Patent SG-11201805623W-A (SG)
Title: Material handling apparatus with delivery vehicles
Inventor: DEWITT ROBERT
IPC: G06T7/13
Filed: 2017-01-11
Abstract: INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property -, Organization M1111101110101011111 HO 11111 011101110111001100111 10111110H III 11 International Bureau ... .... ..Yjd ..... ...,/ (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2017/123678 Al 20 July 2017 (20.07.2017) WIPO I PCT (51) International Patent Classification: (74) Agent: ELAND, Stephen, H.; Dann, Dorfman, Herrell & B07C 3/08 (2006.01) G06T 7/13 (2017.01) Skillman, 1601 Market Street - Suite 2400, Philadelphia, B65G 1/06 (2006.01) PA 19103 (US). (21) International Application Number: (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every PCT/US2017/013077 kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, (22) International Filing Date: BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, 11 January 2017 (11.01.2017) DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, (25) Filing Language: English HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, (26) Publication Language: English MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, (30) Priority Data: NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, 62/277,253 11 January 2016 (11.01.2016) US RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, 62/331,020 3 May 2016 (03.05.2016) US TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, 62/374,218 12 August 2016 (12.08.2016) US ZA, ZM, ZW. (71) Applicant: OPEX CORPORATION [US/US]; 305 Corn- (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every coerce Drive, Moorestown, NJ 08057-4234 (US). kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, (72) Inventors: DEWITT, Robert, R.; 12 Orchard Lane, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, Marlton, NJ 08053 (US). STEVENS, Alexander; 523 S. TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, Juniper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (US). DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, 1E, IS, IT, LT, LU, — MCVAUGH, Monty; 18 Bartram Ave., Mount Holly, NJ LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, _ 08060 (US). WALSH, James; 977 Mile Square Road, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, Pittsford, NY 14534 (US). WILSON, Gregory; 1 Haines GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Drive, Moorestown, NJ 08057 (US). Published: = — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) [Continued on next page] = (54) Title: MATERIAL = - 40PytA6.- - - 606 lop = '` 46 410 = 606 1 4 P' 4 4, = .440 _ %...,w. . 1 / 4 041 11' '' . t.. 4 1 1 - 40, = _ — — GC IN M ei 1-1 IN 1-1 0 ei 010o., HANDLING fir,> - ,--- 441F>7 , .. t1b- ..4 Fi;--, 4 ----, `AV Iwo, '',' 1 Alkit ,.0 - 41444 i 1 % • , A .,. '14, 4 ....\" .1 (I.P **1 ..,... 0 . - II # 4( 4# 1 4, ' % .... , IL FIG. Afro- -,- • , 40* \" lir . 1 APPARATUS 4 1 1 • r. $: - r I - 0. . 4 WITH 602 DELIVERY VEHICLES (57) : A method and apparatus (10) are provided for sorting items to a plurality of sort destinations. The items are fed into the apparatus (10) at an input station (310) having a scanning station. The scanning station evaluates one or more characteristics of each item. The items are then loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles (200). The delivery vehicles are individually driven to sort destinations. Once at the appropriate sort destination, the delivery vehicle (200) ejects the item to the sort destina- A 604 tion and returns to receive another item to be delivered. A re- induction conveyor (410) may be provided for receiving se - MI lect items from the vehicles and conveying the items back to the input station for re- processing. Additionally, a controller (350) is provided to control the movement of the vehicles based on a characteristic each item being delivered by each 603 vehicle. The system may also include vehicles having edge- detection assemblies for detecting items being loaded onto or discharged from the vehicles (200). O WO 2017/123678 Al MIDEDIMOM0101011101010MOHOIIIIMIONIERIMIMOIMIE — before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and amendments (Rule to be republished 48.2(h)) in the event of receipt of