# US 12,179,355 B2 · Workpiece unloading device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,355 B2 - Document ID: US12179355B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/904,604 - Filed: 2021-06-03 - Published: 2023-04-06 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-09 - Assignees: Fanuc Corporation - Applicants: Fanuc Corporation - Inventors: Toshiyuki Ando - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179355B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1612: {characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - G05B 2219/40053: Pick 3-D object from pile of objects - G05B 2219/40607: Fixed camera to observe workspace, object, workpiece, global - G05B 2219/45063: Pick and place manipulator - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract The purpose of the present invention is to provide a workpiece unloading device that can stabilize cycle time even when work for reversing a workpiece is involved. A workpiece unloading system comprises a workpiece unloading device for unloading a workpiece, and a control device for setting workpiece unloading order. The control device comprises: a storage unit that stores a set posture representing a posture of a workpiece when the workpiece is set on a jig; a current posture detection unit that detects a current posture representing the current posture of the workpiece; a change amount calculation unit that calculates a change amount between the set posture and the current posture; an unloading candidate identification unit that compares the change amount with a threshold value, and identifies, on the basis of the comparison result, a workpiece as an unloading candidate with priority; and an unload instruction unit that outputs, to the workpiece unloading device, a first instruction to unload the workpiece as the unloading candidate with priority. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A workpiece removal system, comprising: a workpiece removal device that removes a workpiece from among a plurality of workpieces and sets the workpiece on a jig separate from the plurality of workpieces and separate from the workpiece removal device; and a control device that sets an order of removing the plurality of workpieces, the control device, comprising: a storage unit that stores a predetermined setting posture, the setting posture being a posture of the workpiece when set on the jig; a current posture detection unit that detects current postures of each of the plurality of workpieces; an amount of change calculation unit that calculates an amount of change between the setting posture and each of the current postures; a removal candidate identification unit that compares the amount of change to a threshold value and identifies a workpiece that is a priority removal candidate based on a comparison result; and a removal instruction unit that outputs a first instruction for causing the workpiece removal device to remove the workpiece that is the priority removal candidate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The workpiece removal system according to claim 1, wherein the amount of change calculation unit calculates, as the amount of change between the setting posture and each of the current postures, an inner product from a vector in any axial direction in the setting posture and a vector in the any axial direction in each of the current postures, in a workpiece coordinate system of the workpiece. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The workpiece removal system according to claim 2, wherein the control device further comprises a reversal instruction unit that outputs a second instruction for removing and then reversing the workpiece when a rotation angle of the workpiece in its current posture with respect to the workpiece in the setting posture is a predetermined value or more, the rotation angle being calculated from the inner product; and a timing setting unit that sets a timing for outputting the second instruction to a predetermined timing.