US 11,091,330 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for depalletizing a loaded pallet

AssigneeDyco, Inc.

InventorsPeter D. Yohe, Ronald H. Cordingly, John D. Sheehe, Glenn W. Monroe

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus for depalletizing a loaded pallet comprised of (n) vertically stacked article arrays, each article array separated from an adjacent article array by a dunnage layer, the loaded pallet including a top article array vertically supporting a top dunnage layer. The apparatus is adapted to remove all article arrays from the loaded pallet and to deposit all collected dunnage layers onto the empty pallet.

Claims20

Dependent claims

a chamber for receiving the loaded pallet on a lifter movable inside of the chamber;
an unloading zone;
a sensor for determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter;
a first remover for removing vertically exposed dunnage layers;
a collector for collecting the removed dunnage layers from the first remover and for removing article arrays from the unloading zone;
wherein during operation of the apparatus, in response to the sensor determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter, the top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or a second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the top article array, vertically exposing a next top dunnage layer, the top dunnage layer being collected in the collector in the unloading zone;
wherein in response to the sensor determining when the next top article array and the next top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone, the next top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover in the unloading zone, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or the second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the next top article array, the next top dunnage layer being collected in the collector;
wherein in response to any remaining article arrays and dunnage layers being sequentially removed from the unloading zone by at least one of the first remover, the second remover or the collector, leaving an empty pallet, the collector is adapted to deposit all collected dunnage layers onto the empty pallet on the lifter;
wherein the lifter moves the collected dunnage layers and the empty pallet inside the chamber for permitting removal of the collected dunning layers and the empty pallet from the chamber.

6 more elements

a chamber for receiving the loaded pallet on a lifter movable inside of the chamber;
an unloading zone;
a sensor for determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter;
a first remover for removing vertically exposed dunnage layers;
a collector for collecting the removed dunnage layers from the first remover and for removing article arrays from the unloading zone;
wherein during operation of the apparatus, in response to the sensor determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter, the top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or a second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the top article array, vertically exposing a next top dunnage layer, the top dunnage layer being collected in the collector in the unloading zone;
wherein in response to the sensor determining when the next top article array and the next top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter, the next top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover in the unloading zone, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or the second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the next top article array, the next top dunnage layer being collected in the collector;
wherein in response to any remaining article arrays and dunnage layers being sequentially removed from the unloading zone by at least one of the first remover, the second remover or the collector, leaving an empty pallet, the collector is adapted to deposit all collected dunnage layers onto the empty pallet on the lifter;
wherein the lifter moves the collected dunnage layers and the empty pallet inside the chamber for permitting removal of the collected dunning layers and the empty pallet from the chamber;
wherein the collector including an enclosure for stabilizingly supporting the article arrays while the arrays are being removed from the unloading zone in the first direction;
wherein the enclosure including a portion movable between a closed position for stabilizingly supporting the article arrays, and an open position for permitting the article arrays to be removed from the enclosure in the first direction.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

a chamber for receiving the loaded pallet on a lifter movable inside of the chamber;
an unloading zone;
a sensor for determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter;
a first remover for removing vertically exposed dunnage layers;
a collector for collecting the removed dunnage layers from the first remover and for removing article arrays from the unloading zone;
wherein during operation of the apparatus, in response to the sensor determining when the top article array and the top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone by the lifter, the top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or a second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the top article array, vertically exposing a next top dunnage layer, the top dunnage layer being collected in the collector in the unloading zone;
wherein in response to the sensor determining when the next top article array and the next top dunnage layer are aligned in the unloading zone, the next top dunnage layer is removed by the first remover in the unloading zone, the collector then moving into the unloading zone or the second remover moving into the unloading zone to remove the next top article array, the next top dunnage layer being collected in the collector;
wherein in response to any remaining article arrays and dunnage layers being sequentially removed from the unloading zone by at least one of the first remover, the second remover or the collector, leaving an empty pallet, the collector is adapted to deposit all collected dunnage layers onto the empty pallet on the lifter;
wherein the lifter moves the collected dunnage layers and the empty pallet inside the chamber for permitting removal of the collected dunning layers and the empty pallet from the chamber.

6 more elements