US20110293397A1 - End Effector for Picking, Forming, and Inserting U-Shaped Packing Insert - Google Patents
End Effector for Picking, Forming, and Inserting U-Shaped Packing Insert Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20110293397A1 US20110293397A1 US12/786,779 US78677910A US2011293397A1 US 20110293397 A1 US20110293397 A1 US 20110293397A1 US 78677910 A US78677910 A US 78677910A US 2011293397 A1 US2011293397 A1 US 2011293397A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- work product
- vacuum
- tool
- retrievers
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
- B65B5/02—Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J15/00—Gripping heads and other end effectors
- B25J15/0052—Gripping heads and other end effectors multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J15/00—Gripping heads and other end effectors
- B25J15/02—Gripping heads and other end effectors servo-actuated
- B25J15/0206—Gripping heads and other end effectors servo-actuated comprising articulated grippers
- B25J15/024—Gripping heads and other end effectors servo-actuated comprising articulated grippers having fingers directly connected to actuator
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J15/00—Gripping heads and other end effectors
- B25J15/06—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means
- B25J15/0616—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means with vacuum
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
- B65B25/16—Packaging bread or like bakery products, e.g. unsliced loaves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B41/00—Supplying or feeding container-forming sheets or wrapping material
- B65B41/02—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks
- B65B41/04—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers
- B65B41/06—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers by suction-operated grippers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
- B65B43/24—Breaking creases to facilitate setting-up cartons
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
- B65B5/06—Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
- B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
- B65B5/105—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by grippers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
- B65B61/20—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents
- B65B61/207—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents for inserting partitions between package contents
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
- B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
- B66C1/02—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by suction means
- B66C1/0237—Multiple lifting units; More than one suction area
- B66C1/0243—Separate cups
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
- B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
- B66C1/10—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
- B66C1/42—Gripping members engaging only the external or internal surfaces of the articles
- B66C1/58—Gripping members engaging only the external or internal surfaces of the articles and deforming the articles, e.g. by using gripping members such as tongs or grapples
Definitions
- the present disclosure concerns a robotic packaging apparatus and method, including an end effector for picking a work product, bending the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product to form a U-shape, and placing the U-shaped product in a container.
- packing inserts may be used in containers for protecting food products, products that comprise fragile goods or soft goods like bread, or other products that might become damaged by the weight of an upper layer of goods bearing down on a lower layer of goods.
- a packing insert might be an inverted U-shaped cardboard sheet having an intermediate portion that is to be placed over the goods and facing the opening of the shipping container and opposed lateral sides bent downwardly to form the inverted U-shape.
- the lower layer of goods will be placed in the shipping container before the packing insert is placed in the container.
- the downwardly extending lateral sides of the packing insert will be telescopically tucked into the container adjacent the opposite side walls of the container, between the side walls and the goods in the container, until the lateral sides of the packing insert extend down into engagement with the bottom of the container and the intermediate portion of the packing insert extends across the top of the goods in the shipping container.
- the lateral sides of the packing insert provide support for the intermediate portion of the packing insert that extends over the lower layer of the goods.
- the intermediate portion of the packing insert functions to support the upper layer of goods.
- the U-shaped packing insert may also rigidify the shipping container so that several shipping containers may be stacked upon one another without damage to the containers and the goods in the containers. This also helps to protect the container from penetration by sharp objects, thereby assuring safer delivery to the customer.
- the panel that forms the U-shaped packing insert which in this instance is considered to be the “work product”
- this disclosure concerns an end of arm tool for a robot that includes a dual function of placement of goods in a shipping container, followed by picking, forming and placing the protective packing insert that extends about and over the goods in the shipping container.
- the packing insert may be a generally flat work product, such as that described above, comprising a cardboard sheet that includes an intermediate portion of the work product, and the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product that are bent to form the inverted U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product.
- the end of arm tool picks the work product from a supply, forms the work product into a U-shape and then places the U-shaped work product in the shipping container over the goods packed in the container.
- the opposite parallel ends of the work product are tucked internally of the shipping container adjacent the opposite side walls of the shipping container so that the work product extends about the goods in the shipping container.
- the method and apparatus disclosed herein provide for continual repetitive operation of an end of arm tool.
- This may comprise a first step of picking and placing a pattern of goods in the shipping container that form a lower layer of goods.
- a second step may comprise a sequence of picking the work product, folding the work product into an inverted U-shape, introducing the work product into the shipping container with the lateral sides of the work product aligned with the outer boundaries of the first layer of goods in the shipping container, and withdrawing the tool from the work product and shipping container while maintaining the work product in its position during the withdrawal movements.
