WO2014026358A1

WO2014026358A1 - Robotic palletizer

Info

Publication number: WO2014026358A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/080234
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jie Gao
Original assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
Priority date: 2012-08-16
Filing date: 2012-08-16
Publication date: 2014-02-20

Abstract

A method of palletizing cartons of products (5) comprising the steps: (a) conveying cartons of consumer products (5) under a robotic arm base (7); and (b) palletizing a first empty pallet (12) at a first palletizing station (11) by robotically transferring by a robotic arm mounted on the robotic arm base (9) the conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the first pallet (12) located at the first palletizing station (11) to provide a first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products. And a palletizing system (1) having a relatively small foot print in a manufacturing site provides a cost effective alternative to those systems having a larger foot print.

Description

ROBOTIC PALLETIZER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to robotic palletizing of cartons of consumer products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for a robotic palletizing system that minimizes the foot print in a manufacturing site, preferably with full functionality and at a low cost. There is also a need to operate the system safely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention attempts to address this and other needs. One aspect of the invention provides for a method of palletizing cartons of consumer products comprising the steps: conveying cartons of consumer products under a robotic arm base; and palletizing a first empty pallet at a first palletizing station by robotically transferring, by a robotic arm mounted on the robotic arm base, the conveyed cartons from the conveyor to the first pallet to provide a first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products.

Another aspect of the invention provides for a palletizing system comprising: (a) a robotic arm mounted on a robotic arm base, wherein the robotic arm is configured to transfer: cartons of consumer products, empty pallets, and optionally tie sheets; (b) an empty pallet station comprising a plurality of empty pallets; (c) an optional tie sheet station comprising a plurality of tie sheets; (d) a first palletizing station comprising a first pallet configured to receive cartons of consumer products; (e) a second palletizing station comprising a second pallet configured to receive cartons of consumer products; (d) a conveyor extending under the robotic arm base, wherein the conveyor is configured to convey a plurality of cartons of consumer products; and wherein the system occupies a foot print area from 10 m² to 15 m². In preferred embodiment, fencing is provided around the system with one or more safety gates providing selective access to one more of the stations. In this embodiment, the foot print area is preferably from 15 m to 20

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a palletizing system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides the benefit of a compact layout of a palletizing system that is suitable loading cartons of consumer products onto pallets. Such a design provides a more cost effective utilization of a manufacturing site by occupying a relatively small foot print area. Employing the present invention has provided a reduction in foot print area of up to 80 percent as compared to previous layouts.

Turning to figure 1, a first aspect of the preset invention provides for a palletizing system (1). The system (1) comprises a robotic arm (9) mounted on a robotic arm base (7). Non- limiting examples of a robotic arm (9) include models KR 100-2 PA and KR 180-2 PA, from Kuka Robter GMBH, Gersthofen, Germany; and IRB 460 from ABB. In one embodiment, a 4- axis robotic arm is used. The robotic arm (9) may comprise a robotic arm attachment (10) that is configured to transfer cartons of consumer products, empty pallets, and tie sheets. A non- limiting example of a robotic arm attachment (10) is one that includes a four point claw suitable for clawing empty pallets and a plurality of vacuum suction cups for suctioning cartons of consumer products and a tie sheet (not shown). A non-limiting example is the ABB Flex Gripper Claw and RobotStudeio with Palletizng PowerPac from ABB.

The system (1) has a conveyor (99) that is configured to convey cartons of consumer products (5b) from a manufacturing or packing line within the manufacturing site. The conveyor (99) extends under the robotic arm (9) and through the robotic arm base (7). In one embodiment, the robotic arm base comprises supporting legs (not shown) that straddles either side of the conveyor. The carton may contain a single or multiple consumer products. Alternatively, the carton may act as secondary or tertiary packaging containing multiple consumer products where after being delivered to a retail store, each consumer product is removed from the carton before being placed on a store shelf (e.g., for retail purchase by a consumer). Non-limiting examples of consumer products include oral care products, beauty care products, baby care products, laundry care products, or home care products. Yet other examples of consumer products are described at www.pg.com.

