Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Amazon Technologies, Inc.

UniversitÈ Laval

General Electric Company

University of Michigan

Concept Laser Gmbh

Dynalloy, Inc.

Roland J Menassa

James W Wells

Dalong Gao

Yhu-Tin Lin

Nancy L Johnson

Alan L Browne

Robin Stevenson

Clement M Gosselin

Thierry Laliberte

Larry Joe Robb

Pei-chung Wang

Nilesh D Mankame

Justin Stone

Jose Luis De La Rosa

Maxim P Hoffman

Simon Foucault

Alexandre Lecours

Douglas Martin Linn

Ivan G Sears

Boris Mayer-St-Onge

Vatsal Mehta

Eli Douglas Girod

Joshua Martin Middleton

Christopher Paul Henry

Andrew Leslie Bartos

Christopher E Borroni-Bird

Robert Louis Vitale

Charles W Wampler, Ii

Lance T Ransom

Robert Thomas Brown

Samuel Paul Marin

Stephanie Tomasetta

Emily R Parrish

Danilo Veljkovic

Duncan Pratt

Mohammad Mosa

Joseph J Ekl, Jr

Bradley J Walworth

Pierre-Luc Belzile

Yuri Owechko

Geoffrey P McKnight

Kyungnam Kim

Yang Chen

Guillermo A Herrera

Hung P Nguyen

Swarup S Medasani

Wayne Cai

Pamela R Patterson

Daniel Alan Hynum

Jan Henning Aase

Chris A Ihrke

Thomas Merzhaeuser

Nicholas William Pinto

Alexander Hofmann

Alan Majors Walker

Xiang Zhao

Shridhar Champaknath Nath

John D Fickes

Aragorn Zolno

Albert H Butlin, Jr

Shixin Jack Hu

Stephan R Biller

Jon David DeFant

Stefano La Rovere

Alexander D Khakhalev

Fangming Gu

Guoxian Xiao

Sachin Rajendra Kothari

Tolga Kol

Diana Marie Wegner

Hai-Lung Tsai

Chengyin Yuan

Andreas Lutz

Steven Eric Nuetzman

Kevin W Keck

Dragan Filipovic

Neil David McKay

Max Alfonso Bruccoleri

Viktor Kremer

Jeffrey W Brown

Gary Lee Snavely

Wenkao Hou

Marc-Antoine Lacasse

Wayne Brown

Richard C Immers

Qing Chang

James Patrick Dwyer

Jerome O Schroeder

Vincent Duchaine

Brian Scott Redmon

Mark A Cline

Raul A Passarini

Todd McIntosh

Steven Bradley Buhr

Joerg Pohlers

Lane Sturman

Omer Einav

Lance Hartman

Noam Perlis

Lutz Renger

Attribute-based fulfillment operations may comprise various stations and processes between inbound receive and outbound transfer that may decant, count, sort, pick, pack, and ship items based on various attributes. In order to enable such operations, accurate and reliable item counts within the system are generated and maintained at least partially automatically based on item weights. In addition, ordered or outbound items may be initially automatically sorted based on their packing types to facilitate automated packing processes, and the packages may be subsequently automatically sorted for outbound transfer based on their destinations.

Attribute-based fulfillment operations

Described are automated systems and methods for the handling and processing of items at material handling facility. The exemplary systems and methods can receive the items from various upstream processes and systems and can process and handle the items so that they can be provided to various downstream processes and systems. The exemplary systems and methods can provide modular systems and methods that can perform automated singulation, sortation, retrieval, and packing of items without any manual handling.

Automated item handling systems and methods

A device for manipulating items for facility operations is described. The device includes a first arm assembly that includes a first arm, a second arm parallel to the first arm, a first shaft disposed between the first arm and the second arm at a first location along the first arm and the second arm, and a first head attachment disposed between the first arm and the second arm at a second location along the first arm and the second arm. The device also includes a first driver coupled to the first shaft and configured to control movement of the first arm assembly about a first axis extending along a length of the first shaft. The device further includes a second driver coupled to first head attachment and configured to control movement of the first head attachment about a second axis extending along a length of the first head attachment.

Flattening and item orientation correction device

Systems and methods are disclosed for automatic item picking stations. In one embodiment, an example automated item picking station may include a first set of container slots configured to support a first set of containers, and a second set of container slots configured to support a second set of containers. The item picking station may include a first item handling device configured to transport a first item to a container in the first set of containers or the second set of containers, a first empty container shuttle disposed adjacent to the first set of container slots, and an optional second empty container shuttle disposed adjacent to the second set of container slots. The item picking station may include a takeaway conveyor disposed between the first set of container slots and the second set of container slots, the takeaway conveyor configured to transport full containers to a downstream processing station.

