Conveyor system for autonomous robot
US10793369B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 2018 |
| Grant date | Oct 6, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 11, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2203/041
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An autonomous robot with a modular conveyor belt moves materials in a warehouse or other industrial environment. Its load cells detect items on its conveyor belt and its cameras detect loading stations with stationary conveyor belts throughout the warehouse. It guides itself to a loading station using visual cues until it is close enough to load or unload items from its conveyor belt. The cart orients itself relative to the stationary conveyor belt based on the conveyor belt's direction of motion and tracks its position using wheel or visual odometry. It unloads by running the conveyor belt, which may be about 1.5 m long, at a speed of about 1 m/s for about 2 seconds. For loading, the cart detects an item on a stationary conveyor belt using a camera, positions itself next to the stationary conveyor belt, then triggers the stationary conveyor belt and its own conveyor belt to load the item.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.