Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SEPARATING OBJECTS USING VACUUM DIVERTS
WITH ONE OR MORE OBJECT PROCESSING SYSTEMS
BACKGROUND
The invention generally relates to automated (e.g., programmable motion) and
other
processing systems, and relates in particular to programmable motion (e.g.,
robotic) systems
intended for use in environments requiring, for example, that a variety of
objects (e.g., articles,
parcels or packages) be processed (e.g., sorted and/or otherwise distributed)
to several output
destinations.
Many object distribution systems receive objects in an organized or
disorganized stream
that may be provided as individual objects or objects aggregated in groups
such as in bags,
arriving on any of several different conveyances, commonly a conveyor, a
truck, a pallet, a
Gaylord, or a bin. Each object must then be distributed to the correct
destination container, as
determined by identification information associated with the object, which is
commonly
determined by a label printed on the object. The destination container may
take many forms,
such as a bag or a bin or a tote.
The processing of such objects has traditionally been done by human workers
that scan
the objects, e.g., with a hand-held barcode scanner, and then place the
objects at assigned
locations. For example many order fulfillment operations achieve high
efficiency by employing
a process called wave picking. In wave picking, orders are picked from
warehouse shelves and
placed at locations (e.g., into bins) containing multiple orders that are
sorted downstream. At
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the processing stage individual objects are identified, and multi-object
orders are consolidated,
for example into a single bin or shelf location, so that they may be packed
and then shipped to
customers. The processing (e.g.. sorting) of these objects has traditionally
been done by hand.
A human sorter picks an object from an incoming bin, finds a barcode on the
object, scans the
barcode with a handheld barcode scanner, determines from the scanned barcode
the appropriate
bin or shelf location for the article, and then places the article in the so-
determined bin or shelf
location where all objects for that order have been defined to belong.
Automated systems for
order fidfillment have also been proposed. See for example, U.S. Patent
Application Publication
No. 2014/0244026, which discloses the use of a robotic arm together with an
arcuate structure
that is movable to within reach of the robotic arm.
In conventional parcel sortation systems, human workers or automated systems
typically
retrieve objects in an arrival order, and sort each object into a collection
bin based on a set of
given heuristics. For instance, all objects of like type might go to a
collection bin, or all objects
in a single customer order, or all objects destined for the same shipping
destination, etc. The
human workers or automated systems are required to receive objects and to move
each to their
assigned collection bin. If the number of different types of input (received)
objects is large, a
large number of collection bins is required.
Such a system has inherent inefficiencies as well as inflexibilities since the
desired goal
is to match incoming objects to assigned collection bins. Such systems may
require a large
number of collection bins (and therefore a large amount of physical space,
large capital costs,
and large operating costs) in part, because sorting all objects to all
destinations at once is not
always most efficient.
Certain partially automated sortation systems involve the use of recirculating
conveyors
and tilt trays, where the tilt trays receive objects by human sortation (human
induction), and each
tilt tray moves past a scanner. Each object is then scanned and moved to a pre-
defined location
assigned to the object. The tray then tilts to drop the object into the
location. Further, partially
automated systems, such as the bomb-bay style recirculating conveyor, involve
having trays open
doors on the bottom of each tray at the time that the tray is positioned over
a predefined chute,
and the object is then dropped from the tray into the chute. Again, the
objects are scanned while
in the tray, which assumes that any identifying code is visible to the
scanner.
Such partially automated systems are lacking in key areas. As noted, these
conveyors
have discrete trays that can be loaded with an object; they then pass through
scan tunnels that
scan the object and associate it with the tray in which it is riding. When the
tray passes the
correct bin, a trigger mechanism causes the tray to dump the object into the
bin. A drawback
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with such systems however, is that every divert requires an actuator, which
increases the
mechanical complexity and the cost per divert can be very high.
An alternative is to use human labor to increase the number of diverts, or
collection bins,
available in the system. This decreases system installation costs, but
increases the operating
costs. Multiple cells may then work in parallel, effectively multiplying
throughput linearly while
keeping the number of expensive automated diverts at a minimum. Such diverts
do not ID an
object and cannot divert it to a particular spot, but rather they work with
beam breaks or other
sensors to seek to ensure that indiscriminate bunches of objects get
appropriately diverted. The
lower cost of such diverts coupled with the low number of diverts keep the
overall system divert
cost low.
Unfortunately, these systems don't address the limitations to total number of
system bins.
The system is simply diverting an equal share of the total objects to each
parallel manual cell.
Thus each parallel sortation cell must have all the same collection bins
designations; otherwise
an object might be delivered to a cell that does not have a bin to which that
object is mapped.
There remains a need for a more efficient and more cost effective object
sortation system that
sorts objects of a variety of sizes and weights into appropriate collection
bins or trays of fixed
sizes, yet is efficient in handling objects of such varying sizes and weights.
Further, such systems require human personnel to oversee the induction of
objects where
the processing system may receive objects that it may not be able to
efficiently handle or be able
to handle at all.
SUMMARY
In accordance with an aspect, the invention provides a distribution system for
use in an
induction system with an object processing system. The distribution system
provides dissimilar
objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The distribution system
includes an air intake
system with an opening that is a fixed distance from a conveyor section, said
air intake system
aiding in moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section
to one of a plurality
of adjacent transport units.
In accordance with another aspect, the invention provides a distribution
system for use in
an induction system with an object processing system. The distribution system
provides
dissimilar objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The
distribution system includes an
air transfer system including a forced air system and an air intake system
that together aid in
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moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a
plurality of
adjacent conveyors.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a method of
distributing
dissimilar objects to one of a plurality of receiving units in a pre-
processing system for use with
an object processing system. The method includes providing an air transfer
system opposite an
air intake system, and engaging the air transfer system and the air intake
system to aid in moving
an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a
plurality of adjacent
conveyors.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a distribution
system
comprising: an air-permeable conveyor section; an air intake system comprising
a vacuum source
having a screened opening that faces the conveyor section at a fixed distance
from above the
conveyor section; and a forced air system comprising an air blower having an
opening that faces
the air intake system from below the air-penneable conveyor section; wherein
the air intake
system and the force air system cooperate to draw an object from the air-
penneable conveyor
section into contact with the screened opening of the vacuum source.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a distribution
system
comprising: an air-permeable conveyor section; a forced air system and an air
intake system,
the air intake system comprising a vacuum source and a screen, the air intake
system being
movably mounted on a rail at a fixed distance above the air-permeable conveyor
section,
the forced air system comprising a blower source that opposes the air intake
system from below
the air-permeable conveyor section, wherein the vacuum source of the air
intake system draws
air through the air-permeable conveyor section and the blower source of the
force air system
blows air through the air-permeable conveyor section to lift an object from
the air-permeable
conveyor section into contact with the screen on the vacuum source, and
wherein the air intake
system moves along the rail to carry the object to one of a plurality of
adjacent conveyors.
In accordance with a further aspect, the invention provides a method of
distributing
dissimilar objects to one of a plurality of receiving units in a pre-
processing system for use with
an object processing system, the method comprising: providing an air transfer
system opposite
an air intake system, and engaging the air transfer system and the air intake
system to aid in
moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a
plurality of
adjacent conveyors.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following description may be further understood with reference to the
accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a processing system and an
induction
system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the input station of the
induction
system of Figure 1;
Figures 3A ¨ 3D show illustrative diagrammatic views of stages of an object
moving by
perception units at the input station of Figure 2;
Figures 4A ¨ 4D show illustrative diagrammatic side views of stages of the
object moving
in the input station of Figures 3A ¨ 3D;
Figure 5 shows an illustrative diagrammatic underside view of a perception
unit of Figure
1;
Figures 6A ¨ 6C show illustrative diagrammatic views of an object from the
perception
unit of Figure 5 employing imaging (Figure 6A), edge detection (Figure 6B) and
volumetric
scanning (Figure 6C);
Figure 7 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a label that includes
special
processing words in accordance with aspect of the system;
Figure 8 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a labelled object where
the label
includes special processing image(s) in accordance with an aspect of the
system;
Figure 9 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a processing system and an
induction
system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention that
includes a
deformable object induction limiting system;
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Figures 10A ¨ IOC show illustrative diagrammatic side views of an object being
processed in the deformable object induction limiting system of Figure 9;
Figure 11 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a processing system and
an
induction system in accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention that includes
a programmable motion device at the input station;
Figure 12 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the input station of the
system of
Figure!!;
Figure 13 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the programmable motion
device
of the input station of Figures 11 and 12, including additional optional
engaged-object perception
units (not shown in Figures 11 and 12);
Figure 14 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a grasped object with the
additional
optional engaged-object perception units of Figure 13;
Figure 15 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the grasped object of
Figure 14
with a set of illumination sources and perception units engaged in accordance
with an aspect of
the invention;
Figure 16 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the system of Figure
14
showing two sets of perception units;
Figure 17 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the system of Figure
15
showing the two sets of perception units shown in Figure 16;
Figure 18 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a 3D scanner system for
use in
accordance with another aspect of the invention;
Figure 19 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a plurality of 3D scanner
systems
being used in accordance with a further aspect of the invention;
Figure 20 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a 3D scan process of an
end effector
grasping an object;
Figure 21 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a net 3D scan of an
object and a
portion of the end effector that is grasping the object, showing the portion
of the 3D scan of the
end effector that will be removed;
Figures 22A ¨ 22D show illustrative diagrammatic views of an object being
subjected to
defomiability testing in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
Figure 23 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an object processing
system for use
with a pre-processing system in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
Figure 24 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the object
processing system
of Figure 23;
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Figure 25 shows an illustrative diagrammatic rear view of the object
processing system
of Figure 23;
Figure 26 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the processing station in
the object
processing system of Figure 23;
Figure 27 shows an illustrative diagrammatic front view of a primary
perception system
in the object processing system of Figure 23;
Figures 28A ¨ 28C show an illustrative diagrammatic views of a diverting
station in the
object processing system of Figure 23 showing an object on a conveyor (Figure
28A), engaged
by a diverting paddle (Figure 28B), and discharging the object into a carriage
(Figure 28C);
Figure 29 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a destination section in
the object
processing system of Figure 23;
Figure 30 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the destination section
of Figure
29, with the carriage moved along the track and discharging the object into a
destination bin;
Figure 31 shows an illustrative diagrammatic layout model view of an induction
system
in accordance an aspect of the invention;
Figure 32 shows an illustrative diagrammatic layout model view of another
induction
system in accordance another aspect of the invention showing a layout similar
to the system of
Figure 9;
Figure 33 shows an illustrative diagrammatic model view of an induction system
in
accordance another aspect of the invention that includes a classification
system;
Figure 34 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention together with a plurality of
processing systems;
Figure 35 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention together with a plurality of
processing
systems;
Figure 36 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with a further embodiment of the present invention together with a plurality
of processing
systems:
Figure 37 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a plurality of induction
systems in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention together with a
plurality of processing
systems;
Figure 38 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a plurality of different
induction
systems in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention
together with a plurality
of processing systems;
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Figures 39A and 39B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a weight sensing
conveyor
section in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes a weight
scale;
Figures 40A and 40B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a weight sensing
conveyor
section in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes load cells
or force torque
sensors;
Figures 41A ¨ 41D show illustrative diagrammatic views of a weight sensing
conveyor
section in accordance with an aspect of the invention that further determines
a center of mass of
an object;
Figures 42A and 42B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a weight sensing
conveyor
section in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes multiple
scales;
Figures 43A ¨ 43C show illustrative diagrammatic views of a weight sensing
conveyor
section in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes multiple
rollers with any of
load cells or force torque sensors;
Figure 44 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an end effector for use
in
accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes any of load cells or
force torque sensors;
Figure 45 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an end effector for use
in
accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes a magnetic sensor;
Figure 46 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an end effector for use
in
accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes vacuum flow and/or
pressure sensor;
Figure 47 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a weight sensing carriage
for use
in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
Figure 48 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the weight sensing
carriage of
Figure 47;
Figure 49 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with an aspect of the invention that includes a sloping conveyor with a
conveyor section that
includes bomb-bay drop doors;
Figures 50A and 50B show illustrative diagrammatic views of the conveyor
section of
Figure 49 over a horizontal conveyor in accordance with an aspect of the
invention;
Figures 51A and 51B show illustrative diagrammatic end views of the conveyor
section
of Figures 50A and 50B;
Figures 52A and 52B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a conveyor section
for use
in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes bomb-bay doors
over a further sloped
conveyor;
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Figure 53 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an air-permeable conveyor
section
for use in accordance with an aspect of the invention with a vacuum roller;
Figure 54 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with an aspect of the present invention that includes an air-permeable
conveyor section and a
vacuum roller;
Figures 55A - 55D show illustrative diagrammatic side views of the air-
permeable
conveyor section and vacuum roller of Figure 54 in a system providing
sortation by weight;
Figure 56 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an induction system in
accordance
with an aspect of the present invention that includes a conveyor-to-conveyor
transfer station;
Figure 57 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an air-permeable conveyor
section
for use in accordance with an aspect of the invention with a blower and a
vacuum source;
Figure 58 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the air-permeable
conveyor
section, blower and vacuum of Figure 57;
Figures 59A - 59C show illustrative diagrammatic side views of the air-
penneable
conveyor section, blower and vacuum of Figure 57 being used to move an object;
Figure 60 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an air-permeable conveyor
section
for use in accordance with an aspect of the invention with a side blower and a
side vacuum
source;
Figure 61 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an air-permeable conveyor
section
for use in accordance with an aspect of the invention with a side blower and a
side vacuum
source, as well as an underside blower source;
Figure 62 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a conveyor section for
use in
accordance with an aspect of the invention with a side blower and a side
vacuum source;
Figure 63 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the conveyor section,
side blower
and side vacuum source of Figure 62 for use in accordance with an aspect of
the invention with
opposing chutes;
Figure 64 shows an illustrative diagrammatic side view of the conveyor
section, side
blower, side vacuum source and opposing chutes of Figure 63;
Figure 65 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a conveyor section for
use in
accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes bi-directional
rollers and a pair of
opposing chutes;
Figures 66A and 66B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a conveyor section
for use
in accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes bi-directional
rollers and a pair of
opposing chutes with bomb-bay doors;
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Figure 67 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a conveyor section for
use in
accordance with an aspect of the invention that includes a side blower and a
side vacuum source,
and a pair of opposing chutes with bomb-bay doors;
Figures 68A and 68B show illustrative diagrammatic views of a conveyor section
for use
in accordance with an aspect of the invention with side paddles and a pair of
opposing chutes;
Figure 69 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a conveyor section for
use in
accordance with an aspect of the invention with side paddles and opposing
chutes, one of which
includes bomb-bay doors;
Figure 70 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of multiple processing
systems for use
with an induction system as disclosed with reference to Figures 1, 9, 11, 34¨
38, 49, 54, 56 and
63 ¨ 69 employing manual and automated processing stations;
Figure 71 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an object processing
system for use
with induction systems employing automated carriers as disclosed with
reference to Figures 63
¨69 and an automated processing station;
Figure 72 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an object processing
system for use
with induction systems employing automated carriers as disclosed with
reference to Figures 63
¨69 and a manual processing station; and
Figure 73 shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of an object processing
system for use
with an induction system employing automated carriers as disclosed with
reference to Figures
63 ¨ 69 that includes both manual and automated processing stations.
