Patent Publication Number: US-2011056176-A1

Title: Automated collector device and methods

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/062,171, filed on Apr. 3, 2008, entitled “AUTOMATED COLLECTOR DEVICE AND METHODS,” (Attorney Docket No. 1125-0001) which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for automatically arranging objects into a collector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is sometimes desirable to automate the process of collecting objects into a collector, such as a container. Such automation typically reduces costs and improves the efficiency of the collection process. However, with conventional methods of collecting objects into a collector, it can be difficult for objects to be arranged in the collector according to a desired pattern, thereby requiring human intervention to arrange the objects. Such human intervention can undesirably reduce the efficiency of collecting the objects. Accordingly, an improved device and methods for collecting objects into a collector would be desirable 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom view of a collector device in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the collector device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is side view of a collector system including the collector device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an alternative view of the collector system of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is another view of the collector system of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the collector system of  FIG. 3  illustrating the collection of multiple objects. 
         FIG. 7  is a view of the collector system of  FIG. 3  illustrating collecting of objects according to a specified pattern. 
         FIG. 8  is a view of the collector system of  FIG. 3  illustrating collecting of objects into a shipping container. 
         FIG. 9  is an alternate view of the collector system of  FIG. 8  illustrating collecting of objects into a shipping container. 
         FIG. 10  is a view of the collector system of  FIG. 3  illustrating a loaded shipping container. 
         FIG. 11  is a block diagram of a control system for the collector device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  is a flow diagram of a method of collecting objects in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A collector device includes a collector connected to a positioner, such as a robot arm. The positioner can automatically move the collector in multiple dimensions to collect objects into the collector according to a specified collection pattern. By moving the collector in multiple dimensions, the positioner provides for objects to be arranged in the collector according to a specified pattern. The positioner can also move the collector so that the collected objects are transferred to a second collector for shipping, storage, and the like. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a bottom view of a particular embodiment of a collector device  100  is illustrated. The collector device  100  includes a collector  102  and a positioner  130 . As used herein, a collector refers to a physical implement used to collect two or more objects, and can include a shipping container, a storage container, an intermediate collector where objects are collected prior to being placed in a shipping or storage container, and the like. A collector can also include an implement for collecting two or more objects for further processing, such as a pan that collects food for cooking or dough for baking. In the illustrated embodiment, the collector  102  includes a number of faces, including a base  104  and side faces, or walls,  106 ,  108 , and  110 . The collector  102  also includes an additional side face opposite the side face  106 , not visible in the illustrated view of  FIG. 1 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the side face  108  is coupled to the base  104  by rotary actuators  120  and  122 . The side faces  106  and  110  are coupled to the base  104  by linear actuators  125  and  128 , respectively. In other embodiments, one or more of the side faces  106 ,  108 , and  110  can be fixably attached to the base  104  via a fastener or by physically integrating the base  104  and side face as a single physical unit. Further, in other embodiments the collector  102  can have a semi-spherical shape, a polyhedral shape, or a more complex shape, such as a shape having multiple chambers for collection of objects. For example, in another embodiment the collector  102  can be configured in the shape of a muffin pan, for collection of objects in each chamber of the pan. 
     In addition, as used herein an object can refer to a discrete solid object, or to a specified amount of liquid or semi-solid material. Thus, an object can be a bag of potato chips, a specified amount of bread dough, a specified amount of carbonated beverage, or any other item that can be collected in the collector  102 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the positioner  130  is a robot arm including a chain of rotational postioners, including a rotational positioner  135  and a rotational positioner  140 . In the illustrated embodiment, the positioner  130  is attached to the collector  102  by a collector mount  133  which attaches the rotational positioner  140  to the base  104 . In other embodiments, the positioner  130  can be attached to the collector  102  via one or more of the side faces. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment the collector mount  133  is attached to the collector  102  by mechanical means, such as by bolting or welding the collector  102  to the collector mount  133 . In other embodiments, the collector  102  can be attached to the collector mount  133  via a chemical substance, such as a glue or epoxy or via a mechanical attachment, such as a vacuum cup. 
