The invention relates to a device (100) for loading/unloading stackable cargo units (101) such as boxes (101) from a cargo space, such as a sea container (102). Such a device (100) comprises a movable arm (104) with a head (110), comprising an array with downwardly directed gripping bodies (e.g. suction cups (211)). According to the invention there is a second grip section (220) with which the cargo units (101) can be gripped at the sides thereof. Hereby also cargo units (101) of a top row can be unloaded quickly. The invention also relates to a method for the loading/unloading of a cargo space.

Disclosed are a carrier device and a placement machine, where the carrier device includes a body and a positioner. A positioning sucker mechanism is disposed on the body, and a sliding sucker mechanism is slidably disposed on the body, where the sliding sucker mechanism includes a sucker group, a positioning block connected to one end of the sucker group, and a first suction piece provided on the positioning block. The positioner is arranged on one side of the body and adjacent to the positioning block, and includes a driver and a clamping assembly connected to the driver, where the clamping assembly is provided with a second suction piece mutually attracted to the first suction piece. The carrier device of the present disclosure improves the efficiency of clamping the sucker group by the clamping assembly.

Various embodiments illustrated herein disclose an apparatus. The apparatus comprises a rotary put wall having a plurality of totes. The apparatus further comprises a vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) placed within the rotary put wall. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) comprises a plurality of chutes to receive one or more items from a robotic device. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is further configured to be rotatable with respect to the rotary put wall and to convey the one or more items into one tote of the plurality of totes of the rotary put wall.

Unit for sorting parts moving along a conveyor belt comprising a transfer device (3) which comprises a roller (31) which is rotatably movable above the belt and a plurality of gripping tools (32) at the periphery of the roller which are each capable of selectively removing a part from the belt when the tools are brought into a removal position, each tool comprising a suction cup (321) attached to a tubular support sleeve (322) which is capable of creating a connection between the suction cup and an internal chamber (312) of the roller, said connection being kept at a negative pressure relative to the surrounding air, all of the suction cups which are brought into the removal position being depressurized, each sleeve being mounted so as to be translatably movable along the axis thereof through a wall (311) of the roller, an actuator (34) being designed to selectively control, in the removal position, the movement of the sleeve so that the suction cup engages with the part to be removed.

Transport unit for transporting circular-cylindrical profiled workpieces, including a loading drum which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation on a bearing journal and which is provided on an outer surface with a plurality of loading slides, wherein each loading slide is received on the outer surface so as to be linearly movable along the axis of rotation and has a workholder with a recess profiled in the form of a circular section along the axis of rotation, wherein profile axes of the recesses each intersect a circumference arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation and wherein it is provided that the workholder is received on the loading slide so as to be linearly movable along a radial direction aligned perpendicularly to the axis of rotation between a radially inner first functional position and a radially outer second functional position.

Unit for sorting parts moving along a conveyor belt comprising a transfer device (3) which comprises a roller (31) which is rotatably movable above the belt and a plurality of gripping tools (32) at the periphery of the roller which are each capable of selectively removing a part from the belt when the tools are brought into a removal position, each tool comprising a suction cup (321) attached to a tubular support sleeve (322) which is capable of creating a connection between the suction cup and an internal chamber (312) of the roller, said connection being kept at a negative pressure relative to the surrounding air, all of the suction cups which are brought into the removal position being depressurized, each sleeve being mounted so as to be translatably movable along the axis thereof through a wall (311) of the roller, an actuator (34) being designed to selectively control, in the removal position, the movement of the sleeve so that the suction cup engages with the part to be removed.

Robotic picking devices and methods for performing a picking operation. The robotic picking device includes a suction device configured to obtain an initial grasp on an item, and at least one finger portion configured to stabilize the item upon the suction device obtaining the initial grasp on the item.

According to one embodiment, a transfer apparatus includes an arm including a rotation fulcrum portion, and a grip mechanism turnable around the rotation fulcrum portion. The grip mechanism includes a first grip portion which grips a first surface of a grip target object, and a second grip portion which grips a second surface of the grip target object. The first grip portion includes a first pad including a first grip surface, and a first support member. The second grip portion includes a second pad including a second grip surface, and a second support member which moves the second pad in a direction crossing the second grip surface, and is connected to the rotation fulcrum portion together with the first support member.

Systems and methods capable of selecting and positively grasping objects of interest within a cluttered environment are described. Some aspects of the present disclosure provide for real-time control of a robot that uses various sensors and reacts to sensor input in real time to adjust the robots path. In some embodiments, a robotic item picker includes an end effector having a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end, a carriage configured to rotate about and translate along an intermediate portion of the shaft between a proximal position and a distal position, a suction device coupled to the distal end of the shaft, and a plurality of fingers spaced radially about the carriage. The robot may be a t-bot including a longitudinal member rotatable about a lengthwise axis of the longitudinal member, a carriage translatable along the lengthwise axis, and a radial member slidably mounted to the carriage. The end effector may be rotatably coupled at a distal end of the radial member.

A robot system for picking randomly shaped and sized object from a continuously moving stream of objects in bulk, e.g. a 3D bulk, and placing the object singulated and aligned on an induction or directly on a sorter. A pick and place robot has a robotic actuator for moving a gripper with a controllable gripping configuration of its gripping members, e.g. four suction cups, to adapt the gripper for various objects. A control system processes a 3D image of objects upstream of a position of the pick and place robot, identifies separate objects in the 3D image, and selects which object to grip, based on parameters of the identified separate objects determined from the 3D image. Based on e.g. size and shape of the selected object to grip, the gripping configuration of the gripper is adjusted to match the surface of the object to grip for optimal gripping. The robotic actuator, e.g. a gantry type robotic actuator, is then controlled to move the gripper to a position for gripping the object, and afterwards move the gripper with the gripped object to a target position and with a target orientation to release grip of the object and thus place the object on an induction or directly on a sorter. An image after placing the object along with properties of the object determined from the 3D image can be used as input to a machine learning for online improving pick and place performance of the robot system, e.g. for online improving the algorithm for selection of which object to pick, and also for selection of the appropriate gripping configuration to match the object.