The drawings are shown for illustrative purposes only.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In accordance with an embodiment, the invention provides an induction
filtering system
in which objects (e.g., packages) are screened and limited from entering an
object processing
system. Only objects that meet defined criteria may be processed by the object
processing system
in accordance with certain aspects of the invention. The induction filtering
system includes at
least one evaluation system as well as multiple processing paths, at least one
of which leads to
the object processing system in accordance with certain aspects of the
invention.
An automated package sortation system needs to be able to singulate and sort
individual
packages, in order to route them to specific destinations. Some package
sortation systems handle
packages using a robotic picking system. The robot acquires a grip on the
package, separating it
from a pile of other packages, where it can then be scanned and sent to a
sorting location. Such
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automated package handling systems inevitably encounter packages that cannot
be processed,
because, for example, the packages are outside of the system's package
specifications. The robot
or the gripper, for example, can only pick items that are within a weight
specification. Thus
items that it cannot handle might include items that are too light or too
heavy, that are too big or
too small, or that in some other way cannot be handled by the system.
These incompatible packages can jam up the system. If they are too big, they
may get
stuck on the conveying systems through the robot package sortation system, and
therefore
prevent other packages from flowing through. The incompatible packages may
also reduce the
effective throughput of the sortation system. If they do get through and are
presented in a pile to
the robot picking system, then the robot may try to pick the incompatible
packages. If the
package is outside of the system's specification, then the resulting grip on
the object might be
inadequate to safely transfer the item, and the robot might drop the package
and potentially
damage the package. Alternatively, if it is able to successfully pick and
transfer the package, in
doing so it could potentially damage the robotic picking system in some way
while straining to
move the out-of-specification package.
Compatible package specifications might include: a range of valid package
weights, a
range of compatible package dimensions, a set of valid labeling types (e.g.,
whether they employ
a printed-on label vs. an adhesive-applied label), exclusion of items marked
as fragile, exclusion
of items marked as having been insured at high value, and therefore would
prefer to be sorted
with greater care by hand, exclusion of items marked as containing hazardous
materials, such as
lithium-ion batteries, and exclusion for any other reason for which the
package might be flagged
in a database as requiring exception or manual handling. It is desired to
provide a system that
filters out incompatible packages before they arrive at the package handling
system, and/or
improves the ability of the package handling system to specifically recognize
incompatible
packages so that robotic picks are not attempted on objects needing to be
handled manually.
In accordance with an embodiment, the invention provides an induction system
that limits
or manages the induction of objects to an object processing system. In certain
aspects, the system
provides a variety of approaches to automatically re-route incompatible
packages before they
arrive at a package sortation system consisting of one or more robotic
pickers, or to minimize
their impact should they arrive at a robotic picking area.
Figure 1, for example, shows an induction system 10 that filters (e.g.,
limits, or manages)
objects that are being fed to an object processing system 12. The induction
system 10 includes
an input station 14 to which objects are presented, for example, in a
singulated stream on a
conveyor 22. Any of the conveyors of the systems of Figures 1, 9, 11, 23, 34 ¨
38, 49, 56 and
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70 may be cleated or non-cleated conveyors, and the systems may monitor
movement of the
conveyors (and thereby the objects thereon) via a plurality of sensors and/or
conveyor speed
control systems. A response evaluation section 16 of the conveyor 22 includes
one or more
transport sets of rollers 30, as well as one or more perturbation rollers 32
as shown in Figure 2.
With further reference to Figures 3A ¨ 3D, perception units (e.g., cameras or
scanners) 18 are
directed horizontally toward the conveyor section 16, and perception units
(e.g., cameras or
scanners) 20 are directed downward onto the conveyor section 16.
With reference to Figures 4A ¨ 4D, when an object 34 travels along the
transport rollers
30, it will contact a perturbation roller 32 (as shown in Figure 4B). The
perturbation roller(s) 32
may be any of a larger diameter roller, or may be raised with respect to the
transport rollers 30,
and may be rotating at a faster rotational velocity than the transport rollers
30. In this way, and
using the perception units 18,20, the system may determine (together with
computer processing
system 100) a wide variety of characteristics of the object 34. For example,
the rollers 32 may
be mounted on force torque sensors (as discussed further below with reference
to Figures 40A ¨
42C), and the system may determine an estimated weight when the object 34 is
determined (using
the perception units 18) to be balanced on the roller 32. The roller(s) 32 on
force torque sensors
may therefore be used to determine an object's weight as it passes over the
roller(s).
Further, if the roller(s) 32 are rotating at a faster rotational velocity, the
system may
determine an inertial value for the object 34 as the roller(s) engage and
discharge the object from
the roller(s). A wide variety of further characteristics may also be
determined or estimated, such
as for example, center of mass (COM) using the roller(s) in combination with
the perception
unit(s) as discussed herein and further below. The system may further use the
perception units
and roller(s) 32 (together with computer processing system 100) to determine
whether the object
is a collapsible bag, and/or whether the presumed object 34 is actually a
multi-pick (includes
multiple objects), again, using the perception unit(s) in combination with the
roller(s) by
observing whether the objects move apart and/or whether the shape of the
object changes as it
rides over the roller(s) 32. In accordance with further aspects of the
invention, the transport
rollers 30 may be replaced by conveyor sections that stand below the height of
the perturbation
rollers 32.
The induction system 10 may further include a multi-purpose perception unit 24
positioned above the conveyor 22 (e.g., higher above than units 20) for
viewing an object 27 as
shown in Figure 1. The perception unit 24 includes lights 74 as well as one or
more perception
units 76 (e.g., scanners or cameras) for detecting any identifying indicia
(e.g., barcode, QR code,
RFID, labels etc.) on objects on the conveyor 22.
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The perception unit 24 also includes scanning and receiving units 80, 82, as
well as edge
detection units 84 for capturing a variety of characteristics of a selected
object on the conveyor
22. Figure 6A shows a view from the capture system, and knowing the recorded
volume of the
view of an empty conveyor 22, the volume of the object 27, V27 may be
estimated. In particular,
the object 27 is volumetrically scanned as shown in Figure 6C. This volume is
compared with
recorded data regarding the item that is identified by the identifying indicia
as provided by the
perception units 18,20 or the recorded object data.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the system may
additionally employ
edge detection sensors 84 that are employed (again together with the
processing system 100), to
detect edges of any objects in a bin, for example using data regarding any of
intensity, shadow
detection, or echo detection etc., and may be employed for example, to
determine any of size,
shape and/or contours as shown in Figure 6B.
The volumetric scanning may be done using the scanning unit 80 and receiving
unit 82
(together with the processing system 100 shown in Figure 1), that send and
receive signals, e.g.,
infrared signals. With reference to Figure 6C, the volumetric data may be
obtained for example,
using any of light detection and ranging (LIDAR) scanners, pulsed time of
flight cameras,
continuous wave time of flight cameras, structured light cameras, or passive
stereo cameras.
As discussed in more detail below with reference to Figures 39A ¨ 43C, an
object's
weight may also be determined using weight sensing conveyor sections. For
example, weight
sensing conveyor section 55 of Figure 1 may be used to determine a weight
(again, as discussed
below) of an object 8. As an object is fed through the input station, the
object will pass through
the response evaluation section 16 and multi-puipose perception unit 24 (e.g.,
object 28), and
may then be evaluated by the weight sensing conveyor section.
With reference again to Figure 1, the induction system 10 may provide that
unidentified
objects (as well as objects identified as not being appropriate for
processing) 36 are passed
through to a conveyor 35 to an exception bin 50. If an object (e.g., 40,42) is
identified as being
appropriate for processing, the object is diverted by multi-directional
conveyor 33 toward
conveyor 38. Conveyor 38 may direct the object(s) toward an infeed conveyor 46
via multi-
directional conveyor 44, or the system may determine that that the object
(e.g., object 49) should
be directed along conveyor 48 toward any of additional processing stations
(e.g., similar to
processing station 12 but able to handle different types of objects). For
example, and as discussed
in more detail below, the system may employ multiple processing stations, each
able to handle
different objects (such as different size or weight ranges of objects).
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In accordance with yet further aspects of the invention, the system may employ
optical
character recognition (OCR) to read labels and detect, for example, trigger
words such as "paint"
or "ha7ardous" or "hazardous?: Y" or "Fragile" as shown at 110 in Figure 7. In
further aspects,
the system may identify images, such as trigger images as shown at 112 in
Figure 8, indicating
that the contents are flammable, are required to remain upright, or are
otherwise hazardous or
require specialized handling, making them not suitable for processing by the
object processing
system 12. The use of such processes permits the detection of objects that are
incompatible with
the processing system because of their contents as indicated by trigger
indicia on an external
label. This may involve reading labels as noted above and either not picking
the object or moving
the object to an exception processing area, or may involve simply identifying
the object. For
example, if the system includes an object database, the system may recognize
indicia (such as a
bar code), and then look up information regarding the scanned code (such as
that the object
contains hazardous material or otherwise needs special processing. In this
case, the system will
route the object toward an exception area.
