System, apparatus and method for sensing automation picking and stacking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332837-A1
Application number	US-201514709785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for picking a product, including: a control circuit; at least one vacuum cup arranged to adhere, with negative pressure and at a first location, at least one sheet of material to the at least one vacuum cup; and at least one sensor to monitor an area proximate the at least one vacuum cup and transmit at least one signal regarding a presence of at least one sheet of material in the area. The apparatus is arranged to displace to a second location. The control circuit is arranged to determine, responsive to the at least one signal, the at least one sheet of material is not present in the area and generate an error signal indicating that the at least one sheet of material is not present in the area.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for picking a product, comprising:
a control circuit; at least one vacuum cup arranged to:
create negative pressure; and,
adhere, with the negative pressure and at a first location, at least one sheet of material to the at least one vacuum cup; and,
at least one sensor configured to:
monitor an area proximate the at least one vacuum cup; and,
transmit at least one signal regarding a presence of at least one sheet of material in the area, wherein:
the apparatus is arranged to displace to a second location; the at least one sensor is configured to transmit the at least one signal when:
the at least one sheet of material is not detected in the area; or,
the at least one sheet of material is detected in the area; and,
the control circuit is arranged to:
determine, responsive to the at least one signal, the at least one sheet of material is not present in the area; and,
generate an error signal indicating that the at least one sheet of material is not present in the area
the at least one vacuum cup includes a plurality of vacuum cups; and, the at least one sensor consists of a single sensor.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one sheet of material includes a plurality of sheets of material; and, the at least one vacuum cup includes a plurality of vacuum cups arranged to adhere, with the negative pressure, the plurality of sheets of material to the plurality of vacuum cups.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit the at least one signal when less than all of the sensors included in the plurality of sensors:
do not detect the at least one sheet of material in the area; or, detect the at least one sheet of material in the area.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit the at least one signal when only one single sensor included in the plurality of sensors:
does not detect the at least one sheet of material in the area; or, detects the at least one sheet of material in the area.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one sheet of material includes a plurality of sheets of material arranged in a sequence; and, when the control circuit determines that only one single sheet of material, included in the at least one sheet of material, is not present in the area, the control circuit is configured to determine a position of the only one single sheet of material within the sequence.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one sheet of material includes a plurality of sheets of material arranged in a sequence; and, when the control circuit determines that a first sheet of material, included in the at least one sheet of material, is not present in the area, the control circuit is configured to determine a position of the first sheet of material within the sequence.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one vacuum cup includes a plurality of vacuum cups; and, the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors.

9 . A method of sensing material during a picking and stacking process, comprising:
displacing, using a robotic arm, at least one apparatus such that at least one vacuum cup for the at least one apparatus is aligned with at least one sheet of material in a first direction; creating, using at least one vacuum pump, negative pressure with the at least one vacuum cup; adhering, with the negative pressure, the at least one sheet of material to the at least one vacuum cup; displacing, using the robotic arm, the apparatus to a second location; monitoring, using at least one sensor, an area proximate the at least one vacuum cup; detecting, using the at least one sensor, that the at least one sheet of material is not in the area; transmitting, using the at least one sensor, at least one signal to a control circuit, the at least one signal indicating that the at least one sensor has not detected the at least one sheet in the area; and, generating, using the control circuit and in response to the at least one signal, an error signal indicating that the at least one sheet of material is not present in the area, wherein the at least one sheet of material includes a plurality of sheets of material arranged in a sequence, the method further comprising: determining, using the control circuit and the at least one signal, a position in the sequence for a first sheet of material, included in the at least one sheet of material, not detected in the area, wherein generating the error signal includes generating the error signal including the position in the sequence.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors; and, detecting, using the at least one sensor, that the at least one sheet of material is not in the area includes detecting, with less than all of the sensors included in the plurality of sensors, that the at least one sheet of material is not in the area.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors; and, detecting, using the at least one sensor, that the at least one sheet of material is not in the area includes detecting, with only one single sensor included in the plurality of sensors, that the at least one sheet of material is not in the area.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, using the control circuit and the at least one signal, a position in the sequence for only one single sheet of material, included in the at least one sheet of material, not detected in the area, wherein generating the error signal includes generating the error signal including the position in the sequence.

13 . (canceled)

14 . A system for picking and stacking a product, comprising:
a robotic arm; and, at least one apparatus connected to the robotic arm, the at least one apparatus including:
a control circuit;
at least one vacuum cup arranged to:
create negative pressure; and,
adhere, with the negative pressure and at a first location, a plurality of sheets of material to the at least one vacuum cup;

at least one sensor configured to:
monitor an area proximate the at least one vacuum cup; and,
transmit at least one signal when:
a sheet of material, included in a plurality of sheets of material, is detected in the area; or,
a sheet of material, included in a plurality of sheets of material, is not detected in the area, wherein:

the robotic arm and the apparatus are arranged to displace to a second location; the plurality of sheets of material is arranged in a sequence; and, the control circuit is configured to:
determine, using the at least one signal, that the sheet of material is not present in the area at the second location;
determine a position of the sheet of material within the sequence; and, generate an error signal indicating:
that the sheet of material is not present in the second location; and,
the position of the sheet in the sequence.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Richards Paul N
• Amorim Rui
• Zayed Gaith O

Classifications

• B25J15/0052

  multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors · CPC title

• B65H2406/34

  Suction grippers · CPC title

• B65H29/241 Primary

  Suction devices · CPC title

• G05B2219/39558

  Vacuum hand has selective gripper area · CPC title

• B25J9/1674

  characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic · CPC title