# US 10,370,201 B2 · Transporting apparatus and transporting method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,201 B2 - Document ID: US10370201B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/348,538 - Filed: 2016-11-10 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-13 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Takafumi Sonoura; Akihito Ogawa; Hideichi Nakamoto; Atsushi Sugahara; Haruna Eto; Junya Tanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370201B2 ## CPC - B65G 59/02: De-stacking from the top of the stack - B65G 59/04: by suction or magnetic devices - B65G 61/00: Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for - B65G 2203/0233: Position of the article - B65G 2203/04: Detection means - B65G 2203/041: Camera - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A transporter of an embodiment has a transporter, a detector, and a controller. The transporter holds a selected object from among a plurality of objects and transports the selected object in a first direction in a first state, and then configured to transport the selected object, while holding the selected object, in a second direction different from the first direction and not anti-parallel to the first direction, in a second state. The detector detects a change from the first state to the second state, wherein, in the second state, the transporter can transport the selected object in the second direction without disturbance by the presence of any other object than the selected object. The controller stops transporting the selected object in the first direction, in case that the detector detected the change from the first state to the second state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transporting apparatus, comprising: a transporter configured to hold a selected object from among a plurality of objects and transport the selected object in a first direction in a first state, and then configured to transport the selected object, while holding the selected object, to a second direction different from the first direction, in a second state; a plurality of detectors configured to detect a change from the first state to the second state; and a controller configured to stop transporting the selected object in the first direction in case that the plurality of detectors detect the change from the first state to the second state, wherein in the second state, the transporter transports the selected object in the second direction without disturbance by a presence of any other object than the selected object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors irradiates an irradiating light onto the plurality of objects and receives a reflected light from a side surface of the selected object, to detect the change from the first state to the second state based on a change in a reflection condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects a time period from a first time at which the irradiating light is irradiated to a second time at which the reflected light is received. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects a phase difference between the light and the reflected light as the reflection condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects whether or not the reflected light is received during a prescribed amount of time from a time of the irradiating of the light as the reflection condition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors irradiates another irradiating light onto a first region, the first region is set based on a top surface height of the plurality of objects. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors irradiates another irradiating light onto a first region, the first region includes a side surface of the selected object in a vertically upward direction from a top surface height of the plurality of objects, and the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the change from the first state to the second state in case that there is a change from a state in which the reflection condition is such that the reflected light is detected to a state in which the reflection condition is such that the reflected light is not detected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors, based on a characteristic value of a first image captured in a region that includes a side surface of the selected object in the first state, detects that the selected object is in a state in which the transporter transports the selected object in the second direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The transporting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the region includes the side surface of the selected object above a top surface height of the plurality of objects in a vertical upward direction, and the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the change from the first state to the second state in case that the characteristic value changes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors irradiates projected light onto a region that includes a side surface of the selected object in the first state and, detects the change from the first state to the second state based on a characteristic value of an image captured in a range that includes the region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The transporting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the region is set based on a top surface height of the plurality of objects. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The transporting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the region includes a side surface of the selected object vertically above the top surface height of the plurality of objects, and the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects a change from the first state to the second state in case that the characteristic value changes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the change from the first state to the second state based on a space formed by at least the selected object and the plurality of objects. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The transporting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the space is formed below a bottom surface of the selected object in a vertical direction, and the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the change from the first state to the second state in case that the space changes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the change from the first state to the second state based on a surface area of a side surface of the selected object exposed without hindrance by any object of the plurality of objects other than the selected object surrounding the object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transporting apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of the plurality of detectors detects the surface area of the side surface of the selected object exposed above a top surface height of the plurality of objects in a vertical direction. ### Claim 17 A transporting apparatus, comprising: a transporter configured to hold a selected object from among a plurality of objects and transport the selected object in a first direction in a first state, and then configured to transport the selected object, while holding the selected object, to a second direction different from the first direction, in a second state; a plurality of detectors configured to detect whether another object disturbs the transporter from transporting the selected object in the second direction; and a controller configured to control the transporter to stop transporting the selected object in the first direction and control the transporter to transport the selected object in the second direction in the second state, in case that the detector does not detect that the other object disturbs the transporter from transporting the selected object in the second direction.