Automated pallet inspection and repair

• US 7,765,668 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHEP Technology Pty Limited (Brambles Limited)
• Original Assignee: CHEP Technology Pty Limited (Brambles Limited)
• Inventors: Lucas, Michael David, Townsend, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba; Essama
• Application Number:
  US10/538,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,428 Days
• Field of Search: 294/020.1, 294/070.1, 294/070.5, 294/070.9, 294/071, 297/02, 297/03, 297/05, 297/72, 294/070.4
• US Class Current: 29/407.04
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/041 for disassembling pallets
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30161 Wood; Lumber
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49718 Repairing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53009 with comparator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53013 Computer input
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53317 Box or pallet assembly means

Abstract

An automatic pallet inspection cell (10) comprises one or two multi axis robot arms (14, 15) which terminate in either internal or exterior pallet grippers. The robots are used to transport a gripped pallet (12) through an automated inspection station (16) which compiles a three dimensional data map of a pallet surface. A processor interprets the map and producing a recipe for the robot or robots. One or more stations (17, 18, 19) conduct pallet repair operations that are specified by the recipe. A method for levelling a pallet prior to board removal by a band saw (17) is also disclosed, characterised by rolling the pallet relative to a blade of the band saw to a first and a second roll angle, and positioning the pallet at a position which is an average of the first and second roll angles.

Claims

1. A method of automated pallet repair, comprising the steps of:

using a scanning device to create a three-dimensional data map of a pallet for detecting gaps and protrusions in the pallet, the scanning device generating a laser beam projected onto the pallet;

filtering the three-dimensional data map into a two-dimensional image of on/off values by using a dynamically created height value, corresponding to a reference plane or set threshold offset above a board surface of the pallet;

creating a recipe of repair operations from the three-dimensional data map; and

gripping the pallet and transporting the gripped pallet to one or more repair stations in accordance with the recipe.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the three-dimensional data map with a Sobel or Gaussian filter to provide locations of the gaps and protrusions in the pallet.

3. A method of automated pallet repair, comprising the steps of:

using a scanning device to create a three-dimensional data map of a pallet for detecting gaps and protrusions in the pallet;

filtering the three-dimensional data map into a two-dimensional image of on/off values by using a dynamically created height value, corresponding to a reference plane or set threshold offset above a board surface of the pallet;

creating a recipe of repair operations from the three-dimensional data map; and

transporting the pallet to at least one repair station in accordance with the recipe.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising filtering the three-dimensional data map with a Sobel or Gaussian filter to provide locations of the gaps and protrusions in the pallet.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the scanning device generates a laser beam projected onto the pallet.

6. A method of automated pallet repair, comprising the steps of:

using a scanning device to generate a three-dimensional data map of a pallet, the three-dimensional data map including features, dimensions and topography of the pallet;

filtering the three-dimensional data map into a two-dimensional image comprising on/off values by using a dynamically created height value corresponding to a reference plane above a board surface of the pallet;

generating a recipe of repair operations based on the filtered three-dimensional data map; and

transporting the pallet to at least one repair station based on the recipe.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising filtering the three-dimensional data map with a Sobel or Gaussian filter to provide locations of gaps and protrusions in the pallet.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising gripping the pallet before transporting the pallet to the at least one repair station.

9. A method of automated pallet repair, comprising the steps of:

using a scanning device to generate a three-dimensional data map of a pallet, the three-dimensional data map including features, dimensions and topography of the pallet;

filtering the three-dimensional data map into a two-dimensional image comprising on/off values by using a dynamically created height value corresponding to set threshold offset above a board surface of the pallet;

generating a recipe of repair operations based on the filtered three-dimensional data map; and

transporting the pallet to at least one repair station based on the recipe.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising filtering the three-dimensional data map with a Sobel or Gaussian filter to provide locations of gaps and protrusions in the pallet.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising gripping the pallet before transporting the pallet to the at least one repair station.