sensor data also indicating the item over-height;
determine an integrity of the container based at least in part on the first container integrity check, the second container integrity check, and the third container integrity check; and
cause, based at least in part on the integrity of the container indicating a defect and by at least sending a defect indication to the first controller, a corrective action to be initiated by the material handling equipment after the container exits the scanning tunnel.

2. The material handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first container integrity check comprises at least one of: a container identifier read, a container fill level, an item over-height detection, a container assembly, a container crack, or a container warping, and wherein the second container integrity check comprises at least a remaining one of the container identifier read, the container fill level, the item over-height detection, the container assembly, the container crack, or the container warping.

3. The material handling system of claim 1 , wherein the scanning tunnel comprises an entrance through which the container is moved into the scanning tunnel, and wherein the material handling system further comprises:
a fourth sensor disposed outside of the scanning tunnel and configured to generate fourth sensor data indicating a detection of the container prior to the container reaching the entrance, wherein the fourth sensor data causes the second controller to at least start processing the first sensor data and the second sensor data.

4. The material handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of sensors configured to generate fourth sensor data indicating a speed of the container or a container-to-container distance, and wherein the second controller is further configured to cause, based at least in part on the fourth sensor data, the first controller to change the speed of the container.

5. A system comprising:
a frame configured to form a scanning tunnel by at least surrounding a portion of a material handling equipment;
a first sensor attached to the frame and configured to generate first sensor data during movement of a container in the scanning tunnel, the movement caused by the material handling equipment;
a second sensor attached to the frame and configured to generate second sensor data during the movement of the container in the scanning tunnel; and
a controller configured to:
receive, during the movement of the container in the scanning tunnel, the first sensor data and the second sensor data;
perform a first container integrity check based at least in part on the first sensor data, wherein the first container integrity check indicates whether a warping defect of the container exists based at least in part on distance measurements between walls of the container, wherein the distance measurements are generated based at least in part on the first sensor data;
perform a second container integrity check based at least in part on the second sensor data; and
cause a corrective action to be initiated based at least in part on at least one of the first container integrity check or the second container integrity check indicating a container defect.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:
an area centered in the scanning tunnel and over a conveyor surface such that the container is moved through the area within the scanning tunnel.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor comprises a three-dimensional scanner that is attached to an upper surface of the frame and that has a field of view directed to inside the scanning tunnel, wherein performing the first container integrity check comprises detecting a fill level of the container and determining whether the fill level is outside of a fill range.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein performing the first container integrity check further comprises determining an item over-height by at least detecting an item contained in the container and determining whether a portion of the item extends beyond an upper surface of the container.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third sensor disposed inside the scanning tunnel at a height of the upper surface of the container and configured to generate third sensor data, wherein the controller is triggered to determine the item over-height based at least in part on the third sensor data also indicating the item over-height.

10. The system of claim 5 further comprising:
a third sensor that is configured to generate third sensor data and that is of a same type as the first sensor and of a different type than the second sensor, wherein the first sensor and the third sensor are attached to respective locations on the frame based at least in part on expected locations of container identifiers installed on the container, wherein the first sensor data corresponds to a read of a first container identifier, wherein the third sensor data corresponds to a read of a second container identifier.

11. The system of claim 5 further comprising:
a weight sensor installed in-line in the material handling equipment inside or outside the scanning tunnel and configured to generate weight data during the movement of the container, wherein the weight data indicates a weight of the container, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a type of the container;
determine a weight range associated with the type of the container;
receive the weight data;
determine, based at least in part on the weight data, whether the weight is outside of the weight range; and
trigger the corrective action based at least in part on the weight being outside of the weight range.

12. The system of claim 5 further comprising:
a third sensor disposed outside of the scanning tunnel and configured to generate third sensor data indicating a detection of the container prior to the container reaching the scanning tunnel, wherein the third sensor data causes th

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Pasumarthi Vishnuvardhan
• Ospino Calvo Anderson Rafael
• Dazkir Ahmet Goktug
• Brown Carter Lee
• Pastor Ryan Harrison
• Kepic Mitchell J

Classifications

• B07C5/18 Primary

  using a single stationary weighing mechanism · CPC title

• B07C5/3412

  according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication (sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00) · CPC title

• B07C5/3404 Primary

  according to properties of containers or receptacles, e.g. rigidity, leaks, fill-level (control devices for cigarette or cigar packaging B65B19/28; investigation of fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00) · CPC title