Figure 9 shows an induction system 11 that may provide selected objects to the
object
processing system 12. The induction system 11 includes an input station 14 as
discussed above
with reference to Figures 1 ¨ 8 that includes a conveyor 22 (with a response
evaluation section
16 including transport rollers 30, perturbation rollers 32, and perception
units 18, 20), as well as
multipurpose perception unit 24, and weighing conveyor 55 for evaluating
objects 34, 27, 28 and
29 as discussed above. Again, the system may, for example, determine which of
the infeed
objects are provided as bags by observing the object as it passes over a
perturbation roller(s)
using the perception unit(s), and in particular, observing the rate or amount
of change in speed
and/or the shape of the object as the object is processed.
In the induction system of Figure 9, when each object arrives at an infeed
multi-
directional routing conveyor 132, the object is any of: muted to an out-of-
specification conveyor
134 (e.g., object 136), routed to an in-specification conveyor 138 (e.g.,
objects 140, 142), or
routed to bag-processing conveyor 144 (e.g., objects 146, 151, 153). When
objects are provided
as bags, for example, shipping bags made from polyethylene, it may be more
difficult to
determine an object's size or other handling parameters. If an object is
identified as being a bag
(or other flexible, malleable object), such objects (again, e.g., 146, 148,
151, 153) are diverted to
a bag-processing system.
In particular, the conveyor 144 leads to a defonnable object induction
limiting system
194 that includes a programmable motion device such as an articulated arm 192
having an end
effector 193 with a load cell or force torque sensor 195 (shown in Figures 10A
¨ 10C). In
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particular, the system will move the end effector 193 with the object 191 into
contact with an
opening formed by sloped walls 133. If the load cell or force torque sensor
195 detects too much
force it (above a sensor threshold) when the object contacts the sloped walls
133, then the system
may reject the object for processing. The object would then be placed on a
conveyor 196, which
joins conveyor 134, leading to an area for objects that are not to be
processing by the system 12,
such as, for example a collection bin or a manual processing station.. The
system may thereby
limit the acceptance of objects that are deformable but still too rigid for
processing by the system
12. Load cells or force torque sensors 135 may also be provided on the sloped
walls as shown
at 133 instead of or together with the use of the load cell or force torque
sensor 195, or at the
base of the sloped walls as shown at 135. If, on the other hand, movement of
the object 191 into
the opening provided by the sloped walls 133 does not trigger any load cell or
force torque sensor
above a threshold, then the system may move the object 191 to a conveyor 198
that leads to the
processing system 12.
If the object 191 is determined to be insufficiently flexible for processing
by the object
processing system 12 (again with reference to Figure 9), the object may be
placed by the
articulated arm 192 onto an out-of-specification conveyor 196 (that may join
with conveyor 134).
If the object 191 is determined to be sufficiently flexible for processing by
the object processing
system (or another system coupled thereto as discussed in more detail below),
the object 191 is
placed by the articulated arm 192 onto conveyor 198 that leads to a bi-
directional conveyor 45.
If the object is to be processed by object processing system 12, then the
object is directed toward
conveyor 19, and if the object is to be processed by a further object
processing system (as
discussed below for example with reference to Figure 36), the object (e.g.,
43) is directed toward
a further conveyor 47. Again, the operation is controlled by one or more
computer processing
systems 200.
Figure 11 for example, shows a further induction system 13 in accordance with
an
embodiment of the present invention that limits or manages packages that are
being fed to an
object processing system 12. The induction system 13 includes an input station
114 that includes
an induction input programmable motion device, such as an articulated ann 116
and end effector
118 (shown in Figures 12 and 13) that are designed to be able to grasp and
move a wide variety
of objects. In particular, the articulated arm 116 may be designed to grasp
and move objects that
are, for example, too large or too heavy to be handled by the processing
system 12, as well as
objects that the processing system 12 is designed to handle. Objects (either
individually or in
bins 120) are provided on an infeed conveyor 122 to the articulated arm 116.
Any of a variety
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of detection units 117 may also be positioned around and directed toward the
end effector 118
of the articulated arm 116 as discussed further below.
The input system may, for example, determine which of the infeed objects are
provided
as bags by observing the object as it is held by the end effector 118 as
discussed further below
with reference to Figures 22A ¨ 22D. In the induction system of Figure 11,
when each object
(e.g., object 128 on conveyor 130 or object 129 on weight sensing conveyor
section 155) arrives
at an infeed multi-directional muting conveyor 132, the object is any of:
routed to an out-of-
specification conveyor 134 (e.g., object 136), routed to an in-specification
conveyor 138 (e.g.,
objects 140, 142), or routed to bag-processing conveyor 144 (e.g., objects
146, 151, 153) as
discussed above with reference to Figure 9. When objects are provided as bags,
for example,
shipping bags made from polyethylene, it may be more difficult to determine an
object's size or
other handling parameters. If an object is identified as being a bag (or other
flexible, malleable
object), such objects (again, e.g., 146, 148, 151, 153) are diverted to a bag-
processing system.
Again, the conveyor 144 leads to a deformable object induction limiting system
194 that
includes a programmable motion device such as an articulated arm 192 having an
end effector
with a load cell or force torque sensor (as discussed above with reference to
Figures 10A ¨ 10C).
The system will move the end effector with the object into contact with an
opening formed by
sloped walls. if the load cell or force torque sensor detects too much force
it (above a sensor
threshold) when the object contacts the sloped walls, then the system may
reject the object for
processing. The object would then be placed on a conveyor 196, which joins
conveyor 134,
leading to an area for objects that are not to be processing by the system 12.
Again, the conveyor
134 may, for example, lead to a collection bin or a manual processing station.
The system may
thereby limit the acceptance of objects that are defonnable but still too
rigid for processing by
the system 12. Load cells or force torque sensors may also be provided on the
sloped walls
instead of or together with the use of the load cell or force torque sensor,
or at the base of the
sloped walls. If, on the other hand, movement of the object into the opening
provided by the
sloped walls does not trigger any load cell or force torque sensor above a
threshold, then the
system may move the object to a conveyor 198 that leads to the processing
system 12.
If the object is detemiined to be insufficiently flexible for processing by
the object
processing system 12, the object may be placed by the articulated arm 192 onto
an out-of-
specification conveyor 196 (again, that may join with conveyor 134). If the
object is determined
to be sufficiently flexible for processing by the object processing system (or
another system
coupled thereto as discussed in more detail below), the object is placed by
the articulated arm
192 onto conveyor 198 that leads to a bi-directional conveyor 59. If the
object is to be processed
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by object processing system 12, then the object is directed toward conveyor
51, and if the object
is to be processed by a further object processing system (as discussed below
for example with
reference to Figure 37), the object (e.g., 53) is directed toward a further
conveyor 57. Again, the
operation is controlled by one or more computer processing systems 200.
With reference to Figures 12 and 13, a perception system 124 captures
perception data
regarding the objects (whether or not in bins 120) that are below the
perception system 124.
Objects 128 are identified by the perception system 124, then grasped and are
placed on routing
conveyor 130. Emptied bins 120 are routed along an empty bin conveyor 126. The
placement
location of the objects on the conveyor 130 is noted (and again each of the
conveyors may be a
cleated conveyor). With reference to Figure 11, when each object arrives at an
infeed-diverter
132, the object is either: routed to an out-of-specifications conveyor 134
(e.g., object 136), muted
to an in-specifications conveyor 138 (e.g., objects 140, 142), or routed to
bag-processing
conveyor 144 (e.g., objects 146, 148, 151, 153). The conveyor 130 may also
include a weight
sensing conveyor section 155 for determining the weight of objects 129 as
discussed below with
reference to Figures 39A ¨ 43C. The end effector 118 may further include a
force torque sensor
154 for determining a weight of an object being held by the end effector 118
as discussed further
below with reference to Figures 44 and 45 and/or an internal air pressure
and/or air flow sensor
as discussed further below with reference to Figure 46.
Again, when objects are provided as bags, for example, shipping bags made
from, e.g.,
polyethylene, it may be more difficult to determine an object's size and
handling parameters. If
an object is identified as a bag (or other flexible, malleable object), such
objects (again e.g., 146,
148, 151, 153) are diverted to a bag-processing system as discussed further
above. The end
effector 118 may also include a load cell or force torque sensor 154 (as
discussed in more detail
below with reference to Figures 44 and 45) for determining a weight of an
object being grasped,
and in further aspects, the conveyor 30 may include a weighing section 155
(again, as discussed
below with reference to Figures 39A 43C), at which each object may be weighed.
In accordance with further aspects, the system may estimate a volume of an
object while
the object is being held by the end effector. In particular, the system may
estimate a volume of
picked item while being held by gripper, and compare the estimated volume with
a known
volume. One approach is to estimate the volume of the one or more items while
the gripper is
holding the object 197 (or objects). With reference to Figures 14 and 15, in
such as a system
150, one or more perception units 152, 154, 156, 158 (e.g., cameras or 3D
scanners) are placed
around a scanning volume. With further reference to Figures 16 and 17,
opposite each perception
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unit is an illumination source 162, 164, 166, 168 as well as a diffusing
screen 172, 174, 176, 178
in front of each illumination source.
As shown in Figure 17, perception data regarding the object 197 as backlit by
the
illumination source (e.g., 168) and diffuser (e.g., 178) will be captured by
each perception unit
(e.g., 158). In accordance with various aspects, three perception units may be
used, spaced apart
by one hundred twenty degrees, and in accordance with further aspects, fewer
perception units
may be used (e.g., one or two), and the object may be rotated between data
acquisition captures.
The scanning volume may be the volume above the area where the items are
picked from;
or the scanning volume may be strategically placed in between the picking
location and the
placing location to minimize travel time. Within the scanning volume, the
system takes a
snapshot of the volume of items held by the gripper. The volume could be
estimated in a variety
of ways depending on the sensor type as discussed above.
For example, if the sensors are cameras, then two or more cameras may be
placed in a
ring around the volume, directed slightly upward towards at a backlighting
screen (as discussed
above) that may be in the shape of sections of a torus, where the gripped
volume is held in
between all the cameras and the brightly lit white screen. The brightly lit
screen backlights the
one or more held objects, so that the interior volume is black. Each
perception unit and associated
illumination source may be activated in a sequence so that no two illumination
sources are on at
the same time. This allows easy segmentation of the held volume in the image.
The illumination may be provided as a particular wavelength that is not
present in the
room, or the illumination may be modulated and the detector may demodulate the
received
perception data so that only illumination from the associated source is
provided. The black
region once projected back into space, becomes a frustum and the objects are
known to lie within
a solid frustum. Each camera generates a separate frustum, with the property
that the volume of
the items is a subset of all of the frustums. The intersection of all the
frustums yields an upper
bound on the volume of the object(s). The addition of a camera improves the
accuracy of the
volume estimate. The gripper may be visible within the cameras, and because
its position is
known, its volume can be subtracted out of the frustum or volume estimate.
In accordance with other aspects, 3D scanners may be used that obtain 3D
images of the
scanning volume, then the volume estimates are obtained in a similar way by
fusing together the
point clouds received from each sensor, but without the need for segmenting
the images from the
background using backlighting. Each 3D scanner returns a 3D image, which for
each pixel in the
image returns a depth, and again, may use any of light detection and ranging
(LIDAR) scanners,
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pulsed time of flight cameras, continuous wave time of flight cameras,
structured light cameras,
or passive stereo cameras, etc.
Figure 18, for example, shows a 3D scanner 182 that projects a grid 188 onto a
field of
view. The 3D scanner 182 may be used in a system 180 as shown in Figure 19
together with
one, two, or three other 3D scanners (two others are shown at 184, 186). The
3D scanners are
directed toward a common volume in which the object 197 is positioned while
attached to the
end effector 118. Again, with three such 3D scanners, the scanners may be
positioned one
hundred twenty degrees apart (ninety degrees apart if four are used, and
opposing each other if
only two are used). With reference to Figures 20 and 21, each 3D scanner
(e.g., 182) captures
3D data regarding the object 197. Again, the volume of the end effector may be
removed from
the captured data.
In accordance with further aspects, the system may detect changes in object
shape when
an object is jostled. This may be done when an object is first lifted (for
example at the input
station 114 in Figure 11 and/or at the deformable object induction limiting
system 194 in Figures
9 and 11). With reference to Figures 22A ¨ 22D, when an object (e.g., 145) is
lifted from a bin
or conveyor by the end effector 118, the object 145 may be held as shown in
Figure 228, and
then subjected to a quick shake motion as shown in Figures 22C and 22D. If the
shape of the
object changes (beyond, for example, 2%, 5% or 10%), then the object may be
classified as being
a deformable object such as a polyethylene shipping bag. The scanning may be
done by any of
the above discussed volumetric scanning, edge detection, LIDAR, and camera
image analysis
systems. If the object is determined to be a deformable object, it is routed
to the conveyor 44 as
discussed above.