Automated item picking stations

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detection of overfilled containers in sortation systems. In one embodiment, an example container capacity detection system for use with an item sortation machine may include a first sensor positioned to detect a remaining capacity of a first container in the item sortation system, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine, using the first sensor, that the remaining capacity of the first container is less than or equal to a first threshold, and to send a signal.

Detection of overfilled containers in sortation systems

A robotic arm can clean an end-of-arm tool using a cleaning station. The end-of-arm tool can be positioned at an introduction position with a portion of the end-of-arm tool in contact with a cleaning agent contained within the cleaning station. The end-of-arm tool can be positioned at a scrubbing position with the end-of-arm tool in contact with a cleaning surface. And the end-of-arm tool can be positioned at a drying position for drying of the end-of-arm tool.

Cleaning station for robotic end effectors

A robot system includes a track that extends along an axis between a first location and a second location. The track includes a pair of rails and a power transmitter and a radiating cable each extending along the track. A carriage is configured to convey a robot arm along the track. The carriage includes a plurality of wheels configured to roll along the pair of rails, a motor configured to drive at least one of the wheels along one of the rails, a power collector configured to translate along the power transmitter while maintaining contact with the power transmitter so as to conduct electrical power from the power transmitter to the motor, and a transceiver configured to receive and send electronic information from and to the radiating cable.

Mobile robot-on-rail, and related systems and methods

A level compensator system may be configured to receive containers of different heights and position them at the same level. The level compensator system can include engagement platforms for engaging with the containers. The engagement platforms can move between an engagement configuration for engaging with the containers and a conveyance configuration for conveying of the containers relative to the level compensator.

Level compensator

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for mesh flaps for container capacity detection in sortation systems. In one embodiment, an example system for use with an item sortation machine may include a rotatable flap comprising a mesh grid coupled to a frame, where the rotatable flap is disposed adjacent to a container of items in the item sortation machine, and a sensor disposed adjacent to the rotatable flap, where the sensor is configured to sense an item protruding out of the container. The mesh grid may have a set of metallic wires that intersect to form the mesh grid, where the set of metallic wires form a geometric pattern.

Mesh flaps for container capacity detection in sortation systems

Automated tray handling systems and methods may include robotic systems having various end effectors to move trays relative to item sortation systems. For example, the robotic systems may include robotic arms and gantry systems. In addition, the various end effectors may include dual end effectors and passthrough end effectors. The dual end effectors may lift, move, and place trays by engaging and clamping onto flanges of the trays. The passthrough end effectors may lift, move, and place trays through an interior of the end effectors by engaging and pulling or pushing flanges, edges, or other surfaces of the trays. The various automated tray handling systems and methods may increase the speed and efficiency of such processes while also reducing or minimizing the space required for such systems.

Automated tray handling systems and methods

An end-of-arm tool lifts a stack of totes and ejects a lowermost tote one at a time. The tool includes fixed unloading arms on which an outgoing tote slides in response to a pusher. A pair of staging arms lift the totes above the outgoing tote to free the outgoing tote and enable the outgoing tote to slide on the unloading arms.

End of arm tool capable of ejecting totes

Plant () comprising at least one apparatus (-) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which plant () comprises at least one module () separably connected or connectable with the apparatus (-), wherein the plant () comprises at least one tunnel structure () through which the at least one module () is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ().

Plant comprising at least one apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects

A method of applying a label to a transport structure includes receiving the label from a label dispenser with an end effector, in which the label includes information related to a plurality of storage containers secured to the transport structure with a restraining member. The method further includes measuring a position of the end effector relative to an object, moving the end effector with the label to a target position based upon the measured position, and applying the label to the restraining member with the end effector. The method may further include moving the end effector away from the storage containers, and transporting the transport structure with the storage containers and the label based upon the information of the label.

End effector and system for label application

The present disclosure is directed to a method of assembly of a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The method includes placing a first rotor blade section onto a first set location of an assembly fixture, wherein the first rotor blade includes a first locating datum such that the assembly fixture at the first set location constrains movement of the first rotor blade section at the first locating datum along a first direction; placing the first rotor blade section onto a second set location of the assembly fixture, wherein the first rotor blade includes a second locating datum such that the assembly fixture at the second set location constrains movement of the first rotor blade section at the second locating datum along a second direction; and positioning a second rotor blade section onto the first rotor blade section within the assembly fixture.

Modular blade structure and method of assembly

An end-of-arm tool and corresponding system and method for automated de-palletization of a stack of totes include resilient guide arms that extend outwardly in a cascading relationship, with the lower guide arm extending farther than higher arms. The cascading relationship of the guide arms enables totes in a stack to be engaged and aligned sequentially from lowest to highest.

End of arm tool and system for tote de-palletizing

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Roland J Menassa