Patents by Inventor Marc Ducharme
Marc Ducharme has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20250114950Abstract: A tool, for depalletizing mixed pallet load article units, includes: a frame; a first grip assembly interfacing and engaging with a surface of a pallet load article unit, where the first grip assembly is movable, relative to the frame, in a first direction between gripping and ungripping positions; a second grip assembly, movably connected to the frame, and has at least a grip contact point oriented to interface with and generate a grip force, on another surface of the pallet load article unit, in a direction angled to the first direction, the second grip assembly being configured so as to effect, in combination with the first grip assembly, stable hold and pose of the pallet load article unit in a predetermined position; and an article unit seat member, is movably mounted to the frame, and disposed in opposition to at least one of the first and the second grip assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2024Publication date: April 10, 2025Inventors: Richard B. Cohen, Christian Mori, Simon Gariepy, Marc Ducharme
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Patent number: 11970348Abstract: A palletizing elevator is provided that lowers gradually a pallet thereon from an upper level as it is filled with products, and by providing an empty pallet infeed system that moves empty pallets towards the palletizing elevator simultaneously to the palletizing of products thereon. The empty pallet infeed system includes an empty pallet elevator for raising empty pallets to the upper level and a conveying system between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving the empty pallets of from the empty pallet elevator at the upper level to the palletizing elevator while a pallet is moved by the palletizing elevator during its filling.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Symbotic Canada, ULCInventors: Marc Ducharme, Jean-Francois Forget, Robert Jodoin, Cédric Kessler, Régis Métivier, Sylvain-Paul Morency
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Publication number: 20240132304Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Philippe HAKIER, Christian SIMON, Jean-François FORGET
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Publication number: 20240116723Abstract: The problem of potentially damaging a pallet layer that is gripped by clamps of a depalletizing tool is solved i) by detecting the real position of the layer using a pad on the tool that is movable with the clamps towards the pallet layer and whose detected stopping position determines the real position of the layer, and ii) while the layer is gripped by the clamp, by inserting under the layer curtains; the pressure on the layer by the clamps being adapted to the ease to go underneath the layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Inventors: Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Tristan PASHLEY, Francis LEVESQUE, Jean-Francois FORGET
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Patent number: 11845620Abstract: The problem of potentially damaging a pallet layer that is gripped by clamps of a depalletizing tool is solved i) by detecting the real position of the layer using a pad on the tool that is movable with the clamps towards the pallet layer and whose detected stopping position determines the real position of the layer, and ii) while the layer is gripped by the clamp, by inserting under the layer curtains; the pressure on the layer by the clamps being adapted to the ease to go underneath the layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Inventors: Sylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Tristan Pashley, Francis Levesque, Jean-Francois Forget
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Patent number: 11840411Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Inventors: Sylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Philippe Hakier, Christian Simon, Jean-François Forget
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Publication number: 20230125374Abstract: The problem of potentially damaging a pallet layer that is gripped by clamps of a depalletizing tool is solved i) by detecting the real position of the layer using a pad on the tool that is movable with the clamps towards the pallet layer and whose detected stopping position determines the real position of the layer, and ii) while the layer is gripped by the clamp, by inserting under the layer curtains; the pressure on the layer by the clamps being adapted to the ease to go underneath the layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventors: Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Tristan PASHLEY, Francis LEVESQUE, Jean-Francois FORGET
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Publication number: 20230010402Abstract: A method of inspecting cased goods includes advancing at least one case of goods on a conveyor, generating an illumination sheet of parallel illuminating rays with at least one electromagnetic source, and capturing an image, formed by the illumination sheet passing through a diffuser with at least one camera located so as to capture illumination from diffused parallel rays of the light sheet, where the image case embodies a goods image that is generated by the case goods moving between the light source and the at least one camera, where part of the parallel sheet of light is at least partially blocked by the case of goods, thus generating a gray level image.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Benoit LAROUCHE, Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Christian SIMON
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Publication number: 20220411208Abstract: A palletizing elevator is provided that lowers gradually a pallet thereon from an upper level as it is filled with products, and by providing an empty pallet infeed system that moves empty pallets towards the palletizing elevator simultaneously to the palletizing of products thereon. The empty pallet infeed system includes an empty pallet elevator for raising empty pallets to the upper level and a conveying system between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving the empty pallets of from the empty pallet elevator at the upper level to the palletizing elevator while a pallet is moved by the palletizing elevator during its filling.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Marc DUCHARME, Jean-Francois FORGET, Robert JODOIN, Cédric KESSLER, Régis MÉTIVIER, Sylvain-Paul MORENCY
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Patent number: 11535463Abstract: The problem of potentially damaging a pallet layer that is gripped by clamps of a depalletizing tool is solved i) by detecting the real position of the layer using a pad on the tool that is movable with the clamps towards the pallet layer and whose detected stopping position determines the real position of the layer, and ii) while the layer is gripped by the clamp, by inserting under the layer curtains; the pressure on the layer by the clamps being adapted to the ease to go underneath the layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Inventors: Sylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Tristan Pashley, Francis Levesque, Jean-Francois Forget
