A CONTAINER SCANNING SYSTEM WITH WASHING STATION

Abstract

A container scanning system includes: a camera/sensor unit movably mounted on a container handling crane, having a camera and/or sensor for scanning the exterior surface of a container; a control unit configured to control movement of the camera/sensor unit; and a rail mounted on a support beam of the container handling crane, the camera/sensor unit being movably mounted on the rail. The container scanning system includes a washing station mounted on the support beam or the rail at a predetermined location. In a washing mode, the control unit moves the camera/sensor unit to the predetermined location and controls the washing station to wash at least a surface of the camera and/or sensor.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A container scanning system comprising: a camera/sensor unit movably mounted on a container handling crane, said camera/sensor unit comprising a camera and/or sensor for scanning the exterior surface of a container; a control unit operationally coupled to said camera/sensor unit, and configured to control movement of said camera/sensor unit; a rail mounted on a support beam of said container handling crane, said camera/sensor unit being movably mounted on said rail, wherein said container scanning system further comprises a washing station mounted on said support beam or said rail at a predetermined location; and further in that said control unit is configured to control, in a washing mode, movement of said camera/sensor unit to said predetermined location and to control said washing station to wash at least a surface of said camera and/or sensor.

15. The container scanning system according to claim 14, wherein said washing station comprises: a main washing unit fixedly attached to said support beam or said rail at said predetermined location; and a washing arm extending from said main washing unit in a direction facing said surface of said camera and/or sensor unit.

16. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said washing station comprises: a liquid tank to hold a washing liquid, said liquid tank being refillable or replaceable; a liquid pump coupled to said liquid tank; and a liquid conduit coupled to said liquid pump and extending into said washing arm.

17. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said washing station comprises: an air intake; an air pump coupled to said air intake to compress air; and an air conduit coupled to said air pump and extending into said washing arm.

18. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said washing station comprises: wipers mounted on said washing arm to dry said surface of said camera/sensor unit.

19. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said washing arm comprises: a liquid conduit; and liquid sprinklers directed towards said surface of said camera/sensor unit.

20. The container scanning system according to claim 16, wherein said washing arm comprises: an air conduit; and air vents directed towards said surface of said camera/sensor unit.

21. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said washing arm is movably mounted on said main washing unit to cover the entire surface of said camera/sensor unit during said washing mode.

22. The container scanning system according to claim 15, wherein said control unit is configured to move said camera/sensor unit vertically upward and downward during said washing mode to cover the entire surface of said camera/sensor unit by said washing arm.

23. The container scanning system according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined location corresponds to a manually reachable height along said support beam.

24. The container scanning system according to claim 14, wherein said washing mode is entered at regular, pre-programmed times.

25. The container scanning system according to claim 14, wherein said washing mode is entered upon instruction of a human operator.

26. The container scanning system according to claim 14, wherein said washing mode is entered upon instruction of an artificial intelligence algorithm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] FIG. 1A-1D respectively show a front view, a top-left side view, a top-right side view and a top view of an embodiment of the container scanning system 100 according to the invention;

[0060] FIG. 2A-2E respectively show a top-right side view, a top view, a front view, a back view and an interior view of the washing station 200 that forms part of the embodiment of the container scanning system 100 according to the invention illustrated by FIG. 1A-1D; and

[0061] FIG. 3 shows an example embodiment of a suitable computing system 300 for implementing the control unit in embodiments of the container scanning system 100 according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0062] FIG. 1A-1D show a system 100 comprising a camera/sensor unit 101 attached to a rail 102 along which the camera/sensor unit 101 is able to move under control of a control unit not shown in the drawings. The rail 102 is mounted on a vertical portal beam 103 of a container handling crane. Preferably, the rail 102 has internal spacing for power wiring where the camera/sensor unit 101 is connected to. Data connectivity between the camera/sensor unit 101 and the above-mentioned control unit may be wireless or wired. Wired data connectivity may for instance be established over the powering cables housed in the rail 102. The camera/sensor unit 101 has a front cover 111 with an opening 112 for one or plural cameras or sensors that scan the surface of a container handled by the crane, and openings 113 for LED light projectors that enable the camera/sensor unit 101 to also operate at night or in various weather conditions with limited visibility.

[0063] FIG. 1A-1D further show the main unit 104 and arm 105 of a washing station that forms part of container scanning system 100. This washing station will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2A-2E, wherein the washing station is labelled 200.

