Packing robot
AssigneeRobotics Plus Limited
InventorsLuke Dwyer, Florian Thomas Roeske
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved robot for packing produce such as fruit or other produce is provided. The robot includes a plurality of longitudinal carriage arms arranged in an array, and cantilevered off a support unit such that each longitudinal carriage arm is independently movable between an extended condition and retracted condition. Each arm includes a head connected to it that is independently movable in a vertical direction to pick up, hold and/or drop off an item of produce. Each longitudinal carriage arm is further independently movable in a lateral direction to alter the relative spacing between the plurality of heads such that the heads can move across lanes of the robot. The cantilevered arrangement of each carriage arm allows for compact set-out and other advantages.
Claims18
A robot for packing produce having a longitudinal axis, a vertical axis and a lateral axis, the robot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal carriage arms arranged in an array, each longitudinal carriage arm independently movable between an extended condition and a retracted condition in a longitudinal direction;
- a plurality of heads, each head connected to a longitudinal carriage arm and independently movable in a vertical direction to pick up, hold and drop off an item of produce;
- and
- a fixed support unit for supporting the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms;
- a controller configured to control a first independent movement of a first longitudinal carriage arm comprised in the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms in a lateral direction relative to a second independent movement of a second longitudinal carriage arm comprised in the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms in the lateral direction to prevent collision between at least one of:
- a first head of the first longitudinal carriage arm and the second longitudinal carriage arm, and
- a second head of the second longitudinal carriage arm and the first longitudinal carriage arm;
- wherein the head and longitudinal carriage arm lie within a generally rectangular envelope in plan view, the rectangular envelope is substantially as wide as the longitudinal carriage arm;
- and
- wherein each longitudinal carriage arm is cantilevered off the fixed support unit;
- and
- wherein each longitudinal carriage arm is independently movable in in the lateral direction to adjust relative spacing between the plurality of heads such that the plurality of heads can move across lanes to pick or place the item of produce.
A method of packing produce utilizing a robot, the method comprising:
- (a) picking up at least one item of produce with at least one of a plurality of heads connected to a longitudinal carriage arm of the robot;
- and
- (b) dropping off the item of produce,
- the robot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal carriage arms arranged in an array, each longitudinal carriage arm independently movable between an extended condition and retracted condition in a longitudinal direction;
- the plurality of heads, each head connected to the longitudinal carriage arm and independently movable in a vertical direction to pick up, hold and drop off the item of produce;
- and
- a fixed support unit for supporting the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms;
- a controller configured to control a first independent movement of a first longitudinal carriage arm comprised in the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms in a lateral direction relative to a second independent movement of a second longitudinal carriage arm comprised in the plurality of longitudinal carriage arms in the lateral direction to prevent collision between at least one of:
- a first head of the first longitudinal carriage arm and the second longitudinal carriage arm, and
- a second head of the second longitudinal carriage arm and the first longitudinal carriage arm;
- wherein the head and longitudinal carriage arm lie within a generally rectangular envelope in plan view, the rectangular envelope is substantially as wide as the longitudinal carriage arm;
- and
- wherein each longitudinal carriage arm is cantilevered off the fixed support unit;
- and
- wherein each longitudinal carriage arm is independently movable in the lateral direction to adjust relative spacing between the plurality of heads such that the plurality of heads can move across lanes to pick or place the item of produce.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.