A robotic carcass processing system uses a pair of robotic arms having multiple axes of motion, a saw mounted thereon, and a controller. The controller moves the saw in Cartesian space via inverse kinematics with interpolation control over the multiple axes of the robotic arm to synchronously move t
A robotic carcass processing system uses a pair of robotic arms having multiple axes of motion, a saw mounted thereon, and a controller. The controller moves the saw in Cartesian space via inverse kinematics with interpolation control over the multiple axes of the robotic arm to synchronously move the saw relative to a carcass on an assembly line. The controller also determines when one of the robotic arms has moved its saw out of a defined space to indicate that space is clear and to permit the other robotic arm to enter that space. A sensor on the assembly line identifies location of the absence of a supported carcass, a supported carcass that requires special handling, or weight or length of a carcass. The controller sends a signal to the robotic arms to either effect a standard cut or to modify the standard cut at the identified location or carcass.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of controlling a robotic carcass processing system comprising: providing a line of carcasses to be processed, the line moving the carcasses past a processing station; providing at the processing station on one side of the line a robotic arm having multiple axes of motion and a carcass pr
1. A method of controlling a robotic carcass processing system comprising: providing a line of carcasses to be processed, the line moving the carcasses past a processing station; providing at the processing station on one side of the line a robotic arm having multiple axes of motion and a carcass processing tool mounted to the robotic arm;providing a robotic controller in communication with the robotic arm and the back support for controlling and moving the multiple axes of the robotic arm to move the carcass processing tool in Cartesian space via inverse kinematics and having interpolation control over the multiple axes of the robotic arm;continuously moving a plurality of carcasses on the line sequentially past the processing station;while a selected carcass is passing the processing station, synchronously moving the back support relative to the selected carcass and using the controller to move the carcass processing tool in Cartesian space via inverse kinematics and having interpolation control over the multiple axes of the robotic arm to synchronously move the carcass processing tool relative to the selected carcass and the back support as the selected carcass moves continuously on the line sequentially past the processing station. 2. The method of claim 1 further including providing at the processing station on the other side of the line a back support having multiple axes of motion for supporting a carcass during processing, the back support moving with the carcass processing tool relative to a selected carcass to be processed. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the controller has interpolation control over the multiple axes of the back support to synchronously move the carcass processing tool and the back support relative to the selected carcass as the selected carcass moves continuously on the line sequentially past the processing station. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, and wherein the controller moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool synchronously with the selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the selected carcass. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, and after processing the selected carcass in the line of carcasses, the controller moves the robotic arm along a first axis upstream along the line of carcasses and moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool synchronously along the first axis with another selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the other selected carcass. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the carcass comprises a hog carcass, the carcass processing tool comprises a splitting saw and the back support comprises a back roller. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, the splitting saw may be extended and retracted from the robotic arm and wherein the controller: a) moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the splitting saw synchronously along a first axis with the selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses being processed; b) simultaneously moves the plurality of moveable joints to: i) extend the splitting saw along a second axis to contact the selected hog carcass, ii) move the saw along a third axis in a direction normal to the line of carcasses to make a desired cut on the selected hog carcass, and iii) retract the splitting saw from the selected hog carcass along the second axis after the desired cut is made; and c) after processing the selected hog carcass in the line of carcasses, moves the robotic arm along the first axis upstream along the line of carcasses to another selected hog carcass and repeats steps (a) and (b) to process the other selected hog carcass. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the carcass comprises a beef carcass, and the carcass processing tool comprises a band saw. 9. A robotic controlled carcass processing system comprising: a robotic arm having multiple axes of motion;a carcass processing tool mounted to the robotic arm;a robotic controller for controlling and moving the multiple axes of the robotic arm to move the carcass processing tool in Cartesian space via inverse kinematics and having interpolation control over the multiple axes of the robotic arm to synchronously move the carcass processing tool relative to a selected carcass to be processed. 10. The system of claim 9 further including a back support having multiple axes of motion moveable with the carcass processing tool relative to a selected carcass to be processed. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the robotic controller further has interpolation control over the multiple axes of the back support to synchronously move the carcass processing tool and the back support relative to a selected carcass to be processed. 12. The system of claim 9 wherein the system processes carcasses moving along a line, the robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, and wherein the controller moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool synchronously with the selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the selected carcass. 