Abstract:
Cable manager  30  is positioned between the distal end of a robot arm  16  and the robot end effector  18 . Elongated cable carrier  44  positioned in a circular cable track  34  extends in an arc about the axis of connection  17  between the robot arm and the end effector. One end  56  of the cable carrier moves with the robot arm and the other end  54  moves with the end effector. The cable carrier forms a U-shape  60  between its ends so that the movements of the ends of the cable carrier result in the U-shape accommodating the change in distance between the ends of the utility line and the cable carrier. Utility lines  62  are gathered in one or more cables that extend through the cable carrier to provide the end effector with the controls necessary for its operation.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure concerns a robotic packaging apparatus having a vacuum actuated end of arm effector for collecting work products of different shapes and sizes in different patterns for delivery to a receptacle, such as to a shipping container. More particularly, this disclosure concerns a cable management system for controlling and aligning the utility lines such as vacuum conduits, air lines, electrical and sensor cables, that extend between an articulated robot arm and the attached rotating and multi-axis moving vacuum head, known as an end of arm effector (hereinafter “end effector”). The cable management system reduces twisting, breaking, wear and the fatigue on the utility lines connected between the robotic arm and the end effector. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    In robotic packaging operations, a producer might desire to ship work products in shipping containers of a standard shape and size. Robots might be used for performing the packing of the goods in the containers. The shape and size of the individual work products might be different from one job to the next. In order to ship different size and shape work products in standard size containers the robot is likely to be required to turn the end effector with respect to the robot arm to collect the work products in a certain “pick pattern” of work products on the face of the end effector that corresponds to the shape and size of the standard container. 
         [0003]    For example, in the bakery industry a producer typically will produce several sizes of loaves of bread from time to time and have one size and shape container in which the producer ships the products. The different size loaves might fit best in the standard container when configured in different arrangements or pick patterns than other sized loaves. A robot may be used to pick up the loaves from a line of the loaves by using multiple picks, by rotating and tilting the end effector to different orientations for each pick. This allows the robot to form the desired pattern of the products on the end effector. 
         [0004]    Once loaded with the work products in the desired pattern, the robot moves the end effector to the container and the robot then might rotate and/or tilt the end effector to deposit the products into the container all at once in the desired pattern. 
         [0005]    The robot must have various vacuum conduits, air lines, electrical and sensor cables (hereinafter “utility lines”) that communicate with the end effector to control the various suction cups and movements that perform the picking functions and to control the picking and delivery movements of the end effector. The turning, tilting, raising, stretching and lowering of the end effector with respect to the robot arm cause the utility lines to bend, turn and/or twist and to deteriorate over time, and they must be replaced and/or repaired. 
         [0006]    It is to this need for avoiding deterioration of the utility lines that this disclosure is directed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    Briefly described, one form of the following disclosure concerns an end effector of a robot for picking work products in a selected pattern from an accumulation of work products and for placing the retrieved work products in the selected pattern in a receptacle. The end effector may include a vacuum plenum housing with an array of vacuum retrievers extending down from said vacuum plenum housing for engaging the work products. A valve is positioned in communication with each vacuum retriever to selectively control the source of reduced air pressure needed to pick certain ones of the work products. 
         [0008]    The vacuum retrievers may be cup-shaped bellows with annular protrusions, and the valve may be supported in said bellows at one of said annular protrusions. Vacuum retrievers that may be used with this invention are disclosed in more detail in co-pending application Ser. Nos. 12/192,184 and 12/763,242. 
         [0009]    This disclosure concerns a method and apparatus for selectively robotically collecting work products in a selected pattern from an accumulation of work products and placing the work products in a receptacle. The method includes rotating an end effector about an upwardly extending axis with respect to its robot arm to engage some of the work products in the accumulation of work products with a plurality of vacuum retrievers in a first group of the vacuum retrievers, applying a sub-atmospheric air pressure to the vacuum retrievers in the first group of vacuum retrievers while avoiding drawing sub-atmospheric air pressure in the remaining vacuum retrievers, and picking the work products from the accumulation of work products with the vacuum retrievers in the first group of the end effector. After the first pick has been made, the end effector may be rotated with the robot arm about the upwardly extending axis to a different orientation with respect to the accumulation of work products and then re-engage the accumulation of work products with a second group of the vacuum retrievers and make a second pick of the work products in a different pattern on the face of the end effector. 
         [0010]    These rotary movements and other movements between the robot arm and the end effector are required to form the desired pick pattern on the end effector and to deliver the work products to the shipping containers. 
         [0011]    During the process of picking the work products with the end effector it may be necessary to rotate the end effector several times, and then the end effector is moved to the shipping container and is rotated to place the work products in registration with the shipping container, and the sub-atmospheric air pressure to the work products is terminated to release the work products from the end effector. 
