Conveyor screening during robotic article unloading
US10239701B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 2017 |
| Grant date | Mar 26, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 10, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G67/24
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A robotic material handling system has a controller that positions a nose conveyor surface proximate to an article pile, uses a robotic manipulator to robotically move one or more articles per operation onto the nose conveyor from the article pile, and receives a scan of the nose conveyor surface to detect respective locations of any articles received on the nose conveyor surface. The controller determines whether the respective locations of any scanned articles prevent immediate rearward conveyance by the two or more parallel conveyors at a first speed. If so detected, the controller causes at least one of the two or more parallel conveyors to operate at the first speed and at least another one of two or more parallel conveyors to operate at a second speed that is not equal to the first speed so that cartons do not jam or overwhelm a narrower rearward conveyor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.