US 11,911,796 B2
Package handling and sorting system
Michael Marseglia, Webster, NY (US); Michael Fisher, Webster, NY (US); Scott Baube, Webster, NY (US); Christopher Angevine, Webster, NY (US); Greggory Bartoo, Webster, NY (US); Dennis O'Neill, Webster, NY (US); and Austin Smith, Webster, NY (US)
Assigned to InTunes Products, LLC, Webster, NY (US)
Filed by InTunes Products, LLC, Webster, NY (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/526,523.
Application 17/526,523 is a division of application No. 17/090,362, filed on Nov. 5, 2020, granted, now 11,179,751.
Application 17/090,362 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,974, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/025,569, filed on May 15, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/981,568, filed on Feb. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072588 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B07C 3/08 (2006.01); B07C 5/36 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 3/08 (2013.01) [B07C 5/36 (2013.01); B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B65G 47/90 (2013.01); B07C 2501/0063 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0285 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A package sorting system comprising:
a) a robotic end of arm tool comprising:
a robot arm having a robot end of arm and an end of arm conveyor mounted on said robot end of arm,
wherein said end of arm conveyor has opposite front and back ends,
wherein said end of arm conveyor further has an upper package transport surface movable from said end of arm conveyor front end to said end of arm conveyor back end,
wherein said upper package transport surface is operable to receive a package at said front end of said end of arm conveyor, and is operable to hand off the package from said back end of said end of arm conveyor, and
wherein said upper package transport surface is one or more of smooth, cleated and vacuum assisted;
b) a sort cell having a sort cell conveyor; and
c) a first package anti-tipping mechanism movable between a package anti-tipping position and an out of the way position, said first package anti-tipping mechanism positioned adjacent said sort cell conveyor, said first package anti-tipping mechanism moving into said package anti-tipping position in response to a package arriving at said sort cell conveyor.
 
6. A package sorting system comprising:
a) a robotic end of arm tool mounted onto a robot end of arm of a robot arm, the robotic end of arm tool comprising:
a carriage having a frame and an end of frame conveyor,
wherein said frame extends between and forms a space between said robot end of arm and said end of frame conveyor,
wherein said robot end of arm is movable to a position suspending said carriage therefrom,
wherein said end of frame conveyor has opposite front and back ends and an upper package transport surface movable from said end of frame conveyor front end to said end of frame conveyor back end,
wherein said upper package transport surface is operable to receive a package at said front end of said end of frame conveyor and convey and hand off the package from said back end of said end of frame conveyor, and
wherein said upper package transport surface is one or more of smooth, cleated and vacuum assisted; and
b) a sort cell having a sort cell conveyor having a first end and a second end and a plurality of sorted package hand off receivers associated with said sort cell and sort cell conveyor, said robot arm movable between said sort cell conveyor and each one of said plurality of sorted package hand off receivers.
 
11. A package sorting system comprising:
a) a robotic end of arm tool mounted onto a robot end of arm of a robot arm, the robotic end of arm tool comprising:
a carriage having a frame and an end of frame conveyor,
wherein said frame extends between and forms a space between said robot end of arm and said end of frame conveyor,
wherein said robot end of arm is movable to a position suspending said carriage therefrom,
wherein said end of frame conveyor has opposite front and back ends and an upper package transport surface movable from said end of frame conveyor front end to said end of frame conveyor back end,
wherein said upper package transport surface is operable to receive a package at said front end of said end of frame conveyor and convey and hand off the package from said back end of said end of frame conveyor, and
wherein said upper package transport surface is one or more of smooth, cleated and vacuum assisted; and
b) a first package anti-tipping mechanism movable between a package anti-tipping position and an out of the way position, said first package anti-tipping mechanism positioned adjacent said front end of said end of frame conveyor, said first package anti-tipping mechanism moving into said package anti-tipping position in response to a package arriving at said front end.
 
14. A robotic end of arm tool mounted onto a robot end of arm of a robot arm, the robotic end of arm tool comprising:
a carriage having a frame and an end of frame conveyor,
wherein said frame extends between and forms a space between said robot end of arm and said end of frame conveyor,
wherein said robot end of arm is movable to a position suspending said carriage therefrom,
wherein said end of frame conveyor has opposite front and back ends and an upper package transport surface movable from said end of frame conveyor front end to said end of frame conveyor back end,
wherein said upper package transport surface is operable to receive a package at said front end of said end of frame conveyor and convey and hand off the package from said back end of said end of frame conveyor, and
wherein said upper package transport surface is one or more of smooth, cleated and vacuum assisted.