- the process may further include a third step of picking and placing a second pattern of goods in the shipping container on the intermediate portion of the work product, to form an upper layer of goods in the shipping container.
- the weight of the upper level of goods tends to urge the work product downwardly in the shipping container until the lateral sides of the work product engage and become supported by the bottom wall of the container.
- the tool that is placed at the end of an arm of a robot may include a vacuum plenum housing with at least one vacuum retriever extending down from the vacuum plenum housing for engaging and picking the work products.
- the vacuum retriever may be suction cups or suction bellows that contact and adhere to the goods that are to be packed in the shipping container.
- the same vacuum retrievers may be used for engaging and picking the intermediate portion of the work product so that it may lift the work product away from a supply of the work products, and move the work product from the supply toward the shipping containers.
- the tool may include a pair of forming arms that are used to engage and fold the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product into an inverted U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product.
- the forming arms may also be used in the procedure of picking and packing the goods into the container by urging the goods in a compact configuration that best fits in the shipping container.
- the forming arms may include proximal ends that are pivotally supported adjacent the vacuum plenum housing and distal ends that are pivoted from the level above the vacuum retrievers to a downwardly, substantially parallel arrangement during which time the forming arms engage the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product and bend them into a U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product.
- the forming arms may include an obtuse angle adjacent their distal ends for the purpose of tucking the distal ends of the lateral sides of the work product into the shipping container.
- the tool may also include a discharge means that is moveable between the packing positions out of the way of the vacuum retriever and then to distended positions in which they engage the intermediate portion of the work product after the folded lateral sides of the work product have been at least partially tucked into the sides of the shipping container. This pushes the work product on into the container as the vacuum is released from the vacuum retriever. This allows separation between the vacuum retriever and the intermediate portion of the work product, leaving the work product behind and positioned inside the shipping container as the tool withdraws from the shipping container to begin a repeat cycle of its operations.
- FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the sequence of placing a pattern of goods in a shipping container.
- FIGS. 4-10 illustrate the sequence of picking and forming the work product, inserting the product divider over the pattern of goods in the shipping container, and then withdrawing from the shipping container.
- FIGS. 11-14 illustrate the sequence of placing another layer of goods in the container that are separated by the product divider from the original layer of products.
- FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the sequence of placing goods A in a shipping container 8 , in which the end of arm tool 10 has picked the goods, such as loaves of bread that are soft and are likely to be damaged by applying the weight of other loaves stacked on them and has moved the goods over the shipping container 8 ( FIG. 1 ).
- the tool 10 is lowered ( FIG. 2 ) to place the goods A on the bottom of the container, and then raised to leave the goods in the shipping container ( FIG. 3 ).
- This is conventional in the art.
- FIGS. 4-10 illustrate the sequence of picking and forming the work product, inserting the work product in the shipping container, and then withdrawing from the shipping container.
- FIG. 4 illustrates the side view of an end of arm tool 10 that is connected to the arm of a robot 12 .
- the robot arm 12 is shown in FIG. 4 as holding the end of arm tool 10 in engagement with the work product 1 that may be a single layer of the work product or the top work product on a vertical stack 2 of such products.
- the tool 10 is to pick a work product 1 and form the work product into an inverted U-shape ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ).
- the work product is then inserted into a shipping container 8 ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) containing the goods A.
- the work product may have score lines 6 and 7 ( FIGS. 4-6 ) that divide the work product into the intermediate portion 3 and side portions 4 and 5 .
- the work product may be folded at its score lines as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 so that its side portions 4 and 5 may be tucked into the shipping container between the vertical side walls of the shipping container 8 .
- the work product does not have to be fully inserted about the goods A but should be aligned with the space below that is between the goods A and side walls of the shipping container.
- the tool 10 includes a mast 14 connected to the robot arm 12 and a tool support 16 connected to the mast 14 .
- Housing 18 is supported by tool support 16 and defines a vacuum plenum housing 20 , and a source of vacuum such as the inlet of as a compressor (not shown) is connected to housing 18 to draw reduced air pressure within the vacuum plenum housing in a conventional manner.
- the tool support 16 may be formed as part of the housing 18 , if desired.
- Housing 18 includes a bottom wall 22 and a plurality of openings 24 are formed in the bottom wall.
- Vacuum retrievers 26 extend downwardly from the downwardly facing surface of the bottom wall 22 in communication with the openings 24 . In this manner, the reduced air pressure of vacuum plenum housing 20 is applied to each vacuum retriever 26 . Valves (not shown) are used to regulate the vacuum applied to each vacuum retriever 26 . Vacuum retrievers and valves suitable for this use are disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,964 and in my patent application Ser. No. 12/763,242, the disclosures of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
- Forming arms 30 and 31 are pivotally mounted to opposite sides of the upper portion of the housing 18 , above the vacuum retrievers 26 , by hinge pins 34 and 35 , respectively.
