Automated Truck Unloader for Unloading/Unpacking Product from Trailers and Containers

• US 20140205403A1
• Filed: 01/20/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Intralogistics America Corporation (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Wynright Corporation (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Inventors: Criswell, Tim
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/395
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0028 with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0616 with vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/08 using endless conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37002 Absence, detect absence, presence or correct position of workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40555 Orientation and distance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40607 Fixed camera to observe workspace, object, workpiece, global

Abstract

An automatic truck unloader for unloading/unpacking product, such as boxes or cases, from trailers and containers is disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile base structure provides a support framework for a drive subassembly, conveyance subassembly, an industrial robot, a distance measurement subassembly, and a control subassembly. Under the operation of the control subassembly, an industrial robot having a suction cup-based gripper arm selectively removes boxes from the trailer and places the boxes on a powered transportation path. The control subassembly coordinates the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects, including boxes, within a detection space, and dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly.

Claims

1. An automatic truck unloader for unloading/unpacking product from a trailer, the automatic truck unloader comprising:

a mobile base structure having first and second ends;

a drive subassembly coupled to the mobile base, the drive subassembly including a plurality of wheels for steering and driving the mobile base;

a conveyance subassembly disposed on the mobile base, the conveyance subassembly including a powered transportation path operable for transporting product between the first end and the second end;

an industrial robot disposed at the second end of the mobile base, the industrial robot providing selective articulated movement of an end effector between the powered transportation path and a reachable space such that the industrial robot is operable to handle the product in the reachable space;

a distance measurement subassembly disposed at the second end, the distance measurement subassembly configured to determine presence of objects within a detection space, wherein the detection space and the reachable space at least partially overlap;

a control subassembly mounted to the mobile base structure, the control subassembly being in communication with the drive subassembly, the industrial robot, and the distance measurement subassembly, the control subassembly coordinating the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects within the detection space, and dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly; and

the control assembly including a memory accessible to a processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify a product skyline within a product space,

specify a search operation to identify an active quadrant within the product space,

specify a search operation to identify a protruding product within the active quadrant at the product skyline,

specify a removal operation to unload the product corresponding to the protruding product, and

calculate instructions for removing the product corresponding to the protruding product.

2. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the end effector further comprises a suction cup-based gripper arm.

3. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the end effector further comprises a suction cup-based gripper arm adapted for manipulating a box with cooperating grapplers that grip the box in a gripping position selected from the group consisting of parallel to the box and perpendicular to the box.

4. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the end effector further comprises:

a main frame having a support frame for attachment to the industrial robot;

a moving frame half selectively pivotally coupled to the main frame by a joint to provide a range of motion between approximately a parallel presentation between the main frame and the moving frame and approximately an orthogonal presentation between the main frame and the moving frame;

a first plurality of suction cups associated with a face of the main frame;

a second plurality of suction cups associated with a face of the main frame;

a vacuum manifold housed within the main frame in pneumatic communication with the first and second pluralities of suction cups;

a vacuum sensor mounted in the main frame proximate to the first plurality of suction cups, the vacuum sensor, in response to detecting an object, being configured to actuate the vacuum manifold and generate a vacuum force to grip the object; and

a visual detection subsystem housed in the main frame, the visual detection subsystem being configured to capture an image of the product space for processing by the control subassembly.

5. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, further comprising a visual detection subsystem associated with the end effector, the visual detection subsystem being configured to capture an image of the product space for processing by the control subassembly.

6. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 5, wherein the visual detection subsystem further comprises a camera and lighting assembly for digitally imaging the product space.

7. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the product space is a subspace of the detection space.

8. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the active quadrant is a subspace of the product space.

9. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of wheels further comprises a pair of front drive wheels disposed proximate to the second end, the pair of front drive wheels being powered by respective AC motors with double reduction gearboxes.

10. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of wheels further comprises a rear drive wheel disposed proximate to the first end and mounted to a vertical axis to provide steering capability.

11. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveyance subassembly further comprises a conveyor having a telescoping conveyor interface for coupling the automatic case loader to a telescoping conveyor unit.

12. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveyance subassembly further comprises a powered roller conveyor.

13. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the distance measurement subassembly comprises a three-dimensional measurement system operating on an adaptive depth measurement principle.

14. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the distance measurement subassembly comprises a device selected from the group consisting of laser range finding apparatuses, cameras, ultrasonic measurement apparatuses, inclinometers, and combinations thereof.

15. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the trailer are programmed into the control subassembly.

