Sensing conveyor for object characteristic determination
First Claim
1. A materials handling facility, comprising:
- a conveyor system configured to convey an object to or from a processing or storage area within the materials handling facility, the conveyor system comprising;
a conveyor frame supporting one or more conveyance mediums configured to convey the object via the conveyor system, wherein a surface of at least one of the one or more conveyance mediums comprises a pressure-sensitive element, wherein the pressure-sensitive element is configured to sense pressure from contact with the object conveyed via the conveyance system, and wherein the pressure-sensitive element is configured to obtain one or more dynamic measurements during jostling of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium while the object is conveyed via the conveyance medium, the pressure-sensitive element configured as part of the conveyor system such that a motion of the pressure-sensitive element substantially matches a motion of the object during conveyance via the conveyance mechanism; and
a device for sending the one or more dynamic measurements obtained from the conveyance medium to a control system; and
the control system configured to;
receive one or more dynamic measurements obtained during jostling of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium; and
determine one or more characteristics of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium based at least in part on the received one or more dynamic measurements.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for measuring attributes of objects such as containers and container content without opening the containers are disclosed. Measurements of containers are obtained during conveyance via conveyor. For example, a sensor, such as a pressure sensing system, may measure pressure or contact between the container and the conveyor conveying the container. The measurements may be analyzed to determine characteristics of the container such as the weight, weight distribution and/or dimensions of the container. The conveyor may be configured to jostle the container such that an inertial property of the container and/or container content may be measured and analyzed. The measurements obtained may be used to ascertain a problem or characteristic of the container and/or container content without opening the container, such as damage, packing condition, number of units, presence of liquids, and the like. The method and device may be used through a materials handling facility.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A materials handling facility, comprising:
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a conveyor system configured to convey an object to or from a processing or storage area within the materials handling facility, the conveyor system comprising; a conveyor frame supporting one or more conveyance mediums configured to convey the object via the conveyor system, wherein a surface of at least one of the one or more conveyance mediums comprises a pressure-sensitive element, wherein the pressure-sensitive element is configured to sense pressure from contact with the object conveyed via the conveyance system, and wherein the pressure-sensitive element is configured to obtain one or more dynamic measurements during jostling of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium while the object is conveyed via the conveyance medium, the pressure-sensitive element configured as part of the conveyor system such that a motion of the pressure-sensitive element substantially matches a motion of the object during conveyance via the conveyance mechanism; and a device for sending the one or more dynamic measurements obtained from the conveyance medium to a control system; and the control system configured to; receive one or more dynamic measurements obtained during jostling of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium; and determine one or more characteristics of the object conveyed via the conveyance medium based at least in part on the received one or more dynamic measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A conveyance system, comprising:
a conveyor device configured to convey items to or from processing or storage areas within a materials handling facility, the conveyor device comprising; a conveyor frame configured to support one or more conveyance mediums that convey objects; and one of the one or more conveyance mediums configured to convey objects, wherein at least one of the one or more conveyance mediums comprises a sensing element, wherein the sensing element is configured to detect changes in weight distribution of objects during conveyance via the conveyance medium, wherein a motion of the sensing element substantially matches a motion of the objects during conveyance via the conveyance mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A conveyance system, comprising:
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a conveyance device of the conveyance system configured to convey an object; a conveyance medium of the conveyance device configured to; obtain one or more measurements of detected changes in weight distribution of the object during conveyance via the conveyance device, wherein a motion of a portion of the conveyance medium in at least partial contact with the object substantially matches a motion of the object during conveyance via the conveyance mechanism; and send the detected changes in weight distribution to a control system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification