US 12,404,105 B2
Systems and methods for processing objects including a linear gantry system
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); John Richard Amend, Jr., Arlington, MA (US); Benjamin Cohen, White Plains, NY (US); Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Hartman Fort, Stratham, NH (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Victoria Hinchey, Winchester, MA (US); Jennifer Eileen King, Gibsonia, PA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Somerville, MA (US); Michael Cap Koval, Mountain View, CA (US); Kyle Maroney, Saunderstown, RI (US); Matthew T. Mason, Atlanta, GA (US); William Chu-Hyon McMahan, North Cambridge, MA (US); Gene Temple Price, Somerville, MA (US); Joseph Romano, Arlington, MA (US); Daniel Carlton Smith, Wexford, PA (US); Siddhartha Srinivasa, Seattle, WA (US); Prasanna Velagapudi, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Thomas Allen, Reading, MA (US)
Assigned to Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on May 7, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/656,681.
Application 18/656,681 is a continuation of application No. 17/730,036, filed on Apr. 26, 2022, granted, now 12,012,285, issued on Jun. 18, 2024.
Application 17/730,036 is a continuation of application No. 16/776,870, filed on Jan. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,358,794, issued on Jun. 14, 2022.
Application 16/776,870 is a continuation of application No. 15/923,765, filed on Mar. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,596,696, issued on Mar. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/473,082, filed on Mar. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0286836 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 47/82 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/137 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/026 (2013.01); B25J 9/1612 (2013.01); B25J 9/1615 (2013.01); B65G 1/1376 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); B65G 47/82 (2013.01); B65G 47/905 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0258 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An object processing system comprising:
a storage section comprising a plurality of storage bins and a storage bin retrieval system, said plurality of storage bins providing storage of a plurality of objects, said plurality of storage bins provided in at least one input linear arrangement and being positionally biased to a first end of the at least one input linear arrangement such that when a selected storage bin is removed from the plurality of storage bins by the storage bin retrieval system remaining storage bins among the plurality of storage bins are brought closer together to fill a storage bin space left by the selected storage bin upon removal;
a retrieval section for receiving the selected storage bin from the storage section, the retrieval section including at least one retrieval conveyor for moving the selected storage bin away from the storage section;
a processing section for receiving the selected storage bin from the retrieval section, the processing section including a programmable motion device for grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected storage bin, the processing section further including a plurality of destination bins being provided in at least one output linear arrangement along an output direction adjacent the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted to place the selected object from the selected storage bin into a selected destination bin among the plurality of destination bins; and
a computer system that tracks an identity and a location of each storage bin among the plurality of storage bins, wherein the computer system updates the location of each storage bin within the remaining storage bins in response to the selected storage bin being removed from the plurality of storage bins.
 
11. An object processing system comprising:
a storage section comprising a plurality of storage bins and a storage bin retrieval system for retrieving a selected storage bin, the plurality of storage bins providing storage of a plurality of objects;
a retrieval section for receiving the selected storage bin from the storage section, the retrieval section including at least one retrieval conveyor for moving the selected storage bin away from the storage section;
a processing section for receiving the selected storage bin from the retrieval section, the processing section including a programmable motion device for grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected storage bin, the processing section further including a plurality of destination bins being provided in at least one output linear arrangement along an output direction adjacent the programmable motion device, the programmable motion device being adapted to place the selected object from the selected storage bin into a selected destination bin among the plurality of destination bins, the processing section further including at least one output conveyor adjacent the at least one output linear arrangement of the plurality of destination bins, the at least one output conveyor for conveying a completed destination bin to a further processing location, the plurality of destination bins being positionally biased to a first end of the output linear arrangement such that when the completed destination bin is removed, remaining destination bins are brought closer together to fill an output bin space left by the completed destination bin; and
a computer system that tracks an identity and a location of each destination bin among the plurality of destination bins, wherein the computer system updates the location of each destination bin within the remaining destination bins in response to the completed destination bin being removed from the plurality of destination bins.
 
22. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:
storing a plurality of objects in a plurality of storage bins included in a storage section, said plurality of storage bins provided in at least one input linear arrangement adjacent to a conveyor of a retrieval section,
displacing a selected storage bin from among the plurality of storage bins onto the conveyor of the retrieval system, said plurality of storage bins being positionally biased to a first end of the at least one input linear arrangement such that when the selected storage bin is removed, remaining storage bins are brought closer together to fill an input bin space left by the selected storage bin;
updating a location of each storage bin within the remaining storage bins in a computer system responsive to the selected storage bin being removed from among the plurality of storage bins;
receiving the selected storage bin from the plurality of storage bins at a processing section that includes a programmable motion device and a plurality of destination bins in at least one output linear arrangement along an output direction;
grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected storage bin and placing the selected object from the selected storage bin into a selected destination bin among the plurality of destination bins using an end effector of the programmable motion device;
displacing a completed destination bin from among the plurality of destination bins onto at least one output conveyor of the processing section adjacent the at least one output linear arrangement of the plurality of destination bins, the at least one output conveyor conveying the completed destination bin to a further processing location using at least one output conveyor, the plurality of destination bins being positionally biased to a first end of the at least one output linear arrangement such that, when the completed destination bin is removed, remaining destination bins are brought closer together to fill an output bin space left by the completed destination bin; and
updating a location of each destination bin within the remaining destination bins in the computer system responsive the completed destination bin being removed from among the plurality of destination bins.