Again, the conveyor 144 leads to a deformable object induction limiting system
194. The
deformable object induction limiting system 194 includes a programmable motion
device such
as an articulated arm 192 having an end effector 193 with a load cell or force
torque sensor 195
(shown in Figures 10A ¨ 10C). In particular, the system will move the end
effector 193 with the
object into contact with an opening formed by sloped walls 133. If the load
cell or force torque
sensor 195 detects too much force it (above a sensor threshold) when the
object contacts the
sloped walls 133, then the system may reject the object for processing. The
object would then
be placed on a conveyor 196, which joins conveyor 134, leading to an area for
objects that are
not to be processing by the system 12. The system may thereby limit the
acceptance of objects
that are deformable but still too rigid for processing by the system 12. Load
cells or force torque
sensors may also be provided on the sloped walls as shown at 133 instead of or
together with the
use of the load cell or force torque sensor 195, or at the base of the sloped
walls as shown at 135.
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If, on the other hand, movement of the object 145 into the opening provided by
the sloped walls
133 does not trigger any load cell or force torque sensor above a threshold,
then the system may
move the object 145 to a conveyor 198 that leads to the processing system 12.
The processing system 12, for example, may include an infeed area 201 into
which
objects may be provided by the processing infeed conveyor (e.g., 46, 19,51).
An infeed conveyor
202 conveys objects from the infeed area 201 to an intermediate conveyor 204
at a processing
station 206. The infeed conveyor 202 may include cleats for assisting in
lifting the objects from
the input area 200 onto the intermediate conveyor 204.
The processing station 206 also includes a grasp perception system 208 that
views the
objects on the intermediate conveyor 204, and identifies grasp locations on
the objects as further
shown in Figure 23. The processing station 206 also includes a programmable
motion device
210, such as an articulated arm, and a primary perception system 212 such as a
drop perception
unit. The grasp perception system 212 surveys the objects to identify objects
when possible, and
to determine good grasp points. The object is then grasped by the device 210,
and dropped into
the drop perception system 212 to ensure that the object is accurately
identified. The object then
falls through the primary perception system 212 onto a primary transport
system 214, e.g., a
conveyor. The primary transport system 214 carries the objects past one or
more diverters 216,
218 that may be engaged to divert an object off of the primary transport
system 214 into any of
carriages 220, 222, 224 (when the respective carriage is aligned with the
diverter) or into the
input area 200. Each of the carriages 220, 222, 224 is reciprocally movable
along a track the
rwis between rows of destination stations 226 of shuttle sections 228 (as
discussed below in more
detail).
The flow of objects is diagrammatically shown in Figure 24, which shows that
objects
move from the infeed area 201 to the intermediate conveyor 204. The
programmable motion
device 210 drops the objects into the drop perception unit 212, and the
objects then land on the
primary transport system 214. The objects are then conveyed by the primary
transport system
214 to diverters that selectively divert objects to carriages (e.g., 220, 222,
224). The carriages
bring the objects to one of a plurality of destination stations 226 (e.g., a
processing box or a
processing bin) and drops the object into the appropriate destination station.
When a destination
station is full or otherwise complete, the destination station is moved to an
output conveyor.
Figure 25 shows a rear view of the system of Figure 23 that more clearly shows
the
programmable motion device and the drop perception system. The primary
transport system 214
may be a cleated conveyor and the objects may be dropped onto the cleated
conveyor such that
one object is provided per cleated section. The speeds of the conveyors 202
and 214 may also
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be controlled to assist in providing a singulatecl stream of objects to the
diverters 216, 218. The
system may operate using a computer processing control system 200 that
communicates with the
conveyor control systems, the perception units, the programmable motion
devices, the diverters,
the box or bin removal systems, and any and all sensors that may be provided
in the system.
With reference to Figure 26, the processing station 206 includes a grasp
perception
system 208 that is mounted above the intermediate conveyor 204, which provides
objects to be
processed. The grasp perception system 20, for example, may include (on the
underside thereof),
a camera, a depth sensor and lights. A combination of 2D and 3D (depth) data
is acquired. The
depth sensor may provide depth infortnation that may be used together with the
camera image
data to determine depth information regarding the various objects in view. The
lights may be
used to remove shadows and to facilitate the identification of edges of
objects, and may be all on
during use, or may be illuminated in accordance with a desired sequence to
assist in object
identification. The system uses this imagery and a variety of algorithms to
generate a set of
candidate grasp locations for the objects in the bin as discussed in more
detail below.
The programmable motion device 210 may include a robotic arm equipped with
sensors
and computing, that when combined is assumed herein to exhibit the following
capabilities: (a)
it is able to pick objects up from a singulated stream of objects using, for
example, an end
effector; (b) it is able to move the object to arbitrary places within its
workspace; and, (c) it is
able to generate a map of objects that it is able to pick, represented as a
candidate set of grasp
points in the worlccell, and as a list of polytopes enclosing the object in
space. The allowable
objects are determined by the capabilities of the robotic system. Their size,
weight and geometry
are assumed to be such that the robotic system is able to pick, move and place
them. These may
be any kind of ordered goods, packages, parcels, or other articles that
benefit from automated
processing.
The correct processing destination is determined from the symbol (e.g.,
barcode) on the
object. It is assumed that the objects are marked in one or more places on
their exterior with a
visually distinctive mark such as a barcode or radio-frequency identification
(RF1D) tag so that
they may be identified with a scanner. The type of marking depends on the type
of scanning
system used, but may include ID or 2D barcode symbologies. Multiple
syrnbologies or labeling
approaches may be employed. The types of scanners employed are assumed to be
compatible
with the marking approach. The marking, either by barcode, RF1D tag, or other
means, encodes
a symbol string, which is typically a string of letters and numbers, which
identify the object.
Once grasped, the object may be moved by the programmable motion device 210 to
a
primary perception system 212 (such as a drop scanner). The object may even be
dropped into
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the perception system 212. In further aspects, if a sufficiently singulated
stream of objects is
provided on the intermediate conveyor 204, the programmable motion device may
be provided
as a diverter (e.g., a push or pull bar) that diverts object off of the
intermediate conveyor into the
drop scanner. Additionally, the movement speed and direction of the
intermediate conveyor 204
(as well as the movement and speed of infeed conveyor 202) may be controlled
to further
facilitate providing a singulated stream of objects on the intermediate
conveyor 204 adjacent the
drop scanner.
As further shown in Figure 27, the primary perception system 212 may include a
structure
234 having a top opening 236 and a bottom opening 238, and may be covered by
an enclosing
material 240. The structure 234 includes a plurality of sources (e.g.,
illumination sources such
as LEDs) 242 as well as a plurality of image perception units (e.g., cameras)
244. The sources
242 may be provided in a variety of arrangements, and each may be directed
toward the center
of the opening. The perception units 244 are also generally directed toward
the opening, although
some cameras are directed horizontally, while others are directed upward, and
some are directed
downward. The system 212 also includes an entry source (e.g., infrared source)
246 as well as
an entry detector (e.g., infrared detector) 247 for detecting when an object
has entered the
perception system 212. The LEDs and cameras therefore encircle the inside of
the structure 234,
and the cameras are positioned to view the interior via windows that may
include a glass or
plastic covering (e.g., 248).
In accordance with certain aspects, the invention provides the ability to
identify via
barcode or other visual markings of objects by employing a perception system
into which objects
may be dropped. Automated scanning systems would be unable to see barcodes on
objects that
are presented in a way that their barcodes are not exposed or visible. The
system 212 therefore
is designed to view an object from a large number of different views very
quickly, reducing or
eliminating the possibility of the system 212 not being able to view
identifying indicia on an
object.
Following detection by the perception unit 212, the object is now positively
identified
and drops onto the primary transport system 214 (e.g., a conveyor). With
reference again to
Figures 23 and 25, the primary transport system 214 moves the identified
object toward diverters
216. 218 that are selectively engageable to divert the object off of the
conveyor into any of
carriages 220, 222, 224 or (if the object was not able to be identified), the
object may be either
returned to the input area 200 or it may be dropped off of the end of the
conveyor 214 into a
manual processing bin. Each carriage 220, 224, 226 is reciprocally movable
among destination
bins 230 of one of a plurality of destination sections 228. Efficiencies in
space may be provided
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in accordance with certain aspects by having objects first move from the input
area 201 along
the infeed conveyor 202 in a direction that a horizontal component and a
vertical component.
The object then drops through the drop scanner 212 (vertically) and lands on
the primary
transport conveyor 214, which also moves the object in a direction that has a
horizontal
component (opposite in direction to that of the infeed conveyor 202) and a
vertical component.
The object is then moved horizontally by a carriage 220, 222, 224, and dropped
(vertically) above
a target destination station 230, such as a destination bin.
With reference to Figures 28A ¨ 28C, a diverter unit (e.g., 216) may be
actuated to urge
an object (e.g., 250) off of the conveyor 214 into a selected carriage (e.g.,
220) that runs along a
rail 221 between destination locations (stations) 230. The diverter unit may
include a pair of
paddles 223 that are suspended by a frame 225 that provide that the paddles
are actuatable
linearly to move an object 250 off of the conveyor in either direction
transverse to the conveyor.
Again, with reference to Figure 18, one direction of diversion for diverter
216, is to return an
object to the infeed area 201.
Systems of various embodiments provide numerous advantages because of the
inherent
dynamic flexibility. The flexible correspondence between sorter outputs and
destinations
provides that there may be fewer sorter outputs than destinations, so the
entire system may
require less space. The flexible correspondence between sorter outputs and
destinations also
provides that the system may choose the most efficient order in which to
handle objects, in a way
that varies with the particular mix of objects and downstream demand. The
system is also easily
scalable, by adding sorters, and more robust since the failure of a single
sorter might be handled
dynamically without even stopping the system. It should be possible for
sorters to exercise
discretion in the order of objects, favoring objects that need to be handled
quickly, or favoring
objects for which
the given sorter may have a specialized gripper.
Figure 29 shows a destination section (e.g., such as any of sections 228 of
the system 12)
that includes a movable carriage (e.g., 220) that may receive an object 252
from the end effector
of the programmable motion device. The movable carriage 220 is reciprocally
movable between
two rows of the destination bins 230 along a guide track 221. As shown in
Figure 29, each
destination bin 230 includes a guide chute that guides an object dropped
therein into the
underlying destination bin 230. The carriage 220 moves along a track 221, and
the carriage may
be actuated to drop an object 252 into a desired destination bin 230 via the
guide chute (as shown
in Figure 30).
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The movable carriage is therefore reciprocally movable between the destination
bins, and
the/each carriage moves along a track, and may be actuated to drop an object
(e.g., 252) into a
desired destination bin. In certain aspects, the carriage (e.g., 220) may
include sensors (e.g.,
transmitter and receiver pairs 260 and/or 262 that may be used to confirm that
an object has been
received by the carriage or confirming that an object has been discharged by
the carriage. In still
further aspects, the carriage may be mounted onto a rail chassis via load
cells 264 such that the
weight within the carriage may be determined from load cell output sensor data
as discussed
further below with reference to Figures 47 and 48. Knowledge of the weight in
the carriage may
be used to confirm that an object has been received by the carriage, and that
an object has been
discharged by the carriage. Knowing the weight may also confirm that the
object in the carriage
is indeed the object that the system expects is in the carriage (where the
system includes
previously recorded data regarding each object's weight).
In accordance with an aspects, the invention provides an automated material
handling
system that is tasked, in part, with routing objects carried in bins to
stations where objects are
transferred from one bin to another with one or more programmable motion
devices (such as
articulated arms) at automated stations, and may further include manual
stations. The objects
may be provided in bins, which may be containers, totes, or boxes etc. An
overall objective of
the system may be to sort and ship goods, to perform order fulfillment, to
replenish store stock,
or to provide any general-purpose system requiring the transfer of individual
objects from one
bin to a processing system.
The objects may be packages, boxes, flats or polybags etc. in a shipping
center, or
consumer products in an e-commerce order fulfillment center, or products and
warehouse packs
in a retail distribution center (DC). The conveyance of objects or bins of
objects could take many
forms, including belt or roller conveyors, chutes, mobile robots, or human
workers. 'Me picking
stations, where items are transferred, might be automated systems including
robotic systems, or
a station manned by a human being.