[0064] The washing station 200 shown in FIG. 2A-2E comprises a main washing unit 104 and a washing arm 105. The main washing unit 104 is designed to be fixedly mounted on the vertical portal beam 103, at a predetermined location, preferably a height where it is manually reachable by personnel. The washing arm 105 is extending away from the main washing unit 104, in a direction towards the area where the camera and/or sensor unit 101 is moving. The washing arm 105 is curved to follow the shape of the front panel 111 of the camera and/or sensor unit 101, and its back surface is provided with liquid sprinklers 151, distributed regularly along the length of the washing arm 105, and air vents 152, also evenly distributed along the length of the washing arm 105.

[0065] The main washing unit 104 comprises a liquid reservoir 141 designed and dimensioned to hold a volume of washing liquid for 5 a 10 washing cycles. The liquid reservoir 141 is refillable or replaceable, for instance via a hinging front door of the main washing unit 104 that is manually reachable by personnel that is instructed to weekly refill or replace the liquid reservoir 141. Liquid pumps 142 are coupled to an outlet of liquid reservoir 141. The liquid pumps 142 are activated by a control unit that first instructs the camera and/or sensor unit 101 to move to the washing position. When activated, the liquid pumps 142 pump washing liquid from the liquid reservoir 141 into liquid conduits 143, 153 that extend into the washing arm 105 and connect with the liquid sprinklers 151. This way, washing liquid is sprinkled or sprayed under pressure onto the front surface 111 of the camera and/or sensor unit 101. During such wash cycle, the control unit instructs the camera and/or sensor unit 101 to move up and down along the rail 102 such that the entire front surface 111 or at least the portion thereof containing the opening or transparent protection 112 for the camera lenses and/or sensors gets cleaned.

[0066] The main washing unit 104 further also comprises an air intake 144 with filter the outlet of which is coupled to air pumps 146. The air pumps 146 are also activated by the control unit, after a wash cycle. When activated, the air pumps compress air into air conduits 145, 155 that extend into the washing arm 105 and connect with the air vents 152. This way, compressed air is directed towards the front surface 111 of the camera and/or sensor unit 101 in order to dry this surface during a drying cycle following the wash cycle. During such drying cycle, the control unit again instructs the camera and/or sensor unit 101 to move up and down along the rail 102 such that the entire front surface 111 or at least the portion thereof containing the opening or transparent protection 112 for the camera lenses and/or sensors gets dried.

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a suitable computing system 300 enabling to implement the control unit that forms part of embodiments of the container scanning system according to the invention. Computing system 300 may in general be formed as a suitable general-purpose computer and comprise a bus 310, a processor 302, a local memory 304, one or more optional input interfaces 314, one or more optional output interfaces 316, a communication interface 312, a storage element interface 306, and one or more storage elements 308. Bus 310 may comprise one or more conductors that permit communication among the components of the computing system 300. Processor 302 may include any type of conventional processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes programming instructions. Local memory 304 may include a random-access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor 302 and/or a read only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for use by processor 302. Input interface 314 may comprise one or more conventional mechanisms that permit an operator or user to input information to the computing device 300, such as a keyboard 320, a mouse 330, a pen, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, a camera, etc. Output interface 316 may comprise one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the operator or user, such as a display 340, etc. Communication interface 312 may comprise any transceiver-like mechanism such as for example one or more Ethernet interfaces that enables computing system 300 to communicate with other devices and/or systems, for example with other computing devices 381, 382, 383. The communication interface 312 of computing system 300 may be connected to such another computing system by means of a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) such as for example the internet. Storage element interface 306 may comprise a storage interface such as for example a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface or a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) for connecting bus 310 to one or more storage elements 308, such as one or more local disks, for example SATA disk drives, and control the reading and writing of data to and/or from these storage elements 308. Although the storage element(s) 308 above is/are described as a local disk, in general any other suitable computer-readable media such as a removable magnetic disk, optical storage media such as a CD or DVD, -ROM disk, solid state drives, flash memory cards, . . . could be used. Computing system 300 could thus correspond to the controller in the embodiment of the container scanning system illustrated by FIG. 1A-1D and FIG. 2A-2E.

[0068] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words “comprising” or “comprise” do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms “first”, “second”, third”, “a”, “b”, “c”, and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.