Systems and methods for controlling the disgorging of objects in containers by vibratory motion
AssigneeBerkshire Grey, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Geyer, Joseph Romano, Matthew T. Mason, Alexander Paxson, John Richard Amend, Thomas Wagner
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Abstract
A system is disclosed for controlling the disgorging of objects. The system includes a container system including a container for containing objects, rotation means for rotating the container to a disgorgement angle, and movement means for moving at least a portion of the container system in a repetitious manner with a net zero distance of travel of the at least the portion of the container system such that the objects are disgorged from the container at a controlled rate of disgorgement.
Claims44
A system for controlling disgorgement of objects, said system comprising:
- a container system including a container for containing objects;
- rotation means for rotating the container to a disgorgement angle;
- and
- movement means for moving at least a portion of the container system in a repetitious manner with a net zero distance of travel of the at least the portion of the container system such that said objects are disgorged from the container at a controlled rate of disgorgement, wherein the movement means includes a linear actuator and a spring that move the at least the portion of the container system in the repetitious manner.
A system for controlling disgorgement of objects from a container, said system comprising:
- a rotatable lift arm having a plurality of tongs mounted to a movable portion of the rotatable lift arm, wherein the movable portion of the lift arm controls the plurality of tongs to lift a container and the lift arm rotates to tip the container to a disgorgement angle while engaged by the plurality of tongs,
- the rotatable lift arm further comprising a vibration actuator, a first end of the vibration actuator being coupled to the lift arm and a second end of the vibration actuator being coupled to the movable portion of the lift arm, wherein the vibration actuator selectively causes the movable portion of the lift arm to vibrate the container by moving the second end relative to the first end of the vibration actuator such that objects are disgorged from the container at a controlled rate of disgorgement.
A method for controlling disgorgement of objects, said method comprising:
- providing a container system including a container for containing objects;
- rotating the container to a disgorgement angle;
- and
- moving at least a portion of the container system in a repetitious manner with a net zero distance of travel of the at least the portion of the container such that said objects are disgorged from the container at a controlled rate of disgorgement, wherein the at least the portion of the container system is moved in the repetitious manner using a linear actuator and a spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.