Tool and method for layer depalletizing
AssigneeSymbotic Canada, ULC
InventorsSylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Tristan Pashley, Francis Levesque, Jean-Francois Forget
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Abstract
The problem of potentially damaging a pallet layer that is gripped by clamps of a depalletizing tool is solved i) by detecting the real position of the layer using a pad on the tool that is movable with the clamps towards the pallet layer and whose detected stopping position determines the real position of the layer, and ii) while the layer is gripped by the clamp, by inserting under the layer curtains; the pressure on the layer by the clamps being adapted to the ease to go underneath the layer.
Claims20
A tool for layer depalletizing comprising:
- a frame for mounting the tool to a robot;
- clamps movably mounted to the frame to grip a pallet layer;
- and
- a pad, mounted to the frame above the clamps, that is transversely movable towards and away a level defined by the clamps, and that defines a reference surface used in an evaluation performed by a controller to determine a real height of the pallet layer when the pad is moved towards the pallet layer.
A method for layer depalletizing comprising:
- determining a real position of a layer by moving a pad towards a top surface of the layer where the pad defines a reference surface used in an evaluation performed by a controller to determine the real position of the top surface of the layer when the pad is moved towards the layer;
- positioning clamps around the layer using the real position of the layer;
- using the clamps to grip and at least partially lift the layer;
- moving curtains under the layer;
- moving the layer with the clamps to a first area, while the curtains are maintained under the layer;
- and
- at the first area, removing the curtains from under the layer and the clamps releasing the layer.
A tool for layer depalletizing comprising:
- a frame for mounting the tool to a robot;
- a sensor movably mounted to the frame, the sensor being configured for sensing a real position of a layer by moving relative to the frame towards a top surface of the layer;
- clamps movably mounted to the frame, where the clamps are positioned around the layer using the sensed real position of the layer, the clamps being configured to grip and at least partially lift the layer;
- and
- curtains movably mounted to the frame and being configured to be placed under the layer so that when moving the layer with the clamps to a first area, the curtains are maintained under the layer, wherein at the first area, the curtains are removed from under the layer and the clamps release the layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.