Method and system for manipulating items

US11318620B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC · US
• CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Matthew R. Wicks · Holden, US
• Michael L. Girtman · O'Fallon, US
• Thomas Michael Ferner · Lake Saint Louis, US
• John Simons · Chesterfield, US
• Herman Herman · Gibsonia, US
• Gabriel Goldman · Pittsburgh, US
• Jose Gonzalez-Mora · Pittsburgh, US
• Katharina Muelling · Pittsburgh, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 7, 2019
• Grant date: May 3, 2022
• Expiry date: Apr 2, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P90/02
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a material handling system for manipulating items. The material handling system includes a repositioning system comprising a robotic tool which includes a robotic arm portion and an end effector. The robotic tool is configured to manipulate an item in a first orientation and reorient the item to a second orientation. The material handling system further includes a vision system having one or more sensors positioned within the material handling system. The vision system is configured to generate inputs corresponding to the characteristics of the items. The material handling system may further include a controller executing instructions to cause the material handling system to identify the item in the first orientation, based on the one or more characteristics of the item, initiate, by the repositioning system, picking of the item in the first orientation, and re-orient the item in the second orientation.