Recirculation system for a robotic pickup

Details Recirculation system for a robotic pickup Recirculation system for a robotic pickup

1999-04-23

2001-11-06

Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3653)

Conveyors: power-driven

Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed...

By conveying randomly faced items and turning items to...

C198S470100, C209S919000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06311825

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for receiving parts in bulk which are bunched together, and redistributing the parts into separate units which may be effectively handled by a picker-type robot utilizing a vision system or sensor means to discriminate the individual parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which is simple in structure and which can reliably receive parts in bulk which are bunched together, and redistribute the parts into separate units which may be effectively handled by a picker-type robot utilizing a vision system or sensor means.
The present invention provides a recirculating device including a reservoir which receives parts in bulk that are bunched together. A cone-shaped rotating disk surrounds the reservoir and receives the parts and redistributes the parts into separate units. The parts are delivered to an inner periphery of the cone of the cone-shaped disk, and the parts then slide down the inclined slope of the cone to an outer flat disk surrounding the cone. As the parts slide down the rotating cone, they become spaced further apart due to the increase in radius of the outer periphery of the cone as compared with the radius of the inner periphery of the cone. The separated parts may then be effectively picked up off of the flat disk by a picker-type robot utilizing a vision system or sensor means to discriminate the individual parts.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.


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patent: 4453626 (1984-06-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4527326 (1985-07-01), Kohno et al.
patent: 4921106 (1990-05-01), Spatafara et al.
patent: 5299675 (1994-04-01), Schumann et al.
patent: 5474493 (1995-12-01), Tolbert
patent: 5853078 (1998-12-01), Kneubuhler
patent: 2-231307 (1990-09-01), None

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