- the forming arms may be identical in construction and each includes a proximal end portion 36 on the upper side of its hinge pin and a distal end portion 38 on the other side of its hinge pin.
- the distal end or tip 40 of each forming arm 30 , 31 extends at an obtuse angle 41 , forming a slight bend in the length of the distal end portion 38 of the forming arms 30 , 31 .
- the forming arms are moveable in arcs indicated by the double-headed arrows 44 of FIG. 6 for folding the side portions 4 and 5 with respect to the intermediate portion 3 of the work product 1 at the score lines 6 and 7 .
- Fluid actuated cylinders 46 and 48 are supported over the vacuum plenum housing 20 , with a support bracket 50 extending from the tool support 16 on opposite sides of the housing 18 .
- Pistons 52 and 53 extend from the cylinders and are connected to the distal end portions 36 of the forming arms 30 and 31 .
- the forming arms 30 and 31 are tilted in a downward direction as indicated by the arrows 44 of FIGS. 1 and 3 , to substantially parallel positions as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 .
- the vacuum retrievers 26 move back from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 4 shows the end of arm tool 10 suspended over the work product 1
- FIG. 5 shows the tool in engagement with the generally flat work product 1 , with the vacuum retrievers 26 in full engagement with the work product 1 and with the low air pressure in the vacuum plenum housing 20 in direct communication with the work product 1 .
- This connects the vacuum retrievers to the intermediate portion of the work product so that the work product will be picked by the tool 10 .
- the work product 1 may be a single work product or the top work product in a vertical stack 2 of the products.
- the vacuum is applied by the tool only to the top work product so that when the tool is lifted from the stack of work products, only the top work product will be lifted, as shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 6 shows the end of arm tool 10 after it has engaged the work product 1 , has lifted the work product away from the stack of work products, and is beginning the movement toward a shipping container 8 shown in FIG. 8 .
- Shipping container 8 typically is a rectangular box formed of corrugated cardboard having lids 60 and 61 extending upwardly from side walls 64 and 65 .
- the lid flaps are open so as to expose the upper opening of the shipping container.
- the shipping container will have been previously filled with the products B that are to be stored and/or shipped, typically with the products substantially filling the bottom half of the container 8 .
- fluid actuated cylinders such as pneumatic cylinders 46 and 48 begin to tilt the forming arms 30 and 31 as shown by arrows 44 of FIG. 6 .
- the forming arms When the forming arms are tilted to the extent shown in FIG. 6 , they become engaged with the lateral sides 4 and 5 of the work product 1 , bending the lateral sides 4 and 5 in the directions as indicated by arrows 62 and 63 , from a horizontal attitude toward a vertical attitude shown in FIG. 7 .
- the work products may have score lines such as score lines 6 and 7 to create accurate folding of the lateral side portions of the work products.
- the tip ends 40 of the forming arms 30 and 31 are formed at an obtuse angle 41 so that when the forming arms reach their approximately vertical positions, the tip ends 40 are angled toward each other. This allows the forming arms 30 and 31 to have the ability to push against the oppositely extending lateral sides 4 and 5 of the work product when the upper portions of the forming arms straddle the intermediate portion 3 of the work product 1 at the obtuse angle 41 .
- FIG. 7 shows the end of arm tool 10 after it has formed the work product in its desired position, ready for insertion in the shipping container.
- the tool and its work product will be in this configuration when the end of arm tool is positioned over the shipping container, ready to insert the work product into the shipping container.
- the end of arm tool 10 and its work product 1 will be positioned directly over the shipping container 8 , and the tool will be lowered as shown in FIG. 8 so that the lateral sides 4 and 5 of the work product will be accurately aligned just inside the container side walls 64 and 65 , respectively.
- the forming arms 30 and 31 will guide the lateral side portions 4 and 5 into a tucked relationship just inside the side walls 64 and 65 of the shipping container, aligned between the goods A and the adjacent side walls 64 and 65 of the shipping container 8 , as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 .
- the intermediate portion 3 of the work product is oriented horizontally and will come to rest at the entrance opening of the product container 8 .
- the vacuum retrievers will release their vacuum that is applied to the work product and the vacuum retrievers are no longer attached to the work product and the end of arm tool 10 is ready to begin to move upwardly to withdraw from the product container 8 .