     The rotational positioner  135  is a portion of the positioner  130 , such as an arm, that is configured to move the collector  102  along one or more of the three Cartesian dimensions. As used herein, a Cartesian dimension refers to a dimension oriented as a lateral direction (i.e., an x, y, or z direction, or a left-right, up-down, or backward-forward direction) relative to the collector  102 . The rotational positioner  140 , is configured to rotate the collector  102  in order to change its position along one or more rotational dimensions (e.g. pitch, roll, and yaw dimensions). The positioner  130  can also include other positioners, rotational or linear, to change a position of the collector  102 . For example, in one embodiment the collector mount  133  is a rotational positioner that can rotate the collector  102  relative to the positioner  130 . Accordingly, the positioner  130  is configured to provide the collector  102  with six degrees of freedom of motion. 
     Thus, the collector  102  can be automatically moved in multiple dimensions to catch objects in such a way that the objects are collected according to a specified pattern. This provides additional flexibility for collecting objects in the collector  102 . For example, one method of placing objects into a container can be having an automated assembly pick an individual object from a collection assembly and place the object into a container. Another method can include catching objects in a collector, placed at the end of a feed assembly, such as a conveyor. Still another method includes pushing one or more objects into a collector with an automated pushing assembly. With each of these methods, if the collector is stationary, or able to move in only one dimension, the pattern of the collected objects in the collector is limited. However, by moving the collector  102  in multiple dimensions, the number and type of collection patterns that can be implemented is enhanced. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the rotary actuators  120  and  122  of the collector  102  are configured to be controlled to rotate the side face  108  relative to the base  104 . The linear actuators  125  and  128  are configured to be controlled to move the side faces  106  and  110 , respectively, laterally relative to the base  104 . Accordingly, the side faces  106 ,  108 , and  110  can be rotated or moved to change the interior shape and dimensions of the collector  102 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the collector device  100 . In this view an additional side face, illustrated as side face  112 , is depicted. The side face  112  can be fixably attached to the base  104 , or coupled to the base  104  via linear or rotational actuators, or a combination thereof  FIG. 2  further illustrates the side face  108  rotated by the rotary actuators  120  and  122  into an open position, allowing freer access to the interior of the collector  102 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a collector system  300  including the collector device  100 . The collector system  300  also includes an accumulator assembly  350 , a selector  351 , a feed assembly  356 , a selector  355 , a container provision assembly  360 , and a container  370 . 
     The accumulator assembly  350  is a device configured to accumulate products for collecting with the collector device  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, the accumulator assembly includes conveyors  352  and  354 , a selector  351 , and a selector  355 . The selector  351  is configured to selectively provide objects from a provision assembly (not shown) to the conveyors  352  and  354  in order to meter a select number of objects into a group of objects on the selected conveyor. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, sets of objects to be collected (e.g. object  380 ) are alternately placed by the selector  351  on conveyors  352  and  354 . The conveyors  352  and  354  are configured to move objects placed on each conveyor towards the selector  355 . This allows each of the conveyors  352  and  354  to continuously move towards the selector  355 . The selector  355  is selectively coupled to the conveyors  352  and  354  to form a continuous path between the selected conveyor and the feed assembly  356 . The selector  355  is controlled such that, as a set of objects reaches the end of the conveyor  352  or  354 , the selector  355  is coupled to the appropriate conveyor to provide the set of objects to the feed assembly  356 . Thus, the combination of the conveyors  352  and  354  and the selector  355  provides for a buffering of sets of objects to be collected. This allows for sets of objects to be continuously provided to the collector system  300 , improving system efficiency. 
     The feed assembly  356  provides objects from the selector  355  to the collector  102 . In the illustrated embodiment, the feed assembly  356  is a funnel to provide objects to the collector  102  one at a time. Other feed assemblies can include pressure feed assemblies, which apply pressure to objects to force the objects into the collector  102 , drop feed assemblies, which can drop objects into the collector  102  using a guide or other assembly, and the like. The container provision assembly  360  is configured to provide containers for transfer of objects from the collector  102 . In the illustrated embodiment, the container provision assembly  360  is a roller table. Containers, such as container  370 , can be moved along the roller table automatically by robot arms (not shown) or other automated processes. 
