Granted Patent B2

US 12,297,043 · App. 18/523,001 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventor: Christoph Hellenbrand (Kaifenheim, DE)

Assignee: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH

B65G1/06B25J15/0028B25J15/0038B65G1/137B65G2201/0244B65G2203/0208

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A method for retrieving bottles, the method comprising;

providing a picking device comprising:

a storage location;

a control device; and

an operating device coupled to the control device, the operating device displaceable adjacent the storage location in a first direction and a second direction, the operating device comprising a gripper having two prongs,

wherein the control device causes the operating device to one of lift a bottle lying on its side from the storage location and move the bottle lying on its side in a third direction away from the storage location by one of a frictional connection between the bottle and the two prongs and an engaged connection behind an end of the bottle with at least one of the two prongs, and move a bottle lying on its side in a third direction towards the storage location and lower the bottle to rest lying on its side in the storage location by one of a frictional connection between the bottle and the two prongs and an engaged connection behind an end of the bottle with at least one of the two prongs;

determining, by the control device, that the storage location contains a selected bottle;

displacing, by the control device, the operating device to the storage location;

removing, by the control device, the selected bottle from the storage location, the removing the selected bottle comprising:

moving the two prongs of the gripper parallel to the storage location of the selected bottle in the third direction, at least in sections, in a space defined by a cross-section of the selected bottle and situated below a maximum cross-section in the first direction;

moving the two prongs in the second direction and producing one of a frictional connection between the two prongs and the selected bottle and an engaged connection behind an end of the selected bottle;

moving, by the one of the frictional connection and the engaged connection, the selected bottle away from the storage location; and

transferring, by the operating device, the selected bottle to an unloading device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein after producing the one of the frictional connection and the engaged connection, further comprising:

lifting the selected bottle from the storage location via a movement in the second direction; and

moving the prongs in a fourth direction opposite the third direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

preventing, by the storage location, the selected bottle lying on its side therein from rolling.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying, by an identification device, the selected bottle.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by an unloading device, the selected bottle transferred by the operating device for retrieval from the picking device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage location comprises one of:

a storage location receptacle disposed on a storage shelf; and

a storing receptacle of a storing device, the storing device configured to move bottles into the picking device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein one of the storing receptacle and the storage location receptacle has a recess extending in the third direction orthogonally to the first direction.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the storing receptacle is a storing recess in a storing member of the storing device and the storage location receptacle is a storage recess within a storage location on the storage shelf, the method further comprising one of:

protecting, by the storing recess in the storing member of the storing device, the bottle from rolling when the bottle is in a lying position; and

protecting, by the storage recess in the storage location on the storage shelf, the bottle from rolling when the bottle is in a lying position.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein one of the storing receptacle and the storage location receptacle is a raised storing base, the method further comprising:

protecting, by the raised storing base, the bottle from rolling when the bottle is in a lying position.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein one of the storing receptacle and the storage location receptacle is formed by a plurality of parallel struts.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein one of:

a plurality of storing receptacles all have the same outer receptacle width irrespective of a diameter of the bottle to be stored; and

a plurality of storage location receptacles all have the same outer receptacle width irrespective of a diameter of the bottle to be stored.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two prongs have a fork-shaped construction, the method further comprising:

displacing the two prongs together in the third direction orthogonally to both the first direction and the second direction; and

displacing the two prongs together in the second direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

moving the two prongs in the third direction, at least in sections, in a space defined by a cross-section of the bottle that is to be retrieved and situated below a maximum cross-section in the first direction.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the two prongs are arranged in a stationary manner on the gripper, wherein a distance between opposite inner surfaces of the two prongs is greater than an outer receptacle width of the storing location.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the two prongs are each cylinder-shaped.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the two prongs are each rod-shaped, the method further comprising:

rotating the two prongs about an axis along the third direction.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein a first prong of the two prongs has a carrier at its end, the method further comprising:

engaging, by a portion of the carrier extending away from the first prong, behind the end of the bottle.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determine, by a measuring device, at least a diameter of the bottle.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (34)