Patent ID: 8777552
Filing Date: 2014-07-15
Classification: B25J,B65G,B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for forming layered stacks of bundles comprising: providing a gripping appliance coupled to a single movable robotic arm, the gripping appliance comprising a first gripping assembly and a second gripping assembly, wherein the first gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more first bundles in a first stack thereof, said first stack being held at edges of a lowest bundle in said first stack, and the second gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more second bundles in a second stack thereof, said second stack being held at edges of a lowest bundle in said second stack, and wherein the first and second gripping assemblies are configured such that first and second bundles grasped thereby may be reoriented and linearly translated relative to one another, wherein at least one of said first and second gripping assemblies are linearly translatable along said gripping appliance past a midpoint thereof; retrieving from a first location one or more first bundles with the first gripping assembly and one or more second bundles with the second gripping assembly, said first gripping assembly operating with a sufficient force to hold said first bundles while moving said first bundles along a calculated path, and said second gripping assembly operating with a sufficient force to hold said second bundles while moving said second bundles along said calculated path; transporting the first and second bundles to a second location by at least a movement of the single movable robotic arm, wherein during transporting of the first and second bundles, the first and second bundles are reoriented and linearly translated relative to one another; and depositing the first and second bundles at a selected position in the second location to form at least a partial layer of a layered stack of bundles.