High density container gripping system and method
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsStefano La Rovere, Tolga Kol, Athanasios Voilis, Vidmantas Saltis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for automated palletization of totes and cuboid containers includes an end effector having fingers projecting outwardly. The fingers may engage recesses in the totes. Alternatively, actuators on fixed fingers can move gripping surfaces into engagement with the totes or containers. Or actuators on a body of the end effector can move the fingers, which include gripping surfaces.
Claims18
An automated tote palletizing system for loading vertical stacks of totes onto a pallet, the system comprising:
- multiple totes arranged in a vertical stack, each tote having a peripheral top flange and downwardly depending lip that forms a recess;
- an end effector having multiple pairs of fingers engaged in the recesses of the totes and configured to move the stack of totes, the end effector being configured to place the stack of totes on a pallet in a dense configuration.
An automated tote palletizing system comprising:
- an end effector including:
- a structural, vertical body including a mount for connecting to an automated arm;
- multiple pairs of fingers extending from lateral sides of the body in a forward direction, each pair of fingers being mutually parallel in a horizontal plane, and mutually, laterally spaced apart;
- and
- plural totes arranged in a vertical stack, each one of the totes having:
- a pair of opposing sidewalls, a flange extending outwardly from a top of each sidewall, and a lip extending downwardly from each flange, thereby forming an elongate recess beneath each flange between the sidewall and the lip;
- each pair of fingers being engaged with the recesses of a corresponding one of totes to enable lifting the totes;
- whereby the end effector and the totes are configured such that lifting the end effector lifts the fingers and thereby lifts the stack of totes for placing the totes on a pallet.
A method of moving totes in a column, comprising the steps of:
- (i) stacking multiple totes in a stack, each one of the totes having a recess;
- (ii) engaging the totes with an end effector by moving the end effector to position fingers of the end effector into the recesses of the totes;
- and
- (iii) moving the stack of totes after the engaging step by moving the end effector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.