Systems and methods for high throughput cutting of sealing elements on packages

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein are optimized for cutting sealing elements on packages using optical radiation. Packages can pass through a cutting device that applies the optical radiation to damage, vaporize, or cut the sealing element (e.g., tape) on the package. The systems and methods control several aspects of the cutting process to adjust throughput, improve efficiency, and reduce line stoppages. Systems can include an in-feed conveyor that orients packages and rejects packages that are out of specification, which can lead to issues such as jamming or damage to the equipment. Systems can include a variable-speed cut conveyor controlled by a computing system to dynamically adjust the speed of packages based upon historical cut quality, environmental measurement data, and height data related to a vertical dimension of the package.

1 . A cutting system comprising:
 a cutting device, including:
 an optical radiation source that focuses at a focal point, 
 a translation system to adjust a location of the focal point in three-dimensional space, and 
 a cut conveyor to convey a package past the optical radiation source; 
   an in-feed conveyor system to convey the package to the cutting device, the in-feed conveyor system including:
 a skew conveyor having one or more skewing elements to laterally adjust a position of the package in the in-feed conveyor system, 
 one or more conveyor belts disposed between the skew conveyor and the cutting device, the one or more conveyor belts configured to convey packages in a direction of travel or counter to the direction of travel of the in-feed conveyor system, 
 one or more photodetectors to detect data related to a position or horizontal dimension of the package, 
 a height dimensioner to detect height data related to a vertical dimension of the package, 
 a diverter to divert the package away from the cutting device, and 
 an entrance gate to prevent passage of the package when the vertical dimension of the package exceeds a threshold value; and 
   a computing system including one or more processors communicatively coupled to the cutting device and the in-feed conveyor system and configured to execute instructions to:
 receive height data related to the vertical dimension of the package from the height dimensioner, 
 upon a determination that the vertical dimension of the package exceeds the threshold value, activate the diverter to divert the package, 
 receive data related to the position or horizontal dimension from the one or more photodetectors, 
 align the focal point of the optical radiation source to a sealing element of the package based on the data related to the position or horizontal dimension using the translation system, and 
 apply radiation from the optical radiation source to the sealing element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the in-feed conveyor system further comprises an accumulation conveyor coupled to the diverter to receive the diverted package. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , where the package is a first package and the computing system is further configured to execute instructions to:
 receive data related to a position of a second package from the one or more photodetectors;   determine a gap between the first package and the second package based upon the data related to the position of the second package and the data related to the position of the first package; and   upon determining that the gap is below a threshold value, convey the first package or the second package using the one or more conveyor belts such that the gap is increased.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the diverter conveys the package at 90 degrees with respect to the direction of travel. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skewing elements center the package with respect to the skew conveyor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skewing elements dispose the package along an outside edge of the skew conveyor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skewing elements form packages into a single-file line. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skewing elements include skewed rollers. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skewing elements include one or more angled protrusions that urge the package in a lateral direction as the package passes. 
     
     
         10 . A method for cutting, comprising:
 adjusting a position of a package laterally using a skew conveyor of an in-feed conveyor system, the skew conveyor including one or more skewing elements;   detecting height data related to a vertical dimension of the package using a height dimensioner;   detecting data related to a position or horizontal dimension of the package using one or more photodetectors;   upon determining that the vertical dimension of the package exceeds a threshold value, activating a diverter to divert the package away from a cutting device, the cutting device including an optical radiation source that focuses at a focal point, a translation system to adjust the location of the focal point in three-dimensional space, and a cut conveyor to convey the package past the optical radiation source;   aligning the focal point of the optical radiation source to a sealing element of the package based on the data related to the position or horizontal dimension using the translation system; and   applying radiation from the optical radiation source to the sealing element.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein activating the diverter diverts the package to an accumulation conveyor coupled to the diverter that receives the diverted package. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , where the package is a first package and the method further comprises:
 detecting data related to a position of a second package from the one or more photodetectors;   determining a gap between the first package and the second package based upon the data related to the position of the second package and the data related to the position of the first package; and   upon determining that the gap is below a threshold value, conveying the first package or the second package using one or more conveyor belts disposed between the skew conveyor and the cutting device such that the gap is increased, the one or more conveyor belts configured to convey packages in a direction of travel or counter to the direction of travel.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein diverting the package includes conveying the package at 90 degrees with respect to a direction of travel of the package. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjusting the position of the package laterally includes using the skewing elements to center the package with respect to the in-feed conveyor system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjusting the position of the package laterally includes using the skewing elements to dispose the package along an outside edge of the in-feed conveyor system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising forming packages into a single-file line using the skewing elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the skewing elements include skewed rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the skewing elements include one or more angled protrusions that urge the package in a direction as the package passes.