A first palletizing station (11) and a second palletizing station (32) are on opposing sides of the terminal end of conveyor (99). An empty pallet station (25) and a tie sheet station (38) are on opposing sides of conveyor (99) and nearest the robotic arm base (7). The first palletizing station comprises a first pallet (12) having a plurality of cartons of consumer products (5a). These cartons (5a) are robotically transferred from the conveyor (99) to the first pallet (12). A similar transfer operation is conducted for the second palletizing station (32). Although not shown in Figure 1, a single tie sheet is robotically transferred from the plurality of tie sheets (42) at the tie sheet station (38) to first palletizing station (11) or the second palletizing station (32). Although not shown in Figure 1, the tie sheet may serve several functions. The tie sheet may be placed initially on the pallet (12, 14) to provide a clean surface to begin palletizing the cartons of consumer products (5b). The tie sheet may be placed intermittently throughout the growing stack of cartons (5) for stability on the pallets palletized with cartons of consumer products (21, 34). Lastly, the tie sheet may be added to the top of the pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products as a finishing step (21, 34) to protect the cartons from any wrapping or tie steps, or even against dust. A tie sheet is typically made from paper or cardboard, and is well known in the art. A pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products and having at least one tie sheet is referred to herein as a palletized/tie sheeted pallet (not shown in Figure 1). In one embodiment, the tie sheet is optional. In another embodiment, the station that otherwise is the tie sheet station can be empty, or changed to a second empty pallet station, or changed to a third palletizing station. Alternatively, the station can be changed to something else that robotic arm can access for the task of palletizing.

Once complete, the palletized/tie sheeted pallet or palletized pallet is removed from the respective palletizing station (11, 32) and a third pallet and fourth pallet (not shown) is robotically transferred from the plurality of empty pallets (27) located at the empty pallet station (25) and placed at the empty palletizing stations (11, 32). The palletizing and optional tie sheeting process is again repeated. Additional cartons of consumer product are conveyed by the conveyor toward the terminal end of the conveyor as to be accessible by the robotic arm attachment (10) functionally attached to the robot arm (9) mounted on the robotic arm base (7)

Worker safety is always a paramount concern. One approach for providing safety in the palletizing operation described herein is to provide a fence (50) around the present palletizing system (1). In Figure 1, there are four sides to define the fence (5). These sides are the first side of the fence ( 1), second side (52), third side (53), and fourth side (54). In one aspect of the invention, the fence (50) fences: the robotic arm (9) mounted on the robotic arm base (7); the empty pallet station (25); the first palletizing station (11); the second palletizing station (32); and the tie sheet station (38). To provide selective access to the various stations (11, 25, 32, 38) the fence (50) provides a plurality of gates (61, 62, 63, 64). An empty pallet station safety gate (64) provides access to the empty pallet station (25), a first palletizing station safety gate (61) accessing the first palletizing station (11), a second palletizing station safety gate (62) provides access the second palletizing station (32), and a tie sheet station safety gate (63) provides access the tie sheet station (38).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a single physical gate, for example, may act as multiple respective safety gates for different respective stations. For example, a single slidable gate may circumferentially rotate around the system providing selective access to the four stations (11, 25, 32, 38) and therefore act as four independent safety gates, respectively. Such executions are within the scope of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the first palletizing station safety gate (61) and the second palletizing station safety gate (62) are separately identified but in practice a single place of safety glass or plastic on rollers slides between the first palletizing station (11) and the second palletizing station (32) providing selective access to the respective stations (11, 32) at any one time. In other words, as the robotic arm (9) is busy palletizing the second pallet (14) at the second palletizing station (32), a worker can be removing the fully completed first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) from the first palletizing station (11) since the slidable gate is acting a second palletizing station safety gate (63) preventing access to the second palletizing station (32). After the first palletized pallet (21) is removed and the second palletized pallet (34) is completed, the worker can simply slide the slidable gate thereby opening the safety gate (62) to obtain access to the second palletizing station (32) to remove the second palletized pallet (34) (upon its completion). The process is then repeated.

To provide additional cartons for palletizing, the conveyor (99) conveys additional cartons of consumer products (5) under the robotic arm base to replace those cartons that were previously robotically transferred from the conveyor (99) by the robotic arm mounted to the robotic arm base (9) to the pallets at the palletizing stations.

Foot print area of the system non-inclusive of a fence (50) is from 8 m 2 to 25 m 2 , preferably from 10 m 2 to 20 m 2 , more preferably from 10 m 2 to 1 m 2. Alternati"vely, combinations thereof are provided.

Foot print area of the system inclusive of the fence (50) is from 10 m² to 30 m², preferably from 12 m 2 to 25 m 2 , more preferably from 15 m 2 to 20 m 2. Alternati"vely, combinations thereof are provided.

