US 7,114,462 B2 · Automated cage cleaning apparatus and method

Abstract

The automated cage cleaning system is comprised of a pair of robotic arms, a soil side robot and a clean side robot. The soil side robot is utilized for removing the dirty cage bottoms from a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture, emptying soiled bedding from the cage bottoms, and placing the cage bottoms on a conveyer leading to the tunnel washing equipment. The clean side robot is used to grip the clean cage bottoms, and place the cage bottoms on a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture. Additionally, the present invention comprises an optical arranger robot with vision processing for detecting, and moving skewed cage bottoms to a re-grip station. From the re-grip station, the clean side robot places the cage bottoms on a rack, pallet, fixture, or any other device suitable for holding a plurality of cage bottoms.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cleaning animal cage components comprising:

a soil side robot having a robotic arm assembly for removing soiled bedding from at least one of said cage components, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a tunnel conveyer for advancing said at least one of said cage components through a tunnel washing system;
an optical arranger robot system for detecting said at least one of said cage components exiting said tunnel washing system, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a re-grip station;
a clean side robot for removing said at least one of said cage components from said re-grip station, and placing said at least one of said cage components on a rack, pallet, or fixture;
and
said soil side robot has a robotic arm assembly having a base slidably mounted and attached to a substantially horizontal track on a stationary mounting section.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated cage cleaning apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Automated cage cleaning apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20