- the end of arm tool 10 may leave the work product at a level in the shipping container with the lateral sides fully inserted about the sides of the goods A or only partially inserted as shown in FIGS. 9-11 where they are aligned with the space between the goods A and the sidewalls of the shipping container 8 .
- evacuation cylinders 66 and 67 include piston rods 68 and 69 that distend downwardly for urging against the upwardly facing horizontal surface of the intermediate portion 3 of the work product 1 .
- the evacuation cylinders and/or their piston rods may extend through the housing 18 so that the piston rods are positioned in the array of vacuum retrievers 26 in the vicinity of the intermediate portion 3 of the work product 1 .
- the piston rods 68 and 69 of evacuation cylinders 66 and 67 ( FIG. 9 ) are distended and engage the upwardly facing horizontal surface of the intermediate portion 3 of the work product 1 , tending to push the work product further into the product container 8 as the forming arms 30 and 31 begin to withdraw from adjacent the side walls 64 and 65 of the product container 8 .
- this function applies a downward force to the work product and assures that the work product is properly inserted into the product container.
- evacuation cylinders 66 and 67 and their respective piston rods 68 and 69 While only two evacuation cylinders 66 and 67 and their respective piston rods 68 and 69 are illustrated, other evacuation means, such as four cylinders and their respective piston rods may be used in a rectangular array for urging the work product into the shipping container 8 .
- the evacuation cylinders and their respective piston rods function as discharge means that may be supported by the tool support for urging the U-shaped work product away from the vacuum retrievers and for urging the side portions of the work product into the container.
- another level of goods B may be placed on the top of the work product that extends over the first level of goods A, as shown in FIGS. 11-14 .
- the weight of the on coming second level of goods will push the work product down toward the upper surfaces of the goods A, but the lateral sides of the work product are dimensioned to engage the bottom of the shipping container as the intermediate portion of the work product approaches the lower level of the goods A, as shown in FIG. 14 . This avoids the weight of the goods in the upper level of goods B from bearing on the goods A in the lower level.
Abstract
End of arm tool (10) is used to load goods A and B in two layers in a packing container (8), with a packing insert positioned between the layers. The tool (10) also grasps a packing insert in the form of a flat sheet, bends the ends of the packing sheet downwardly to form an inverted U shape, and then inserts the packing insert in a straddling relationship about the lower layer of goods A, to protect the lower layer of goods from the weight applied by the upper layer of goods.
Description
- The present disclosure concerns a robotic packaging apparatus and method, including an end effector for picking a work product, bending the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product to form a U-shape, and placing the U-shaped product in a container.
- In the packing of goods in multiple levels in a box or other shipping container, it may be desirable to have a packing insert placed in the shipping container that extends between levels of the goods in the container to avoid the weight of the goods in an upper level from bearing against the goods below. This also tends to strengthen the container when several of the containers are stacked one upon another. For example, packing inserts may be used in containers for protecting food products, products that comprise fragile goods or soft goods like bread, or other products that might become damaged by the weight of an upper layer of goods bearing down on a lower layer of goods.
- One form of a packing insert might be an inverted U-shaped cardboard sheet having an intermediate portion that is to be placed over the goods and facing the opening of the shipping container and opposed lateral sides bent downwardly to form the inverted U-shape. The lower layer of goods will be placed in the shipping container before the packing insert is placed in the container. The downwardly extending lateral sides of the packing insert will be telescopically tucked into the container adjacent the opposite side walls of the container, between the side walls and the goods in the container, until the lateral sides of the packing insert extend down into engagement with the bottom of the container and the intermediate portion of the packing insert extends across the top of the goods in the shipping container. The lateral sides of the packing insert provide support for the intermediate portion of the packing insert that extends over the lower layer of the goods. The intermediate portion of the packing insert functions to support the upper layer of goods.
- The U-shaped packing insert may also rigidify the shipping container so that several shipping containers may be stacked upon one another without damage to the containers and the goods in the containers. This also helps to protect the container from penetration by sharp objects, thereby assuring safer delivery to the customer.
- Generally, the panel that forms the U-shaped packing insert, which in this instance is considered to be the “work product”, may include score lines that assist in folding the panel into the correct proportions that correspond to the proportions of the container and the goods in the container. While the use of score lines on the panels assist in forming the panel into a U-shape, it is still burdensome for the panels to be properly bent and inserted into the containers by hand in a large volume continuous packing operation.
- Accordingly, this disclosure concerns an end of arm tool for a robot that includes a dual function of placement of goods in a shipping container, followed by picking, forming and placing the protective packing insert that extends about and over the goods in the shipping container.