13. The system of claim 10 wherein the robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, and after processing the selected carcass in the line of carcasses, the controller moves the robotic arm along a first axis upstream along the line of carcasses and the controller moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool synchronously along the first axis with another selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the other selected carcass. 14. The system of claim 9 wherein the carcass comprises a hog, the carcass processing tool comprises a splitting saw and the back support comprises a back roller. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the system processes carcasses moving along a line, the robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, the splitting saw may be extended and retracted from the robotic arm and wherein the controller: a) moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the splitting saw synchronously along a first axis with a selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses being processed; b) simultaneously moves the plurality of moveable joints to: i) extend the splitting saw along a second axis to contact the selected hog carcass, ii) move the saw along a third axis in a direction normal to the line of carcasses to make a desired cut on the selected hog carcass, and iii) retract the splitting saw from the selected hog carcass along the second axis after the desired cut is made; and c) after processing the selected hog carcass in the line of carcasses, moves the robotic arm along the first axis upstream along the line of carcasses to another selected hog carcass and repeats steps (a) and (b) to process the other selected hog carcass. 16. A method of controlling a robotic carcass processing system comprising: providing a line of carcasses to be processed, the line moving the carcasses past a processing station; providing at the processing station along the line at least two robotic arms, each having multiple axes of motion and at least two carcass processing tools, one mounted to each of the robotic arms;providing a robotic controller for controlling and moving the multiple axes of the at least two robotic arms and their respective carcass processing tools;defining a space encompassing physical space needed for movement of each robotic arm and its respective carcass processing tool during processing of a selected carcass along the line; andusing the robotic controller to determine when one of the at least two robotic arms has moved its respective carcass processing tool out of its respective defined space to indicate that space is clear and to permit one of the other at least two robotic arms and their respective carcass processing tools to enter the defined space. 17. The method of claim 16 including at least two robotic controllers, one for each robotic arm for controlling and moving the multiple axes of its respective robotic arm, each robotic controller sending a signal when its respective arm has moved its respective carcass processing tool out of a defined space to indicate that space is clear and to permit one of the other at least two robotic arms to enter the defined space. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the signal is Cartesian coordinate data of the location of the robotic arm. 19. The method of claim 16 wherein each robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, and including moving the defined space synchronously with a selected carcass in a direction along the line of carcasses, and causing at least one controller to move the plurality of moveable joints on its respective robotic arm to maintain its respective carcass processing tool within the defined space and synchronously with the selected carcass to process the selected carcass. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein each robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, and including, after processing the selected carcass in the line of carcasses, causing the at least one controller to move its respective robotic arm along a first axis upstream along the line of carcasses and move the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool within the defined space and synchronously along the first axis with another selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the other selected carcass. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the stationary bases of each robotic arm are disposed side-by-side along a continuously moving line of hogs to be processed, and after sending the signal from the one robotic controller when its respective arm has moved its respective carcass processing tool out of its respective defined space, causing the other controller to move the other of the at least two robotic arms and its respective carcass processing tool into the defined space. 22. The method of claim 16 wherein the carcass comprises a hog and each carcass processing tool comprises a splitting saw. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein each robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, the stationary bases being disposed side-by-side along a continuously moving line of hog carcasses to be processed, each robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, each splitting saw may be extended and retracted from its respective robotic arm and including causing each controller to: a) move the plurality of moveable joints of its respective robotic arm to maintain the splitting saw synchronously along a first axis with a selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses being processed; b) simultaneously move the plurality of moveable joints to: i) extend the splitting saw along a second axis to contact the selected hog carcass, ii) move the saw along a third axis in a direction normal to the line of carcasses to make a desired cut on the selected hog carcass, and iii) retract the splitting saw from the selected hog carcass along the second axis after the desired cut is made; and c) after processing the selected hog carcass in the line of carcasses, move its respective robotic arm along the first axis upstream along the line of carcasses to another selected hog carcass and repeat operations (a) and (b) to process the other selected hog carcass, and wherein the defined space of each robotic arm comprises physical space occupied by the respective robotic arm and its respective splitting saw during operations (a) and (b). 