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Publication number: 20220388163Abstract: A tool, for palletizing mixed load products, includes a frame for mounting the tool to a robot, a support assembly having a support member forming a support surface disposed in a predetermined reference orientation so as to support product, and a gripping assembly, mounted to the frame, with an actuator and a grip press operably coupled to the actuator so as to move the grip press relative to the frame in an actuation direction opposite the support surface so as to clamp the product between the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation and the grip press. The support assembly coupling to the frame has a configuration fixing the support member relative to the frame in the actuation direction with the support surface in the predetermined reference orientation, and is movably released in at least another direction so that the support member is movable away from the predetermined reference orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Marc DUCHARME, Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Simon GARIEPY, Eric Lajoie
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Publication number: 20220306407Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Philippe HAKIER, Christian SIMON, Jean-François FORGET
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Patent number: 11449978Abstract: A method of inspecting cased goods includes advancing at least one case of goods on a conveyor, generating an illumination sheet of parallel illuminating rays with at least one electromagnetic source, and capturing an image, formed by the illumination sheet passing through a diffuser with at least one camera located so as to capture illumination from diffused parallel rays of the light sheet, where the image case embodies a goods image that is generated by the case goods moving between the light source and the at least one camera, where part of the parallel sheet of light is at least partially blocked by the case of goods, thus generating a gray level image.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2021Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Inventors: Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Benoit Larouche, Sylvain-Paul Morency, Christian Simon
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Patent number: 11427414Abstract: A palletizing elevator is provided that lowers gradually a pallet thereon from an upper level as it is filled with products, and by providing an empty pallet infeed system that moves empty pallets towards the palletizing elevator simultaneously to the palletizing of products thereon. The empty pallet infeed system includes an empty pallet elevator for raising empty pallets to the upper level and a conveying system between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving the empty pallets of from the empty pallet elevator at the upper level to the palletizing elevator while a pallet is moved by the palletizing elevator during its filling.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Inventors: Marc Ducharme, Jean-Francois Forget, Robert Jodoin, Cédric Kessler, Régis Métivier, Sylvain-Paul Morency
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Patent number: 11358811Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Inventors: Sylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Philippe Hakier, Christian Simon, Jean-François Forget
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Publication number: 20210327044Abstract: A method of inspecting cased goods includes advancing at least one case of goods on a conveyor, generating an illumination sheet of parallel illuminating rays with at least one electromagnetic source, and capturing an image, formed by the illumination sheet passing through a diffuser with at least one camera located so as to capture illumination from diffused parallel rays of the light sheet, where the image case embodies a goods image that is generated by the case goods moving between the light source and the at least one camera, where part of the parallel sheet of light is at least partially blocked by the case of goods, thus generating a gray level image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Benoit LAROUCHE, Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Christian SIMON
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Publication number: 20210237990Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Sylvain-Paul MORENCY, Marc DUCHARME, Robert JODOIN, Philippe HAKIER, Christian SIMON, Jean-François FORGET
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Publication number: 20210179368Abstract: A palletizing elevator is provided that lowers gradually a pallet thereon from an upper level as it is filled with products, and by providing an empty pallet infeed system that moves empty pallets towards the palletizing elevator simultaneously to the palletizing of products thereon. The empty pallet infeed system includes an empty pallet elevator for raising empty pallets to the upper level and a conveying system between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving the empty pallets of from the empty pallet elevator at the upper level to the palletizing elevator while a pallet is moved by the palletizing elevator during its filling.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Marc DUCHARME, Jean-Francois Forget, Robert Jodoin, Cédric Kessler, Régis MÉTIVIER, Sylvain-Paul Morency
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Patent number: 10981736Abstract: A vision-assisted robotized depalletizer receives at a pallet station a pallet loaded with products and outputs on a conveyor unitized products aligned in a desired orientation. Such depalletizers include a vision system having one or more image acquisition sensors that are positioned relative to the pallet station so as to have a field of view covering a top portion of the pallet. The sensors send to a controller one or more image of the top portion of the pallet that the controller uses along to determine the position of each product in the top portion of the pallet. The depalletizer further includes a robot equipped with a depalletizing tool that is coupled to the vision system controller for receiving information indicative of the position of each product from the top portion and uses that information to pick and position on the output conveyor each product from the top portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Inventors: Sylvain-Paul Morency, Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Philippe Hakier, Christian Simon, Jean-François Forget
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Patent number: 10964007Abstract: A method of inspecting cased goods includes advancing at least one case of goods on a conveyor, generating an illumination sheet of parallel illuminating rays with at least one electromagnetic source, and capturing an image, formed by the illumination sheet passing through a diffuser with at least one camera located so as to capture illumination from diffused parallel rays of the light sheet, where the image case embodies a goods image that is generated by the case goods moving between the light source and the at least one camera, where part of the parallel sheet of light is at least partially blocked by the case of goods, thus generating a gray level image.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2017Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Inventors: Marc Ducharme, Robert Jodoin, Benoit Larouche, Sylvain-Paul Morency, Christian Simon