- The packing insert may be a generally flat work product, such as that described above, comprising a cardboard sheet that includes an intermediate portion of the work product, and the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product that are bent to form the inverted U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product. The end of arm tool picks the work product from a supply, forms the work product into a U-shape and then places the U-shaped work product in the shipping container over the goods packed in the container. The opposite parallel ends of the work product are tucked internally of the shipping container adjacent the opposite side walls of the shipping container so that the work product extends about the goods in the shipping container.
- The method and apparatus disclosed herein provide for continual repetitive operation of an end of arm tool. This may comprise a first step of picking and placing a pattern of goods in the shipping container that form a lower layer of goods. A second step may comprise a sequence of picking the work product, folding the work product into an inverted U-shape, introducing the work product into the shipping container with the lateral sides of the work product aligned with the outer boundaries of the first layer of goods in the shipping container, and withdrawing the tool from the work product and shipping container while maintaining the work product in its position during the withdrawal movements.
- The process may further include a third step of picking and placing a second pattern of goods in the shipping container on the intermediate portion of the work product, to form an upper layer of goods in the shipping container. The weight of the upper level of goods tends to urge the work product downwardly in the shipping container until the lateral sides of the work product engage and become supported by the bottom wall of the container.
- All of these steps are to be done in rapid and accurate movements, automatically and efficiently in a minimum amount of time.
- The tool that is placed at the end of an arm of a robot may include a vacuum plenum housing with at least one vacuum retriever extending down from the vacuum plenum housing for engaging and picking the work products. The vacuum retriever may be suction cups or suction bellows that contact and adhere to the goods that are to be packed in the shipping container. The same vacuum retrievers may be used for engaging and picking the intermediate portion of the work product so that it may lift the work product away from a supply of the work products, and move the work product from the supply toward the shipping containers.
- The tool may include a pair of forming arms that are used to engage and fold the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product into an inverted U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product. The forming arms may also be used in the procedure of picking and packing the goods into the container by urging the goods in a compact configuration that best fits in the shipping container.
- The forming arms may include proximal ends that are pivotally supported adjacent the vacuum plenum housing and distal ends that are pivoted from the level above the vacuum retrievers to a downwardly, substantially parallel arrangement during which time the forming arms engage the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product and bend them into a U-shape with respect to the intermediate portion of the work product.
- The forming arms may include an obtuse angle adjacent their distal ends for the purpose of tucking the distal ends of the lateral sides of the work product into the shipping container.
- The tool may also include a discharge means that is moveable between the packing positions out of the way of the vacuum retriever and then to distended positions in which they engage the intermediate portion of the work product after the folded lateral sides of the work product have been at least partially tucked into the sides of the shipping container. This pushes the work product on into the container as the vacuum is released from the vacuum retriever. This allows separation between the vacuum retriever and the intermediate portion of the work product, leaving the work product behind and positioned inside the shipping container as the tool withdraws from the shipping container to begin a repeat cycle of its operations.
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FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the sequence of placing a pattern of goods in a shipping container. -
FIGS. 4-10 illustrate the sequence of picking and forming the work product, inserting the product divider over the pattern of goods in the shipping container, and then withdrawing from the shipping container. -
FIGS. 11-14 illustrate the sequence of placing another layer of goods in the container that are separated by the product divider from the original layer of products. - Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the sequence of placing goods A in ashipping container 8, in which the end ofarm tool 10 has picked the goods, such as loaves of bread that are soft and are likely to be damaged by applying the weight of other loaves stacked on them and has moved the goods over the shipping container 8 (FIG. 1 ). Thetool 10 is lowered (FIG. 2 ) to place the goods A on the bottom of the container, and then raised to leave the goods in the shipping container (FIG. 3 ). This is conventional in the art. -
FIGS. 4-10 illustrate the sequence of picking and forming the work product, inserting the work product in the shipping container, and then withdrawing from the shipping container. -
