Loading articles on one or more support surfaces with one or more mobile devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for loading a plurality of articles on one or more support surfaces using a controller and a manipulator, the method comprising:
- autonomously modeling at least some of the articles in a stable article arrangement on a first of the support surfaces using the controller;
autonomously gathering the articles in the modeled article arrangement using the manipulator; and
autonomously arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement using the manipulatorwherein the modeling comprises modeling at least some of the articles in a plurality of different article arrangements on the first of the support surfaces, wherein each of the article arrangements has an arrangement density that is equal to a collective volume of the articles in the respective article arrangement to a volume of the respective article arrangement; and
wherein the arranging comprises arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement having the greatest arrangement density.
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods are provided for loading articles on one or more support surfaces. One of the methods includes autonomously modeling at least some of the articles in a stable article arrangement on a first of the support surfaces using a controller. The articles in the modeled article arrangement are autonomously gathered using one or more manipulators. The gathered articles are autonomously arranged on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement using the one or more manipulators.
47 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for loading a plurality of articles on one or more support surfaces using a controller and a manipulator, the method comprising:
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autonomously modeling at least some of the articles in a stable article arrangement on a first of the support surfaces using the controller; autonomously gathering the articles in the modeled article arrangement using the manipulator; and autonomously arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement using the manipulator wherein the modeling comprises modeling at least some of the articles in a plurality of different article arrangements on the first of the support surfaces, wherein each of the article arrangements has an arrangement density that is equal to a collective volume of the articles in the respective article arrangement to a volume of the respective article arrangement; and wherein the arranging comprises arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement having the greatest arrangement density. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for loading a plurality of articles on one or more support surfaces using a controller and a manipulator, the method comprising:
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autonomously modeling at least some of the articles in a stable article arrangement on a first of the support surfaces using the controller; autonomously gathering the articles in the modeled article arrangement using the manipulator; and autonomously arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement using the manipulator; wherein the modeling comprises modeling at least some of the articles in a plurality of different article arrangements that each fit within a control volume on the first of the support surfaces, wherein each of the article arrangements has an arrangement density that is equal to a collective volume of the articles in the respective article arrangement to the control volume; and wherein the arranging comprises arranging the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement having the greatest arrangement density.
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13. A mobile device for loading a plurality of articles on one or more support surfaces, the device comprising:
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a mobile platform; a manipulator connected to the mobile platform; and a controller that is operable to autonomously model at least some of the articles in a stable article arrangement on a first of the support surfaces, to signal the manipulator to autonomously gather the articles in the modeled article arrangement, and to signal the manipulator to autonomously arrange the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement; wherein the controller is operable to autonomously model at least some of the articles in a plurality of different article arrangements that each fit within a control volume on the first of the support surfaces, wherein each of the article arrangements has an arrangement density that is equal to a collective volume of the articles in the respective article arrangement to the control volume; and signal the manipulator to autonomously arrange the gathered articles on the first of the support surfaces according to the modeled article arrangement having the greatest arrangement density. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification