Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for injecting dunnage into a container after an item has been placed in the container and the container has been sealed or otherwise closed. A dunnage injection apparatus is configured to penetrate a surface of the sealed container and expel gas and dunnage into an interior space of the container. The gas fills the expelled dunnage forming gas-filled pouches of dunnage that fill voids within the interior space of the container and secure and protect the item within the container.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a moveable support platform within the container to reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

Abstract: A manufacturing process adopting the reconfigurable robotic manufacturing cells that can work conjointly and yet have the capabilities to be reconfigured to disconnect from other cells and handle multiple tasks. The reconfigurable robotic cell is not dependent on any other robotic cells to complete work in progress.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for injecting dunnage into a container after an item has been placed in the container and the container has been sealed or otherwise closed. A dunnage injection apparatus is configured to penetrate a surface of the sealed container and expel gas and dunnage into an interior space of the container. The gas fills the expelled dunnage forming gas-filled pouches of dunnage that fill voids within the interior space of the container and secure and protect the item within the container.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimizing control of robotic systems. Failures of a robotic device performing a lifting operation for one or more items within a fulfillment center over a window of time are monitored. Responsive to the failures exceeding a predefined threshold number of failures for the window of time, one or more control operations for optimizing performance of the robotic device are determined, by processing environmental metrics, failure type, mode of operation and item type information as inputs to a trained machine learning model. A control system for the robotic device is configured based on the determined one or more control operations, and movement of the robotic device is controlled using the configured control system, to perform the lifting operation for one or more additional items within the fulfillment center.

Abstract: An apparatus for unloading packages (103) from a container (106), the apparatus comprising: a conveyor system (109); a supporting frame (209) mounted on the conveyor system, the supporting frame being substantially perpendicular to a length of the conveyor system; and an end effector assembly (112) coupled to the supporting frame and being moveable about a horizontal axis relative to the supporting frame, the end effector assembly comprising: a manifold plate (203) extending along a vertical plane that is generally parallel to the supporting frame; a gripping component (115) coupled to and extending outwardly from the manifold plate along the horizontal axis relative to the supporting frame, the gripping component being configured to engage with one or more of the packages stacked in the container; and one or more sensors (303), the one or more sensors being configured to determine a distance between the end effector assembly and the packages.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a moveable support platform within the container to reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system has a carousel that has a guiderail that forms a loop that has a loading position and an unloading position. The carousel also has a plurality of buckets, each having an upper end and a lower end. The lower end includes at least one bottom wall that is moveable between (i) a transporting configuration where the at least one bottom wall substantially closes the lower end of the bucket and (ii) a discharge configuration where the at least one bottom wall is moved so as to define an opening in the lower end of the bucket. The buckets are supported by the guiderail such that the buckets can be driven from the loading position towards the unloading position in the transporting configuration. The buckets can be transitioned to the discharge configuration so as to unload inventory items at the unloading position into a packaging material.

Abstract: A packaging system employs a cartridge having moveable walls such that the cartridge discharges or inducts one or more items into a cavity of a package, such as a film that is sealed into a pouch or mailer. A bottom wall of the cartridge is retracted relative to an end panel of the cartridge during the induction process.

Abstract: A moveable support platform within a container may reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The moveable support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support platform may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for automated item singulation. The system includes a singulation station in which a plurality of different type items may be transitioned onto a singulation table. The singulation table activates and the movement of the singulation table causes the items to de-shingle, separate in distance with respect to one another and migrate along the singulation table toward a pick conveyor. As the de-shingled and singulated items arrive on the pick conveyor they are detected and individually picked by a robotic unit and transitioned from the singulation station.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for an automated package unloading system. An automated package unloading system can include an end effector supported by a supporting frame which is mounted to a conveyor system. The end effector and/or the conveyor can be configured to move into and out of a container containing stacked packages. The end effector can be configured to attach to the packages and pull the packages from their original position. The end effector can further be configured to release the packages onto the underlying conveyor.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for an automated package unloading system. An automated package unloading system can include an end effector supported by a supporting frame which is mounted to a conveyor system. The end effector and/or the conveyor can be configured to move into and out of a container containing stacked packages. The end effector can be configured to attach to the packages and pull the packages from their original position. The end effector can further be configured to release the packages onto the underlying conveyor.

Abstract: Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for automated item singulation. The system includes a singulation station in which a plurality of different type items may be transitioned onto a singulation table. The singulation table activates and the movement of the singulation table causes the items to de-shingle, separate in distance with respect to one another and migrate along the singulation table toward a pick conveyor. As the de-shingled and singulated items arrive on the pick conveyor they are detected and individually picked by a robotic unit and transitioned from the singulation station.