Abb Automation Gmbh

Abb Flexible Automation, Inc.

General Electric Company

Robert Scott Grams

Gilbert Dominguez

Thomas Watson

Patrick Resch

Scott K Haddix

Scott David Wollenweber

William J Bridge

Adam Clark Nathan

Carl F Holter

Philip Olikara

Dean Molstad

Thomas C Bauman

Eric Stepanovich

Thomas K S Schaefer

Scott R Smith

A system and method for reducing vibration of a cantilevered patient support surface are provided herein. A system includes a spring and roller coupled with the spring. The spring creates an upwards spring bias on the patient support surface. The roller is coupled with the spring via a roller lever arm. A frictional resistance at the roller arm and an upward directed spring bias enables the roller to maintain constant contact with the patient support surface.

Reducing vibration of a cantilevered patient support surface

A removable pallet configured to be mounted to a patient table. The patient table has a table surface adapted to support patients thereon during a medical procedure or imaging session. The removable pallet includes a support body having a runway configured to slidably engage a transfer board carrying a patient. The support body extends along a longitudinal axis and is configured to be mounted over the table surface of the patient table. The removable pallet also includes a coupling device that is configured to removably couple the support body and the patient table. The coupling device secures the support body over the table surface to permit the transfer board to be moved onto the patient table.

Removable pallets and patient tables for medical systems

A robotic containerization and palletizing system having a multiple-fingered end effector. In one embodiment, the system carries out a method of loading a tray in a container where the method includes creating a cell with a plurality of bays; assigning each bay a location; moving trays through the cell along a path; grasping a tray off the path with a robot positioned above the path; moving the robot, with the grasped tray, to the location of one bay; and instructing the robot to release the tray at the location of the one bay.

Method of using a robotic containerization and palletizing system

A robotic containerization and palletizing system having a multiple-fingered end effector. The system includes a frame that defines one or more cells. Each cell has one gantry-type robot, which is mounted in a set of tracks on top of the frame. The robot is movable along two axes and has an arm to which the end effector is mounted. The end effector is designed to grasp trays, tubs, and similar items from a conveyor system running through the cell and load them in a cart or on a pallet. The items are gripped by two sets of fingers. One set of fingers may be mounted to a first plate and another set of fingers may be mounted to a carriage that moves in a horizontal direction, either toward or away from the first set of fingers. Each finger has a main shaft and a bent tip. The shafts are rotatable such that the tips can be moved underneath or out from under a load, depending upon whether a pick-up or drop-off operation is being performed. The end effector is designed to carry out top loading of carts and pallets and includes a measurement and containment plate that is used to detect and measure the height of trays and tubs placed in carts and on pallets. The measurement and containment plate also helps prevent loose mail in unsleeved trays or tubs from falling out of the trays or tubs during robotic transportation. The downward force exerted on the top of the mail tray/tub also helps maintain the grip of the fingers. In order to load carts having shelves, the gripper may also include a shelf-lowering assembly.

Robotic containerization and palletizing system

A method of handling an object using a robot end effector. The method includes providing a robot having an end effector supporting a pair of carriages, providing a pair of fingers for each carriage, moving the end effector over an object, grasping an object with the fingers, moving the object with the end effector to a container, and depositing the object by counter-rotating the pairs of fingers. One or both of the carriages is movable toward the other carriage to engage objects on a conveyor system with the fingers. The robot moves the end effector between the conveyor system and shipping containers for shipping the objects. Because the pairs of fingers counter-rotate, the friction forces between each finger and the tray is offset by the friction forces between the other finger in the pair and the tray. The improved handling method thereby maintains objects substantially in the desired stacking orientation within the shipping container. Preferably, an actuator is provided for each finger. A change-out mechanism may also be provided to facilitate replacing the fingers.

Robotic end effector with counter-rotating fingers

An improved end effector for use with a robot includes a pair of carriages. Each carriage supports a pair of fingers and at least one actuator. Each actuator is interconnected with the associated pair of fingers to counter-rotate the fingers. One or both of the carriages is movable toward the other carriage to engage trays on a conveyor system with the fingers. The robot moves the end effector between the conveyor system and shipping containers for shipping the trays. Because the pairs of fingers counter-rotate, the friction forces between each finger and the tray is offset by the friction forces between the other finger in the pair and the tray. The improved end effector thereby maintains trays substantially in the desired stacking orientation within the shipping container. Preferably, an actuator is provided for each finger. A change-out mechanism may also be provided to facilitate replacing the fingers.

A docking station for a robotic mail tray loading system includes a ground plate that is mounted to the floor of the building in which the robotic mail tray loading system is housed. The ground plate has first and second wheel-retaining recesses that preferably include ramped surfaces to accommodate wheels of mail carts. A plurality of guide plates are positioned to locate one pallet or two mail carts in the docking station at a time. The docking station also includes a plurality of sensors that sense the presence or absence of a pallet or cart in the docking station and that sense the type of cart present at the cart docking station.

Docking station

A device for mechanically gripping, transporting, loading and unloading cylindrical containers of various sizes for attachment to a robotic arm. The containers may be bottles including drinking water bottles. The device includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms for gripping the containers. Support pins are also provided for supporting the rotational motion of full bottles. A system for efficiently removing empty containers from racks and simultaneously loading full containers is also disclosed.

Device for mechanically gripping and loading cylindrical objects

An end effector for use with a robot and capable of removing cases from a stack of cases and emptying the selected case of substantially flat, folded articles. The end effector includes a main body designed to be coupled to the robot. A case gripper is mounted on the bottom of the main body. A flattened articles gripper is also coupled to the main body and includes a vacuum chamber with two blades. A dunnage gripper is mounted on one of the sides of the main body. In use, the case gripper picks a full case from a pallet of cases and moves that case to an unloading station. There, the end effector is rotated so that the blades of the flattened articles gripper can be inserted into the case. With the blades inserted, vacuum is supplied to the flattened articles gripper to hold the articles against the gripper. Then, the end effector with the articles is moved to a regripping station where the articles are temporarily placed and regripped. So grasped, the articles are moved to a second station where the flattened articles are fed into an automated processing line. This process continues until an entire pallet of cases has been emptied. The dunnage gripper is used to remove sheets of material placed between each level of cases in the stack of cases and to remove empty cases from the unloading station.

Growing community of inventors

Waukesha, WI, United States of America

Robert Scott Grams