16. An automatic truck unloader for unloading/unpacking product from a trailer, the automatic truck unloader comprising:

a mobile base structure having first and second ends;

a drive subassembly coupled to the mobile base, the drive subassembly including a plurality of wheels for steering and driving the mobile base;

means for conveying product from the second end to the first end of the mobile base;

an industrial robot disposed at the second end of the mobile base, the industrial robot providing selective articulated movement of an end effector between the powered transportation path and a reachable space such that the industrial robot is operable to handle the product in the reachable space;

the end effector including a suction cup-based gripper arm adapted for manipulating a box with cooperating grapplers that grip the box in a gripping position selected from the group consisting of parallel to the box and perpendicular to the box;

means for determining presence of objects within a detection space, wherein the detection space and the reachable space at least partially overlap;

a control subassembly mounted to the mobile base structure, the control subassembly being in communication with the drive subassembly, the industrial robot, and the distance measurement subassembly, the control subassembly coordinating the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects within the detection space, and dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly; and

the control assembly including a memory accessible to a processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify a product skyline within a product space,

specify a search operation to identify an active quadrant within the product space,

specify a search operation to identify a protruding product within the active quadrant at the product skyline,

specify a removal operation to unload the product corresponding to the protruding product, and

calculate instructions for removing the product corresponding to the protruding product.

17. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 16, further comprising a visual detection subsystem associated with the end effector, the visual detection subsystem being configured to capture an image of the product space for processing by the control subassembly.

18. An automatic truck unloader for unloading/unpacking product from a trailer, the automatic truck unloader comprising:

a mobile base structure having first and second ends;

a drive subassembly coupled to the mobile base, the drive subassembly including a plurality of wheels for steering and driving the mobile base;

a conveyance subassembly disposed on the mobile base, the conveyance subassembly including a powered transportation path operable for transporting product between the first end and the second end;

an industrial robot disposed at the second end of the mobile base, the industrial robot providing selective articulated movement of an end effector between the powered transportation path and a reachable space such that the industrial robot is operable to handle the product in the reachable space;

the end effector including a main frame having a support frame for attachment to the industrial robot;

a moving frame half selectively pivotally coupled to the main frame by a joint to provide a range of motion between approximately a parallel presentation between the main frame and the moving frame and approximately an orthogonal presentation between the main frame and the moving frame;

a first plurality of suction cups associated with a face of the main frame;

a second plurality of suction cups associated with a face of the main frame;

a vacuum manifold housed within the main frame in pneumatic communication with the first and second pluralities of suction cups;

a vacuum sensor mounted in the main frame proximate to the first plurality of suction cups, the vacuum sensor, in response to detecting an object, being configured to actuate the vacuum manifold and generate a vacuum force to grip the object;

a visual detection subsystem housed in the main frame, the visual detection subsystem being configured to capture an image of the product space for processing by a control subassembly;

a distance measurement subassembly disposed at the second end, the distance measurement subassembly configured to determine presence of objects within a detection space, wherein the detection space and the reachable space at least partially overlap;

the control subassembly mounted to the mobile base structure, the control subassembly being in communication with the drive subassembly, the industrial robot, and the distance measurement subassembly, the control subassembly coordinating the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects within the detection space, and dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly; and

the control assembly including a memory accessible to a processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify a product skyline within a product space,

specify a search operation to identify an active quadrant within the product space,

specify a search operation to identify a protruding product within the active quadrant at the product skyline,

specify a removal operation to unload the product corresponding to the protruding product, and

calculate instructions for removing the product corresponding to the protruding product.

19. The automatic truck unloader as recited in claim 18, further comprising a visual detection subsystem associated with the end effector, the visual detection subsystem being configured to capture an image of the product space for processing by the control subassembly.

20. A method for unloading product from a trailer parked at a loading bay, the method comprising:

positioning an automatic truck unloader including a mobile base structure having first and second ends under the power of a drive subassembly proximate to the loading bay;

connecting a conveyance subassembly disposed on the mobile base to a telescoping conveyor unit having a supply of product associated therewith;

driving the automatic truck unloader into the trailer;

detecting the location of the automatic truck unloader within the trailer with a distance measurement subassembly disposed on the mobile base structure;

stopping, in response to distance measurement data from the distance measurement subassembly, the automatic truck unloader proximate the product within the trailer;

providing selective articulated movement of an industrial robot through a reachable space such that the industrial robot is operable to unload the product within the trailer;

visually detecting and capturing an image of a product space for processing by a control subassembly

executing at the automatic truck unloader an unstacking routine including processor-executable instructions to;

specify a search operation to identify the product skyline within a product space,

specify a search operation to identify an active quadrant within the product space,

specify a search operation to identify a protruding product within the active quadrant at the product skyline,

specify a removal operation to unload the product corresponding to the protruding product, and

calculate instructions for removing the product corresponding to the protruding product;

sequentially unloading the product within the trailer with the industrial robot;

interrupting the unloading of product in response to detection by the distance measurement subassembly absence of product within the reachable space;

driving forward and repositioning the automatic truck unloader to refresh the reachable space; and

resuming the sequential unloading of the product.