         [0012]    The robotic packaging apparatus includes a robot arm, an end effector mounted to the end of the robot arm for collecting work products, and the end effector is rotatable with respect to said robot arm about an upwardly extending axis. An elongated cable carrier extends in an arc about the axis and has a first cable carrier end positioned at a first position at the arc, and a second cable carrier end positioned at the arc and movable along the arc toward and away from the first cable carrier end. 
         [0013]    The cable carrier is of a constant length and accumulates in a U-shape at an intermediate cable carrier portion when the second cable carrier end moves toward the first cable carrier end. A cable including utility lines extends along the cable carrier for connecting the utility lines between the robot arm and the end effector. 
         [0014]    The cable management apparatus may include an arcuate race extending about the axis, and the second end of the cable carrier is movable along the arcuate race in response to the rotation of the end effector about its axis. 
         [0015]    The arcuate race of the cable management apparatus may include an inner race and an outer race. The cable carrier may extend from the first cable carrier end in one of the races and the cable carrier may extend from the second cable carrier end in the other race. 
         [0016]    The second cable carrier end may move about the axis in response to the rotation of said end effector with respect to said robot arm. The utility lines are carried by the cable carrier and include utility lines selected from the group consisting of: vacuum conduits, air lines, electrical and sensor cables that may be directed from multiple locations along said robot arm to the end effector. 
         [0017]    The cable carrier comprises a plurality of chain links connected in series, and the chain links define a cable passage through which the utility cable extends. 
         [0018]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The components in the attached drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view from a high perspective of a robot and its vacuum assisted programmable zoned end effector and the standard container for receiving the work product. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view from a low perspective of the robot and its end effector of  FIG. 1 , showing how some of the vacuum retrievers of the end effector have picked some of the work products. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a desired configuration of the work product on the vacuum assisted zoned end effector as picked from an accumulation of the work products when to be delivered to a standard receptacle. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of another example of a desired configuration of the work product on the vacuum assisted zoned end effector. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the cable manager that is used with the robot arm and the end effector. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the cable manager. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a side cross sectional view of the cable manager. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the cable manager. 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a side cross sectional view of a pair of chain links. 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is an end view of the chain links of  FIG. 9 , taken along lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the chain links of  FIG. 9 , taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a robot  10  of conventional articulating design, being pivotal about an upright axis, having a rocker arm  12  mounted on a rotary stanchion  14 , and an articulating robot arm  16  mounted at its upper end to the distal end of the rocker arm. The end effector  18  is mounted to the distal end of the robot arm  16  and the movements of the end effector usually are controlled by a program entered in the robot&#39;s computer system. The robot arm and the rotary stanchion have parts therein (not shown) with the capacity to rotate, lift, lower, tilt and moved laterally the end effector, as is common in the art. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the end effector  18  has been placed in alignment with the container  20  which is a packing container. The work products  22  have been released by the end effector  18  and have been deposited on the bottom wall of the container  20 . In the embodiment illustrated, the container is a box-shaped receptacle but may be a basket, tray, pallet, or various other receptacles or surfaces. 
         [0033]    For purposes of illustration, without restriction, the robot is disclosed herein as being an apparatus and product for packing bakery products such as bread, buns, English muffins, bagels, hot dog buns and loaves of bread of varying size and shapes, and the details of this disclosure are directed to work products of in shapes of packaged loves of bread  22 . However, other work products in various shapes may be handled with this invention. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows the robot  10  from a lower perspective, showing the end effector  18  in a position that reveals the suction surface  19  of the end effector. The suction surface  19  includes an array of vacuum retrievers, such as the corrugated or “bellowed” suction cups  24  that are to be applied to and that are to pick the loaves of bread  22  or other work product. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show sample arrangements of layers of loaves of bread when placed in a receptacles. A typical loaf of bread such as those shown at  22  in  FIGS. 2-5  may be four inches wide and fourteen inches long, wrapped in a plastic film bag that has extra material gathered at one end to close about the end of the loaf. 
         [0036]    An example of a container used by the producer to ship the loaves may have an inside dimension of twenty-two inches by twenty-eight inches. The desired pattern for best fitting the most loaves of this size in this size container is shown in  FIG. 3  and is to have loaves end-to-end on the twenty-eight inch dimension side of the container. Next, another two loaves are placed end-to-end beside the first two loaves. Finally seven loaves are turned perpendicular to the previous loaves so that their fourteen inch dimension fits the remaining fourteen inch available space in the container. This allows eleven loaves in each level of the container which is the most loaves possible for this size loaf in this size container. If the loaves are of a different shape or size, or if the receptacle is of a different shape or size, the arrangement of the loaves is likely to change to better fit the dimensions of the receptacle. 