FIG. 4 illustrates the side view of an end ofarm tool 10 that is connected to the arm of a robot 12. The robot arm 12 is shown inFIG. 4 as holding the end ofarm tool 10 in engagement with thework product 1 that may be a single layer of the work product or the top work product on avertical stack 2 of such products. Thetool 10 is to pick awork product 1 and form the work product into an inverted U-shape (FIGS. 6 and 7 ). The work product is then inserted into a shipping container 8 (FIGS. 8 and 9 ) containing the goods A. The work product may havescore lines 6 and 7 (FIGS. 4-6 ) that divide the work product into theintermediate portion 3 andside portions FIGS. 6 and 7 so that itsside portions shipping container 8. At this stage of the process, the work product does not have to be fully inserted about the goods A but should be aligned with the space below that is between the goods A and side walls of the shipping container. - The
tool 10 includes amast 14 connected to the robot arm 12 and atool support 16 connected to themast 14.Housing 18 is supported bytool support 16 and defines avacuum plenum housing 20, and a source of vacuum such as the inlet of as a compressor (not shown) is connected tohousing 18 to draw reduced air pressure within the vacuum plenum housing in a conventional manner. Thetool support 16 may be formed as part of thehousing 18, if desired. -
Housing 18 includes abottom wall 22 and a plurality ofopenings 24 are formed in the bottom wall.Vacuum retrievers 26 extend downwardly from the downwardly facing surface of thebottom wall 22 in communication with theopenings 24. In this manner, the reduced air pressure ofvacuum plenum housing 20 is applied to eachvacuum retriever 26. Valves (not shown) are used to regulate the vacuum applied to eachvacuum retriever 26. Vacuum retrievers and valves suitable for this use are disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,964 and in my patent application Ser. No. 12/763,242, the disclosures of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. - Forming
arms housing 18, above thevacuum retrievers 26, byhinge pins proximal end portion 36 on the upper side of its hinge pin and adistal end portion 38 on the other side of its hinge pin. The distal end ortip 40 of each formingarm obtuse angle 41, forming a slight bend in the length of thedistal end portion 38 of the formingarms - With this arrangement, the forming arms are moveable in arcs indicated by the double-headed
arrows 44 ofFIG. 6 for folding theside portions intermediate portion 3 of thework product 1 at thescore lines - Fluid actuated
cylinders vacuum plenum housing 20, with asupport bracket 50 extending from thetool support 16 on opposite sides of thehousing 18.Pistons distal end portions 36 of the formingarms pistons arms arrows 44 ofFIGS. 1 and 3 , to substantially parallel positions as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 . Likewise, when the pistons are retracted into their respective fluid actuatedcylinders vacuum retrievers 26 move back from the position shown inFIG. 7 to the position shown inFIG. 4 . - While
FIG. 4 shows the end ofarm tool 10 suspended over thework product 1,FIG. 5 shows the tool in engagement with the generallyflat work product 1, with thevacuum retrievers 26 in full engagement with thework product 1 and with the low air pressure in thevacuum plenum housing 20 in direct communication with thework product 1. This connects the vacuum retrievers to the intermediate portion of the work product so that the work product will be picked by thetool 10. Thework product 1 may be a single work product or the top work product in avertical stack 2 of the products. The vacuum is applied by the tool only to the top work product so that when the tool is lifted from the stack of work products, only the top work product will be lifted, as shown inFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 6 shows the end ofarm tool 10 after it has engaged thework product 1, has lifted the work product away from the stack of work products, and is beginning the movement toward ashipping container 8 shown inFIG. 8 . -
Shipping container 8 typically is a rectangular box formed of corrugated cardboard having lids 60 and 61 extending upwardly fromside walls container 8. - As shown in
FIG. 6 , as the end ofarm tool 10 moves from the stack ofwork products 1 toward theshipping container 8, fluid actuated cylinders such aspneumatic cylinders arms arrows 44 ofFIG. 6 . When the forming arms are tilted to the extent shown inFIG. 6 , they become engaged with thelateral sides work product 1, bending thelateral sides arrows FIG. 7 . The work products may have score lines such asscore lines arms vacuum retrievers 26 to a level below thevacuum retrievers 26, reaching thelateral side portions work product 1 and folding theside portions FIG. 7 . - As shown in
FIG. 7 , the tip ends 40 of the formingarms obtuse angle 41 so that when the forming arms reach their approximately vertical positions, the tip ends 40 are angled toward each other. This allows the formingarms lateral sides intermediate portion 3 of thework product 1 at theobtuse angle 41. -
FIG. 7 shows the end ofarm tool 10 after it has formed the work product in its desired position, ready for insertion in the shipping container. The tool and its work product will be in this configuration when the end of arm tool is positioned over the shipping container, ready to insert the work product into the shipping container. - The end of
arm tool 10 and itswork product 1 will be positioned directly over theshipping container 8, and the tool will be lowered as shown inFIG. 8 so that thelateral sides container side walls arms lateral side portions side walls adjacent side walls shipping container 8, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 . Theintermediate portion 3 of the work product is oriented horizontally and will come to rest at the entrance opening of theproduct container 8. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , once thework product 1 has been aligned with theshipping container 8, the vacuum retrievers will release their vacuum that is applied to the work product and the vacuum retrievers are no longer attached to the work product and the end ofarm tool 10 is ready to begin to move upwardly to withdraw from theproduct container 8. - The end of