     The collector device  100  is controlled to automatically collect sets of objects provided by the feed assembly  356  into the collector  102  by catching the objects so that the objects are arranged according to a specified pattern. In particular, the positioner  130  is controlled by a robot positioning control device (not shown) to change the position of the collector  102  in order to catch the sets of objects according to a specified pattern. Once a specified number or set of objects has been collected, the collector device is further configured to transfer the objects to the container  370 . These operations can be better understood with reference to  FIGS. 4-10 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another view of the collector system  300 . In this view, the positioner  130  has positioned the collector  102  based on a specified pattern such that a first object, object  402 , is placed in a first specified location in the collector. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , to place a second object in the collector  102 , object  503 , the positioner  130  changes the position of the collector  102  relative to the feed assembly  356 . Because the positioner  130  provides the collector  102  with six degrees of freedom of movement, the collector  102  can be moved along one or more Cartesian dimensions, one or more rotational dimensions, or any combination thereof, in order to place the collector  102  in the position indicated by the specified collection pattern. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the collector system  300  as the collector  102  continues to be collected. In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a first row  605  of objects has been collected into the collector  102 . Accordingly, the positioner  130  repositions the collector  102  so that another row of objects is collected. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the collector system  300  as the collecting of a set of objects into the collector  102  is nearly complete. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the positioner  130  continues to adjust the position of the collector  102  to collect objects into the collector according to a specified pattern. In addition, the sides of the collector  102  can be manipulated by the collector device  100  in order to collect objects into the collector. For example, while objects are being collected, the linear actuators  125  or  128 , or a combination thereof, can be controlled to move the side faces  106  and  110 , respectively, relative to the base  104  in order to compress the collected objects into a specified position, and shrinking the size of the footprint of the group of collected objects. After the objects have been pushed, the linear actuators  125  and  128  can be controlled to return the side faces  106  and  110  to their original position or into another position that allows for collecting of additional objects. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the collector system  300  after a set of objects has been collected into the collector  102 . Once the set of objects has been collected at the collector  102 , the positioner  130  moves the collector  102  away from the feed assembly  364 , and in position for transfer to the container  370 . In particular, the collector system  100  can control the positions of the side faces  106  and  110  so that the interior dimensions of the collector  102  are approximately the same as the interior dimensions of the container  370 , providing for efficient transfer of the objects to the container  370 . In addition, the positioner  130  rotates and laterally positions the collector  102  so that the sides of the base  104  are aligned with the sides of the base of the container  370 , to ready the objects for transfer. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the collector system  300  as objects are transferred from the collector  102  to the container  370 . As illustrated, the positioner  130  changes the position of the collector  102  along two or more dimensions so that the collector  102  is placed above or inside the container  370 , and further positions the collector  102  so that the base  104  is above the side faces  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 , such that gravity effectuates the transfer of the objects from the collector  102  to the container  370 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , after transferring the objects the positioner  130  repositions the collector  102  so that it is no longer aligned with the container  370 . This allows the container  370  to be closed, sealed, moved to another position in the collector system  300 , and the like. In addition, after transferring the objects to the container  370 , the positioner  130  can return the collector  102  to the position illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in order to collect another set of objects. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , it will be appreciated that the collector  102  can be moved in two or more dimensions in order to collect the objects according to a specified pattern. Thus, in some embodiments, the collector  102  is moved in three dimensions, whereby the collector  102  is moved or rotated such that the angle of the base  104  relative to an angle of entry of the set of objects being collected changes as the set of objects is collected. Further, during collection of a set of objects, the collector  102  can be raised, lowered, moved from side-to-side, and rotated in order to change the position of the collector  102  relative to the incoming path of the objects being collected in order to arrange the objects according to the specified pattern. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a block diagram of a particular embodiment of a control system  1100 . The control system  1100  includes the collector device  100 , the feed assembly  356 , a user interface  1125 , a control system  1130 , and collection patterns  1145 . The collection patterns  1145  represent specified movement patterns for the positioner  130  of the collector device  100 . The collection patterns  1145  can be stored in a memory (not shown) such as volatile memory (e.g. RAM memory) or non-volatile memory (e.g. flash memory or a hard disk) of the control system  1130 . 
