The Procter Gamble Company

Jeffrey Kyle Werner

Robert Scott Bollinger

Marc Richard Bourgeois

Roger Phillip Williams

Keith Andrew Swenson

Kunie Kolb

Cedric Dsouza

Kevin Shih Shaw

Alexander Cyrus Salimian

Robert Paul Gordon

Stefano La Rovere

Jia-wei Chiu

Andreas Boettcher

An article handling device is provided. In one embodiment, a system for article handling is provided. The system has first and second article handling devices that each have one or more gripping assemblies arranged around their periphery. The gripping assemblies are selectably movable between an open position and a closed position based on the relative position of the first and second article handling devices.

Article handling device

A safety device for a mechanical motion device and a method for protecting a person or object in the vicinity of a mechanical motion device are described herein. The safety device may include: a shroud; a coupling mechanism; and a detection device. The coupling mechanism joins the shroud in a displaceable manner to a mechanical motion device. The detection device is configured for communication with the safety control system of a mechanical motion device. The detection device is capable of detecting misalignment of the shroud from its initial aligned position and/or a collision between the shroud and a person or object. The detection device may send a signal to the safety control system of the mechanical motion device to at least slow the movement of the mechanical motion device before the mechanical motion device reaches the location of the collision of the shroud with an object or person.

Safety device for a mechanical motion device

A gripper assembly for use with a moving device is disclosed. The moving device can be a mechanical device such as a robot. The gripper assembly includes a platform and an elongate arm extending from the platform. The elongate arm is in the form of least one elongate member. Each elongate member has a body which has a proximal end and an opposed distal end. A gripping mechanism is rotatably supported relative to the arm, and includes a holder having a pivoting arm pivotably joined to the body in the region of the distal end of the body. An actuator is in operable communication with the pivoting arm to impart pivotable movement to the pivoting arm and rotational movement to said gripping mechanism about a horizontal axis upon actuation of the actuator. The gripper assembly may have a center of mass substantially aligned with a vertical rotation axis of the gripper assembly.

Gripper assembly for moving device

A robotic unscrambler apparatus is provided that ensures articles that are delivered in an initial orientation are transported in a conveyable orientation for further treatment at one or more stations in a production line. The apparatus includes a conveyance apparatus and at least one picker. An uprighting device is provided with a series of guides. The picker removes articles from the conveyance apparatus, and places the articles onto one of the guides. The uprighting device moves the guides between article placement positions and article conveyance positions. Each guide may include a contoured article support surface that facilitates centering of an article placed thereon.

Robotic unscrambler and method

Growing community of inventors

Liberty Township, OH, United States of America

Jeffrey Kyle Werner