Method and apparatus for palletizing randomly arriving mixed size and content parcels
First Claim
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1. A method for using a computer system to effect the palletizing of parcels, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a group of parcels to be palletized, each parcel of said group of parcels having previously determined attribute factors;
(b) inputting data which identifies the type sand quantities of the parcels which comprise said group of parcels to be palletized into a memory of the computer system;
(c) determining dimensions of a logical voxel based on at least one of the orthagonal dimensions of each parcel of a plurality of said group of parcels;
(d) determining the total pallet space available;
(e) creating a mathematical pallet model representative of the total pallet space available by dividing mathematically the total pallet space available into a plurality of voxels, each of said voxels being dimensionally equal to corresponding dimensions of said logical voxel;
(f) storing said pallet model in a memory of the computer system;
(g) identifying from said group of parcels to be palletized a specific parcel to be stacked;
(h) evaluating the attribute factors of said specific parcel to be stacked in comparison to predetermined threshold levels of the pallet models;
(i) searching at least a portion of said pallet model for at least one space comprising a combination of voxels which are adjacent to each other, said combination of voxels mathematically corresponding to the size of said specific parcel to be stacked, said combination of voxels representing actual space in said pallet space in which said specific parcel to be stacked can be physically located;
(j) assigning space in accordance with predetermined rules to said specific parcel to be stacked when at least one space is found in step (i) for said specific parcel to be stacked; and
(k) locating said specific parcel to be stacked in the actual space corresponding to said space assigned instep (j) to said specific parcel to be stacked.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are described for automatically palletizing parcels of various sizes, shapes and contents which arrive in random order at a pickup point to be transferred onto a pallet. A system is disclosed including a digital computer operating under an expert computer program which takes information about attribute factors of the parcels and applies predetermined rules to assign a space for the parcel on the pallet, and communicates coordinates of the assigned space to a flexible material handling robot.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for using a computer system to effect the palletizing of parcels, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a group of parcels to be palletized, each parcel of said group of parcels having previously determined attribute factors; (b) inputting data which identifies the type sand quantities of the parcels which comprise said group of parcels to be palletized into a memory of the computer system; (c) determining dimensions of a logical voxel based on at least one of the orthagonal dimensions of each parcel of a plurality of said group of parcels; (d) determining the total pallet space available; (e) creating a mathematical pallet model representative of the total pallet space available by dividing mathematically the total pallet space available into a plurality of voxels, each of said voxels being dimensionally equal to corresponding dimensions of said logical voxel; (f) storing said pallet model in a memory of the computer system; (g) identifying from said group of parcels to be palletized a specific parcel to be stacked; (h) evaluating the attribute factors of said specific parcel to be stacked in comparison to predetermined threshold levels of the pallet models; (i) searching at least a portion of said pallet model for at least one space comprising a combination of voxels which are adjacent to each other, said combination of voxels mathematically corresponding to the size of said specific parcel to be stacked, said combination of voxels representing actual space in said pallet space in which said specific parcel to be stacked can be physically located; (j) assigning space in accordance with predetermined rules to said specific parcel to be stacked when at least one space is found in step (i) for said specific parcel to be stacked; and (k) locating said specific parcel to be stacked in the actual space corresponding to said space assigned instep (j) to said specific parcel to be stacked. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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- 10. The method according to claim wherein the step of searching the pallet model comprises determining whether space exists in the pallet model which corresponds to the physical size of said specific parcel to be stacked whenever said specific parcel is not part of a set for which a set space has been reserved and said specific parcel to be stacked is not part of a new set for which a set space can be reserved.
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24. An apparatus for palletizing parcels, comprising:
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(a) means for transporting a plurality of parcels to a predetermined pick up point; (b) means for determining the types and quantity of parcels to be palletized; (c) means for receiving information carried by individual parcels transported by said transporting means; (d) means for determining dimensions of a logical voxel; (e) means for creating a pallet model representative of the pallet space by mathematically dividing the pallet space available into voxels equal to in size to said logical voxel; (f) mean for evaluating attribute factors of an individual parcel transported by said transporting means in comparison to predetermined threshold levels of said pallet model; (g) means for assigning space to said individual parcel in accordance with the information carried by said individual parcel, with the evaluation of the attribute factors of said individual parcel and with predetermined rules; and (h) means for transferring said individual parcel from said pick up point to said assigned space. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said transferring means comprises a robot system configured to receive coordinate information related to said assigned space and to the location of said individual parcel.
Specification