     The control system  1130  is a computer system configured to access a selected one of the collection patterns  1145  and, based on the selected collection pattern, provide control information to the collector device  100 , to the accumulator assembly  350 , and to the feed assembly  356 . In particular, the control system  1130  provides control information to control the positioner  130  in order to move the collector  102  according to the selected collection pattern. In addition, the control system  1130  provides control information to the accumulator assembly  350  and the feed assembly  356  to control when objects are serially fed to the collector device  100 , so that the objects can be arranged according to the selected collection pattern. In the illustrated embodiment, the control system  1130  is a computer system having a processor  1131  and a memory  1132 . The memory  1132  is a computer readable medium, such as volatile memory (e.g. RAM memory) or non-volatile memory (e.g. hard disk or flash memory) that stores a program  1133 . The program  1133  is a set of instructions configured to manipulate the processor  1131  so to provide the control information based on the selected collection pattern. The instructions can also be configured to manipulate the processor to access a selected collection pattern based on information provided by the user interface  1125  and can be configured to manipulate the processor to provide control information to the feed assembly  356 . 
     The user interface  1125  is a user interface generated by the control system  1130  or other computer device to allow a user to select one of the collection patterns  1145 . In an embodiment, the user interface  1125  is a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays a list of the collection patterns  1145  and allows the user to select one of the collection patterns. The user selection is provided to the control system  1130 , which accesses the selected collection pattern and controls the collector device  100  to collect objects according to the selected pattern. 
     In another embodiment, the user interface  1125  provides an interface to allow a user to create new collection patterns or alter existing collection patterns. The created or altered collection patterns are stored at the collection patterns  1145 . Accordingly, specific collection patterns can be created based on the types of objects being collected, the size of collectors being used, and other criteria, in order to provide for efficient collection of objects. 
     In addition, the control system  1130  controls the collector device  100  in an automated fashion. Thus, upon selecting one of the collection patterns  1145 , the control system  1130  can control the collector device to repeatedly place sets of objects into containers according to the selected pattern, without user intervention. This allows containers to be loaded rapidly and efficiently. Further, the control system  1130  controls the feed assembly  356  and the accumulator assembly  350  to control the rate at which objects are provided to the collector device  100 , so that the objects are arranged according to the specified pattern. For example, the control system  1130  can periodically start and stop the accumulator assembly  350 , or change the rate of speed at which the accumulator assembly  350  provides objects to the feed assembly  356 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a flow diagram of a particular embodiment of receiving objects at a collector is illustrated. At block  1202 , a collection pattern is received. In an embodiment, the collection pattern reflects control information for a collector device, such as the collector device  100 , whereby the control information controls a position of a collector configured to receive specified objects. At block  1204 , a first position of a collector is set based on the received collection pattern. In an embodiment, the collector is set by moving the collector in at least two dimensions, including Cartesian or rotational dimensions, or a combination thereof. 
     At block  1206 , an object is fed into the collector. The object can be fed by sliding, dropping, placing, or otherwise transferring the object to the collector. At block  1208 , it is determined whether all objects in a set of objects have been collected at the collector. In an embodiment, this determination is made based on the number of objects that have been fed into the collector. For example, optical readers, such as photoelectric cells, can be employed to count objects as they are passed into the collector. After a set number of objects have been counted, the object set is determined to be complete. In another embodiment, the determination is made based on a position of the collector. For example, if the collector is in a specified end position, or has moved through a specified number of positions, the determination can be made that all objects in the set have been collected. 
     If, at block  1208 , it is determined that all objects in a set have been collected, the method flow moves to block  1210  and the contents of the collector are transferred to another collector, such as a collector for shipping or storage of the objects. In an embodiment, the first collector is moved through at least two dimensions, and up to six dimensions, in order to transfer objects to the second collector. If, at block  1208 , it is determined that the object set is not complete, the method flow moves to block  1212  and the collector is moved to the next positions based on the received data pattern. Accordingly, the disclosed method provides for the collector to be moved into a series of positions in order to place a set of objects in the collector according to a specified collection pattern. In addition, the collector can be moved in multiple dimensions, including Cartesian and rotational dimensions, allowing complex collection patterns to be implemented. This in turn provides for more efficient collection of objects. 
     The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.