Another aspect of the invention provides for a method of palletizing consumer products. An initial step may comprise robotically transferring the first pallet (12) from an empty pallet station (25) to the first palletizing station (11). The method comprises the steps: conveying cartons of consumer products (5) under a robotic arm base (7); and palletizing a first empty pallet (12) at a first palletizing station (11) by robotically transferring by a robotic arm mounted on the robotic arm base (9) the conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the first pallet (12) located at the first palletizing station (11) to provide a first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21). Anytime before, during, and/or after the palletizing step, the first pallet may be tie sheeted. Tie sheeting the first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) comprises the step of robotically transferring a first tie sheet (not shown) located at a tie sheet station (38) to the first palletized pallet (21) located at the first palletizing station to provide a first palletized/tie sheeted pallet. The empty pallet station (25) comprises a plurality of empty pallets (27). The tie sheet station (38) comprises a plurality of tie sheets (42). The pallets and tie sheets are accessible by the robotic arm attachment (10) functionally attached to the robot arm (9) attached to the robotic arm base (7). In one embodiment, there is no tie sheeting

Fencing (50) protects workers from the system (1). To provide access to the stations, safety gates (61, 62, 63, and 64) are provided. The method of palletizing comprises the step of opening a first palletizing station safety gate (61) to access the first palletizing station (11) and removing the first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) from the first palletizing station (11) through the opened first palletizing station safety gate (61). To prepare for palletizing at a second palletizing station (32), the robotic arm attachment (10) functionally attached to the robotic arm (9) robotically transfers a second pallet (14) from the empty pallet station (25) to the second palletizing station (32). Thereafter, the second pallet (14) located at the second palletizing station (32) is palletized by robotically transferring conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the second pallet (14). The second pallet (14) is optionally tie sheeted any time during the palletizing process, i.e., before, during, or after cartons (5) are palletized on to the second pallet (14). Tie sheeting comprises the step of robotically transferring a second tie sheet located at the tie sheet station (38) to the second pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (34) located at the second palletizing station (32) to provide a second palletized/tie sheeted pallet (not shown).

A first palletizing station safety gate (61) is opened to access the first palletizing station (11) and remove the first palletized pallet (21) or first palletized/tie sheeted pallet from the first palletizing station (11) through the gate (61). Preferably, the step of removing the first palletized pallet (21) from the first palletizing station (11) is completed before the steps of palletizing and optionally tie sheeting the second pallet (14) at the second palletizing station (32) are completed.

A third pallet (not show) is palletized. The method starts by robotically removing a third empty pallet from empty pallet station (25) to the first palletizing station (11). The third pallet located at the first palletizing station (11) is palletized by robotically transferring the conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the third pallet. As in the first pallet and the second pallet, optionally tie sheeting the third pallet can happen anywhere during the palletizing process. The tie sheeting method comprising the step of robotically transferring a third tie sheet (not shown) located at a tie sheet station (38) to the third palletized pallet (not shown) located at the first palletizing station (11) to provide a third palletized/tie sheeted pallet (not show). A second palletizing station safety gate (62) is opened to access the second palletizing station (32) and removing the second pallet palletized (34) or the second palletized/tie sheeted pallet (not shown) from the second palletizing station (32). Preferably, the step of removing the second palletized pallet (34) from the second palletizing station (32) is completed before the steps of palletizing and optionally tie sheeting the third pallet at the first palletizing station (11) are completed.

Pallets and tie sheets are replenished. For example, a worker opens an empty pallet station safety gate (64); loads an additional plurality of empty pallets (27) at the empty pallet station (25) through the opened empty pallet station safety gate (64); and closes the empty pallet station safety gate (64). Tie sheets are replenished by opening a tie sheet station safety gate (63); (ii) loading an additional plurality of tie sheets (42) at the tie sheet station (38); and closing the tie sheet station safety gate (63). The palletizing operation is preferably stopped during the steps of replenishing the empty pallets and tie sheets, and only resumed once the safety gates are again closed.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method of palletizing cartons of consumer products (5) comprising the steps: (a) conveying cartons of consumer products (5) under a robotic arm base (7); and (b) palletizing a first empty pallet (12) at a first palletizing station (11) by robotically transferring by a robotic arm mounted on the robotic arm base (9) the conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the first pallet (12) located at the first palletizing station (11) to provide a first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21).

