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Apparatus and procedure for locating three-dimensional objects packed in bulk for purposes of controlling a gripping terminal

  • US 4,486,842 A
  • Filed: 02/09/1982
  • Issued: 12/04/1984
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for locating three-dimensional objects in a bulk load in order to control a gripping terminal for selective moving of said gripping terminal to at least one of said objects, comprising:

  • at least one optical projection system for producing a substantially planar light bundle;

    drive means coupled to said optical projection system for sweeping said light bundle across a predetermined surface area of said bulk load, whereby an irregular light trace of said light bundle on said bulk load is produced;

    a central processing unit for controlling said drive means;

    light sensing means located plumb with a predetermined surface of said bulk load for sensing said irregular light trace from said light bundle reflected off said bulk load and for producing output signals indicative of said irregular light trace;

    said central processing unit comprising analysis and processing means coupled to the output signals of said light sensing means for processing said output signals;

    said drive means comprising means for rotating said light bundle through a predetermined angle θ

    in plural predetermined increments spanning the predetermined surface area of the bulk load;

    coder means for measuring the instantaneous value of said angle θ and

    for communicating said instantaneous value to said central processing unit; and

    said central processing unit comprising means for analyzing, for each value of the angle θ

    , said irregular light trace sensed by said light sensing means and to define points (xi, yi, zi) indicative of a profile of said bulk load based on the irregular light trace for each said angle θ

    , and means for selecting those of said defined points corresponding to a predetermined condition for controlling movement of the gripping terminal to the object located at the selected points based on the selected points.

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