Programmable reconfigurable parts feeder
AssigneeIntelligent Automation Systems, Inc.
InventorSteven J. Gordon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention comprises a flexible parts feeding system which can feed a large number of different types of parts to a manipulator. The system comprises a vibrating platform, a conveyor belt, a series of guides to assist in positioning and orienting parts, a vision based system for determining the orientation of a part in the staging area, and computer programming for instructing the manipulator to grasp the part if it is properly oriented in the staging area. The vibratory amplitude and speed, the speed of the conveyor belts, the positioning of the guides and the part signature of the vision system are all programmable responsive to the part which is to be fed.
Claims5
A vision-based parts feeding apparatus for feeding parts to a manipulator, said apparatus comprising:
- means for delivering a plurality of parts of a first part type to a vibratory platform,
- said vibratory platform constructed and arranged to randomly disperse said parts by means of vibration,
- conveyor means adjacent said platform for transporting said parts along a path towards a staging area as said parts are dispersed from said platform, said transporting occurring at a substantially higher speed than said dispersing on said vibratory platform,
- guide means disposed along said path of said conveyor means for assisting in separating said parts and orienting said parts, including parts carried on said conveyor means in a single layer, into an orientation suitable for grasping by said manipulator,
- said staging area positioned subsequent to said guide means and comprising means for obtaining image information about a part in the staging area, said part being separated by the feeding apparatus from other parts being fed,
- processing means coupled to said image obtaining means for processing said image information to determine the orientation or identification of said part, and
- means for acting on said part responsive to the information obtained concerning the orientation or identification of said part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.