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps: (a) robotically transferring the first pallet (12) from an empty pallet station (25) to the first palletizing station (11); and (b) tie sheeting the first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) comprising the step of robotically transferring a first tie sheet located at a tie sheet station (38) to the first palletized pallet (21) located at the first palletizing station to provide a first palletized/tie sheeted pallet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first palletizing station (11) comprises a plurality of empty pallets (27) and the tie sheet station (38) comprises a plurality of tie sheets (42).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of opening a first palletizing station safety gate (61) to access the first palletizing station (11) and removing the first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) from the first palletizing station (11) through the opened first palletizing station safety gate (61).

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of opening a first palletizing station safety gate (61) to access the first palletizing station (11) and removing the first pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (21) from the first palletizing station (11) through the opened first palletizing station safety gate (61).

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of conveying cartons of consumer products (5) under the robotic arm base (7) comprises conveying additional cartons of consumer products (5) under the robotic arm base (7) to replace those cartons that are robotically transferred from the conveyor (99) by the robotic arm mounted to the robotic arm base (9); and further comprising the steps: (a) robotically transferring a second pallet (14) from the empty pallet station (25) to a second palletizing station (32); (b) and palletizing the second pallet (14) located at the second palletizing station (32) by robotically transferring conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the second pallet (14) located at the second palletizing station (32).

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of tie sheeting the second pallet (14) palletized with cartons of consumer products (5) located at the second palletizing station (32) comprising the step of robotically transferring a second tie sheet located at the tie sheet station (38) to the second pallet palletized with cartons of consumer products (34) located at the second palletizing station (32) to provide a second palletized/tie sheeted pallet.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step: opening a first palletizing station safety gate (61) to access the first palletizing station (11) and removing the first palletized/tie sheeted pallet from the first palletizing station (11) through the opened first palletizing station safety gate (61).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of removing the first palletized pallet (21) from the first palletizing station (11) is completed before the steps of palletizing and tie sheeting the second pallet (14) at the second palletizing station (32) are completed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps: (a) Robotically removing a third empty pallet from empty pallet station (25) to the first palletizing station (11); (b) palletizing the third pallet located at the first palletizing station (11) by robotically transferring the conveyed cartons (5) from the conveyor (99) to the third pallet located at the first palletizing station (11); and tie sheeting the third pallet with cartons of consumer products (5) comprising the step of robotically transferring a third tie sheet located at a tie sheet station (38) to the third palletized pallet located at the first palletizing station (11) to provide a third palletized/tie sheeted pallet.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps: (a) opening a second palletizing station safety gate (62) to access the second palletizing station (32); (b) removing the second palletized/tie sheeted pallet; (c) and completing the step of removing the second palletized/tie sheeted pallet before steps of palletizing and tie sheeting the third pallet at the first palletizing station (11).

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps: (a) opening an empty pallet station safety gate (64); (b) loading an additional plurality of empty pallets (27) at the empty pallet station (25) through the opened empty pallet station safety gate (64); and (c) closing the empty pallet station safety gate (64).

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps: (a) opening a tie sheet station safety gate (63); (b) loading an additional plurality of tie sheets (42) at the tie sheet station (38); and (c) closing the tie sheet station safety gate (63).

14. A palletizing system (1) comprising:

(a) a robotic arm (9) mounted on a robotic arm base (7) , wherein the robotic arm (9) is configured to transfer cartons of consumer products (5), empty pallets (27), and tie sheets (42);

(b) an empty pallet station (25) comprising a plurality of empty pallets (27);

(c) a tie sheet station (38) comprising a plurality of tie sheets (42);

(d) a first palletizing station (11) comprising a first pallet (12) configured to receive cartons of consumer products (5);

(e) a second palletizing station (32) comprising a second pallet (14) configured to receive cartons of consumer products (5);

(f) a conveyor (99) extending under the robotic arm base (7), wherein the conveyor (99) is configured to convey a plurality of cartons of consumer products (5); and

(g) wherein the system (1) optionally occupies a foot print area from 8 m 2 to 25 m 2.

15. The palletizing system (1) of claim 14, further comprising a fence (50) fencing the robotic arm (9) mounted on the robotic arm base (7), the empty pallet station (25), the first palletizing station (11), the second palletizing station (32), and the tie sheet station (38), wherein the fence (50) comprising a empty pallet station safety gate (64) accessing the empty pallet station (25), a first palletizing station safety gate (61) accessing the first palletizing station (11), a second palletizing station safety gate (62) accessing the second palletizing station (32), and a tie sheet station safety gate (63) accessing the tie sheet station (38); and wherein the system (1), inclusive of the fencing, optionally occupies a foot print area from 10 m² to 30 m².