24. A robotic controlled carcass processing system comprising: at least two robotic arms, each having multiple axes of motion;at least two carcass processing tools, one mounted to each of the robotic arms;a robotic controller for controlling and moving the multiple axes of the at least two robotic arms, the robotic controller determining when one of the at least two robotic arms has moved its respective carcass processing tool out of a defined space to indicate that space is clear and to permit one of the other at least two robotic arms to enter the defined space. 25. The system of claim 24 including at least two robotic controllers, one for each robotic arm for controlling and moving the multiple axes of its respective robotic arm, each robotic controller sending a signal when its respective arm has moved its respective carcass processing tool out of a defined space to indicate that space is clear and to permit one of the other at least two robotic arms to enter the defined space. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein the signal is Cartesian coordinate data of the location of the robotic arm. 27. The system of claim 24 wherein the system processes carcasses moving along a line, each robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, the defined space moves synchronously with a selected carcass in a direction along the line of carcasses, and wherein at least one controller moves the plurality of moveable joints on its respective robotic arm to maintain its respective carcass processing tool within the defined space and synchronously with the selected carcass to process the selected carcass. 28. The system of claim 27 wherein each robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, and after processing the selected carcass in the line of carcasses, the at least one controller moves its respective robotic arm along a first axis upstream along the line of carcasses and the controller moves the plurality of moveable joints to maintain the carcass processing tool within the defined space and synchronously along the first axis with another selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses to process the other selected carcass. 29. The system of claim 24 wherein the carcass comprises a hog and each carcass processing tool comprises a splitting saw. 30. The system of claim 29 wherein each robotic arm is moveably connected to a stationary base, the stationary bases being disposed side-by-side along a continuously moving line of hog carcasses to be processed, each robotic arm comprises a plurality of links and a plurality of moveable joints connected to the links, each splitting saw may be extended and retracted from its respective robotic arm and wherein each controller: a) moves the plurality of moveable joints of its respective robotic arm to maintain the splitting saw synchronously along a first axis with a selected carcass in the direction along the line of carcasses being processed; b) simultaneously moves the plurality of moveable joints to: i) extend the splitting saw along a second axis to contact the selected hog carcass, ii) move the saw along a third axis in a direction normal to the line of carcasses to make a desired cut on the selected hog carcass, and iii) retract the splitting saw from the selected hog carcass along the second axis after the desired cut is made; and c) after processing the selected hog carcass in the line of carcasses, moves its respective robotic arm along the first axis upstream along the line of carcasses to another selected hog carcass and repeats operations (a) and (b) to process the other selected hog carcass, and wherein the defined space of each robotic arm comprises physical space occupied by the respective robotic arm and its respective splitting saw during operations (a) and (b). 31. A method of processing a suspended carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of trolleys movable along the rail, each trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass;providing a carcass processing device capable of effecting a processing operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail;providing a controller in communication with the carcass rail and the carcass processing device;providing an identification to a desired supported carcass on the carcass rail prior to the carcass passing a processing device to signify a condition of the carcass that requires special handling of the carcass;moving a plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail past the carcass processing device;using the carcass processing device, effecting a standard processing operation on each of the carcasses as the carcasses pass the carcass processing device;identifying to the controller the carcass having the identification;sending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to change the standard processing operation effected on the carcass having the identification and effect a different operation from the standard processing operation as the carcass having the mark passes the carcass processing device. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the controller signal to the carcass processing device comprises a signal synchronized with the carcass processing device and the movement of carcasses along the carcass rail, the signal including a register containing data on the carcass having the identification. 33. The method of claim 32 including providing a sensor capable of detecting a mark on a supported carcass, and further including: providing the identification to a desired supported carcass on the carcass rail by placing a mark on the desired supported carcass on the carcass rail prior to the carcass passing the processing device to signify a condition of the carcass that requires special handling of the carcass;identifying with the sensor the carcass having the mark;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller; andsending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to change the standard processing operation effected on the carcass having the mark and effect a different operation from the standard processing operation as the carcass having the mark passes the carcass processing device. 