Christopher A Reynolds

US Patent:

59693398, Oct 19, 1999

Filed:

Feb 25, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/806085

Inventors:

Gary V. McMurray - Atlanta GA
Wiley D. Holcombe - Decatur GA
Marlon Moses - Norcross GA
John A. Messenger - Alpharetta GA
Christopher Reynolds - Norcross GA

Assignee:

Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Technology Licensing - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

G01N 2186
B25J 1902

US Classification:

250223R

Abstract:

A part tracking system comprised of an array of photoelectric sensors positioned at various angles with respect to a conveyor transporting parts such as pieces of poultry to create a field of detection. The angle arrangements of the array of photoelectric sensors circumscribes the parts with lines of varying angles to approximate the part outline or closed line integral with a polygon. As a part is conveyed through the array of photoelectric sensors each transition of the sensors provide a side of the polygon that circumscribes the part. From this the vertices of the polygon can be determined which allows the centroid and angle of the major axis of the part to be calculated thereby providing the coordinates for the part's location on the conveyor. The coordinates are then conveyed to a robotic controller which manipulates an end effector to grasp the part.