Method and device for automated palletizing of packages
AssigneeKUKA Roboter GmbH
InventorsLars Baldes, Gerda Ruge, Julian Haselmayr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a method for automated palletizing of packages, in particular by means of a manipulator, packages are arranged on the edge of a loading area and, if possible, a virtual initial layer of multiple packages is initially generated and this layer is then centered relative to the loading area.
Claims12
A method for automated palletizing of packages, comprising the steps of:
- providing an input to a processor defining a size of a loading area, having edges, in which packages are to be stacked by an automated manipulator;
- in said processor, generating a virtual layer comprised of multiple packages from among said packages to be stacked in said loading area;
- in said processor, automatically centering said virtual layer relative to said loading area thereby obtaining a centered virtual layer in said processor, and automatically assessing a stability of said centered virtual layer in said processor;
- and
- from said processor, controlling operation of an automated manipulator to stack packages in a stack in said loading area dependent on the assessed stability of said centered virtual layer in said processor.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions and loaded into a computerized control unit of a manipulator system, comprising an automated manipulator operated by the control unit, said programming instructions causing said computerized control unit to:
- receive an input defining a size of a loading area, having edges, in which packages are to be stacked by an automated manipulator;
- generate a virtual layer comprised of multiple packages from among said packages to be stacked in said loading area;
- automatically center said virtual layer relative to said loading area, thereby obtaining a centered virtual layer in said processor, and automatically assess a stability of said centered virtual layer in the control unit;
- and
- control operation of the automated manipulator to stack packages in a stack in said loading area dependent on the assessed stability of said centered virtual layer in said control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.