Method and a system for batching of objects

• US 8,222,543 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scanvaegt International A/S
• Original Assignee: Scanvaegt International A/S
• Inventors: Grundtvig, Henrik, Krogh, Mikael, Nielsen, Ulrich Carlin, Skyum, Henrik F
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US12/795,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 535/01, 535/02, 177/25.18, 177/145, 198/750.1, 198/468.2, 209/592, 209/645
• US Class Current: 177/145
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/105 by grippers B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/306 involving comparison with a reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/384 involving comparison with a reference value

Abstract

Method and system for batching of supplied objects in batches in such a manner that a batch fulfils predefined criteria as regards the number of objects, weight, orientation and/or type(s) of objects, wherein

• • the weight of each object is determined
  • the objects are transported by means for object transport,
  • a selective transferral of the objects from said means for object transport to batching means is performed by means of a plurality of handlings means of the robot type in as a group or batch of objects is produced in consideration of said predefined criteria,
    and wherein said group or batch of objects is transported further on by means of means for batch transportation. Preferably, said means for batch transportation may comprise a plurality of conveyor means.

Claims

1. A system for batching supplied objects in batches, wherein each batch fulfills predefined criteria of total weight range and one or more of object weight, object orientation, object type and/or the number of objects, wherein the system comprises:

equipment for registering the objects based on one or more of object position, object type and/or object orientation;

an apparatus for determining the weight of the objects;

one or more conveyors for transporting the objects;

a plurality of conveyors for transporting said batches;

a plurality of controllable robots for selectively transferring a plurality of said objects from said one or more conveyors for transporting the objects to a depositing location on a selected one of said conveyors to form a batch of said objects, said robots being adapted to selectively grip and/or pick up an object and to deposit said object at the selected depositing position that is within an area of operation; and

a control unit for controlling said controllable robots based on said predefined criteria and based on registered and/or determined data for the objects, said control unit also adapted for selecting the selected one of said conveyors based on said predefined criteria.

2. A method of batching supplied objects in batches having different characteristics, wherein each batch fulfills at least one predefined criterion including a total weight range, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the weight of each one of said objects;

supplying the objects via a means for object transport;

providing batching means on each of a plurality of conveyors;

providing a plurality of robotic handling means adapted for selectively gripping and/or picking up objects from said means for object transport for depositing said objects at a selected depositing position within an area of operation, said area of operation including portions of each one of said plurality of conveyors; and

forming said objects into batches by, for each one of the objects;

based on both said predefined criterion and the weight of said one of said objects, selecting one of said batching means on one of said plurality of conveyors, and

transferring said one of the objects from the means for object transport to the selected one of said batching means using at least one of said plurality of robotic handling means;

thereby forming said batches having the different characteristics.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include different total weight ranges.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include different orientations of objects.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include different types of objects.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include different numbers of objects.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include providing batches having first characteristics on one of said plurality of conveyors and providing batches having second characterstics on another one of said plurality of conveyors.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said different characteristics include providing batches having a first weight range on one of said plurality of conveyors and providing batches having a second weight range on another one of said plurality of conveyors.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein each batch further fulfills predefined criteria of one or more of object weight, object orientation, object type and/or the number of objects.

18. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of registering the objects based on one or more of object position, object type and/or object orientation by utilizing vision equipment.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the objects are supplied to said means for object transport by one or more conveyor belts.

21. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of registering the objects based on one or more of object position, object type and/or object orientation by utilizing vision equipment, the step of registering being performed in connection with the determination of the weight of each object.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein the objects are batched directly on said plurality of conveyors.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein the objects are batched on a separate unit that constitutes said batching means, the method further comprising the step of transferring the batch of objects to one of said plurality of conveyors by one or more of an essentially vertical movement, a pivoting movement and/or a displacement by another conveyor.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of forming said objects into batches further includes the step of batching the objects in a predefined orderly form in relation to each other.

25. The method of claim 2, wherein the means for object transport and/or the plurality of conveyors are/is moved continuously during the batching of the objects.

26. The method of claim 2, wherein said means for object transport and/or said plurality of conveyors are/is moved discontinuously during the batching of the objects.

27. The method of claim 2, wherein the means for object transport comprises one or more conveyor belts.

28. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the plurality of conveyors move in an opposite direction of the means for object transport.

29. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the plurality of conveyors move in the same direction as the means for object transport.

30. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of transferring the batch from one of said plurality of conveyors to a packaging means.

31. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of forming said objects into batches includes packaging said batches using a packaging means that is located on one or more of said plurality of conveyors or located on said batching means.

32. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

redirecting the batch of objects to a feeding end of one of the plurality of conveyors ; and

supplying one or more missing objects to the batch.

10. A system for batching supplied objects in batches having different characteristics, wherein each batch fulfills a predefined criterion including a total weight range, said system comprising:

means for determining the weight of each one of said objects;

means for object transport for supplying the objects;

batching means provided on each of a plurality of conveyors; and

a plurality of robotic handling means adapted for selectively gripping and/or picking up objects from said means for object transport for depositing said objects at a selected depositing position within an area of operation, said area of operation including portions of each one of said plurality of conveyors;

wherein said system is adapted for forming said objects into batches by, for each one of the objects;

based on both said predefined criterion and the weight of said one of said objects, selecting one of said batching means on one of said plurality of conveyors, and

transferring said one of the objects from the means for object transport to the selected one of said batching means using at least one of said plurality of robotic handling means;

thereby forming said batches having the different characteristics.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include different total weight ranges.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include different orientations of objects.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include different types of objects.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include different numbers of objects.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include providing batches having first characteristics on one of said plurality of conveyors and providing batches having second characteristics on another one of said plurality of conveyors.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said different characteristics include providing batches having a first weight range on one of said plurality of conveyors and providing batches having a second weight range on another one of said plurality of conveyors.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein each batch further fulfills predefined criteria of one or more of object weight, object orientation, object type and/or the number of objects.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising apparatus for registering the objects based on one or more of object position, object type and/or object orientation by utilizing vision equipment.

33. The system of claim 10, further comprising supply transportation equipment for supplying the objects.

34. The system of claim 10, further comprising vision equipment for registering said objects, said registration being performed in connection with the determining the weight of the objects.

35. The system of claim 10, wherein the objects are batched directly on one or more of said plurality of conveyors.

36. The system of claim 10, wherein the selecting and the robotic handling means are controlled in such a manner that the objects are batched in a predefined orderly form in relation to each other.

37. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for transporting the objects and/or said plurality of conveyors are configured for moving continuously during the batching of the objects.

38. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for transporting the objects and/or said plurality of conveyors are configured for moving discontinuously during the batching of the objects.

39. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for object transport comprises one or more conveyor belts.

40. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of said plurality of conveyors are adapted for moving in an opposite direction of said means for object transport.

41. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of said plurality of conveyors are adapted for moving in the same direction as said means for object transport.

42. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of robotic handling means includes one or more of gripping means, picking means and lifting means for removing the objects from the means for object transport.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein each of said one or more conveyor belts are a polycord conveyor.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein each of said one or more conveyor belts include knobs or spikes.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein each of said plurality of robotic handling means includes fingers for gripping the objects from the means for transporting the objects, wherein said fingers are substantially horizontally oriented with a mutual distance allowing the fingers to be lowered down between said knobs or spikes.

46. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for batching the objects, whereon the objects are batched, said means for batching being adapted and controlled so that a batched assembly of objects can be transferred to said plurality of conveyors.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said means for batching comprises one or more separate conveyors, which are arranged to be immovable when a batching of objects to such a separate conveyor takes place.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said one or more separate conveyors are located above said plurality of conveyors and can be rotated and/or tilted in such a manner that a batch of objects can be transported down onto said plurality of conveyors.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein said plurality of conveyors comprises conveyor belts having longitudinal separate elements with knobs or spikes.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said means for batching comprises one or more support units that are moveable in a vertical direction and that include horizontally oriented finger elements, wherein said finger elements can pass between said longitudinal separate elements on the conveyor belt or can be lowered down between said knobs or spikes.

51. The system of claim 10, wherein a batch of objects can be transferred from one of said plurality of conveyors to a tray.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein said system is configured to batch objects directly on a packaging means that is placed on one or more of said plurality of conveyors or said means for batching.

53. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for redirecting a batch of objects to a feeding end of one of said plurality of conveyors for supplying of one or more missing objects.

54. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured to provide a plurality of types of batches.

55. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of conveyors is provided that is parallel with the means for object transport.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the plurality of conveyors are parallel with the means for object transport in an area corresponding to the operation area of the robotic handling means.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the plurality of conveyors include two conveyor belts on one side of the means for object transport and two conveyor belts on another side of the means for object transport, wherein said two conveyor belts on one side move in an opposite direction from said two conveyor belts on another side.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the plurality of conveyors include a conveyor that is transverse to the means for object transport.