US 11,851,293 B2
Trapdoor rejection subsystem for a conveyor system
Carl David Graston, Sellersburg, IN (US); Thomas Anthony Hillerich, Jr., Louisville, KY (US); and Paul Receveur, New Albany, IN (US)
Assigned to Material Handling Systems, Inc., Mt. Washington (KY)
Filed by Material Handling Systems, Inc., Mt. Washington, KY (US)
Filed on May 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/748,479.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/251,124, filed on Oct. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/191,179, filed on May 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0371834 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 47/96 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); B65G 47/78 (2006.01); B07C 5/36 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/96 (2013.01) [B07C 5/362 (2013.01); B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 47/78 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0285 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0208 (2013.01); B65G 2203/041 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveyor system, comprising:
one or more robot singulators;
an upstream conveyor for carrying a bulk flow of parcels;
a trapdoor rejection mechanism configured to transition between a closed position to support parcels from the bulk flow of parcels directed to the trapdoor rejection mechanism and an open position to allow passage of parcels from the bulk flow of parcels to pass through the trapdoor rejection mechanism, the trapdoor rejection mechanism defining a picking area when in the closed position from which parcels from the bulk flow of parcels can be engaged and transferred by the one or more robot singulators;
a place conveyor for receiving parcels transferred by the one or more robot singulators;
a vision and control subsystem operably connected to the one or more robot singulators and the trapdoor rejection mechanism, the vision and control subsystem including
a camera for acquiring one or more images of the picking area and any parcels from the bulk flow of parcels located in the picking area, and
a controller including a processor for executing instructions stored in a memory component to (i) receive and process image data corresponding to the one or more images of the picking area acquired by the camera to determine whether a parcel in the picking area is conveyable or unconveyable, (ii) communicate instructions to the one or more robot singulators which cause the one or more robot singulators to engage and transfer the parcel in the picking area from the picking area to the place conveyor in response to a determination that the parcel in the picking area is conveyable, and (iii) communicate instructions which cause the trapdoor rejection mechanism to transition from the closed position to the open position in response to a determination that the parcel in the picking area is unconveyable;
at least one of a display and a speaker; and
a sensor positioned to detect a presence of a parcel resting on top of a door of the trapdoor rejection mechanism when the trapdoor rejection mechanism is in the open position;
wherein the sensor and the at least one of the display and the speaker are each operably connected to the vision and control subsystem, and wherein the memory component further includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to (iv) communicate instructions which cause the display to display a visual cue and/or the speaker to emit an audible cue in response to the controller receiving a reading from the sensor indicating the presence of the parcel resting on top of the door of the trapdoor rejection mechanism when the trapdoor rejection mechanism is in the open position.