Patents by Inventor Tim Darr

Tim Darr 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).

  • Patent number: 11753265
    Abstract: A stamping strip reel replacing system includes an autonomous mobile robot and an automatic guide vehicle. The autonomous mobile robot is adapted to autonomously move to a position where a reel driving shaft for mounting the reel is located, and includes a grabbing tool for grabbing the reel. The automatic guide vehicle moves together with the autonomous mobile robot, and carries an empty reel wound with no stamping strip. The autonomous mobile robot is further adapted to unload a full reel wound with the stamping strip from the reel driving shaft and place the unloaded full reel onto the automatic guide vehicle by operating the grabbing tool. The autonomous mobile robot is further adapted to grab the empty reel from the automatic guide vehicle and mount the grabbed empty reel onto the reel driving shaft by operating the grabbing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH, Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Yingcong Deng, Dandan Zhang, Lvhai Hu, Fengchun Xie, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Josef Sinder, Zongjie Tao, Xiaochen Yu, Swapnilsinh Solanki, Jiankun Zhou, Tim Darr
  • Patent number: 11557027
    Abstract: A vision inspection system includes a sorting platform having an upper surface supporting parts for inspection, wherein the parts are configured to be loaded onto the upper surface of the sorting platform in a random orientation. The vision inspection system includes an inspection station including an imaging device. The vision inspection system includes a vision inspection controller receiving images and processing the images based on an image analysis model to determine inspection results for each of the parts. The vision inspection controller has a shape recognition tool configured to recognize the parts in the field of view regardless of the orientation of the parts on the sorting platform. The vision inspection controller has an AI learning module operated to customize and configure the image analysis model based on the images received from the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventors: Du Wen, Lei Zhou, Tim Darr, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu
  • Patent number: 11518567
    Abstract: A robotic labeling system includes a package locating system for locating a package at a labeling station and a package identification system having a scanning device configured to scan an identification tag on the package to identify the package. The package identification system has a package measurement module configured to determine at least one dimension of the package and a package orientation module configured to determine an orientation of the package in the labeling station. The robotic labeling system includes a label application system including a label printer printing a label for the package based on an identity of the package determined by the scanning device and a label applicator operated to apply the label based on a measurement input from the package measurement module and based on an orientation input from the package orientation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventors: Swapnilsinh Solanki, Du Wen, Hung Nguyen, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Tim Darr, Xinping Deng, Kevin Eshleman
  • Patent number: 11295436
    Abstract: A vision inspection system includes a rotary sorting platform rotated about an axis to rotate parts. The vision inspection system includes an inspection station positioned adjacent the rotary sorting platform including imaging devices to image different sides of the parts. The vision inspection system includes a vision inspection controller receiving images from the imaging devices and processing the images from the imaging devices based on an image analysis model. The vision inspection controller processes the images to determine inspection results for each of the parts. The vision inspection controller has an artificial intelligence learning module operated to update the image analysis model based on the images received from the imaging devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Du Wen, Dale F. Pells, Tim Darr, Sun Kyu Pak, Anthony L. Swann, Kevin Eshleman
  • Publication number: 20220024628
    Abstract: A robotic labeling system includes a package locating system for locating a package at a labeling station and a package identification system having a scanning device configured to scan an identification tag on the package to identify the package. The package identification system has a package measurement module configured to determine at least one dimension of the package and a package orientation module configured to determine an orientation of the package in the labeling station. The robotic labeling system includes a label application system including a label printer printing a label for the package based on an identity of the package determined by the scanning device and a label applicator operated to apply the label based on a measurement input from the package measurement module and based on an orientation input from the package orientation module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Swapnilsinh Solanki, Du Wen, Hung Nguyen, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Tim Darr, Xinping Deng, Kevin Eshleman
  • Publication number: 20210358112
    Abstract: A vision inspection system includes a rotary sorting platform rotated about an axis to rotate parts. The vision inspection system includes an inspection station positioned adjacent the rotary sorting platform including imaging devices to image different sides of the parts. The vision inspection system includes a vision inspection controller receiving images from the imaging devices and processing the images from the imaging devices based on an image analysis model. The vision inspection controller processes the images to determine inspection results for each of the parts. The vision inspection controller has an artificial intelligence learning module operated to update the image analysis model based on the images received from the imaging devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Du Wen, Dale F. Pells, Tim Darr, Sun Kyu Pak, Anthony L. Swann, Kevin Eshleman
  • Publication number: 20210354190
    Abstract: A stamping strip manufacturing system comprises a stamping machine forming terminals in a strip by stamping. A supply reel around which a strip to be stamped is wound supplies the strip to be stamped to the stamping machine, and a recovery reel around which the stamped strip is wound recovers the stamped strip. A strip cutting and welding device of the system cuts off an unqualified strip segment of the strip having an unqualified terminal and welds two cut ends of the cut strip to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., TE Connectivity Services GmbH, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Yingcong Deng, Dandan Zhang, Lvhai Hu, Fengchun Xie, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Josef Sinder, Zongjie Tao, Xiaochen Yu, Swapnilsinh Solanki, Jiankun Zhou, Tim Darr
  • Publication number: 20210354945
    Abstract: A stamping strip reel replacing system includes an autonomous mobile robot and an automatic guide vehicle. The autonomous mobile robot is adapted to autonomously move to a position where a reel driving shaft for mounting the reel is located, and includes a grabbing tool for grabbing the reel. The automatic guide vehicle moves together with the autonomous mobile robot, and carries an empty reel wound with no stamping strip. The autonomous mobile robot is further adapted to unload a full reel wound with the stamping strip from the reel driving shaft and place the unloaded full reel onto the automatic guide vehicle by operating the grabbing tool. The autonomous mobile robot is further adapted to grab the empty reel from the automatic guide vehicle and mount the grabbed empty reel onto the reel driving shaft by operating the grabbing tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., TE Connectivity Services GmbH, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Yingcong Deng, Dandan Zhang, Lvhai Hu, Fengchun Xie, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Josef Sinder, Zongjie Tao, Xiaochen Yu, Swapnilsinh Solanki, Jiankun Zhou, Tim Darr
  • Publication number: 20210354189
    Abstract: A stamping strip manufacturing system comprises a stamping machine forming terminals in a strip by stamping, a supply reel around which the strip to be stamped is wound for supplying the strip to be stamped to the stamping machine, and a recovery reel around which the stamped strip is wound for recovering the stamped strip. The system further includes an autonomous mobile robot on which a cutting tool and a welding tool are mounted. The autonomous mobile robot is adapted to cut off an unqualified strip segment of the stamped strip having an unqualified terminal by operating the cutting tool, and to weld two cut ends of the cut strip to each other by operating the welding tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., TE Connectivity Services GmbH, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Yingcong Deng, Dandan Zhang, Lvhai Hu, Fengchun Xie, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Josef Sinder, Zongjie Tao, Xiaochen Yu, Swapnilsinh Solanki, Jiankun Zhou, Tim Darr
  • Publication number: 20210319545
    Abstract: A vision inspection system includes a sorting platform having an upper surface supporting parts for inspection, wherein the parts are configured to be loaded onto the upper surface of the sorting platform in a random orientation. The vision inspection system includes an inspection station including an imaging device. The vision inspection system includes a vision inspection controller receiving images and processing the images based on an image analysis model to determine inspection results for each of the parts. The vision inspection controller has a shape recognition tool configured to recognize the parts in the field of view regardless of the orientation of the parts on the sorting platform. The vision inspection controller has an AI learning module operated to customize and configure the image analysis model based on the images received from the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Du Wen, Lei Zhou, Tim Darr, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu