Buffering systems and methods for dynamic processing of objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12441553-B2
Application number	US-202318125478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2023
Priority date	Mar 23, 2022
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A buffering system is disclosed for use between an upper processing area and a lower processing area. The buffering system includes a belt and at least one roller around at least a portion of which the belt extends. The belt is anchored at a first anchor location to a frame. The buffering system also includes an actuation system for moving the at least one roller with respect to the first anchor location to cause the belt to move such that a portion of the buffering system becomes open thereby providing a retractable belt door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A buffering system for use between an upper processing area and a lower processing area, said buffering system comprising a belt and at least one roller around at least a portion of which the belt extends, wherein a first end of the belt is fixed to a frame at a first anchor location and a second end of the belt is fixed to the frame at a second anchor location, and an actuation system for moving the at least one roller with respect to the first anchor location and the second anchor location to cause the belt to move such that a portion of the buffering system becomes open thereby providing a retractable belt door.

2. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffering system includes a plurality of belts extending around a plurality of rollers to thereby provide a plurality of retractable belt doors.

3. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller includes a first roller and a second roller around which the belt extends, the first roller and the second roller being attached to a common panel.

4. The buffering system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second roller is mounted to the common panel on a pivoting mounting bracket.

5. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuation system includes at least one linear actuator to move the at least one roller.

6. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first anchor location includes a biasing system for maintaining tension in the belt.

7. The buffering system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the common panel includes cushioning material to absorb impact of an object.

8. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the belt includes at least one cleat.

9. The buffering system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the common panel is mounted for reciprocal movement within the frame.

10. The buffering system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the buffering system further comprises a sub-frame suspended below and connected to the frame by suspension mechanisms to absorb impact of an object.

11. The buffering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffering system includes a detection system for providing detection data representative of whether an object has been dropped from the belt.

12. An object processing system including the buffering system of claim 1 , wherein the object processing system includes a receiving station below the buffering system.

13. The object processing system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the receiving station includes a weighing system.

14. The object processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the weighing system includes a conveyor.

15. A buffering system for use between an upper processing area and a lower processing area, said buffering system comprising:
a frame;
a retractable belt door moveably coupled within the frame, the retractable belt door including at least one roller mounted to a common panel for reciprocal movement with respect to the frame, and a belt extending around the at least one roller, wherein a first end of the belt is fixed to the frame at a first anchor location and a second end of the belt is fixed to the frame at a second anchor location; and
an actuation system for moving the common panel with respect to the frame to cause the belt to move such that a portion of the frame becomes open.

16. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the retractable belt door is one of a plurality of retractable belt doors moveably coupled within the frame.

17. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the at least one roller mounted to the common panel includes a first roller and a second roller around which the belt extends, wherein the first roller is attached to a first end of the common panel and the second roller is attached to a second end of the common panel.

18. The buffering system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the second roller is mounted to the common panel on a pivoting mounting bracket.

19. The buffering system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the common panel includes cushioning material to absorb impact of an object.

20. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the actuation system includes at least one linear actuator to move the at least one roller.

21. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first anchor location includes a biasing system for maintaining tension in the belt.

22. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the belt includes at least one cleat.

23. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the buffering system further comprises a sub-frame suspended below and connected to the frame by suspension mechanisms to absorb impact of an object.

24. The buffering system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the buffering system includes a detection system for providing detection data representative of whether an object has been dropped from the belt.

25. An object processing system including the buffering system of claim 15 , wherein the object processing system includes a receiving station below the buffering system.

26. The object processing system as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the receiving station includes a weighing system.

27. The object processing system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the weighing system includes a conveyor.

28. A method of buffering an object falling from an upper processing area to a lower processing area, said method comprising:
providing at least one retractable belt door mounted for reciprocal movement with respect to a frame onto which the object may fall, the retractable belt door including a belt, wherein a first end of the belt is fixed to the frame at a first anchor location and a second end of the belt is fixed to the frame at a second anchor location;
retracting the belt to peel away from the object; and
permitting the object to fall through the retractable belt door.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the retractable belt door includes at least one roller, and retracting the belt includes retracting the at least one roller.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the method further includes providing a second retractable belt door onto which the object may also fall, the second retractable belt door including a second belt.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the at least one roller includes a first roller and a second roller around which the belt extends, the first roller and the second roller being attached to a common panel.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the second roller is mounted to the common panel on a pivoting mounting bracket.

33. The method of claim 29 , wherein retracting the belt includes engaging at least one linear actuator to move the at least one roller.

34. The method of claim 28 , wherein the method further includes maintaining tension in the belt with a biasing system.

35. The method of claim 31 , wherein the common panel includes cushioning material to absorb impact of an object.

36. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first roller and the second roller are mounted for reciprocal movement within a frame.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein a sub-frame is suspended below and connected to the frame by suspension mechanisms

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Operating Company Inc

Inventors

• Williams Robert
• Paul Anthony
• Ritzakis Nector

Classifications

• B65G13/02

  having driven rollers · CPC title

• B65G11/203

  for articles · CPC title

• B65G2203/041

  Camera · CPC title

• B65G2203/0208

  relating to the transported articles · 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