Figure 31 shows a diagrammatic view of an induction limiting system 300 that
includes
an infeed conveyor 302 that leads to a classification system 304. Once
classified by the
classification system 304, objects are directed toward a routing system 306,
which routes the
objects to one of a plurality of directions as shown at 308, 310, 312. A model
for a system similar
to that shown in Figure 11 for example, is shown in Figure 32. The system 320
of Figure 32
includes an infeed conveyor 322 that directs objects to a classification
system 324. The
classification system 324, in combination with one or more computer processing
systems 100,
200 and a database therein or coupled thereto, directs the objects toward a
routing system 330
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(via a conveyor 328), and directs empty bins along a bin outbound conveyor
326. The routing
system 330 directs the objects into one of three different directions. Objects
that are accepted
for processing are directed along a conveyor 332 for processing by the object
processing system
334. Objects that are outside of system specifications for processing, are
directed along a non-
processable objects conveyor 344 for processing by systems or methods other
than the processing
system 334. Certain objects that do not fall directly into either
classification (e.g., objects that
are provided in polyethylene bags) are provided to a bag processor 338 via a
bag processing
conveyor 336. At the bag processor 338, the objects are subjected to a test,
and depending on
the results are either directed toward the object processor 334 via processor
340, or are directed
toward the non-processable objects station via a conveyor 342.
Systems of the invention may be employed in a wide variety of routing system
applications. For example, induction limiting systems of the invention may be
employed with
multiple routing and processing system. Figure 33, for example, shows a system
350 that
includes an infeed conveyor 352 that provides objects to a classification
system 354. The
classification system 354 determines which of a plurality of processing
systems (e.g., A, B or C
as shown at 362, 370, 374) to have the object sent. In particular, objects
first leave the
classification system 354 and travel along a conveyor 356 toward a first
routing system 358.
Certain objects (that are determined by the classification system 354) to be
directed toward the
processing system (A) 362, are directed along conveyor 360 toward processing
system (A) 362.
All other objects are directed along conveyor 364 toward a second routing
system 366. Further
objects (that are determined by the classification system 354) to be directed
toward the
processing system (B) 370, are directed along conveyor 368 toward processing
system (B) 370.
All other objects are directed along conveyor 372 toward routing system 374.
Any of processing
systems A, B or C may, for example, be automated processing stations (e.g.,
designed for large
or small / heavy or light objects) or manual processing stations (e.g., at
which a person may make
decisions regarding object processing, or physically move objects to
destination locations). In
further aspects, the station C may be a pass-through exceptions bin into which
objects that are to
be processed manually are deposited.
As an example, Figure 34 shows the induction system 10 and object processing
system
12 as discussed above with reference to Figures 1 ¨ 8 together with additional
object processing
systems 25 and 26 in series. In particular, the induction system 10 includes
an input station 14
with the response evaluation section 16 of conveyor 22, the multipurpose
perception unit 24 and
weight sensing conveyor section 55 for evaluating objects (e.g., 28), and
providing objects either
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to the exception bin 50 via conveyor 35 (e.g., object 35) or to conveyor 41
(e.g., objects 40,42)
using the multidirectional conveyor 53 as discussed above with reference to
Figures 1 ¨8.
The objects to be processed (e.g., objects 40, 42) are each assigned an object
processing
station (e.g., 12, 25, 26) toward which they are routed. In particular, the
objects to be processed
(again, e.g., 40,42) may be routed to an appropriate processing station based
on any of a variety
of parameters, such as size, weight, packaging material (boxes, bags, odd
shaped objects etc.),
and even shipping location, and each object processing station may, for
example, include
components that are particularly suited for certain sizes, weights, packaging
materials etc.
Certain objects may be routed by multidirectional conveyor 44 along conveyor
46 to object
processing station 12, while others (e.g., objects 49, 52, 54) are directed
along conveyor 48
toward further processing stations. Certain of those objects may be routed by
multidirectional
conveyor 56 along conveyor 58 toward object processing station 25, while
others (e.g., objects
61, 62, 63) are directed along conveyor 60 toward further processing stations.
Certain of these
objects may be routed by multidirectional conveyor 64 along conveyor 65 toward
processing
station 26, while others (e.g., 67) are directed along conveyor 66 toward
further object processing
stations. The operation of the systems may be controlled by one or more
computer processing
systems (e.g., 100, 68 and 69).
As another example, Figure 35 shows the induction system 11 and object
processing
system 12 as discussed above with reference to Figures 9 and 10, together with
additional object
processing systems 25 and 26 in series. In particular, the induction system 11
includes an input
station 14 with the response evaluation section 16 of conveyor 22, the
multipurpose perception
unit 24 and weight sensing conveyor section 55 for evaluating objects, and
providing objects to
any of an exception bin via conveyor 134 or to conveyor 138 or to a bag
processing conveyor
144 using the multidirectional conveyor 132 as discussed above with reference
to Figures 9 and
10. Any objects that are detected as being packaged in bags are directed to
conveyor 144 toward
deformable object induction system 194 including articulated arm 192, where
objects are tested
as discussed above with reference to Figures 9 and 10, and either directed
along non-processable
object conveyor 196 or along processable object conveyor 198 as discussed
above with reference
to Figures 9 and 10.
Again, the objects to be processed are each assigned an object processing
station
12, 25, 26) toward which they are routed. In particular, the objects to be
processed (e.g., 43, 52,
54) may be routed to an appropriate processing station based on any of a
variety of parameters,
such as size, weight, packaging material (boxes, bags, odd shaped objects
etc.), and even
shipping location, and each object processing station may, for example,
include components that
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are particularly suited for certain sizes, weights, packaging materials etc.
Certain objects may
be routed by multidirectional conveyor 45 along conveyor 19 to object
processing station 12,
while others (e.g., objects 43, 52, 54) are directed along conveyor 47 toward
further processing
stations. As discussed above with reference to Figure 34, certain of those
objects may be routed
by multidirectional conveyor 56 along conveyor 58 toward object processing
station 25, while
others (e.g., objects 61, 62, 63) are directed along conveyor 60 toward
further processing stations.
Certain of these objects may be routed by multidirectional conveyor 64 along
conveyor 65
toward processing station 26, while others (e.g., 67) are directed along
conveyor 66 toward
further object processing stations. The operation of the systems may be
controlled by one or
more computer processing systems (e.g., 200, 68 and 69).
Figure 36 shows a system that includes the induction system 13 and object
processing
system 12 as discussed above with reference to Figures 11 ¨ 22D, together with
additional object
processing systems 25 and 26 in series. In particular, the induction system 13
includes an input
station 114 including a bin in-feed conveyor 122, a bin output conveyor 126,
an articulated arm
132 and an object in-feed conveyor 13, and providing objects to any of an
exception bin via
conveyor 134 or to conveyor 138 using the multidirectional conveyor 132 or to
a bag processing
conveyor 144 as discussed above with reference to Figures 11 ¨ 22D. Any
objects that are
detected as being packaged in bags are directed to conveyor 144 toward
deformable object
induction system 194 including articulated arm 192, where objects are tested
as discussed above
with reference to Figures 11 ¨ 22D, and either directed along non-processable
object conveyor
196 or along processable object conveyor 198 as discussed above with reference
to Figures 11 ¨
22D.
Again, the objects to be processed are each assigned an object processing
station (e.g.,
12, 25, 26) toward which they are routed. In particular, the objects to be
processed may be routed
to an appropriate processing station based on any of a variety of parameters,
such as size, weight,
packaging material (boxes, bags, odd shaped objects etc.), and even shipping
location, and each
object processing station may, for example, include components that are
particularly suited for
certain sizes, weights, packaging materials etc. Certain objects may be routed
by multidirectional
conveyor 59 along conveyor 51 to object processing station 12, while others
(e.g., objects 52,53,
54) are directed along conveyor 47 toward further processing stations. As
discussed above with
reference to Figure 35, certain of those objects may be routed by
multidirectional conveyor 56
along conveyor 55 toward object processing station 25, while others (e.g.,
objects 61, 62, 63) are
directed along conveyor 60 toward further processing stations. Certain of
these objects may be
routed by multidirectional conveyor 64 along conveyor 65 toward processing
station 26, while
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others (e.g., 67) are directed along conveyor 66 toward further object
processing stations. The
operation of the systems may be controlled by one or more computer processing
systems (e.g.,
200, 68 and 69).
Figure 37 shows the induction system 15 and object processing systems 12, 17,
21, 23 in
parallel. The induction system 15 includes not only the input station 14
including the response
evaluation section of conveyor 22, the multipurpose perception unit 24, the
weight sensing
conveyor section 55 and the multidirectional conveyor 53 as discussed above
with reference to
Figures 1 ¨ 8, the induction system 15 further includes a plurality of sets of
multipurpose
perception units, weight sensing conveyor sections and multidirectional
conveyors for evaluating
objects (e.g., 28). Multidirectional conveyor 53 leads to conveyor 41 and
multidirectional
conveyor 44 for providing objects (e.g., 40, 42) to object processing system
12 via conveyor 46
as well as any additional object processing systems (e.g., object 49 on
conveyor 48) in series
with the object processing system 12 as discussed above with reference to
Figure 34.
In particular, conveyor 22 also includes an additional inspection station 86
with a
multipurpose perception unit 85, a weight sensing conveyor section 87 and a
multidirectional
conveyor 88 for evaluating objects (e.g., 81), and for optionally directing
objects (e.g., 83, 89)
along conveyor 31 toward a multidirectional conveyor 90. Multidirectional
conveyor 90 leads
to conveyor 91 for providing objects to object processing system 17 as well as
to any additional
object processing systems (e.g., object 93) along conveyor 92 in series with
the object processing
system 17.
Conveyor 22 further includes an additional inspection station 96 with a
multipurpose
perception unit 95, a weight sensing conveyor section 97 and a
multidirectional conveyor 99 for
evaluating objects (e.g., 98), and for optionally directing objects (e.g.,
111, 113) along conveyor
151 toward a multidirectional conveyor 115. Multidirectional conveyor 115
leads to conveyor
117 for providing objects to object processing system 21 as well as to any
additional object
processing systems (e.g., object 121) along conveyor 119 in series with the
object processing
system 21.
Conveyor 22 further includes an additional inspection station 127 with a
multipurpose
perception unit 125, a weight sensing conveyor section 129 and a
multidirectional conveyor 131
for evaluating objects (e.g., 137), and for optionally directing objects
(e.g., 139, 141) along
conveyor 153 toward a multidirectional conveyor 145. Multidirectional conveyor
145 leads to
conveyor 147 for providing objects to object processing system 23 as well as
to any additional
object processing systems (e.g., object 155) along conveyor 149 in series with
the object
processing system 21. Objects (e.g., 28, 36, 81, 94, 98, 123, 137) may
therefore be routed along
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conveyor 22 to any of a plurality of processing stations, and then directed
along a transverse
conveyor (e.g., 41, 31, 151, 153) to any of a plurality of processing stations
in series along the
transverse conveyor. Non-processable objects (e.g., object 157) may be
provided to an exception
bin 159 at the end of the conveyor 22. Operation of the system may be
controlled by one or more
computer processing systems 100, 161, 163, 165. Again, the objects to be
processed may be
routed to an appropriate processing station based on any of a variety of
parameters, such as size,
weight, packaging material (boxes, bags, odd shaped objects etc.), and even
shipping location,
and each object processing station may, for example, include components that
are particularly
suited for certain sizes, weights, packaging materials etc.
Figure 38 shows a plurality of different types of induction systems used with
a plurality
of object processing systems. The induction system 114 includes the input bin
conveyor 122,
output bin conveyor 126 and articulated arm 116, weight sensing conveyor 155,
multidirectional
conveyor 132, deformable object induction limiting system 194 and articulated
arm 192 as
discussed above with reference to Figures 11 ¨ 22, together with conveyors 57,
130, 138, 144,
196, 134 and 198. Conveyors 138 and 198 lead to multidirectional conveyor 59,
where objects
are either directed to object processing system 12 via conveyor 51, or are
directed along conveyor
57 (e.g., object 53) toward one of a plurality of further object processing
systems as discussed
above with reference to Figure 36. The multidirectional conveyor 132 however
does not lead to
a non-processable object collection bin, but rather leads to further induction
systems via
conveyor 181.
