초록

A method and apparatus is provided for determining an attribute of an article during the transfer of the article by an article-feeding machine during the transfer of the article from one location to another location.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of determining the weight of an object while moving the object comprising the steps of:moving a pickup arm onto a weighing means, determining a tare weight of said pickup arm with said weighing means, sending said determined tare weight to a computer, advancing said pickup arm to contact

1. A method of determining the weight of an object while moving the object comprising the steps of:moving a pickup arm onto a weighing means, determining a tare weight of said pickup arm with said weighing means, sending said determined tare weight to a computer, advancing said pickup arm to contact a plurality of objects, securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm, repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means, determining the weight of said pickup arm and said object with said weighing means, sending said determined weight of said pickup arm and said object to said computer, calculating the weight of said object, and selecting a storage location for said object based on said calculated weight of said object. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weighing means is a load cell.3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of moving a pickup arm onto a weighing means comprises a weighing sensor for determining tare weight located at a first position, and said step of repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means comprises a second weighing sensor for determining the weight of said pickup arm and said object said second weighing sensor being located at a second position.4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pickup arm comprises a nozzle having a low pressure atmosphere for securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm.5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:releasing said object from said pickup arm at a second location, and transporting said object from said second location to said selected storage location. 6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said step of transporting said object from said second location comprises a means for moving said object to said selected storage location.7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said storage location comprises a container positioned under said pickup arm.8. A method of determining the weight of a semi-rigid and non-rigid object while moving the object comprising the steps of:moving an automated pickup arm along a path defined by a cam, situating said pickup arm at a weighing means to determine the tare weight of said pickup arm, sending said determined tare weight to a computer, advancing said pickup arm to contact a plurality of object at a first location, securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm, repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means to determine the weight of said pickup arm and said object, sending said determined weight of said pickup arm and said object to said computer, releasing said object from said pickup arm at a second location, calculating with said computer the weight of said object, selecting a final position for said object based on said calculated weight of said object, and relocating said object to said selected final position. 9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said weighing means is on said path defined by said cam.10. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said weighing means is a load cell contained within said cam.11. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said second location comprises a means for moving said object to said selected final position.12. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said step of situating said pickup arm at a weighing means comprises a first load cell to determine tare weight said sensor being located at a first position along said path defined by said cam, and said step of repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means comprises a second load cell for determining the weight of said pickup arm and said object said second weighing sensor being located at a second position along said path defined by said cam.13. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said pickup arm comprises a low pressure nozzle for securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm.14. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said final position comprises a container positioned under said pickup arm to receive said object.15. An apparatus for transferring objects from a first location to a second location comprising:a frame, first means mounted on the frame for holding a plurality of objects, second means for moving objects away from the first means, third means for picking up objects from the first means and depositing the objects on the second means, said third means including a movable member, and a support mounted on the frame, said support having a bottom surface and a chamber open to the bottom surface, said member being located in engagement with said bottom surface, means supporting the member on the frame for movement relative to the first and second means, drive means for moving the member, an object pickup device mounted on the member having a lower open end and a passage open to the chamber, said object pickup device being operable to pickup an object in the first means, transport the object to a location above the second means and release the object thereby allowing the object to be placed onto the second means, and means to apply a vacuum to the chamber whereby flowing air is drawn through the lower open end and passage of the pickup device, said flowing air and vacuum being operable to move an object into engagement with the pickup device the improvement comprising: a load cell for determining the weight of at least one of said a plurality of objects, an attribute measurement means for determining an attribute of at least one of said a plurality of objects, activation means associated with said apparatus, said activation means operating in response to apparatus movement or object movement to initiate the operation of said attribute measurement means. 16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means is a camera.17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means is a colorimeter.18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means is a reflectometer.19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means is a pressure sensor to determine the resistence of said object to contact pressure.20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means is a temperature sensor.21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said attribute measurement means determines the weight of the object.22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said weight is determined by a load cell.23. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said second means is a conveyor for sequentially receiving objects and carrying the objects to a location remote from the first means.24. A method of measuring an attribute of an object while moving the object between first and second locations comprising the steps of:advancing a pickup arm to contact, at a first location, objects; securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm; advancing said pickup arm toward a second location; performing, during said advancing step, an object attribute measurement using a pressure sensor to determine the resistance of said object to contact pressure; transmitting said object attribute measurement to a computer; determining with said computer a storage position for said object wherein said storage position is associated with a range of object attribute measurements; and releasing said object from said pickup arm at said second location. 