Vibrating Singulation Table for Automated Item Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The labor-intensive and costly process of handling items in materials handling facilities, which involves multiple human interactions, increases the time and cost of item flow and introduces opportunities for mis-handling due to the complexity of item handling and sorting.
Innovation Solution
An automated item singulation system utilizing a singulation station with a robotic unit, a singulation table that vibrates to separate items, and a pick conveyor, along with a second robotic unit equipped with an astrictive end effector, to efficiently and accurately pick and sort items based on their detection and identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling and sorting of items is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor costs and handling time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service handling where robotic units independently perform item induction, singulation, and picking operations without continuous human intervention. The singulation table automatically separates items and the robotic units autonomously identify and pick items based on detected parameters, resolving the contradiction by achieving high productivity through automation while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical handling operations are replaced with automated robotic systems. The patent substitutes human-operated mechanical processes with robotic units equipped with sensors and actuators that perform item manipulation, sorting, and transportation, thereby increasing productivity while reducing labor-intensive operations.
2Reliability
If multiple human agents handle a single item, then complex sorting and identification can be performed, but handling time and mis-handling opportunities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect item parameters and provide feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and adjustment of handling operations, ensuring high accuracy in item identification and sorting while reducing handling time through automated decision-making based on detected parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated control system as an intermediary between item detection and handling execution. This intermediary processes sensor data, determines appropriate handling actions, and coordinates robotic unit operations, thereby improving reliability through systematic processing while reducing time losses associated with multiple human handoffs.
3Productivity
If automated robotic units are used for item induction and picking, then labor costs decrease, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic units are designed with multi-functionality, capable of performing induction, singulation coordination, and picking operations. This universal design consolidates multiple functions into single automated units, increasing productivity while managing system complexity through integrated rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a singulation table that uses mechanical vibration to automatically separate and position items for picking. This vibration-based mechanism simplifies the complexity of item separation by using physical principles rather than complex mechanical manipulators, thereby maintaining high productivity with reduced system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces human intervention, decreases handling time and costs, and enhances the accuracy of item sorting and identification by automating the singulation and picking processes, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of item handling in materials handling facilities.
Implementation Method 1
the singulation table is configured to move (e.g., vibrate) according to a singulation pattern. The movement of the singulation table causes the items to de-shingle and separate
Implementation Method 2
The robotic unit transitions the items by rotating the tote so that the items transition from the tote onto the singulation table under a force of gravity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for automated item singulation. The system includes a singulation station (205) on which a plurality of different type items are loaded by a first robotic unit (202) and are transitioned onto said singulation table by vibration. The singulation table activates and the movement of the singulation table causes the items to de-shingle, separate in distance with respect to one another and migrate along the singulation table toward a pick conveyor (214). As the de-shingled and singulated items arrive on the pick conveyor they are detected and individually picked by a second robotic unit (204) and transitioned from the singulation station.