arm tool 10 may leave the work product at a level in the shipping container with the lateral sides fully inserted about the sides of the goods A or only partially inserted as shown inFIGS. 9-11 where they are aligned with the space between the goods A and the sidewalls of theshipping container 8. - As shown in
FIGS. 7 and 9 ,evacuation cylinders piston rods intermediate portion 3 of thework product 1. The evacuation cylinders and/or their piston rods may extend through thehousing 18 so that the piston rods are positioned in the array ofvacuum retrievers 26 in the vicinity of theintermediate portion 3 of thework product 1. - In order to make sure that the
work product 1 is inserted into thecontainer 8 to the proper depth, thepiston rods evacuation cylinders 66 and 67 (FIG. 9 ) are distended and engage the upwardly facing horizontal surface of theintermediate portion 3 of thework product 1, tending to push the work product further into theproduct container 8 as the formingarms side walls product container 8. This assures that the action of withdrawing the formingarms work product 1 out of theproduct container 8 during withdrawal. Also, this function applies a downward force to the work product and assures that the work product is properly inserted into the product container. - After the work product has been properly placed within the
product container 8 over goods A as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10 , the end ofarm tool 10 will move away from the product container, back to retrieve another group of goods B. In the meantime, thepiston rods respective evacuation cylinders arms FIGS. 4 and 5 back to their original positions such as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 . - While only two
evacuation cylinders respective piston rods shipping container 8. Thus, the evacuation cylinders and their respective piston rods function as discharge means that may be supported by the tool support for urging the U-shaped work product away from the vacuum retrievers and for urging the side portions of the work product into the container. - By using the same procedures, another level of goods B may be placed on the top of the work product that extends over the first level of goods A, as shown in
FIGS. 11-14 . The weight of the on coming second level of goods will push the work product down toward the upper surfaces of the goods A, but the lateral sides of the work product are dimensioned to engage the bottom of the shipping container as the intermediate portion of the work product approaches the lower level of the goods A, as shown inFIG. 14 . This avoids the weight of the goods in the upper level of goods B from bearing on the goods A in the lower level. - Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiment can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims (23)
1. An end of arm tool for mounting to the end of an arm of a robot, for picking a generally flat work product at an intermediate portion of the work product, bending the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product into a U-shape with respect to said intermediate portion of the work product, and placing the U-shaped product in a container, said end of arm tool comprising:
a tool support,
a vacuum plenum housing supported by said tool support,
at least one vacuum retriever extending downwardly from said vacuum plenum housing for engaging the work product,
a pair of forming arms each including proximal end portions pivotally supported at a level above said vacuum retriever and distal end portions on opposite sides of said vacuum retriever and pivotal from positions above said vacuum retriever and out of engagement with the work product to substantially parallel positions extending below said vacuum retriever for engaging and bending the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product into a U-shape.
2. The end of arm tool of claim 1 , wherein said vacuum retriever comprises a plurality of suction cups suspended in a downward direction.
3. The end of arm tool of claim 1 , and further including discharge means movable between retracted positions at a level of said vacuum retriever to distended positions below said vacuum retriever for urging the U-shaped work product away from said vacuum retriever and for urging the lateral sides of the work product into the container.
4. The end of arm tool of claim 1 , wherein the work product to be picked includes score lines dividing said work product into the intermediate portion and the oppositely extending lateral sides, and said vacuum retriever of said end of arm tool being arranged to engage the intermediate portion and said forming arms arranged to engage and bend the oppositely extending lateral sides of the work product about the score lines.
5. The end of arm tool of claim 1 , wherein the container includes upwardly and outwardly sloped closure flaps, and said pair of forming arms are configured to tuck the oppositely extending lateral sides of said work product downwardly between said closure flaps.
6. A tool for picking a generally flat work product, the work product including an intermediate portion and oppositely extending side portions, and for bending the work product into a U-shape, and for placing the opposite side portions into a container, said tool comprising
a tool support,
a plurality of vacuum retrievers suspended by said tool support for picking the intermediate portion of the work product,
a pair of forming arms mounted to said tool support including distal ends movable from retracted positions at said vacuum retrievers to extended positions on opposite sides of and lower than said vacuum retrievers for engaging and bending the side portions of the work product to form the work product into a U-shape, and
discharge means supported by said tool support for urging the U-shaped work product away from said vacuum retrievers.
