PALLETIZING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A palletizing system, comprising:
- (a) a pallet building module for receiving a customer order for products and generating pallet building instructions from the order;
(b) multiple robot cells in communication with the pallet building module and adapted to carry out the pallet building instructions, the robot cells comprising a plurality of source products and a robot for retrieving the products from among the source products and arranging the products on at least one pallet, and wherein each of the at least one pallets is assembled by more than one robot cell; and
(c) at least one automatic guided vehicle in communication with the pallet building module and operable for transporting the at least one pallet between robot cells and within the palletizing system.
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Abstract
Palletizing systems and methods increasing the efficiency at which pallets of mixed products are built. The systems and methods include a pallet building module for receiving customer orders and generating pallet building instructions for arranging the products on the pallets, among other functions. The pallet building module is in communication with a number of robot cells that include source products and pallet building robots for building pallets based upon instructions generated by the pallet building module. The system includes other modules for system control including conveyor controllers, forklift controllers, and automatic guided vehicle controllers, among other controllers. Methods for building pallets of mixed product from source products within more than one robot cell.
154 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A palletizing system, comprising:
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(a) a pallet building module for receiving a customer order for products and generating pallet building instructions from the order; (b) multiple robot cells in communication with the pallet building module and adapted to carry out the pallet building instructions, the robot cells comprising a plurality of source products and a robot for retrieving the products from among the source products and arranging the products on at least one pallet, and wherein each of the at least one pallets is assembled by more than one robot cell; and (c) at least one automatic guided vehicle in communication with the pallet building module and operable for transporting the at least one pallet between robot cells and within the palletizing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for building a pallet of mixed products, comprising:
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(a) providing a pallet building module for receiving a customer order for products and generating instructions for arranging the products on the pallet; (b) building a first portion of the pallet at a first robot cell comprising first source products and a first robot including end-of-arm tooling; (c) transporting the pallet to a second robot cell using an automatic guided vehicle; and (d) building a second portion of the pallet at the second robot cell comprising second source products and a second robot including end-of-arm tooling; wherein the instructions are communicated from the pallet building module to the first and the second robot cells. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for building a pallet of mixed products, comprising:
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(a) providing a pallet building module for generating instructions for dividing the task of building a complete pallet including the mixed products into more than one robot cell; (b) building the pallet with the more than one robot cell; and (c) transporting the pallet between robot cells using an automatic guided vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification