Systems and methods for sleeve detection
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsAustin C. Bouchard, Alexander S. Klinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device, system, and method for detecting a covering sleeve on a container. A sleeve detection system includes a conveyor, a height profile acquisition device, and a processor in communication with the height profile acquisition device. The height profile acquisition device is configured to acquire height profiles of a tray traveling on the conveyor. The processor is configured to analyze height profiles received from the height profile acquisition device to determine a sleeve status of the tray. In some embodiments, a light gate is disposed across the conveyor and configured to detect the presence of a tray on the conveyor approaching the height profile acquisition device.
Claims19
A tray processing apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor for transporting a tray;
- at least one height profile sensor disposed proximate the conveyor and configured to determine a plurality of height profiles of the tray on the conveyor, wherein each of the plurality of height profiles corresponds to a different portion of the tray;
- and
- a processor in communication with the height profile sensor, the processor configured to:
- receive the determined plurality of height profiles from the height profile sensor and analyze the plurality of height profiles to determine a sleeve status of the tray;
- and
- determine a transport destination for the tray from a plurality of available transport destinations based at least in part on the determined sleeve status of the tray.
A method of detecting a sleeve comprising:
- detecting a tray moving along a conveyor;
- determining at least one height profile of the tray using a height profile acquisition device;
- identifying a first point of the at least one height profile, the first point having a height corresponding to a high point of the tray;
- identifying a second point of the height profile relatively nearer a centerline of the conveyor than the first point, the second point having a height lower than a set low threshold;
- and
- determining a sleeve status of the tray as unsleeved based at least in part on the second point having a height lower than the set low threshold.
A method of detecting a sleeve comprising:
- detecting a tray moving along a conveyor;
- determining at least one height profile of the tray using a height profile acquisition device;
- identifying a first point of the at least one height profile, the first point having a height corresponding to a high point of the tray;
- identifying a plurality of second points of the height profile relatively nearer a centerline of the conveyor than the first point, each of the plurality of second points having a height greater than or equal to a set low threshold;
- and
- determining a sleeve status of the tray as sleeved based at least in part on the plurality of second points each having a height greater than or equal to the set low threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.