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US 12,280,968 B2Granted
Depalletising system and method
AssigneeClevertech S.R.L.
InventorsSimone Cervi, Alberto Soprani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for depalletising a ream of cartons wrapped by a strap. The method may include collecting, by a robot gripping head, the ream of cartons placed on a pallet. Collecting the ream may include exerting a suction force on the ream by one or more suction mouths. The method may also include moving a first arm and a second arm to position the first arm and the second arm below the ream and retain the ream in a positioning zone obtained in the head.
Claims9
A method for depalletising a ream of cartons wrapped by a strap, the method comprising:
- collecting, by a robot gripping head that includes a first lateral sidewall and a second lateral sidewall and one or more suction mouths, the ream of cartons placed on a pallet, the collecting the ream including exerting a suction force on the ream by the one or more suction mouths, the robot gripping head, in at least one ream transport configuration, further defining a positioning zone for positioning the ream collected by the one or more suction mouths;
- moving a first arm and a second arm to position the first arm and the second arm below the ream and retain the ream in the positioning zone obtained in the robot gripping head,
- wherein moving the first arm and the second arm includes moving the first arm with respect to the first lateral sidewall and the second arm with respect to the second lateral sidewall from a first rest position to a second operating position in which the first arm and the second arm both project below the ream and retain the ream from below,
- wherein the first arm is translatable relative to the first lateral sidewall and the first arm, in the second operating position, projects from the first lateral sidewall to obstruct the positioning zone below, and
- the second arm is translatable relative to the second lateral sidewall and the second arm, in the second operating position, projects from the second lateral sidewall to obstruct the positioning zone below;
- and
- removing the strap from the ream, wherein removing the strap includes:
- positioning the ream on a support by placing at a top a first section of the strap facing multiple cartons of the ream;
- positioning the first section between two knives;
- lifting at least one portion of the support to lift only one part of the cartons of the ream to create a space between the cartons of the ream and the strap in order to facilitate the positioning of the first section between the two knives;
- cutting the strap interposed between the two knives;
- grasping an already-cut piece of the strap;
- and
- removing the strap.
11 more elements
A system for depalletising a ream of cartons wrapped by a strap, the system comprising:
- a robot comprising a ream gripping head configured to collect a ream from a pallet, the gripping head comprising a means for collecting the ream that includes ream suction mouths,
- wherein the ream gripping head, at least in a ream transport configuration, defines a zone for positioning the ream collected by the means for collecting and the gripping head further includes:
- a system for gripping and removing a pallet on which the ream is placed;
- a vision system for centering the head on the ream;
- a first probe and a second probe to determine a vertical contact between the head and the ream;
- and
- a system for cutting the strap of the ream;
- and
- ream retention means that includes gripping arms movable between a first resting position and a second operating position in which the gripping arms project below the positioning zone and retain the ream from below.
6 more elements
A method for depalletising a ream of cartons wrapped by a strap, the method comprising:
- collecting, by a robot gripping head, the ream of cartons placed on a pallet, the collecting including exerting a suction force on the ream by suction mouths;
- moving one or more arms to position the one or more arms below the ream and to retain the ream in a positioning zone obtained in the robot gripping head;
- removing the strap from the ream, the removing including:
- positioning the ream on a support by placing at a top a first section of the strap facing multiple cartons of the ream;
- lifting at least one portion of said support to lift only one part of the cartons of the ream to create a space between the cartons of the ream and the strap, the lifting including:
- lifting a first and a second part of the support;
- and
- lifting a first and a second group cartons of the ream and leaving a third group of cartons that is interposed between the first and the second group of cartons of the ream at a lower height;
- after lifting the at least one portion, positioning the first section between two knives, the lifting facilitating the positioning of the first section between the two knives;
- cutting the strap interposed between the two knives at a section of the strap that faces the third group of cartons;
- grasping an already-cut piece of the strap;
- and
- removing the strap.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.