US 11,780,684 B2
Systems and methods for processing objects
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (US); Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Cambridge, MA (US); Kyle Maroney, North Attleboro, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Gene Temple Price, Cambridge, MA (US); Joseph Romano, Arlington, MA (US); Daniel Smith, Canonsburg, 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 Aug. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/995,015.
Application 16/995,015 is a continuation of application No. 15/807,213, filed on Nov. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,793,375.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/418,973, filed on Nov. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0377308 A1, Dec. 3, 2020
Int. Cl. B65G 47/49 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); B65G 47/40 (2006.01); B65G 47/82 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/49 (2013.01) [B65G 47/40 (2013.01); B65G 47/82 (2013.01); G05B 19/4183 (2013.01); G05B 19/4189 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0285 (2013.01); B65G 2203/041 (2013.01); G05B 2219/36371 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40078 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45045 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45047 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45051 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45054 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45056 (2013.01); Y02P 90/02 (2015.11)] 76 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for processing objects, said system comprising:
an input transport system including a first conveyor that transports a disorganized stream of objects from an input bin along a first direction to a second conveyor;
a singulation system including a robotic arm having an end effector that selectively provides a singulated stream of objects on the second conveyor for transport along a second direction that is at least in part orthogonal to the first direction;
a perception system including a housing defining a top opening and a bottom opening through which the singulated stream of objects are dropped from an end of the second conveyor, and a plurality of perception units directed towards a hollow interior of the housing that generate perception data regarding each object dropped through the hollow interior of the housing; and
a distribution transport system for transporting the singulated stream of objects in a third direction that is generally parallel with the second direction for distribution to any of a plurality of destination locations responsive to the perception data.