25. A method of determining the weight of an object while moving the object comprising the steps of:moving a pickup arm along a path defined by a cam; situating said pickup arm at a weighing means comprising a first load cell to determine the tare weight of said pickup arm wherein said first load cell is located at a first position along said path defined by said cam; sending said determined tare weight to a computer; advancing said pickup arm to contact a plurality of object at a first location; securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm; repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means comprising a second load cell to determine the weight of said pickup arm and said object, wherein said second load cell is located at a second position along said path defined by said cam; sending said determined weight of said pickup arm and said object to said computer; releasing said object from said pickup arm at a second location; calculating with said computer the weight of said object; selecting a final position for said object based on said calculated weight of said object; and relocating said object to said selected final position. 26. A method of determining the weight of an object while moving the object comprising the steps of:moving a pickup arm having a low pressure nozzle along a path defined by a cam; situating said pickup arm at a weighing means to determine the tare weight of said pickup arm; sending said determined tare weight to a computer; advancing said pickup arm to contact a plurality of object at a first location; securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm using said low pressure nozzle; repositioning said pickup arm onto said weighing means to determine the weight of said pickup arm and said object; sending said determined weight of said pickup arm and said object to said computer; releasing said object from said pickup arm at a second location; calculating with said computer the weight of said object; selecting a final position for said object based on said calculated weight of said object; and relocating said object to said selected final position. 27. An apparatus for transferring objects from a first location to a second location comprising:a frame; first means mounted on the frame for holding a plurality of objects; second means for moving objects away from the first means; third means for picking up objects from the first means and depositing the objects on the second means, said third means including a movable member, and a support mounted on the frame, said support having a bottom surface and a chamber open to the bottom surface, said member being located in engagement with said bottom surface; means supporting the member on the frame for movement relative to the first and second means; drive means for moving the member; an object pickup device mounted on the member having a lower open end and a passage open to the chamber; said object pickup device being operable to pickup an object in the first means, transport the object to a location above the second means and release the object thereby allowing the object to be placed onto the second means; and means to apply a vacuum to the chamber whereby flowing air is drawn through the lower open end and passage of the pickup device, said flowing air and vacuum being operable to move an object into engagement with the pickup device and retain the object on the pickup device the improvement comprising: a camera for determining an attribute of at least one of said a plurality of objects; and activation means associated with said apparatus, said activation means operating in response to apparatus movement or object movement to initiate the operation of said camera. 28. An apparatus for transferring objects from a first location to a second location comprising:a frame; first means mounted on the frame for holding a plurality of objects; second means for moving objects away from the first means; third means for picking up objects from the first means and depositing the objects on the second means, said third means including a movable member, and a support mounted on the frame, said support having a bottom surface and a chamber open to the bottom surface, said member being located in engagement with said bottom surface; means supporting the member on the frame for movement relative to the first and second means; drive means for moving the member; an object pickup device mounted on the member having a lower open end and a passage open to the chamber, said object pickup device being operable to pickup an object in the first means, transport the object to a location above the second means and release the object thereby allowing the object to be placed onto the second means; and means to apply a vacuum to the chamber whereby flowing air is drawn through the lower open end and passage of the pickup device, said flowing air and vacuum being operable to move an object into engagement with the pickup device and retain the object on the pickup device the improvement comprising: a colorimeter for determining an attribute of at least one of said a plurality of objects; and activation means associated with said apparatus, said activation means operating in response to apparatus movement or object movement to initiate the operation of said colorimeter. 29. An apparatus for transferring objects from a first location to a second location comprising:a frame; first means mounted on the frame for holding a plurality of objects; second means for moving objects away from the first means; third means for picking up objects from the first means and depositing the objects on the second means, said third means including a movable member, and a support mounted on the frame, said support having a bottom surface and a chamber open to the bottom surface, said member being located in engagement with said bottom surface; means supporting the member on the frame for movement relative to the first and second means; drive means for moving the member; an object pickup device mounted on the member having a lower open end and a passage open to the chamber; said object pickup device being operable to pickup an object in the first means, transport the object to a location above the second means and release the object thereby allowing the object to be placed onto the second means; and means to apply a vacuum to the chamber whereby flowing air is drawn through the lower open end and passage of the pickup device, said flowing air and vacuum being operable to move an object into engagement with the pickup device and retain the object on the pickup device the improvement comprising: a reflectometer for determining an attribute of at least one of said a plurality of objects; and activation means associated with said apparatus, said activation means operating in response to apparatus movement or object movement to initiate the operation of said reflectometer. 30. A method of measuring an attribute of a semi-rigid and non-rigid object while moving the object between first and second locations comprising the steps of:advancing an automated pickup arm to contact, at a first location, objects, securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm, advancing said pickup arm toward a second location, performing, during said advancing step, an object attribute measurement to determine the weight of said object, transmitting said object attribute measurement to a computer, determining with said computer a storage position for said object wherein said storage position is associated with a range of object attribute measurements, and releasing said object from said pickup arm at said second location. 31. A method of measuring an attribute of a semi-rigid and non-rigid object while moving the object between first and second locations comprising the steps of:advancing an automated pickup arm to contact, at a first location, objects, securing at least one of said plurality of objects onto said pickup arm, advancing said pickup arm toward a second location, performing, during said advancing step, an object attribute measurement to determine the weight of said object using a load cell, transmitting said object attribute measurement to a computer, determining with said computer a storage position for said object wherein said storage position is associated with a range of object attribute measurements, and releasing said object from said pickup arm at said second location.