Automated production system for object identification, selection and transport

• US 20050247607A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Knobel, Henrik, Erlandsson, Mats Warvelin
• Application Number:
  US10/524,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20050247607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/656
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0205 Biscuits
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0225 Orientation of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0233 Position of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0283 Position of the load carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/041 Camera
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/24 orientating the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/26 arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/50 according to destination signals stored in separate systems

Abstract

System for selection and transport of an object out of a plurality of objects in an operation area comprising a system for detection of objects present in the operation area and an industrial robot including a manipulator and an operating system having a computer memory for storing information on the objects present in the operation area.

Claims

1. System for selection and transport of an object out of a plurality of objects in an operation area comprising a system for detection of objects present in the operation area and an industrial robot including a manipulator and an operating system having a computer memory for storing information on the objects present in the operation area, characterized in that the operating system comprises means for defining a transport direction of each object in the operation area, means for defining a passageway along the transport direction of each of said object, and means for calculating the presence of other objects penetrating into each of said passageways.

2. Method of selecting an object out of a plurality of objects in an operation area for transport to a predetermined location comprising, detection of the objects present in the operation area, storing object and location information in a computer memory, selecting an object to be picked, characterized in that the selecting step comprises;

defining a transport direction for each of the objects present in the operation area, defining a passageway along the transport direction of each of said objects, calculating for each passageway the presence of penetration of any other of said present objects, selecting an object which passageway is free from penetration.