	US 12,128,557 B2
	Systems and methods for processing objects, including automated processing
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); John Richard Amend, Jr., Belmont, MA (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (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, Oakmont, PA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Cambridge, MA (US); Michael Cap Koval, Mountain View, CA (US); Kyle Maroney, North Attleboro, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Cambridge, MA (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 Jul. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/874,337.
Application 17/874,337 is a continuation of application No. 16/830,877, filed on Mar. 26, 2020, granted, now 11,472,022.
Application 16/830,877 is a continuation of application No. 15/935,835, filed on Mar. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,646,991, issued on May 12, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/476,310, filed on Mar. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355467 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B65G 47/82 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06Q 10/08 (2023.01)

CPC B25J 9/0093 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1615 (2013.01); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (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); G06Q 10/08 (2013.01)]

36 Claims

1. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of supply bins, each supply bin containing a plurality of objects, said plurality of supply bins being provided on an input conveyor, wherein the input conveyor is in communication with a plurality of processing sections;

diverting a selected supply bin to a processing section of the plurality of processing sections that includes a programmable motion device;

grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected supply bin using an end-effector of the programmable motion device;

dropping the selected object into a movable carriage;

carrying the selected object in the movable carriage to a selected location above a selected destination container of a plurality of destination containers; and

tipping the movable carriage to drop the selected object from the movable carriage into the selected destination container.

9. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:

directing a selected supply bin of a plurality of supply bins on an input conveyor to a processing section of the plurality of processing sections, the processing section including a programmable motion device, wherein the input conveyor is in communication with the plurality of processing sections;

grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected supply bin using an end-effector of the programmable motion device;

dropping the selected object into a movable carriage;

carrying the selected object in the movable carriage to a selected location above a selected destination container of a plurality of destination containers;

tipping the movable carriage to drop the selected object from the movable carriage into the selected destination container that is provided among a plurality of destination containers; and

removing the selected destination container from others of the plurality of destination containers.

17. An object processing system comprising:

a plurality of supply bins, each supply bin containing a plurality of objects that are provided on an input conveyor;

a processing section that includes a programmable motion device, said processing section for receiving a selected supply bin of the plurality of supply bins;

an end-effector of the programmable motion device for grasping and moving a selected object out of the selected supply bin;

a movable carrier into which the selected object may be dropped;

a horizontal transport system for moving the movable carrier to a selected location above a selected destination container of a plurality of destination containers; and

a carrier actuator for tipping the movable carriage to drop the selected object from the movable carriage into the selected destination container,

wherein the processing section includes a plurality of selected supply bins of the plurality of supply bins, the plurality of selected supply bins including the selected supply bin, and

wherein the processing section is one of a plurality of processing sections in communication with the input conveyor.