Robotic carton unloader
View Patent ↗A robotic carton unloader is configured for automatic unloading of cartons from a carton pile. In various embodiments, the robotic carton unloader may include a mobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector, a conveyor system having a front portion, and a lift attached to the mobile body and the front portion of the conveyor system to move the front portion. In some embodiments, the conveyor system may comprise a front-end shelf conveyor configured to be moved (e.g., raised, lowered, laterally moved, tilted, etc.) relative to the body of the unloader. The front-end shelf conveyor may be moved separately for positioning below the robotic arm in order to receive cartons from a small distance. The front-end shelf conveyor may be moved via various mechanisms (e.g., scissor lifts, pedestal lifts, etc.).
1. A robotic carton unloader for unloading cartons in a carton pile, the robotic carton unloader movable across a floor, the robotic carton unloader comprising:
a mobile body;
a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector at an end thereof, the end effector configured to unload cartons from the carton pile;
a conveyor system having a front portion, the conveyor system configured to convey cartons deposited thereon by the moveable robotic arm; and
a lift attached to the mobile body and the front portion of the conveyor system the lift configured to move the front portion of the conveyor system relative to the floor, wherein the front portion of the conveyor system is a front-end shelf conveyor.
2. The robotic carton unloader of claim 1 , wherein the lift comprises: a support configured to move the front-end shelf conveyor to at least a first position beneath the end effector to receive cartons removed from the carton pile.
3. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor is further configured to simultaneously move the cartons deposited thereon towards a rear portion of the conveyor system and to singulate the cartons while the cartons move.
4. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the support is further configured to move the front-end shelf conveyor with the cartons deposited thereon from the first position to a second position adjacent to the rear portion of the conveyor system.
5. The robotic carton unloader of claim 4 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor is oriented parallel to the floor in the second position.
6. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor comprises a bumper on a front end of the front-end shelf conveyor.
7. The robotic carton unloader of claim 6 , wherein: the bumper is configured to stabilize the carton pile while the front-end shelf conveyor is in the first position and cartons are unloaded by the end effector.
8. The robotic carton unloader of claim 7 , wherein the bumper is a roller that includes at least one roller corner extending lengthwise along the roller.
9. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the support comprises a pedestal lift.
10. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor is within 18 inches of the end effector or a row of cartons being unloaded by the end effector when the front-end shelf conveyor is in the first position.
11. The robotic carton unloader of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the conveyors in the plurality of rows of conveyors is configured to move a carton traveling thereon rearwards and towards a center line of the front-end shelf conveyor.
12. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor comprises a plurality of rows of conveyors oriented side by side.
13. The robotic carton unloader of claim 12 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor is configured to move laterally relative to the mobile body.
14. The robotic carton unloader of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the conveyors in the plurality of rows of conveyors is configured to move a carton carried thereon at a different speed than another conveyor in the plurality of rows of conveyors.
15. The robotic carton unloader of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a scissor lift.
16. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 , wherein the front-end shelf conveyor comprises a stop bar configured to be rotated to at least a first position such that the stop bar is configured to block a carton moving on the front-end shelf conveyor and a second position such that stop bar is configured to not block the carton moving on the front-end shelf conveyor.
17. The robotic carton unloader of claim 1 , wherein the robotic carton unloader is configured to unload cartons from the carton pile at a rate of at or above 100 cartons/hour.
18. The robotic carton unloader of claim 17 , wherein the robotic carton unloader is configured to unload cartons from the carton pile at a rate from 100 cartons/hour to 1300 cartons/hour.
19. The robotic carton unloader of claim 17 , wherein the robotic carton unloader is configured to unload cartons from the carton pile at a rate of at or above 1300 cartons/hour.