US 12,297,058 B2
Vision-assisted robotized depalletizer
Sylvain-Paul Morency, Montreal (CA); Marc Ducharme, Montreal (CA); Robert Jodoin, Montreal (CA); Philippe Hakier, Montreal (CA); Christian Simon, Montreal (CA); and Jean-François Forget, Montreal (CA)
Assigned to SYMBOTIC CANADA ULC, (CA)
Filed by SYMBOTIC CANADA ULC, Montreal (CA)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/537,004.
Application 18/537,004 is a continuation of application No. 17/806,864, filed on Jun. 14, 2022, granted, now 11,840,411.
Application 17/806,864 is a continuation of application No. 17/235,692, filed on Apr. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,358,811, issued on Jun. 14, 2022.
Application 17/235,692 is a continuation of application No. 16/506,636, filed on Jul. 9, 2019, granted, now 10,981,736, issued on Apr. 20, 2021.
Application 16/506,636 is a continuation of application No. 14/602,537, filed on Jan. 22, 2015, granted, now 10,343,857, issued on Jul. 9, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/930,107, filed on Jan. 22, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2024/0132304 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 61/00 (2006.01); B65G 59/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 61/00 (2013.01) [B65G 59/02 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A depalletizer comprising:
a pallet unloading station for receiving a pallet of products;
a vision system for generating at least one image of a top portion of the pallet received at the pallet station, the vision system effecting determination, based on the at least one image, of the position of at least one product in the top portion of the pallet; and
a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool, the robot being configured for receiving information, from the vision system, of the position of the at least one product from the top portion and being configured to remove product by product, so as to effect removal of the top portion, and position on an output surface based on the received information;
wherein the vision system is configured so as to generate the at least one image of the top portion of the pallet received at the pallet station, where the vision system effects determination, based on the at least one image, of the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet and the robot receives information identifying the determined position of each product, based on the at least one image, so that the robot motion between picks and positions on the output surface of each product that effect, via the robot picks and positions, removal of the top portion product by product, is substantially independent of generation of the at least one image by the vision system.