Patents Assigned to Sick, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10262222
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring dimensions of a target object. The method comprises acquiring depth data representative of the physical space, the depth data comprising data of the target object, converting the depth data into a point cloud, extracting at least one plane from the point cloud, identifying a ground plane, eliminating the ground plane from the point cloud, extracting at least one point cluster from the remaining point cloud, identifying a point cluster of the target object, estimating dimensions of the target object based on the point cluster of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SICK INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shteinfeld, Richard Lydon, George Liu, Udrekh Gavale
  • Patent number: 9933110
    Abstract: Mounting apparatus is used for supporting an accessory device, e.g., a sensor, in a manner permitting adjustment. An accessory device-receiving mount is fixable to the accessory device and has at least one surface forming a cross-section permitting adjustment in at least one degree of freedom. A clamp ring engages the device-receiving mount at the surface, so that the cross-section permitting adjustment. A clamping mechanism selectively clamps the clamp ring and includes a manually threaded fastener and a lever-operated clamp tightener. The lever-operated clamp tightener acts on the manually threaded fastener to releasably tighten the clamping mechanism beyond that achieved by manually threading the manually threaded fastener, permitting manually threading the clamping arrangement at a maximum tension less than a full tension applied by the lever-operated clamp tightener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: SICK, INC.
    Inventor: Christian Shepherd
  • Patent number: 9630557
    Abstract: Alarm indications of objects (431, 631) in spaces (113) subject to vehicle movements are provided using a scanner unit configured to provide indications of directions and distances of objects within a scan area. A computer compares the signal output from a scanner unit (121) and resolves the signal output to a pattern of the indications of directions and distances, and further resolve multiple instances of the indications over time to resolve the pattern of indications and distances to movement corresponding to the movement of the objects (431, 631). The indications are compared to render an indication of objects (431) partially blocked by other ones (631) of the objects from line-of-sight of the scanner unit (121). Predetermined relative movements of the objects (431, 631) as resolved by the computer render predetermined indicator or alarm signals (341, 342, 345).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SICK, INC.
    Inventors: Dale Hoepner, Monisha Shivanna, Aaron Rothmeyer, Don Alexander
  • Patent number: 9477220
    Abstract: A conveyor jam detection system and method includes a distance detector located on one side of a conveyor oriented to detect the distance from the detector to parcels on the conveyor. A controller is responsive to the distance detector and is configured to compare distance measurements, to reset a jam count if different distance measurements over time are greater than a threshold, to increment the jam count if different distance measurements over time are less than the threshold, and output a jam condition signal if the jam count exceeds a set limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Shteinfeld, Richard Lydon
  • Patent number: 8780358
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for inspection of objects or items in a conveyance system. Presence (or absence) of an object/item or objects/items is detected sensed and also one or more characteristics of the object/item can be determined based image detection of characteristics of one or more laser lines projected on a conveyance surface of the conveyance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Stone, Mohammed T. Islam, Patrick L. Mohney, Steven T. Smith
  • Patent number: 8631922
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for detecting overlapped items in a sequence of items moving along a conveying path based on rigidity and thickness contour measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Stone, Mohammed T. Islam, Omid Athari
  • Patent number: 8139117
    Abstract: A system for the automated analysis of image quality obtained by a camera in a camera tunnel system includes a test pattern on an item for placement in the camera tunnel system and an imaging subsystem configured to capture an image of the item using the camera tunnel system, wherein the image includes an image of the test pattern. The system further includes an image analysis tool configured to automatically identify and analyze the image of the test pattern for generating one or more image quality metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dwinell, Long Xiang Bian
  • Patent number: 8132728
    Abstract: A parcel dimension measurement system includes image sensors oriented to image a parcel, an imaging subsystem configured to stitch together outputs of the image sensors to produce at least one two-dimensional image comprised of a plurality of pixels, and a general dimension subsystem including general parcel dimension information. A fine dimensioning subsystem is configured to determine dimension measurements of the parcel using the at least one two-dimensional image and the general parcel dimension information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dwinell, Long Xiang Bian