Systems and methods for handling and dispensing of items
US10730698B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 2019 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 15, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/0627
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.