System and method for sorting items

• US 8,030,588 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Align Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Culp, James Clete, Sankaran, Stanley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Joseph C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, KALYANAVENKA K
• Application Number:
  US11/553,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20080099381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 209/509, 209/552, 209/900, 209553-599
• US Class Current: 209/577
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and associated method is provided for sorting parts, which includes a conveyor system for receiving and circulating a plurality of randomly presented parts, a sorting buffer for accumulating selected parts from the plurality of randomly presented parts in an assigned buffer location, and a sequencing system for sequencing the accumulated selected parts.

Claims

1. A part sorting process comprising:

loading a plurality of randomly presented parts onto a part conveyance system, the randomly presented parts being associated with predetermined groups;

selecting parts from the randomly presented parts using a sensor system based on a particular orientation of the selected parts;

mapping an identification of each of the selected parts to an identification of a corresponding part carrier;

positioning the selected parts into the corresponding part carriers;

sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups; and

sequencing the group of associated part carriers,

wherein the predetermined association of the selected parts comprises a predetermined association of selected dental aligners, wherein the selected dental aligners are associated by a dental prescription for a dental patient.

2. The part sorting process of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the orientation of the selected parts; and

manipulating the selected parts to achieve a desired orientation.

3. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises:

assigning the selected parts to a buffer location;

advancing the selected parts to a receiving portion of the assigned buffer location; and

advancing the selected parts into the assigned buffer location.

4. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises accumulating the selected parts into a buffer location.

5. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises:

assigning a first selected part to a first buffer location;

assigning a second selected part to a second buffer location;

advancing the first selected part to a receiving portion of the assigned first buffer location;

advancing the first selected part into the assigned first buffer location;

advancing the second selected part to a receiving portion of the assigned second buffer location; and

advancing the second selected part into the assigned second buffer location.

6. The part sorting process of claim 1, further comprising storing an incomplete group of associated parts in a first storage location.

7. The part sorting process of claim 6, wherein storing an incomplete groups of associated parts in a first storage location comprises:

loading an incomplete group of associated parts onto at least one pallet; and

routing the at least one pallet to the first storage location.

8. The part sorting process of claim 7, further comprising:

removing the at least one pallet from the first storage location;

unloading incomplete groups of associated parts off of the at least one pallet; and

completing the incomplete groups of associated parts.

9. The part sorting process of claim 6, wherein the first storage location is a carousel.

10. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sequencing the group of associated parts comprises sequencing the group of associated parts into a numerical sequence.

11. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sequencing the group of associated part carriers comprises:

assigning each of the associated parts a sequencing location; and

advancing each of the associated parts to its respective assigned sequencing location until the associated parts are grouped into a predetermined sequence.

12. The part sorting process of claim 1, wherein sequencing the group of associated part carriers comprises:

assigning one of the associated parts to a first sequencing location; and

advancing the assigned one of the associated parts to the assigned first sequencing location.

13. The part sorting process of claim 1, further comprising conveying unidentified parts to a quality control station.

14. The part sorting process of claim 1, further comprising continuously loading unselected randomly presented parts until all randomly presented parts have been selected.

15. A part sorting process comprising:

loading a plurality of randomly presented parts onto a part conveyance system, the randomly presented parts being associated with predetermined groups;

selecting parts from the randomly presented parts using a sensor system based on a particular orientation of the selected parts;

mapping an identification of each of the selected parts to an identification of a corresponding part carrier;

positioning the selected parts into the corresponding part carriers;

sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups; and

sequencing the group of associated part carriers,

wherein the predetermined association of the selected parts comprises a predetermined association of selected dental aligners, wherein the selected dental aligners are associated by a dental prescription for a dental patient; and

wherein the associated selected dental aligners are identified in the dental prescription as for use in a prescribed order of use and wherein sequencing the group of associated part carriers comprises sequencing the group of associated part carriers based on the prescribed order of use in the dental prescription.

16. The part sorting process of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying the orientation of the selected parts; and

manipulating the selected parts to achieve a desired orientation.

17. The part sorting process of claim 15, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises:

assigning the selected parts to a buffer location;

advancing the selected parts to a receiving portion of the assigned buffer location; and

advancing the selected parts into the assigned buffer location.

18. The part sorting process of claim 15, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises accumulating the selected parts into a buffer location.

19. The part sorting process of claim 15, wherein sorting each part carrier into a group of associated part carriers based on the association of the selected parts with the predetermined groups comprises:

assigning a first selected part to a first buffer location;

assigning a second selected part to a second buffer location;

advancing the first selected part to a receiving portion of the assigned first buffer location;

advancing the first selected part into the assigned first buffer location;

advancing the second selected part to a receiving portion of the assigned second buffer location; and

advancing the second selected part into the assigned second buffer location.