7. The tool of claim 6 , wherein said pair of forming arms include proximal ends pivotally supported by said tool support at a level above said plurality of vacuum retrievers and distal ends pivotal from outwardly extending positions above said vacuum retrievers and out of engagement with the work product to positions extending below said vacuum retrievers for engaging and bending the oppositely extending portions of the work product.
8. The tool of claim 6 , wherein the generally flat work product includes score lines between said intermediate portion and oppositely extending side portions, and said pair of forming arms configured to engage the oppositely extending side portions and bend the side portions about the score lines of the work product.
9. The tool of claim 6 , wherein the forming arms of said pair of forming arms each comprise distal ends pivotal from positions out of engagement with the work product to positions extending below said vacuum retrievers for engaging and bending the portions of the work product extending laterally from said vacuum retrievers.
10. The tool of claim 6 , wherein said tool is mounted to the end of an arm of a robot.
11. The tool of claim 6 , wherein said discharge means includes pusher means movable from the level of said vacuum retrievers downwardly from said vacuum retrievers into engagement with the work product for pushing the work product away from the vacuum retrievers.
12. The tool of claim 6 wherein said discharge means comprises fluid actuated cylinders that distend piston rods against the work product.
13. The tool of claim 6 wherein said forming arms of said pair of forming arms each include an elongated proximal end and an elongated distal end, with the distal end forming an obtuse angle for tucking the oppositely extending side portions of the work product into the container when said forming arms straddle the intermediate portion of the work product.
14. The tool of claim 6 , wherein said discharge means comprises pusher means supported by said tool support movable between retracted positions at a level of said vacuum retrievers to distended positions below said vacuum retrievers.
15. The tool of claim 6 and further including power means carried by said tool support and operably connected to said forming arms to tilt the distal ends of said forming arms toward each other and into bending engagement with the side portions of said work product.
16. The tool of claim 15 , wherein said power means comprises fluid operated cylinders mounted on said tool support.
17. A tool for picking a generally flat work product, the work product including an intermediate portion and oppositely extending side portions, and for bending the work product into a U-shape, and for placing the opposite side portions into a container, said tool comprising
a plurality of vacuum retrievers for picking the intermediate portion the work product,
a pair of forming arms including distal ends movable from retracted positions at said vacuum retrievers to extended positions on opposite sides of and lower than said vacuum retrievers for engaging and bending the side portions of the work product to form the work product into a U-shape, and
discharge means for urging the intermediate portion of the U-shaped work product away from said vacuum retrievers.
18. The tool of claim 17 , wherein said discharge means is positioned among said plurality of vacuum retrievers.
19. The tool of claim 17 , wherein said discharge means comprises at least one fluid operated cylinder and piston rod, said piston rod movable intermediate said vacuum retrievers downwardly into engagement with the intermediate portion of the U-shaped work product.
20. The tool of claim 19 , wherein said at least one fluid operated cylinder comprises a plurality of fluid operated cylinders.
21. The tool of claim 17 , and further including a vacuum plenum housing, said vacuum retrievers in fluid communication with said vacuum plenum housing.
22. A method of inserting a work product into a container using the tool of claim 17 , comprising
applying said tool to a substantially flat work product,
grasping an intermediate portion of the work product with said vacuum retrievers and moving the work product over an open top container,
folding the opposed side portions of the work product with said pair of forming arms to form the work product into an inverted U shape with the side portions of the work product extending downwardly,
moving the work product downwardly and as the work product moves downwardly inserting the folded side portions of the work product into the container until the intermediate portion of the work product is substantially even with the opening of the container,
lifting said tool away from the container, and
as said tool is lifted away from the container releasing said vacuum retrievers from the work product, and
pushing said discharge means against the work product to maintain the work product in the container.
23. A method of placing a divider over the goods in a shipping container, comprising:
bending with an end of arm tool the divider into an inverted U-shape including an intermediate portion and lateral end portions,
placing with the end of arm tool the divider over the shipping container with the intermediate portion of the divider extending over the goods in the shipping container and the lateral end portions of the divider directed downwardly between the goods and the vertical sides of the shipping container,
pushing with fluid actuated evacuating means extended from the end of arm tool against the intermediate portion of the divider to move the divider into the container.
Priority Applications (2)
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US12/786,779 US20110293397A1 (en) | 2010-05-25 | 2010-05-25 | End Effector for Picking, Forming, and Inserting U-Shaped Packing Insert |
US13/868,322 US9156570B2 (en) | 2010-05-25 | 2013-04-23 | Method of forming U-shaped insert and inserting about goods in container |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US12/786,779 US20110293397A1 (en) | 2010-05-25 | 2010-05-25 | End Effector for Picking, Forming, and Inserting U-Shaped Packing Insert |
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