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US 2018/0333887 A1Published application
Dismantling system
AssigneeAlliance Automation, LLC
InventorsBoyd S. Foulk, Justin Haverstock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for dismantling a pallet includes a feed system configured to convey the pallet along a direction of travel. The feed system has a measuring station and a staging area. The measuring station is configured to obtain dimensions of the pallet. A saw is configured to dismantle the pallet. A manipulator includes a robotic arm. The manipulator is configured to move the pallet from the staging area to the saw for dismantling.
Claims20
A method of dismantling a pallet, comprising the steps of:
- providing a feed system, a manipulator, and a saw configured to dismantle the pallet, the feed system including a measuring station, the manipulator configured to move the pallet from the feed system to the saw for dismantling;
- measuring dimensions of the pallet at the measuring station;
- communicating the dimensions to the manipulator via a controller;
- transferring the pallet from the feed station to the saw using the manipulator;
- and
- guiding the pallet through the saw with the manipulator based upon the dimensions of the pallet to dismantle the pallet into a plurality of deck boards and a plurality of stringers.
3 more elements
A method of dismantling a pallet, comprising the steps of:
- providing a pallet including a pair of parallel spaced apart decks, each of the decks formed from a plurality of deck boards, the pallet including a plurality of stringers extending between the pair of decks;
- providing a feed system, a manipulator, and a saw configured to dismantle the pallet, the manipulator configured to move the pallet from the feed system to the saw for dismantling, the manipulator including an end of arm tool coupled thereto, the end of arm tool configured to support the pallet at the end of the manipulator;
- moving the pallet along the feed system in a direction of travel;
- measuring dimensions of the pallet with at least one sensor;
- communicating the measurements to the manipulator via a controller;
- transferring the pallet from the feed station to the saw using the manipulator;
- and
- guiding the pallet through the saw with the manipulator to separate the plurality of deck boards and the plurality of stringers, wherein the manipulator guides the pallets through the saw based upon the dimensions of the pallet.
5 more elements
A method of dismantling a pallet, comprising the steps of:
- providing a pallet;
- providing a loading area, a feed system configured to convey the pallet thereon in a direction of travel, a manipulator, and a saw configured to dismantle the pallet, the feed system including a flipping station, a measuring station, and a staging station;
- conveying the pallet along the feed system in a direction of travel;
- selectively stopping the pallet at varying positions along the direction of travel with a plurality of gates;
- measuring dimensions of the pallet at the measuring station;
- communicating the dimensions to the manipulator via a controller;
- and
- transferring the pallet from the staging station to the saw using the manipulator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.