34. The method of claim 33 wherein the carcass is a hog carcass, the mark is a tag placed on the hog carcass, the carcass processing device includes a splitting saw, the standard processing operation is splitting the carcass, the sensor includes a vision system to detect the mark tag and the different operation is not splitting the hog carcass having the mark. 35. The method of claim 31 including providing a switch to identify position of a desired supported carcass among the plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail, and further including providing the identification to a desired supported carcass on the carcass rail by engaging the switch to identify the desired supported carcass on the carcass rail prior to the carcass passing the processing device to signify a condition of the carcass that requires special handling of the carcass. 36. A method of processing a suspended carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the rail, each trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass;providing a carcass processing device capable of effecting a processing operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail;providing a sensor capable of detecting absence of a carcass at the desired interval on the rail;providing a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and the sensor;moving a plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail past the carcass processing device;using the carcass processing device, effecting a standard processing operation on each of the carcasses at the desired interval as the carcasses pass the carcass processing device;identifying with the sensor the absence of a carcass at the desired interval on the rail;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller;using the controller, recording location of the interval of the rail having no carcass; andsending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to change the standard processing operation at the interval of the rail having no carcass. 37. The method of claim 36 wherein the controller signal to the carcass processing device comprises a signal synchronized with the carcass processing device and the movement of carcasses along the carcass rail, the signal including a register containing data on the absence of the carcass to be processed by the carcass processing device. 38. The method of claim 36 further including providing downstream on the carcass rail another carcass processing device capable of effecting a processing operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail, and using the controller, sending the location of the interval of the rail having no carcass to the other carcass processing device and changing the standard processing operation of the other carcass processing device at the interval of the rail having no carcass. 39. The method of claim 36 wherein the carcass is a hog carcass, the carcass processing device includes a splitting saw, the standard processing operation is splitting the carcass, the sensor includes a vision system to detect the absence of a carcass at the desired interval on the rail, and the change in the standard processing operation is to effect no processing operation at the interval on the rail having no carcass. 40. A method of processing a suspended carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the rail, each trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass;providing first and second carcass processing devices each capable of effecting a processing operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail, the carcass rail passing a trolley sequentially past the first carcass processing device and the second carcass processing device;providing a sensor capable of detecting location of a supported carcass on the carcass rail;providing a controller in communication with the carcass rail, and the first and second carcass processing devices;moving a plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail past the first and second carcass processing devices;identifying with the sensor the location of a carcass on the carcass rail;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller with the location of the carcass;sending a signal from the controller to the first carcass processing device to effecting a standard processing operation on the carcass identified by the sensor as the identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device; andusing the controller, causing the second carcass processing device to effect no processing operation on the carcass identified by the sensor as the identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device. 41. The method of claim 40 wherein the controller signal to the first carcass processing device comprises a signal synchronized with the carcass processing device and the movement of carcasses along the carcass rail, the signal including a register containing data on processing previously performed on the carcass to be processed by the first carcass processing device. 42. The method of claim 40 further including: identifying with the sensor the location of another carcass on the carcass rail;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller with the location of the other carcass;using the controller, causing the first carcass processing device to effect no processing operation on the other carcass identified by the sensor as the other identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device; andsending a signal from the controller to the second carcass processing device to effecting a standard processing operation on the other carcass identified by the sensor as the other identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device. 43. The method of claim 40 wherein the carcass is a hog carcass, the carcass processing device includes a splitting saw and the standard processing operation is splitting the carcass. 44. A method of processing a suspended carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the rail, each trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass;providing first and second carcass processing devices each capable of effecting a standard processing operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail, the carcass rail passing a trolley sequentially past the first carcass processing device and the second carcass processing device;providing a controller in communication with the carcass rail, and the first and second carcass processing devices;moving a plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail;identifying a location along the carcass rail to signify the absence of a supported carcass or the presence of a supported carcass that requires special handling;sending a signal to the controller with the location along the carcass rail;moving a plurality of carcasses supported on the trolleys on the carcass rail sequentially past the first carcass processing device and then past the second carcass processing device; andsending a signal from the controller to the first carcass processing device and to the second carcass processing device to either effect a standard processing operation or to modify the standard processing operation as the trolley at the identified location passes the carcass processing devices. 