         [0037]    In order to pick the loaves  22  in the pick pattern shown in  FIG. 3  or  4 , the robot usually rotates end effector  18  several times about its upwardly extending axis  17  to align the end effector and its suction cups  24  with the supply of work products  22  at the stop  28  of the surface conveyor  26  of  FIG. 2  and to deliver the work products to the container  20  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]    FIGS.  1  and  5 - 8  illustrate the cable manager  30  that is mounted between the robot arm  16  and the end effector  18 . The cable manager  30  includes a mounting bracket  32  that is connected to the exterior surface of the articulating robot arm  16  so that it is a non-rotating component of the cable manager. Cable track  34  includes support spider  36  that includes an inner support ring  38  that is rigidly mounted to the mounting bracket  32  and radiating support legs  40  that extend outwardly from the inner support ring. A plurality of circular guide rails  42  extend generally concentric with respect to the upwardly extending axis  17 . The mounting bracket  32 , cable track  34  support spider  36  are fixed to the robot arm  16  and are movable with the robot arm. 
         [0039]    Cable carrier  44  is positioned within and is movable in an arcuate path within the guide rails  42  about the upwardly extending axis  17 . The guide rails  42  form a pair of arcuate races that extend about the upwardly extending axis  17 , including an inner race  48  and an outer race  50  and the cable carrier  44  is supported by the inner and outer races  48  and  50 . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , cable carrier  44  is formed of a plurality of chain links  52  so that the chain links pivot with respect to the next adjacent chain link. The chain links  52  are formed to have horizontal passages  53  extend there through as defined by opposed chain side walls  55  and top and bottom walls  57 ,  58 , respectively so each passage  53  of each chain link is generally aligned with the passage of an adjacent chain link, and the utility lines  62  may be extend through the aligned passages  53  of the chain links from the fixed outer cable carrier end  54  to the movable inner cable carrier end  56 . As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , the outer cable carrier end  54  is mounted in a stationary position within the guide rails  42  of the cable track  34 . The inner cable carrier end  56  is connected to and is movable with end effector  18  as will be described hereinafter. 
         [0041]    The cable carrier  44  extends in a counterclockwise direction ( FIG. 8 ) from outer cable carrier end  54  and the cable carrier turns at a U-shaped intermediate portion  60  so that it extends in a counterclockwise direction toward the inner cable carrier end  56 . The inner cable carrier end  56  is movable in an arc about the upwardly extending axis  17 , either toward or away from the fixed outer cable carrier end  54  in response to rotary movement of the end effector about central axis  17 . 
         [0042]    Since there is a U-shaped bend  60  in the intermediate portion of the cable carrier  44 , and since the cable carrier is of a fixed length, when the inner cable carrier end  56  is moved in a clockwise direction, more chain links will be moved toward the U-shaped bend  60  so that more cable links will be accumulated at the outer portion of the cable carrier. Conversely, when the movable inner cable carrier end  56  moves in a counterclockwise direction, some of the chain links  52  adjacent the U-shaped bend  60  will move about the U-shaped bend to allow more chain links to enter the portion of the chain extending toward the inner cable carrier end  56 . 
         [0043]    With this arrangement, a fixed length cable carrier  44  can be used to accommodate the utility lines  62  in the aligned horizontal passages  53  and to carry fixed length utility lines  62  while allowing the movable inner cable carrier end  56  to move closer to or farther away from the fixed outer cable carrier end  54 . This tends to reduce twisting of the utility lines  62  upon rotation of the end effector with respect to the articulating robot arm  16  and to apply a controlled wide bend in the utility lines at the U-shaped bend in the cable carrier. 
         [0044]    As best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the articulating robot arm  16  extends through the mounting bracket  32  and is connected to the rotary tube  64 , and support plate  66  is mounted to the lower end of the rotary tube and to the upper portion of the end effector  18 . The connection between the robot arm  16 , the rotary tube  64 , and the support plate provides the support and the rotary motion of the end effector  18 , as described above. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the rotary tube  64  includes a plurality of radially extending air passages  70  and the fixed vacuum sleeve  72  is in communication with the air passages  70  of the rotary vacuum tube  64 . Fixed position vacuum supply conduit  74  is in communication at its upper end with a conventional source of vacuum. The vacuum supply conduit extends downwardly through the cable manager  30  and communicates with the fixed vacuum sleeve  72 . The air from the end effector  18  is induced to pass from the end effector upwardly through the outlet port  76 , through the rotary vacuum tube  64 , through the fixed vacuum sleeve  72 , and out through the fixed position vacuum supply conduit  74 . This allows the end effector to maintain a source of vacuum for inducing air to pass from the atmosphere up through suction cups  23  in response to the valves (not shown) opening to permit passage through the suction cups. 
         [0046]    Control arm  80  is connected by means of collar  82  to the rotary vacuum tube  64  so that the control arm rotates in unison with the rotary vacuum tube  64 . The upper end  84  of the control arm extends into cable track  34 , between the guide rails  42  for connection to inner cable carrier end  56 . Since the control arm  80  is movable in unison with the end effector  18 , the rotation of the end effector causes an arcuate movement of the control arm  80  and of the inner cable carrier end  56  about the upwardly extending axis  17  of the cable manager  30 . 
         [0047]    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.