Robotic case packing system
A case packing system for loading articles into a container includes an article conveyor for conveying an article, a case conveyor for conveying a container, a multi-axis robot, and a controller operatively coupled to the multi-axis robot. The multi-axis robot picks the article from the article conveyor and places the article such that it is least partially disposed between two opposing foldable flaps of the container. The relative position of the article and the container are adjusted from a first position where the article is at least partially disposed between the two opposing foldable flaps to a second position where the article is positioned fully within the container cavity.
1 . A case packing system comprising:
an article conveyor for conveying an article;
a case conveyor for conveying a container, the container comprising a base and a plurality of sides defining a container cavity, the container further comprising two opposing foldable flaps extending from two of the plurality of sides;
a multi-axis robot disposed above the case conveyor;
a product pusher disposed along the case conveyor, wherein the product pusher comprises a vertical pushing wall movable from a loading position to a loaded position, and wherein a maximum vertical dimension of the vertical pushing wall is less than a vertical dimension of the container cavity;
two opposing side stabilizer walls adjacent the vertical pushing wall; and
a controller operatively coupled to the multi-axis robot, the controller configured to:
control the multi-axis robot to pick the article from the article conveyor and place the article such that at it is at least partially disposed between the two opposing foldable flaps of the container;
adjust a relative position of the article and the container from a first position where the article is at least partially disposed between the two opposing foldable flaps to a second position where the article is positioned fully within the container cavity; and
extend the vertical pushing wall from the loading position to the loaded position to adjust the relative position of the article and the container from the first position to the second position.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the multi-axis robot to pick and place a plurality of articles such that the plurality of articles are all at least partially disposed between the two opposing foldable flaps and are oriented in a stacked, vertical arrangement.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to retract the product pusher from the loaded position to the loading position.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to arrange the article in a generally straight line with a plurality of articles along a direction of travel of the article conveyor.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product pusher is further movable to a tipping position, wherein the tipping position is in a direction perpendicular to the direction between the loading position and the loaded position.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the case conveyor further comprises a case stop providing a pivot axis, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
rotate the container about the pivot axis from a side orientation to an upright orientation, wherein in the side orientation, an opening of the container cavity faces toward the product pusher and in the upright orientation, the opening of the container cavity faces perpendicular to the product pusher.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operatively coupled to a container rotator, wherein the controller is further configured to:
control the container rotator to rotate the container from an upright orientation to a side orientation, wherein in the upright orientation, the container cavity faces perpendicular to the product pusher and in the side orientation, the container cavity faces toward the product pusher.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operatively coupled to a flap positioner, wherein the controller is further configured to:
control the flap positioner to fold a top foldable flap of the container outward from the container cavity of the container to provide clearance for the multi-axis robot in a vertical direction.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the flap positioner includes a vacuum grabber head for vacuuming and folding the top foldable flap outward from the container cavity.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product pusher further comprises the two opposing the side stabilizer walls, wherein the side stabilizer walls are joined to the vertical pushing wall to together form a general U-shape, and wherein a maximum horizontal dimension of the two opposing side stabilizer walls is less than a horizontal dimension of the container cavity when the container is in a side orientation.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the case conveyor comprises a first conveyor segment and a second conveyor segment, and wherein the system further comprises:
a first product pusher disposed along the first conveyor segment;
a second product pusher disposed along the second conveyor segment.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the case conveyor comprises a first conveyor segment and a second conveyor segment, and wherein the system further comprises a case loader for conveying the container to the first conveyor segment or the second conveyor segment.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-axis robot comprises a vacuum pick handler for picking and placing the article.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two opposing side stabilizer walls are angled inward such that a width dimension between the side stabilizer walls at an end near the vertical pushing wall is greater than a width dimension between the side stabilizer walls at an end near the container.
15 . A case packing system comprising:
an article conveyor for conveying a plurality of articles;
a case conveyor for conveying a container, the container comprising a base and a plurality of sides defining a container cavity, the container further comprising two opposing foldable flaps extending from two of the plurality of sides defining an opening to the container cavity;
a multi-axis robot disposed above the case conveyor;
a vertical pushing wall disposed along the case conveyor, wherein a maximum vertical dimension of the vertical pushing wall is less than a vertical dimension of the container cavity;
two opposing side stabilizer walls adjacent the vertical pushing wall; and
a controller operatively coupled to the multi-axis robot, the controller configured to:
control the multi-axis robot to pick and place the plurality of articles in a stacked, vertical arrangement aligned with the opening to the container cavity; and
adjust a relative position of the plurality of articles and the container such that the plurality of articles are positioned fully within the container cavity.