Opening packages at high speeds using robots

• US 9,457,474 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Battles, Jon S., Lisso, Gregory Karl, Jochim, Jayson Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US14/323,171
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0055 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0051 with kinematics chains of the type rotary-universal-universal or rotary-spherical-spherical, e.g. Delta type manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/45 having a cutting member the movement of which is not covered by any preceding group
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/06 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/086 Electric, magnetic, piezoelectric, electro-magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/04 Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0025 Removing or cutting binding material, e.g. straps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0033 by cutting B65B69/0008-B65B69/0025 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool

Abstract

Conveying systems for transporting sealed containers, such as boxes, may be provided with one or more delta robots configured to cut one or more adhesive tapes or other layers provided on the sealed containers. The delta robots may include one or more blades or other cutting implements on end effectors, which may be repositioned by the delta robots in response to instructions. Such instructions may be generated based on images or imaging data captured from the sealed containers, which may be analyzed to recognize features, locations and orientations of the adhesive tapes or other layers applied across faces, seams or edges of the sealed containers. Using such robots, the sealed containers may be partially or completely opened prior to reaching one or more workers, who may quickly and efficiently access the internal contents of such containers with limited effort.

Claims

1. A conveying system comprising:

an imaging device;

a conveyor defining a direction of travel along an axis, and conveying an object in the direction of travel;

a first delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a first blade provided on a first end effector, wherein the first blade is pointed opposite to the direction of travel along the axis;

a second delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a second blade provided on a second end effector, wherein the second blade is pointed toward the conveyor and perpendicular to the axis;

a third delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a third blade provided on a third end effector, wherein the third blade is pointed in the direction of travel along the axis; and

a computing device in communication with the imaging device, the conveyor, the first delta robot, the second delta robot and the third delta robot,

wherein the computing device is configured to at least;

capture imaging data regarding the object using the imaging device;

identify at least one adhesive label provided on the object based at least in part on the imaging data;

determine a velocity vector of the at least one adhesive label provided on the object;

generate instructions for causing at least one of the first delta robot, the second delta robot or the third delta robot to position at least one of the first blade, the second blade or the third blade into contact with the at least one adhesive label provided on the object based at least in part on the velocity vector; and

provide the instructions to the at least one of the first delta robot, the second delta robot or the third delta robot.

2. The conveying system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least:

identify a first portion of the at least one adhesive label based at least in part on the imaging data;

identify a second portion of the at least one adhesive label based at least in part on the imaging data;

identify a third portion of the at least one adhesive label based at least in part on the imaging data;

provide at least one instruction to the first delta robot for causing the first delta robot to position the first blade into contact with the first portion of the adhesive label;

provide at least one instruction to the second delta robot for causing the second delta robot to position the second blade into contact with the second portion of the adhesive label; and

provide at least one instruction to the third delta robot for causing the third delta robot to position the third blade into contact with the third portion of the adhesive label.

3. A method comprising:

causing at least one conveyor to place an object into motion at a first speed;

capturing imaging data regarding the object using at least one imaging device;

identifying a closing agent provided on at least one surface of the object by at least one computer processor;

determining an elevation of a first portion of the closing agent based at least in part on the imaging data by the at least one computer processor;

determining an orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object by the at least one computer processor, wherein the orientation of the closing agent is determined based at least in part on the imaging data;

generating at least one instruction for causing at least one robot to place at least one cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent based at least in part on the elevation;

providing the at least one instruction to the at least one robot; and

causing the at least one robot to place the at least one cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a second portion of the closing agent is further provided on at least one edge of the object, and

wherein the method further comprises:

causing the at least one robot to place the at least one cutting implement into contact with at least the second portion of the closing agent.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one robot comprises a plurality of arm linkages,

wherein each of the arm linkages comprises a proximal end pivotally mounted to a base and a distal end mounted to an end effector, and

wherein the at least one cutting implement is mounted to the end effector.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object comprises:

causing an apparatus to place the object into a first alignment,

wherein the orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object is determined with the object in the first alignment.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining an anticipated lateral position of the first portion of the closing agent based at least in part on the imaging data,

wherein the at least one instruction is generated based at least in part on the anticipated lateral position.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the object is a box, and

wherein the first portion of the closing agent is a strip of tape covering a seam formed by at least two flaps of the box.

9. A method comprising:

identifying a closing agent provided on at least one surface of an object by at least one computer processor;

determining an orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object by the at least one computer processor;

causing at least one conveyor to place the object into motion at a first speed;

determining a vector representative of the motion of the object based at least in part on the first speed;

determining a first time at which a first portion of the closing agent will reach a first robot provided above the at least one conveyor based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;

identifying a first position of the first portion of the closing agent at the first time based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;

causing the first robot to place a first cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent in the first position at the first time;

determining a second time at which a second portion of the closing agent will reach a second robot provided above the at least one conveyor based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;

identifying a second position of the second portion of the closing agent at the second time based at least in part on the vector and the orientation; and

causing the second robot to place a second cutting implement into contact with at least the second portion of the closing agent in the second position at the second time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing the first robot to move at least the first cutting implement into the first position prior to the first time; and

causing the second robot to move at least the second cutting implement into the second position prior to the second time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first cutting implement is aligned parallel to a plane of the at least one conveyor and pointed in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of the object, and

wherein the second cutting implement is aligned perpendicular to the plane of the at least one conveyor and pointed vertically downward toward the at least one conveyor.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a third time at which a third portion of the closing agent will reach a third robot provided above the at least one conveyor based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;

identifying a third position of the third portion of the closing agent at the third time based at least in part on the vector and the orientation; and

causing the third robot to place a third cutting implement into contact with at least the third portion of the closing agent in the third position at the third time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the object is a box, and

wherein the first portion of the closing agent is a strip of tape covering a seam formed by at least two flaps of the box.

14. A method comprising:

identifying information regarding a sealed box in motion, wherein the sealed box includes at least one adhesive layer thereon, and wherein the at least one adhesive layer includes a first portion crossing at least one edge of the sealed box and a second portion joining at least two flaps of the sealed box;

determining, by at least one computer processor, a vector corresponding to the motion of the sealed box based at least in part on the information regarding the sealed box;

calculating, by the at least one computer processor, a first time at which the first portion of the at least one adhesive layer will arrive at a first delta robot based at least in part on the vector;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, at least one of an elevation of the first portion or a lateral position of the first portion of the at least one adhesive layer at the first time;

positioning, using the first delta robot, a first cutting implement at the elevation of the first portion or the lateral position of the first portion prior to the first time;

calculating, by the at least one computer processor, a second time at which the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer will arrive at a second delta robot based at least in part on the vector;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, at least one of an elevation of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer or a lateral position of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer at the second time; and

positioning, using the second delta robot, a second cutting implement at the elevation of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer or the lateral position of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer prior to the second time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying imaging data captured using at least one imaging device,

wherein the imaging data is associated with the sealed box; and

wherein the information regarding the sealed box comprises the imaging data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the at least one adhesive layer based at least in part on the imaging data,

wherein the first time and the second time are calculated based at least in part on the orientation.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing, by a robot controller in communication with the at least one computer processor, an instruction to the first delta robot for positioning the first cutting implement at the elevation of the first portion or the lateral position of the first portion prior to the first time; and

providing, by the robot controller in communication with the at least one computer processor, an instruction to the second delta robot for positioning the second cutting implement at the elevation of the second portion or the lateral position of the second portion prior to the second time.