In particular, conveyor 181 leads to an induction system 14 that includes the
response
evaluation section 16, the multipurpose perception unit 24, the weight sensing
conveyor section,
multidirectional conveyor 132 and deformable object induction limiting system
194 and
articulated arm 192 as discussed above with reference to Figures 9 and 10,
together with
conveyors 19, 22, 138, 144, 196 and 198. Conveyors 138 and 198 lead to
multidirectional
conveyor 45, where objects are either directed to object processing system 177
via conveyor 19,
or are directed along conveyor 47 (e.g., object 43) toward one of a plurality
of further object
processing systems as discussed above with reference to Figure 35. Again, the
multidirectional
conveyor 132 does not lead to a non-processable object collection bin, but
rather leads to a further
induction systems via conveyor 183.
Conveyor 183 leads to a further induction system 14 including the response
evaluation
section 16, the multipurpose perception unit 24, the weight sensing conveyor
section,
multidirectional conveyor 132 and deformable object induction limiting system
194 and
articulated arm 192 as discussed above with reference to Figures 1 - 8,
together with conveyors
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22, 40, 46, 48 and 35. Conveyor 41 leads to multidirectional conveyor 44,
where objects are
either directed to object processing system 179 via conveyor 46, or are
directed along conveyor
48 (e.g., object 49) toward one of a plurality of further object processing
systems as discussed
above with reference to Figure 34. Objects that are not to be processed (e.g.,
object 36) are
provided to non-processable object exception bin 50 via conveyor 35.
Again, the objects to be processed are each assigned an object processing
station (e.g.,
12, 177, 179) toward which they are routed. In particular, the objects to be
processed may be
routed to an appropriate processing station based on any of a variety of
parameters, such as size,
weight, packaging material (boxes, bags, odd shaped objects etc.), and even
shipping location,
and each object processing station may, for example, include components that
are particularly
suited for certain sizes, weights, packaging materials etc. Operation of the
system may be
controlled by one or more computer processing systems 100, 200, 301.
Any of a wide variety of detection systems may also be employed in the above
disclosed
and further aspects of the present invention. For example, as discussed above
with regard to the
weight sensing conveyors discussed above, such a weight sensing conveyor may
be provided in
a wide variety of systems. For example, and with reference to Figures 39A and
39B, a weight
sensing conveyor system 380 that may be used in an induction system of any of
Figures 1, 9, 11,
34- 38, 49, 56 and 70, and that include a weight scale 382, including a base
384 and a scale 386,
that is provided between upper 388 and lower 390 portions of a conveyor
section 392. Objects
on the conveyor may thereby be weighed while on the conveyor.
Figures 40A and 40B show a weight sensing conveyor system 400 that may be used
in
an induction system of any of Figures 1, 9, 11, 34 - 38, 49, 56 and 70, and
that includes a
conveyor section 402 that is mounted on rollers 404, 406, each of which is
mounted at both ends
on a pair of load cells 408, 410 (only one of which is shown at one end of
each roller 404, 406).
Damaged packages may also be identified by the perception system, for example,
if a package
appears to be wet or leaking. Moisture sensitive sensors may be employed in
connection with
conveyor 382 in any of the pre-processing systems of Figures 1, 9, 11, 34 -
38, 49, 56 and 70 by
having a load cell 408, 410 include moisture sensors. In other embodiments,
cameras (e.g., one
trillion fps cameras that are able to track photons) that are able to detect
moisture may also be
used in such induction systems. Any dampness detected would indicate that the
object is likely
damaged, requiring exception processing.
With reference to Figures 41A - 41D, the system 400 may further provide that
an object
412 on the conveyor section 402 may determine not only the weight of the
object 412, but may
further use the difference between the ends of the lengths and the ends of the
widths, as well as
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weights perceived by each of the load cells 408, 410, to determine an area of
the center of mass
of the object 412 in accordance with a further aspect of the present
invention. The system 400
may, for example, be used in any of the induction systems of Figures 1, 9,1 1,
34 ¨ 38, 49, 56
and 70.
With reference to Figures 42A and 4213, a weight scale such as that shown in
Figures
39A ¨ 39B, may be provided as multiple scales. Figures 42A and 42B, for
example, show the
scale system 420 that includes four scale sections 422, 424, 426, 428 on a
scale base 430. The
scale system 420 may be used in any of the pre-processing systems of Figures
1, 9 and 11. Using
such a scale system, the use of the multiple scales may also be employed to
locate a center of
mass of an object on the scale system 420.
Figures 43A ¨ 43C show a scale system 440 that includes multiple rollers 442
mounted
within a frame 444 on a base 446, wherein each roller 442 is mounted to the
frame 444 via a load
cell or force torque sensor 446 on either end of the each roller 442. The
system 440 may be used
in any of the pre-processing systems of Figures 1, 9 and 11. By monitoring the
outputs of each
of the load cells or force torque sensors 446, the center of the mass of an
object on the rollers
may be determined.
Such systems therefore, that provide weight sensing in the presentation
conveyor may
include one or more load cells or weight sensitive mechanisms embedded into
the surface on
which objects are presented to a programmable motion device such as an
articulated arm. Each
object's weight and/or observed density (weight / volume) as may be estimated
using the
programmable motion system's cameras or range sensors that can perceive
volume. Objects may
be diverted or otherwise pass by the processing system when these values
exceed specifications.
To better localize incompatible objects (e.g., packages), there may be a grid
of such weight
sensitive mechanisms that are able to sense which region of the picking area
contains the one or
more incompatible objects, and then allow picking from any area except where
the incompatible
object(s) has been detected. Further, the systems may detect flow readings
while gripping an
object. If a flow of air (F/) is too high (as compared to an expected flow
(F2) for a particular
object, then the system may permit the object to be diverted from or move past
an object
processing system.
In further aspects therefore, the end effector of the programmable motion
device (and as
discussed herein with reference to Figures 9¨ 22D, 35, 36, 38, 54,70 and 71)
may include an end
effector 450 as shown in Figure 44 that includes a load cell or force torque
sensor 454 that
separates an upper portion 452 that is coupled to the programmable motion
device, and a lower
portion 458. The system may employ the load sensitive device at the gripper to
estimate the
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weight of the object. If the object exceeds an acceptable weight
specification, the object is
released into a stream directed toward an exception area. Also, any movement
of the lower
portion with respect to the upper portion will be detected by the load cell. A
weight therefore of
any object that is being grasped by the flexible bellows 456 under vacuum, may
be determined.
Although an object may move with respect to the lower portion 458 (e.g., by
use of the flexible
bellows), any movement of grasped object that translates to movement of the
lower portion 458
with respect to the upper portion 452 will be detected by the load cell or
force torque sensor 454.
Not only weight therefore, bus also a balance/imbalance of the grasp, as well
as any torque being
applied to the lower portion 458 will also be detected. Again, if the sensed
(estimated) weight
of an object being grasped exceeds either an expected weight (beyond a
threshold), then the
system may release the object either to be simply diverted from the processing
station, or to be
directed to an exception area.
In accordance with further aspects, the system may limit the initial grip
force. For
example, the system may employ a partially open gripper valve to limit the
maximum grip force
(V2) in a vacuum gripper 450 until an object is lifted. Once the object is
lifted, the gripper valve
may be fully closed, bringing the vacuum force to a greater vacuum (V2) to
execute a secure and
reliable transfer of the object. Such a process ensures that objects will not
be dropped during
transfer, and limits the induction of objects to the processing system that
are potentially at risk
of being dropped or not processed properly.
Figure 45 shows an end effector 460 for use in a system in accordance with a
further
aspect of the present invention that includes a rigid portion 462 that is
coupled to the
programmable motion device, and a flexible bellows 464 that may move with
respect to the rigid
portion. Attached to a lower portion of the flexible bellows 464 is a rigid
bracket 466 that is
includes a band portion around the flexible bellows, and a vertical portion
465 that is
orthogonally disclosed with regard to the band portion. The top of the
vertical portion includes
either a magnet or a sensor, and mounted on the end effector is the other of
either a magnet or a
sensor pair 468, 469. The magnet and sensor pair provide that any movement of
the bottom of
the end effector with respect to the rigid portion 462 of the end effector,
will be detected by the
sensor system. In this way, any of a weight of an object, or characterization
of a grasp of any
object (e.g., balance/imbalance, or torque applied to the end effector) may
also be determined.
The end effector 460 may be used with any of the end effector systems
discussed herein with
reference to Figures 9¨ 22D, 35, 36, 38, 54, 70 and 71.
With reference to Figure 46, the system may use an end effector 455 (such as
any end
effector discussed herein) that includes a sensor 457 such as a flow sensor or
pressure sensor.
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The system may compute from observations of flow and/or pressure while holding
an item,
whether the gripper 459 has a sufficient grasp on an object. In particular,
the system may
measure flow readings when gripping an object and determine whether the
measured values are
within a pickable object range of values. If the object is not pickable, the
object may be passed
to an exception area without being processed. The end effector 455 may be used
with any of the
systems discussed above with reference to Figures 10A ¨ 13 and 54.
Figures 47 and 48 show a carriage 470 for use in a system in accordance with
an aspect
of the invention similar to that shown in Figures 23, 25 and 28A -- 30 having
a body 472 that
includes a taller back wall 474 against which objects may be re-directed into
the generally V-
shaped body 472 of the carriage. The carriage 470 is mounted via load cells or
force torque
sensors 476, 478 on a frame 480, and its motion along a tail and in tipping,
is controlled by
actuation system 482. Communication and electronic controls are provided by
electronic
processing and communication system 488 (shown in Figure 43). Again, the load
cells or force
torque sensors 476,478 may be used to determine the weight of the contents of
the carriage. For
example, once an object is detected by the beam-break transmitter and receiver
pair 484, 486,
the system in accordance with an embodiment, will average the weight value of
the two load
cells (Wi, W2) together, double the result, and subtract the weight of the
body 472. In accordance
with other embodiments, the load cells themselves may register a change,
indicating that the
carriage has received or expelled an object.
Many further filter systems, diverter systems, testing systems, routing
systems and
processing systems may be used in the above aspects and further below aspects
of the invention.
For example, certain embodiments may involve approaches to filtering packages
that are too
heavy, and doing so before they reach one of the robot pickers. Such systems
may include a
passive bomb-bay drop system. Such a system may involve routing incoming
packages over a
chute with a bomb-baby door or doors. The bomb-bay door is held closed by a
spring whose
stiffness is tuned so that packages that are too-heavy fall through the bomb-
bay door. Packages
whose weight is less than the limit, do not exert enough force to open the
passive bomb-bay
door(s). The passive bomb-bay door is mounted to a chute, so that packages
fall naturally or
slide over the bomb-bay without dropping.
In accordance with further aspects therefore, filtering systems of the
invention may
include an actuatable bomb-bay drop system (e.g., motor actuated or spring
loaded). A sensor
measures the weight of packages as they travel over the bomb-bay door(s), and
a controller opens
the bomb-baby door(s), either by a motor to open the bomb-bay, or by a
mechanism that unlocks
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the bomb-bay door, and then a motor that closes it again in accordance with an
aspect of the
invention.
Figure 49 shows an induction system 487 with an object processing system 12.
The
induction system 487 includes an input section 14 including a response
evaluation section 16 of
a conveyor 22, side perception units 18, overhead perception units 20,
multipurpose perception
unit 24, weight sensing conveyor section 53 and multidirectional conveyor 33
as discussed above
with reference to Figures 1 ¨ 8, as well as an exception bin 21 for receiving
non-processable
objects (e.g., 36) via conveyor 35. The induction system 487 also includes a
sloping conveyor
492 that includes sections 495,496 and 497 and travels over a second lower
conveyor 489. With
further reference to Figures 50A and 50B, when an object 499 travels from the
conveyor section
495 onto the conveyor section 496, weight sensors (e.g., force torque sensors)
485 detect the
weight of the object. If the object is either above or below a specified
weight, the object is
dropped onto the lower conveyor 489 and is routed via multidirectional
conveyor 493 toward
object processing system 12 via conveyor 491. The system may elect to drop an
object through
the bomb-bay doors 498 is the object is too heavy or too light for processing
by processing
stations coupled to the conveyor section 497 as discussed above. The doors may
be actuated by
motors 483. Alternatively, the bomb-bay conveyor may designed to operate via
spring
mechanisms that open then the weight is above a threshold, and the conveyor
497 may lead to
appropriate object processing systems.
Figures 51A and 51B show end views of the bomb-bay doors 498 over the conveyor
494
where the doors are closed (Figure 51A), and opened (Figure 51B), such as by s
a spring or motor
actuator responsive to input from force torque sensors, for dropping an object
499 from the upper
conveyor 496 to the lower conveyor 489. In accordance with further aspects,
the doors may
include weight-triggered flexible interlocking fingers or tynes, such as, for
example shown in
Figures 66A and 66B.
Figures 52A and 52B, for example, show a system 491 that includes an upper
sloped
conveyor system 492 that runs above a lower sloped conveyor 494. The system
491 may be used
with any of the induction systems of Figures 1,9 and 11, replacing one or more
of the conveyors
shown in Figures 1,9 and 11, e.g., as shown by example in Figure 49. The lower
conveyor 494
of such systems may alternately lead to an exception bin. The upper conveyor
492 includes
active conveyor sections 495, 497, as well as set of bomb-bay doors. The upper
conveyor 492
(as well as the lower conveyor 494) may be inclined (extend in X and Y
directions), such that an
object 499 on top of the doors 498 may slide over the doors to the next
conveyor section 497 if
it is not dropped. With reference to Figure 52B, if the doors 498 are passive
bomb-bay doors,
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and if the object 499 is too heavy (e.g., overcomes a spring mechanism), then
the doors 498 will
open dropping the object 499 to the lower conveyor 494. If the doors 498 are
motor-actuated
bomb-bay doors, and if the object 499 is determined to be too heavy (e.g., by
a different weighing
system disclosed above such as if conveyor section 495 is a weighing conveyor
as discussed
above), then the doors 498 will be opened by a motor, dropping the object 499
to the lower
conveyor 494.
Figure 53 shows an air-perrneable conveyor 500 that includes a conveyor
material 506
with openings 508 therein that permit air to flow through the material 506.
The air-permeable
conveyor 500 may be formed of a perforated, mesh or woven material and is
driven over rollers
502, 504, and one roller (e.g., 502) includes openings 503 and provides a
vacuum through the
openings 503 into the roller 502. Such a system may be used in an induction
system 489 with
an object processing system 12 as shown in Figure 54.
The induction system 489 of Figure 54 includes an input section 14 including a
response
evaluation section 16 of a conveyor 22, side perception units 18, overhead
perception units 20,
multipurpose perception unit 24, weight sensing conveyor section 53 and
multidirectional
conveyor 33 as discussed above with reference to Figures 1 ¨8, as well as an
additional conveyor
509 leading to the air-permeable conveyor 500. The free end of the air-
permeable conveyor is
positioned over two or more receiving stations, which may be conveyors,
chutes, or automated
carriers. Three automated carriers 513, 515, 517 are shown in Figure 54.
Objects that are to
processed, may be routed by multidirection conveyor 33 to conveyor 511, which
runs between a
pair of articulated arms 521, 523 as well as a pair of conveyors 525, 527,
which via further
multidirectional conveyors 529, 533 lead to object processing conveyors 531
(leading to object
processing system 12), and 535.
With further reference to Figure 55A, objects may be provided on the conveyor
500 with
the vacuum applied, and as objects pass around the outside of the roller, the
heavier ones may
directly fall from the conveyor (e.g., object 503) into bin 513 as shown in
Figure 55B. Somewhat
lighter objects (e.g., 505) may travel farther under the roller 502 into bin
515 as shown in Figure
55C, and very light objects (e.g., 507) may drop from the now upside down
conveyor 506 into
bin 517 only when the conveyor leaves the vacuum provided through the roller
502, as shown in
Figure 55D. With such a system, the objects also need not be singulated on the
conveyor since
objects next to each other will fall according to their own response to the
vacuum. Additionally,
one or more perception systems 692 may monitor the actions of objects being
dropped from the
conveyor, and may communicate with one or more control systems 694 to adjust
any of the
vacuum pressure at the conveyor (via vacuum controller) 696 or conveyor speed
(via rotational
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speed controller) 498. The system of Figures 53 and 55A ¨ 5D may be used for
example, in
further systems as disclosed herein.
Again, the receiving stations may be any of automated carriers, chutes or
conveyors.
Figure 56 shows an induction system 647 that includes an input section 14
including a response
evaluation section 16 of a conveyor 22, side perception units 18, overhead
perception units 20,
multipurpose perception unit 24, weight sensing conveyor section 53 and
multidirectional
conveyor 33 as discussed above with reference to Figures 1 ¨ 8, as well as an
additional conveyor
509 leading to the air-permeable conveyor 500. In this example, the air-
permeable conveyor is
positioned over an automated carrier 513', a chute 515' that leads to an
automated carrier 649,
and a carrier 517'. Objects that are to processed, may be routed by
multidirection conveyor 33
to conveyor 537, which runs between a pair of conveyors 541, 545, which via
further
multidirectional conveyors 551, 555 lead to object processing conveyors 553
(leading to object
processing system 12), and 557. The conveyors 537, 541 and 545 also pass
through an object
transfer station 547 as discussed further below with reference to Figures 57 ¨
69, and in some
examples, conveyors 541 and 545 are lower than conveyor 537, while in other
examples, each is
at the same height. At the object transfer station, objects are transferred
from a conveyor to any
of a variety of further units such as to other conveyors, chutes or mobile
units.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention for example, induction
systems may
be used that may discriminate between objects by passing objects by an air
blower that pushes
lighter packages from a stream of packages, leaving the heavier packages. The
heavier packages'
larger inertia overcomes the air resistance arising from the blown air. For
lighter packages, the
air resistance exceeds the lighter packages' lower inertia. The air flow are
tuned to so that for
common package types, the stream blown away contains to the greatest extent
those packages
meeting the weight specifications.
Figure 57 for example, shows an air permeable conveyor 501 similar to that
discussed
above with reference to Figure 53 that is designed to permit a substantial
amount of air to be
blown through openings 508 in a web 506 that moves (providing the conveying
surface) along
rollers. As shown in Figure 57 such an air-permeable conveyor 501 may be used
in a system
510 in which objects are moved along an approach conveyor 512, and over the
air-permeable
conveyor 501. Below the air-permeable conveyor 501 is a blower source 514 that
blows air
through the air-permeable conveyor 500, and above the air-permeable conveyor
501 is a vacuum
source 516 that draws air through the air-permeable conveyor 501. Both the
blower 514 and the
vacuum source 516 may include a screen or array of openings (as partially
shown in Figure 60).
The combination of the blower 514 and the vacuum source 516 will cause some
objects to be
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lifted off of the conveyor 501. Objects that are too heavy to be lifted off of
the conveyor 501
will travel along the conveyor 501 and be transferred to a follower conveyor
518. The system
510 may be used in place of any of the conveyors in the systems of Figures 1,9
and 11 with the
lighter objects being then routed to a light object processing station as
discussed further with
reference to Figures 59A ¨ 59C.
Additionally, and as shown in Figure 58, the system may further include one or
more
perception systems 521 that communicate with a vacuum control processor 523
coupled to a
vacuum controller 525, and that communicate with a blower control processor
527 coupled to a
blower controller 529. In this way, operation of the system may be monitored
and rate of flow
of air by the blower and the vacuum may be adjusted as required.
With reference to Figure 59A, when an object 520 is lifted toward the vacuum
source
516, it is initially pushed by air from the blower source 514 and lifted by
the vacuum source 516.
Once the object contacts a screen on the vacuum source 516, the vacuum force
will be strong
enough that the air from the blower is no longer necessary to hold the object
against the vacuum
source 516. The vacuum source 516 may be movably mounted on a rail 522 such
that the vacuum
source 518 may be moved to be positioned over any of conveyor 501 or adjacent
conveyors 524,
526, With reference to Figure 59B, the vacuum source 516, for example, may be
moved over
conveyor 524 while holding the object 520, and may then cease the vacuum,
permitting the object
to fall onto the conveyor 524 as shown in Figure 59C. The vacuum source 516 is
then returned
to the position over the conveyor 501. In this way, vacuum sources and/or
blower sources may
be used to distinguish and separate objects of different characteristics such
as weight or mass.
In accordance with further aspects, the system may further provide bulk
picking by such
vacuum systems. Objects may pass by an area in which a large vacuum surface is
suspended
upside down over the objects. The system may grip objects in bulk - many at a
time - but is only
able to achieve a lift for light objects, while heavy objects are not lifted
out of the object stream.
The balance of vacuum lifting force verses weight and packaging material may
be adjusted such
that either all objects that remain have a minimum weight, or that all objects
that are lifted are
below a maximum weight.
Induction systems in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention may
include
system 530 that includes a blower source 532 and a vacuum source 534 that are
positioned on
either side of an air-permeable conveyor 536 as shown in Figure 60. The use of
the air-permeable
conveyor may facilitate drawing certain objects toward the vacuum source 532
by permitted a
greater flow of air. The conveyor 536 is fed objects by an in-feed conveyor
538, and provides
objects (that are not removed from the conveyor 536 by the blower source 532
and vacuum
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source 534) to an out-feed conveyor 539. Objects that are removed from the
conveyor 536 fall
onto any of another conveyor below and to the side of the conveyor 536 or a
chute or other
mobile carrier as discussed in more detail below. Monitoring and control
systems similar to that
of Figure 58 may also be used with the system of Figure 60.
With reference to Figure 61, a system 540 in accordance with a further
embodiment of
the invention may include a blower source 542 and a vacuum source 544 that are
positioned on
either side of an air-permeable conveyor 546, as well as another blower source
543. The
conveyor 546 is fed objects by an in-feed conveyor 548, and provides objects
(that are not
removed from the conveyor 546 by the blower sources 542, 543 and vacuum source
544) to an
out-feed conveyor 549. The blower source 543 may further facilitate moving
objects with the
blower source 542 and the vacuum source 544. Again, objects that are removed
from the
conveyor 546 fall onto any of another conveyor below and to the side of the
conveyor 536 or a
chute or other mobile carrier as discussed in more detail below. Monitoring
and control systems
similar to that of Figure 58 may also be used with the system of Figure 61.
In applications where objects may be light enough to be moved off of a non-
perforated
conveyor (and/or the blower and vacuum source is high), a system 550 may be
provided that
includes a blower source 552 and a vacuum source 554 that are positioned on
either side of a
conveyor 556 as shown in Figure 62. The conveyor 556 is fed objects by an in-
feed conveyor
558, and provides objects (that are not removed from the conveyor 556 by the
blower source 552
and vacuum source 554) to an out-feed conveyor 559. Again, objects that are
removed from the
conveyor 556 fall onto any of another conveyor below and to the side of the
conveyor 556 or a
chute or other mobile carrier as discussed in more detail below. Monitoring
and control systems
similar to that of Figure 58 may also be used with the system of Figure 62.
As noted above, objects may be routed to any of chutes, conveyors, mobile
carriers etc.
Figure 63, for example, shows a system 560 that includes a central conveyor
having an in-feed
conveyor section 562, an out-feed conveyor section 564, and a weight-sensing
conveyor 566 as
discussed above with reference to Figures 39A - 43C. The system 560 also
includes a pair of
sources 568, 570 on either side of the weight-sensing conveyor 566, and each
source 568, 570
may provide either forced air via a blower or vacuum, such that objects may be
moved by a
blower - vacuum pair in either direction off of the conveyor 566.
With further reference to the side view shown in Figure 64, objects may either
be blown
onto a chute 572 that leads to a conveyor 574 (e.g., by engaging source 570 as
a blower and
source 568 as a vacuum source), or may be blown onto a chute 576 that least to
a mobile carrier
578 (e.g., by engaging source 568 as a blower and source 570 as a vacuum
source). The selection
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of whether an object is to be moved to either the conveyor 574 or the mobile
carrier 578 may be
a result of the air flow between sources 568, 570, or in other aspects, may be
triggered by a
detected weight of an object on the conveyor 566. In further aspects, the
weight-sensing
conveyor 566 may be employed to confirm an object's weight, and further to
provide feedback
to the control system (e.g., 100) such that the sources (together or
independently) may be adjusted
to more finely tune their object removal capability.
Figure 65 shows a system 600 that includes a central conveyor having an in-
feed
conveyor section 602, an out-feed conveyor section 604, and a weight-sensing
multi-directional
conveyor 606. The weight-sensing multi-directional conveyor 606 may include
weight-sensing
rollers 442 as discussed above with reference to Figure 39A - 43C, as well as
a series of
orthogonally disposed narrow conveying belts 608. Either of the rollers 442 or
the belts 608 may
be lowered/raised with respect to the other, to provide that objects may
either remain on the
conveyor 606 and be provided to the out-feed conveyor 604, or may be routed by
the belts 608
either to a chute 610 that leads to a conveyor 612, or to a chute 614 that
leads to a mobile carrier
616. The selection of whether an object is to be moved to either the conveyor
612 or the mobile
carrier 616 or remain on the conveyor 606 may be triggered by a detected
weight of an object on
the conveyor 606. The mobile carrier 616 may include a bin or box into which a
received object
is dropped, and the mobile carrier 616 may be moved about a track system as
discussed in more
detail below.
Figures 66A and 66B show a system 620 in accordance with a further embodiment
of the
invention that includes a central conveyor having an in-feed conveyor section
622, an out-feed
conveyor section 624, and a weight-sensing multi-directional conveyor 626.
Again, the weight-
sensing multi-directional conveyor 626 may include weight-sensing rollers 442
as discussed
above with reference to Figure 39A - 43C, as well as a series of orthogonally
disposed narrow
conveying belts 628. Either of the rollers 442 or the belts 628 may be
lowered/raised with respect
to the other, to provide that objects may either remain on the conveyor 626
and be provided to
the out-feed conveyor 624, or may be muted by the belts 628 either to a chute
630 that leads to
a conveyor 632, or to a chute 634 that leads to a mobile carrier 636.
Additionally, the chute 630
includes bomb-bay doors 638 that open above a further conveyor 639. The bomb-
bay doors 638
may be either motor activated or designed to release by spring under a certain
weight threshold
as discussed above with reference to Figures 49- 52B. The selection of whether
an object is to
be moved to either the conveyor 612, the conveyor 639 or the mobile carrier
616, or remains on
the conveyor 626 may be triggered by a detected weight of an object on the
conveyor 606. Again,
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the mobile carrier 616 may include a bin or box into which a received object
is dropped, and the
mobile carrier 616 may be moved about a track system as discussed in more
detail below.
Figure 67 shows s system similar to system 560 of Figure 63, including a
central conveyor
having an in-feed conveyor section 562, an out-feed conveyor section 564, and
a weight-sensing
conveyor 566 as discussed above with reference to Figures 39A ¨ 43C. The
system 560 also
includes a pair of sources 568, 570 on either side of the weight-sensing
conveyor 566, and each
source 568, 570 may provide either forced air via a blower or vacuum, such
that objects may be
moved by a blower ¨ vacuum pair in either direction off of the conveyor 566.
In widition to the
chute 576 leading to the automated carrier 578, the system of Figure 67
includes a chute 573
with a pair of bomb-bay doors 577 (as discussed above with reference to
Figures 49 ¨ 51B) for
selectively providing an object either to the conveyor 574 or dropping an
object onto conveyor
575 that is adjacent conveyor 574.
Figures 68A and 68B show a system 580 that includes a central conveyor having
an in-
feed conveyor section 582, an out-feed conveyor section 584, and a weight-
sensing conveyor
586 as discussed above with reference to Figures 39A ¨ 43C. The system 580
also includes a
pair of paddles 588, 590 on either side of the weight-sensing conveyor 586,
and each paddle 588,
590 may be used to urge an object on the weight-sensing conveyor 586 off of
the conveyor 586
in either direction, or an object may remain on the conveyor 586 and be moved
to out-feed
conveyor section 584. With further reference to the Figure 68B, objects may
either be urged
onto a chute 592 that leads to a conveyor 594, or may be urged onto a chute
596 that least to a
mobile carrier 598. The selection of whether an object is to be moved to
either the conveyor 574
or the mobile canier 578 or remain on the conveyor 586 may be triggered by a
detected weight
of an object on the conveyor 586. The mobile carrier 598 may include a bin or
box into which a
received object is dropped, and the mobile carrier 598 may be moved about a
track system as
discussed in more detail below.
Figure 69 shows a system similar to that of Figures 68A and 68B that includes
a central
conveyor having an in-feed conveyor section 582, an out-feed conveyor section
584, and a
weight-sensing conveyor 586 as discussed above with reference to Figures 39A ¨
43C. The
system 580 also includes a pair of paddles 588, 590 on either side of the
weight-sensing conveyor
586, and each paddle 588, 590 may be used to urge an object on the weight-
sensing conveyor
586 off of the conveyor 586 in either direction, or an object may remain on
the conveyor 586 and
be moved to out-feed conveyor section 584. In addition to the chute 596
leading to the automated
carrier 598, the system of Figure 69 includes a chute 593 with a pair of bomb-
bay doors 597 (as
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discussed above with reference to Figures 49¨ 51B) for selectively providing
an object either to
the conveyor 594 or dropping an object onto conveyor 595 that is adjacent
conveyor 594.
The object processing system may include a plurality of stations as discussed
above, and
the induction filtering may direct different objects to the different stations
based on a variety of
object characteristics and end effector characteristics (e.g., knowing which
end effectors are
better suited for handling which objects). The ability to provide objects from
infeed conveyors
to a wide variety of processing systems provides significant flexibility, and
the ability to provide
objects to automated carriers provides further flexibility in object
processing. Figure 70, for
example, shows an object processing system 650 that includes multiple
workstations 652, 654,
656 that receive objects via diverters 660, 662, 670, 672, 680, 682 under
control of the one or
more processing systems 690. Workstation 652, may for example, be well suited
for using an
articulated arm 664 to move bags for destination locations 666, and
workstation 654 may, for
example, be better suited for using an articulated arm to move cylinders to
destination locations
676. Another workstation 656, may for example, include a human worker 684 for
moving objects
to destination locations 686 that are not easily processed by any articulated
aims.
Object processing systems for use with induction filtering systems and methods
of
various embodiments of the invention may be any of a wide variety of object
processing systems
such as sortation systems, automated storage and retrieval systems, and
distribution and
redistribution systems. For example, in accordance with further embodiments,
the invention
provides systems that are capable of automating the outbound process of a
processing system.
The system may include one or more automated picking stations 700 (as shown in
Figure 71)
and manual picking stations 800 (as shown in Figure 72) that are supplied with
containers by a
fleet of mobile carriers that traverse a smart flooring structure formed of
track segments as
discussed above. The carriers may carry bins that can store objects. The
system may provide a
novel goods-to-picker system that uses a fleet of small mobile carriers to
carry individual
inventory totes and outbound containers to and from picking stations.
In accordance with an embodiment of the system includes an automated picking
station
that picks caches from inventory totes and loads them into outbound
containers. The system
involves together machine vision, task and motion planning, control, error
detection and
recovery, and artificial intelligence grounded in a sensor-enabled, hardware
platform to enable a
real-time and robust solution for singulating items out of cluttered
containers.
With reference to Figure 71, the automated picking system 700 perceives the
contents of
the containers using a multi-modal perception unit and uses a robotic arm
equipped with an
automated programmable motion gripper and integrated software in processing
system 720 to
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pick eaches from homogeneous inventory totes and place them into heterogeneous
outbound
containers. These elements are co-located in a work cell that meets industry
standard safety
requirements and interfaces with track system to keep the automated picking
system fed with a
continual supply of inventory totes and outbound containers.
In particular, the system 700 includes an array 702 of track elements 704 as
discussed
above, as well as automated carriers 706 that ride on the track elements 704
as discussed above.
One or more overhead perception units 708 (e.g._ cameras or scanners) acquire
perception data
regarding objects in bins or totes 710, as well as perception data regarding
locations of destination
boxes 712. A programmable motion device such as a robotic system 714 picks an
object from
the bin or tote 710, and places it in the adjacent box 712. One or both of the
units 710, 712 are
then moved automatically back into the grid, and one or two new such units are
moved into
position adjacent the robotic system. Meanwhile, the robotic system is
employed to process
another pair of adjacent units (again, a bin or tote 710 and a box 712) on the
other side of the
robotic system 714. The robotic system therefore processes a pair of
processing units on one
side, then switches sides while the first side is being replenished. This way,
the system 700 need
not wait for a new pair of object processing units to be presented to the
robotic system. The array
702 of track elements 704 may also include shelf stations 716 at which mobile
units 706 may
park or pick up either bins / totes 710 and boxes 712. The system operates
under the control, for
example, of a computer processor 720.
The manual pick station system is a goods-to-person pick station supplied by
mobile
automated movement carriers on track systems as discussed above. The system
has the same
form and function as the automated picking station in that both are supplied
by the same carders,
both are connected to the same track system grid, and both transfer eaches
from an inventory tote
to an outbound container. The manual system 800 (as shown in Figure 72) relies
on a manual
team member to perform the picking operation.
Also, the manual system raises carriers to an ergonomic height (e.g. via
ramps), ensures
safe access to containers on the carders, and includes a monitor interface
(HMI) to direct the
team member's activities. The identity of the SKU and the quantity of items to
pick are displayed
on an HMI. The team member must scan each unit's UPC to verify the pick is
complete using a
presentation scanner or handheld barcode scanner. Once all picks between a
pair of containers
are complete, the team member presses a button to mark completion.
In accordance with this embodiment (and/or in conjunction with a system that
includes
an AutoPick system as discussed above), a system 800 of Figure 72 may include
an array 802 of
track elements 804 that are provided on planer surfaces 806 as well as
inclined surfaces 808
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leading to further planar surfaces. The system 800 may also include visual
data screens 809 that
provide visual data to a human sorter, informing the human sorter of what
goods are to be moved
from totes or bins 810 to destination boxes 812. The system operates under the
control, for
example, of a computer processor 820.
While the bulk of the overall system's picking throughput is expected to be
handled by
automated picking systems, manual picking systems provide the carrier and
track system the
ability to (a) rapidly scale to meet an unplanned increase in demand; (b)
handle goods that are
not yet amenable to automation; and (c) serve as a QA, problem solving, or
inventory
consolidation station within the overall distribution system. The system
therefore, provides
significant scaling and trouble-shooting capabilities in that a human sorted
may be easily added
to an otherwise fully automated system. As soon as a manual picking system is
enabled
(occupied by a sorter), the system will begin to send totes or bins 810 and
boxes 812 to the
manual picking station. Automated picking stations and manual picking stations
are designed to
occupy the same footprint, so a manual picking station may later be replaced
with an automated
picking station with minimal modifications to the rest of the system.
Again, a carrier is a small mobile robot that can interchangeably carry an
inventory tote,
outbound container, or a vendor case pack. These carriers can remove or
replace a container
from or onto a storage fixture using a simple linkage mechanism. Since a
carrier only carries one
container at a time, it can be smaller, lighter, and draw less power than a
larger robot, while being
much faster. Since the carriers drive on a smart tile flooring, they have
lessened sensing,
computation, and precision requirements than mobile robots operating on bare
floor. These
features improve cost to performance metrics.
All carriers run on the same shared roadway of track sections as independent
container-
delivery agents. The carriers can move forward, backward, left or right to
drive around each
other and reach any location in the system. This flexibility allows the
carriers to serve multiple
roles in the system by transporting (a) inventory totes to picking stations,
(b) outbound containers
to picking stations, (c) inventory totes to and from bulk storage, (d) full
outbound containers to
discharge lanes, and (e) empty outbound containers into the system.
Additionally, the carriers
may be added incrementally as needed to scale with facility growth.
The track floor modules are standard-sized, modular, and connectable floor
sections.
These tiles provide navigation and a standard driving surface for the carriers
and may act as a
storage area for containers. The modules are connected to robotic pick cells,
induction stations
from bulk storage, and discharge stations near loading docks. The modules
eliminate the need
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of other forms of automation, e.g. conveyors, for the transportation of
containers within the
system.
As shown at 900 in Figure 73, the system may be scaled up to include a much
larger array
of track modules 902, and many processing stations 904 that may, for example,
be any of
inventory in-feed stations, empty outbound vessel in-feed stations, automated
and manual
processing stations, and outbound stations as discussed above. The system
operates under the
control, for example, of a computer processor 906.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and
variations may
be made to the above disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit
and scope of the
present invention.
What is claimed is:
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