45. The method of claim 44 wherein the controller signal to the carcass processing devices comprises a signal synchronized with the carcass processing devices and the movement of carcasses along the carcass rail, the signal including a register containing data on processing previously performed on the carcass to be processed by the respective carcass processing device. 46. The method of claim 44 including providing a sensor capable of detecting a mark on a supported carcass, and further including: providing the identification to the location along the carcass rail by placing a mark on a desired supported carcass on the carcass rail prior to the carcass passing the first and second processing devices to signify a condition of the carcass that requires special handling of the carcass;identifying with the sensor the carcass having the mark;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller; andsending a signal from the controller to the first and second carcass processing devices to effect no operation on the carcass having the mark as the carcass having the mark passes the carcass processing devices. 47. The method of claim 44 including providing a sensor capable of detecting absence of a carcass at the desired interval on the rail, and further including: providing the identification to the location along the carcass rail by identifying with the sensor the absence of a carcass at the desired interval on the rail prior to the carcass passing the first and second processing devices;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller; andsending a signal from the controller to the first and second carcass processing devices to effect no operation at the interval of the rail having no carcass. 48. The method of claim 44 including: providing a sensor capable of detecting location of a supported carcass on the carcass rail;providing the identification to the location along the carcass rail by identifying with the sensor the location of a supported carcass;sending a signal from the sensor to the controller with the location of the carcass;sending a signal from the controller to the first carcass processing device to effecting a standard processing operation on the carcass identified by the sensor as the identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device; andsending a signal from the controller to the second carcass processing device to effect no processing operation on the carcass identified by the sensor as the identified carcasses passes the carcass processing device. 49. A method of processing a suspended carcass as the carcass is moved along a defined path comprising: providing a carcass rail having a plurality of trolleys spaced at desired intervals and movable along the rail, each trolley capable of supporting an animal carcass;providing a carcass processing device having a splitting saw capable of effecting a splitting operation on a carcass supported by a trolley moving along the carcass rail;providing a sensor for measuring a size parameter of each carcass moving along the carcass rail;providing a controller in communication with the carcass rail, the carcass processing device and the sensor;moving a plurality of supported carcasses on the carcass rail;measuring a size parameter of each carcass as it moves along the carcass rail;sending a signal to the controller with the size parameter of each carcass;using the size parameter, having the controller determine distance to be traveled by the carcass splitting saw to split a desired one of the carcasses; andsending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to move the carcass splitting saw the determined distance to split the desired one of the carcasses. 50. The method of claim 49 wherein the controller signal to the carcass processing device comprises a signal synchronized with the carcass processing device and the movement of carcasses along the carcass rail, the signal including a register containing data on the size parameter of the carcass to be processed by the carcass processing device. 51. The method of claim 49 wherein the sensor is capable of detecting weight of each carcass, and further including: measuring weight of each carcass as it moves along the carcass rail;sending a signal to the controller with the weight of each carcass;using the carcass weight, having the controller determine distance to be traveled by the carcass splitting saw to split a desired one of the carcasses; andsending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to move the carcass splitting saw the determined distance to split the desired one of the carcasses. 52. The method of claim 51 wherein the carcass is a hog carcass having a backbone and a back strap adjacent the backbone, the splitting operation is the splitting of the backbone, and the distance determined is the distance of the splitting saw to be traveled to split the backbone completely without splitting the entire back strap of the hog carcass. 53. The method of claim 49 wherein the sensor is capable of detecting length of each carcass, and further including: measuring length of each carcass as it moves along the carcass rail;sending a signal to the controller with the length of each carcass;using the carcass length, having the controller determine distance to be traveled by the carcass splitting saw to split a desired one of the carcasses; andsending a signal from the controller to the carcass processing device to move the carcass splitting saw the determined distance to split the desired one of the carcasses. 54. The method of claim 53 wherein the carcass is a hog carcass having a backbone and a severed head hanging by a pair of jowls with one jowl on each side of the carcass, the splitting operation is the splitting of the backbone, and the distance determined is the distance of the splitting saw to be traveled to split the backbone completely without cutting into the severed head of the hog carcass.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (17)
Kielwasser ; deceased Jean C., Automated saw for splitting carcasses.
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