Vision-Guided Robotic Pickup for Non-Uniform Postal Article Singulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for separating and singulating non-uniform small parcels or packets are voluminous and inefficient, failing to place articles at a constant pitch for automatic sorting in postal machines.
Innovation Solution
A compact installation using a vision system, data-processing unit, and a servo-controlled pneumatic pickup head with variable geometry to identify and separate articles, ensuring they are placed at a constant pitch on a conveyor belt for efficient sorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional spreading-out installations are used to separate and singulate non-uniform articles, then the articles can be separated one by one, but the installation becomes voluminous and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical spreading-out installations with a robotized arm equipped with a pneumatic pickup head. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical spreading mechanisms while achieving effective separation and singulation of non-uniform articles, thereby reducing installation volume and improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a vision system to detect and identify articles, then uses a robotized arm with variable geometry pickup head to handle each article individually. This parameter-based approach (using visual data to control robotic movements) replaces bulk mechanical processing, enabling compact and efficient separation of non-uniform articles.
2Manufacturing precision
If non-uniform postal articles are fed continuously onto conveyors, then the articles can be moved along the conveyor, but it is difficult to place them at a constant pitch for automatic sorting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a vision system to continuously monitor the pile of articles on the platform and provides feedback to the robotized arm control system. This feedback mechanism enables the arm to accurately identify and pick up articles at the correct positions, ensuring constant pitch placement on the conveyor without complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces continuous mechanical conveyor feeding with a discrete robotized pickup system. The robotized arm picks up articles one by one from the platform and places them on the conveyor at predetermined positions, achieving constant pitch placement through robotic precision rather than complex mechanical control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a robotized arm with fixed geometry pickup head is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different article dimensions and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a robotized arm with a pickup head of variable geometry that can dynamically adjust its configuration. The pickup head can change its geometry to match different article dimensions and shapes, enabling effective handling of non-uniform postal articles while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a vision system to detect article parameters (dimensions and shape) and controls the pickup head geometry accordingly. This parameter-based adaptation allows the pickup head to adjust to different articles without requiring complex mechanical structures, achieving versatility through intelligent control.
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
Enables efficient and compact separation and singulation of non-uniform postal articles, ensuring they are directed to the correct sorting outlets based on delivery addresses, improving the automation and efficiency of postal sorting processes.
Implementation Method 1
The pickup head is provided with a plurality of suction cups that are mounted to be individually movable to match the profile of the pickup face
Data Source
AI summary
An installation for separating and singulating non-uniform postal articles of the small parcel or packet type comprises a platform for temporarily storing a pile of loosely placed postal articles, a vision system adapted to form digital images of the pile of loose postal articles, which pile is static on the platform, a data-processing unit adapted to use these digital images to identify a postal article to be singulated, i.e. an article that has a pickup face that is not covered by any other postal article, the unit being suitable for delivering data indicating the three-dimensional position, the facing direction, and the dimensions of the pickup face, and a pneumatic pickup head of a robotized arm that is controlled on the basis of the data to lift up the postal article to be singulated via its pickup face, and to deposit the postal article on a deposition zone that is off the platform.