Automated fabric picking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017259445-A1
Application number	US-201615069849-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspects of automated fabric picking are described. In one embodiment, a system includes a textile cutter including a tabletop upon which textile panels can be cut out from a textile sheet, a textile panel picker, and a computing device. The textile panel picker includes a flexible transport tube, a transport tube transfer arm to position the flexible transport tube over the tabletop and the textile panels, a textile hopper to collect the textile panels, and a pneumatic pump assembly to evacuate air from the textile hopper and through the flexible transport tube. The computing device identifies and tracks the textile panels on the tabletop, directs the transport tube transfer arm to position the flexible transport tube over the textile panels, and directs the pneumatic pump assembly to generate suction to pull the textile panels through the flexible transport tube and into the textile hopper.

First claim

Therefore, at least the following is claimed:

1 . A system, comprising:
a textile cutter including a tabletop upon which a textile panel can be cut out from a textile sheet; a textile panel picker, comprising:
a flexible pneumatic transport tube;
a transport tube transfer arm configured to position a first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube at a location over the tabletop;
a textile hopper at a second distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube; and
a pneumatic pump assembly configured to evacuate air from the textile hopper and through the flexible pneumatic transport tube; and
at least one computing device configured to perform a method comprising:
identifying and tracking the textile panel on the tabletop;
directing the transport tube transfer arm to position the first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube over the textile panel; and
directing the pneumatic pump assembly to generate an amount of suction to pull the textile panel through the flexible pneumatic transport tube and into the textile hopper.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the textile hopper further comprises:
a sensor to detect a presence of the textile panel in the textile hopper; and a gate to release the textile panel out from within the textile hopper.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to:
determine a leading pickup region of the textile panel based at least in part on a characteristic of the textile panel; and direct the transport tube transfer arm to position the first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube over the leading pickup region of the textile panel.

4 . A method, comprising:
capturing, by at least one computing device, an image of a textile sheet, the image including a textile panel on the textile sheet; instructing, by the at least one computing device, a textile cutter to cut the textile panel out from the textile sheet; identifying and tracking, by the at least one computing device, the textile panel on a tabletop of the textile cutter; estimating, by the at least one computing device, at least one of a weight or a size of the textile panel based at least in part on a panel cutout boundary of the textile panel; determining, by the at least one computing device, a pickup location for automated picking of the textile panel based at least in part on a characteristic of the textile panel; and directing, by the at least one computing device, a flexible pneumatic transport tube to the pickup location, the flexible pneumatic transport tube configured to pick the textile panel off the tabletop using suction.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising selecting, by the at least one computing device, one of a plurality of flexible pneumatic transport tubes to pick the textile panel off the tabletop.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of the textile panel comprises at least one of a weight or a size of the textile panel.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising calculating, by the at least one computing device, a level of evacuation to pull the textile panel through the flexible pneumatic transport tube and into a textile hopper based at least in part on the characteristic of the textile panel.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising directing, by the at least one computing device, a pneumatic pump assembly to generate an amount of suction to generate the level of evacuation to pull the textile panel through the flexible pneumatic transport tube.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising controlling, by the at least one computing device, at least one valve to direct the amount of suction through the flexible pneumatic transport tube.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
tracking, by the at least one computing device, the textile panel from the tabletop, through the flexible pneumatic transport tube, and into the textile hopper; and transferring, by the at least one computing device, the textile panel out from textile hopper.

11 . A system, comprising:
a textile panel picker, comprising:
a flexible pneumatic transport tube;
a transfer apparatus configured to position a first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube;
a textile hopper at a second distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube; and
a pneumatic pump assembly configured to evacuate air from the textile hopper and through the flexible pneumatic transport tube; and
at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the textile panel picker and configured to perform a method comprising:
directing, by the at least one computing device, the transfer apparatus to position the first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube over a textile panel; and
directing, by the at least one computing device, the pneumatic pump assembly to generate an amount of suction to pull the textile panel through the flexible pneumatic transport tube and into the textile hopper.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the pneumatic pump assembly comprises a pressure relief value, a pneumatic pump, and a dust agitator.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the textile hopper further comprises:
a sensor to detect a presence of the textile panel in the textile hopper; and a release mechanism to release the textile panel out from within the textile hopper.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured perform the method comprising:
capturing, by the at least one computing device, an image of a textile sheet, the textile sheet including a plurality of textile panels for a textile product; and identifying and tracking, by the at least one computing device, the plurality of textile panels using the image.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to perform the method comprising:
directing, by the at least one computing device, the textile panel picker to transfer the plurality of textile panels into the textile hopper; and transferring, by the at least one computing device, the plurality of textile panels out from the textile hopper.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to perform the method comprising:
estimating, by the at least one computing device, a characteristic of the textile panel based at least in part on a panel cutout boundary of the textile panel; determining, by the at least one computing device, a pickup path for picking the textile panel based at least in part on the characteristic of the textile panel; and directing, by the at least one computing device, the transfer apparatus to move the first distal end of the flexible pneumatic transport tube along the pickup path over the textile panel.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible pneumatic transport tube comprises a plurality of flexible pneumatic transport tubes each of a respective different diameter.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to perform the method comprising selecting, by the at least one computing device, one of the plurality of flexible pneumatic transport tubes based at least in part on a characteristic of the textile panel.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to perform the method comprising:
calculating, by the at least one computing device, an amount of suction to pull the textile

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Aminpour Rouzbeh Safavi

Classifications

• B65H5/222

  by suction devices · CPC title

• B65H2511/10

  Size; Dimensions · CPC title

• B26D2005/002

  Performing a pattern matching operation · CPC title

• B65H29/32

  from pneumatic, e.g. suction, carriers · CPC title

• B65H2701/174

  Textile; fibres · CPC title