Method And A Device For Recognizing, Collecting and Repositioning Objects
First Claim
1. A method for recognizing, collecting and repositioning objects, which objects (1) exhibit non-predetermined dimensional characteristics and are arranged on a support surface (2), which method is realized by means of a gripper group (30) which moves in at least a longitudinal direction relative to an object (1) to be handled, a direction towards/away from the object (1), and a direction of height adjustment relative to the object (1), the gripper group (30) being controlled by a computerized control unit, which method being characterized in that it includes any suitable combination of following operating stages:
- approaching and recognizing a said object (1), comprising an approach to the object (1) by an approximately-set mobile gripper group (30), which approaching and recognizing is performed with assistance of positional information stored in the control unit;
identification of the outline of the object (1), by a perpendicular three-dimensional scanning, performed using sequences of displacements of the gripper unit (30) by means for gauging punctual distances (50), which means are arranged at least one finger (35, 36) of the gripper group (30), and by a presence sensor means (55) for detecting the depth of the object, which presence sensor means (55) is arranged at a top of the fingers (35, 36) of the gripper group (30);
gripping the object (1), including an operation performed by the gripper group (30) for progressively tightening the object (1) until a predetermined intensity of grip is reached, which intensity of grip depends on physical characteristics of the object (1);
collecting the object (1), including operations of lifting and moving the object (1);
releasing the object (1), including;
operations in which the gripper group (30) approaches a support surface (2);
moving the gripper group (30) until the object (1) makes contact with the support surface (2);
opening the fingers (35, 36) of the mobile gripper group (30) until contact with the object (1) is lost; and
extracting the fingers (35, 36) from the place where the object (1) is located.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for recognizing, collecting and repositioning objects (1) having non-predetermined dimensional characteristics and which are arranged on a support surface (2) is implemented by means of a gripper group (30). The gripper group (30) is mobile in at least a lengthwise direction of movement relative to an object (1) to be handled, a direction of moving towards/away from the object (1), and a direction of adjustment of the height relative to the object (1). The gripper group (30) is controlled by a computerized control unit. The method comprises the following operating stages: a stage of approaching and recognizing an object (1), comprising the approximately-set approach of the gripper group (30) to the object (1), performed with the assistance of positional information stored in the control unit; identification of the outline of the object (1), by perpendicular three-dimensional scanning performed, using sequences of movements of the gripper group (30), by means for gauging punctual distance (50) arranged near at least one finger (35, 36) of the gripper group (30), and by sensor means (55) for detecting the presence of the object (1), which identify the depth of the object and are arranged at the head of the fingers (35, 36); a stage of gripping the object (1); a stage of collection the object (1), comprising operations of lifting and moving the object (1).
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for recognizing, collecting and repositioning objects, which objects (1) exhibit non-predetermined dimensional characteristics and are arranged on a support surface (2), which method is realized by means of a gripper group (30) which moves in at least a longitudinal direction relative to an object (1) to be handled, a direction towards/away from the object (1), and a direction of height adjustment relative to the object (1), the gripper group (30) being controlled by a computerized control unit, which method being characterized in that it includes any suitable combination of following operating stages:
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approaching and recognizing a said object (1), comprising an approach to the object (1) by an approximately-set mobile gripper group (30), which approaching and recognizing is performed with assistance of positional information stored in the control unit;
identification of the outline of the object (1), by a perpendicular three-dimensional scanning, performed using sequences of displacements of the gripper unit (30) by means for gauging punctual distances (50), which means are arranged at least one finger (35, 36) of the gripper group (30), and by a presence sensor means (55) for detecting the depth of the object, which presence sensor means (55) is arranged at a top of the fingers (35, 36) of the gripper group (30);gripping the object (1), including an operation performed by the gripper group (30) for progressively tightening the object (1) until a predetermined intensity of grip is reached, which intensity of grip depends on physical characteristics of the object (1); collecting the object (1), including operations of lifting and moving the object (1); releasing the object (1), including;
operations in which the gripper group (30) approaches a support surface (2);
moving the gripper group (30) until the object (1) makes contact with the support surface (2);
opening the fingers (35, 36) of the mobile gripper group (30) until contact with the object (1) is lost; andextracting the fingers (35, 36) from the place where the object (1) is located. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device for recognizing, collecting and repositioning objects, which objects exhibit non-predetermined dimensional characteristics and are arranged on a support surface (2), the device (10) being provided with degrees of freedom corresponding to at least a direction of longitudinal movement with respect to an object (1) to be handled, a direction of movement towards/away from the object (1), and a direction of adjustment of the height relative to the object (1), the device (10) also being controlled by a computerized control unit, which device (10) is characterized in that it comprises:
- a support (20);
a mobile gripper group (30), associated to the support and mobile relative to the support in at least a first direction, the gripper group (30) being provided with at least a pair of fingers (35, 36) positioned facing one another, which are mobile in the second direction, and which can open and close with respect to one another in order respectively to grip and release an object (1), the fingers (35, 36) also being mobile together in a third direction towards/away from the object (1);
means for measuring punctual distance (50), which are arranged at least a finger of the gripper group (30) and which perform punctual gauging of a distance between a distal end of the finger (35) and the object (1) in order to enable, in cooperation with suitable sequences of movements of the fingers (35, 36), performance of an orthogonal three-dimensional scan of the object (1);
presence sensor means (55) for detecting a presence of the object (1), which presence sensor means (55) identify a depth of the object (1) and are arranged at distal ends of the fingers (35, 36);
a computerized control unit, which pilots the gripper group (30) and receives and processes information from the means for gauging punctual distance (50) and the presence sensor means (55). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
- a support (20);
Specification