IP Library Granted Patent US 11,673,255
Granted Patent B2
US 11,673,255 · App. 17/509,584 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Systems and methods for dynamic processing of objects using box tray assemblies

Inventors: John Richard Amend, Jr. (Belmont, MA); William Chu-Hyon McMahan (Cambridge, MA); Joseph Romano (Arlington, MA); Victoria Hinchey (Winchester, MA); Jennifer Eileen King (Oakmont, PA); Thomas Wagner (Concord, MA)
Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
B25J9/0093B25J9/16B25J9/1669B65D5/4212B65G1/1376B65G1/1378G05B19/4182G06Q10/08G06Q10/087B65D5/001B65G2201/025B65G2201/0258B65G2203/0216B65G2203/041B65G2203/044G05B2219/31078G05B2219/39102G05B2219/39106G05B2219/40554
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,673,255
App. No.
17/509,584
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A box handling system is disclosed for use in an object processing system. The box handling system includes a box tray including a recessed area for receiving a box, and the recessed area includes a plurality of floor and edge portions for receiving the box that contains objects to be processed.

Claims (40)

1. A box handling system comprising a box having one or more outer flaps provided at a top of the box, and a box cover for placement over the top of the box such that the one or more outer flaps of the box are maintained in an open position along an outside of the box, wherein the box cover includes outer wall portions that contact the outer flaps, holding the outer flaps in the open position, and upper ledges that extend inward from the outer wall portions, the upper ledges for contacting a top of the box, and inner wall portions that extend from the upper ledges and define an open top portion that permits access to an interior of the box.

2. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box cover further includes inner wall portions that extend from the upper ledges.

3. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box cover includes an alignment means for stacking adjacent box covers.

4. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box includes one or more box identifying indicia uniquely identifying the box.

5. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box cover includes a recessed area in which one or more box cover identifying indicia that uniquely identifies the box cover is located.

6. The box handling system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a processing system is responsive to perception output from a perception unit for analyzing the one or more box cover identifying indicia.

7. The box handling system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the processing system associates the one or more box cover identifying indicia of the box cover with a defined set of objects.

8. The box handling system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the defined set of objects are homogenous.

9. The box handling system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the defined set of objects are heterogeneous.

10. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer wall portions include corner elements that facilitate stacking of the box covers.

11. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box cover provides that outer flaps of boxes of multiple sizes may be held in an open position.

12. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box cover provides that multiple sizes of outer flaps of boxes may be held in an open position.

13. The box handling system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the box is able to be filled to a level higher than a height of the box through the box cover.

14. A box handling system comprising a box having one or more outer flaps provided at a top of the box, and a box cover for placement over the top of the box such that the one or more outer flaps of the box are maintained in an open position along an outside of the box, wherein the box cover includes outer wall portions that contact the outer flaps, holding the outer flaps in the open position, and inner wall portions that define an open top portion that permits access to an interior of the box.

15. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box cover further includes upper ledges that extend between the outer wall portions and the inner wall portions.

16. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box cover includes an alignment means for stacking adjacent box covers.

17. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box includes one or more box identifying indicia uniquely identifying the box.

18. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box cover includes a recessed area in which one or more box cover identifying indicia that uniquely identifies the box cover is located.

19. The box handling system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein a processing system is responsive to perception output from a perception unit for analyzing the one or more box cover identifying indicia.

20. The box handling system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the processing system associates the one or more box cover identifying indicia of the box cover with a defined set of objects.

21. The box handling system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the defined set of objects are homogenous.

22. The box handling system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the defined set of objects are heterogeneous.

23. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the outer wall portions include corner elements that facilitate stacking of the box covers.

24. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box cover provides that outer flaps of boxes of multiple sizes may be held in an open position.

25. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box cover provides that multiple sizes of outer flaps of boxes may be held in an open position.

26. The box handling system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the box is able to be filled to a level higher than a height of the box through the box cover.

27. A box handling system comprising a box having one or more outer flaps provided at a top of the box, and a box cover for placement over the top of the box such that the one or more outer flaps of the box are maintained in an open position along an outside of the box, wherein the box cover defines an open top portion that permits access to an interior of the box, wherein the box cover includes a recessed area in which one or more box cover identifying indicia that uniquely identifies the box cover is located, and wherein a processing system records the one or more box cover identifying indicia of the box cover.

28. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box cover includes outer wall portions that contact the outer flaps, holding the outer flaps in the open position, and upper ledges that extend inward from the outer wall portions, the upper ledges for contacting a top of the box.

29. The box handling system as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the box cover further includes inner wall portions that extend from the upper ledges.

30. The box handling system as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the box cover further includes upper ledges that extend between the outer wall portions and the inner wall portions.

31. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box cover includes an alignment means for stacking adjacent box covers.

32. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box includes one or more box identifying indicia uniquely identifying the box.

33. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the processing system is responsive to perception output from a perception unit for analyzing the one or more box cover identifying indicia.

34. The box handling system as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the processing system associates the one or more box cover identifying indicia of the box cover with a defined set of objects.

35. The box handling system as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the defined set of objects are homogenous.

36. The box handling system as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the defined set of objects are heterogeneous.

37. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the outer wall portions include corner elements that facilitate stacking of the box covers.

38. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box cover provides that outer flaps of boxes of multiple sizes may be held in an open position.

39. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box cover provides that multiple sizes of outer flaps of boxes may be held in an open position.

40. The box handling system as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the box is able to be filled to a level higher than a height of the box through the box cover.

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 1, 2022
From: BERKSHIRE GREY, INC.; BERKSHIRE GREY OPERATING COMPANY, INC.
To: BERKSHIRE GREY OPERATING COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058947/0548 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2021
From: AMEND, JOHN RICHARD, JR.; MCMAHAN, WILLIAM CHU-HYON; ROMANO, JOSEPH; HINCHEY, VICTORIA; KING, JENNIFER EILEEN; WAGNER, THOMAS
To: BERKSHIRE GREY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058151/0632 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16291506 · Mar 4, 2019
Provisional Application 62638724 · Mar 5, 2018
Related Publication 20220041320A1 · Feb 10, 2022