US 9,457,474 B1Granted

Opening packages at high speeds using robots

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsGregory Karl Lisso, Jayson Michael Jochim, Jon S. Battles

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Abstract

Conveying systems for transporting sealed containers, such as boxes, may be provided with one or more delta robots configured to cut one or more adhesive tapes or other layers provided on the sealed containers. The delta robots may include one or more blades or other cutting implements on end effectors, which may be repositioned by the delta robots in response to instructions. Such instructions may be generated based on images or imaging data captured from the sealed containers, which may be analyzed to recognize features, locations and orientations of the adhesive tapes or other layers applied across faces, seams or edges of the sealed containers. Using such robots, the sealed containers may be partially or completely opened prior to reaching one or more workers, who may quickly and efficiently access the internal contents of such containers with limited effort.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A conveying system comprising:

an imaging device;
a conveyor defining a direction of travel along an axis, and conveying an object in the direction of travel;
a first delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a first blade provided on a first end effector, wherein the first blade is pointed opposite to the direction of travel along the axis;
a second delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a second blade provided on a second end effector, wherein the second blade is pointed toward the conveyor and perpendicular to the axis;
a third delta robot mounted above the conveyor having a third blade provided on a third end effector, wherein the third blade is pointed in the direction of travel along the axis;
and
a computing device in communication with the imaging device, the conveyor, the first delta robot, the second delta robot and the third delta robot,
wherein the computing device is configured to at least:
capture imaging data regarding the object using the imaging device;
identify at least one adhesive label provided on the object based at least in part on the imaging data;
determine a velocity vector of the at least one adhesive label provided on the object;
generate instructions for causing at least one of the first delta robot, the second delta robot or the third delta robot to position at least one of the first blade, the second blade or the third blade into contact with the at least one adhesive label provided on the object based at least in part on the velocity vector;
and
provide the instructions to the at least one of the first delta robot, the second delta robot or the third delta robot.

11 more elements

A method comprising:

causing at least one conveyor to place an object into motion at a first speed;
capturing imaging data regarding the object using at least one imaging device;
identifying a closing agent provided on at least one surface of the object by at least one computer processor;
determining an elevation of a first portion of the closing agent based at least in part on the imaging data by the at least one computer processor;
determining an orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object by the at least one computer processor, wherein the orientation of the closing agent is determined based at least in part on the imaging data;
generating at least one instruction for causing at least one robot to place at least one cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent based at least in part on the elevation;
providing the at least one instruction to the at least one robot;
and
causing the at least one robot to place the at least one cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent.

6 more elements

A method comprising:

identifying a closing agent provided on at least one surface of an object by at least one computer processor;
determining an orientation of the closing agent on the at least one surface of the object by the at least one computer processor;
causing at least one conveyor to place the object into motion at a first speed;
determining a vector representative of the motion of the object based at least in part on the first speed;
determining a first time at which a first portion of the closing agent will reach a first robot provided above the at least one conveyor based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;
identifying a first position of the first portion of the closing agent at the first time based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;
causing the first robot to place a first cutting implement into contact with at least the first portion of the closing agent in the first position at the first time;
determining a second time at which a second portion of the closing agent will reach a second robot provided above the at least one conveyor based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;
identifying a second position of the second portion of the closing agent at the second time based at least in part on the vector and the orientation;
and
causing the second robot to place a second cutting implement into contact with at least the second portion of the closing agent in the second position at the second time.

8 more elements

A method comprising:

identifying information regarding a sealed box in motion, wherein the sealed box includes at least one adhesive layer thereon, and wherein the at least one adhesive layer includes a first portion crossing at least one edge of the sealed box and a second portion joining at least two flaps of the sealed box;
determining, by at least one computer processor, a vector corresponding to the motion of the sealed box based at least in part on the information regarding the sealed box;
calculating, by the at least one computer processor, a first time at which the first portion of the at least one adhesive layer will arrive at a first delta robot based at least in part on the vector;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, at least one of an elevation of the first portion or a lateral position of the first portion of the at least one adhesive layer at the first time;
positioning, using the first delta robot, a first cutting implement at the elevation of the first portion or the lateral position of the first portion prior to the first time;
calculating, by the at least one computer processor, a second time at which the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer will arrive at a second delta robot based at least in part on the vector;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, at least one of an elevation of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer or a lateral position of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer at the second time;
and
positioning, using the second delta robot, a second cutting implement at the elevation of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer or the lateral position of the second portion of the at least one adhesive layer prior to the second time.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/323,171Filed 3 Jul 2014
Granted: 4 Oct 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

B25J 9/1697
Characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor…:…
B25J 9/0051
With kinematics chains having a rotary joint at the base: with kinematics chains of the type rotary-universal-universal or…
B25J 9/0084
Program-controlled manipulators: comprising a plurality of manipulators
B25J 9/0093
Program-controlled manipulators: co-operating with conveyor means