# US 10,864,641 B2 · End effector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,641 B2 - Document ID: US10864641B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/205,367 - Filed: 2018-11-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Bastian Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Bastian Solutions, LLC - Inventors: Hans Tokpa Leidenfrost - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864641B2 ## CPC - B25J 15/0625: {provided with a valve} - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 15/0009: {comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand} - B25J 15/022: {actuated by articulated links} - B25J 15/0616: {with vacuum} - B25J 15/0633: {Air-flow-actuated valves} - B25J 15/103: {for gripping the object in three contact points} - B25J 15/106: {moving in parallel relationship} - B25J 15/12: with flexible finger members - B25J 19/023: {including video camera means} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A robotic system includes an end effector with one or more fin grippers that have one or more vacuum ports. The fin grippers are made of elastic material. The fin grippers each include contact and exterior flanges joined together with a series of crossbeams. The crossbeams each define a tube opening to form a tube guide channel between the contact and exterior flanges. In one form, the vacuum ports are located at fingertip ends of the fin grippers, and the vacuum ports include vacuum cups. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an end effector including one or more fin grippers having a contact flange configured to contact a gripped object, an exterior flange joined to the contact flange, a fingertip end where the contact flange and the exterior flange are joined together, a series of crossbeams connecting together the contact flange and the exterior flange, wherein the crossbeams are spaced apart from one another, wherein at least the contact flange and the crossbeams are made of an elastic material, wherein the contact flange and the exterior flange form an asymmetric shape to facilitate the contact flange bending around the gripped object when gripped, and one or more vacuum ports that include at least include a vacuum cup located at the fingertip end configured to secure difficult to grip objects via suction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum ports are located on interior surfaces of the fin grippers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the contact and exterior flanges extend at an acute angle from the fingertip. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the contact flange is straight and the exterior flange is curved. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the crossbeams each define a tube opening to form a tube guide channel between the contact and exterior flanges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the fin grippers have a vacuum port support bracket at the fingertip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a pneumatic sensor manifold configured to sense the vacuum applied by the vacuum cups. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the end effector includes a controller configured to receive pressure data from the pneumatic sensor manifold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the end effector includes one or more tubes connecting the pneumatic sensor manifold and the vacuum cups. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the fin grippers define one or more vacuum tube guide channels in which the tube extends inside the fin grippers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes an actuator configured to actuate the fin grippers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the actuator includes a linkage drive and one or more linkages coupled between the fin grippers and the linkage drive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator includes a motor and a gearbox operatively connected between the motor and the linkage drive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the actuator includes a threaded drive shaft and a linkage plated threadedly connected to the threaded drive shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a hub with a palm plate to which the fin grippers are pivotally coupled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the vacuum cups include an extendable palm vacuum cup configured to extend from the palm plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the end effector has one or more sensors coupled to the palm plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the sensors include a vision system sensor. ### Claim 19 A system, comprising: a fin gripper including a contact flange that is straight, an exterior flange that is curved, a fingertip end where the contact flange and the exterior flange are joined together, a hub end located opposite the fingertip end, a series of crossbeams extending between the contact flange and the exterior flange to join the contact flange and the exterior flange together, wherein the crossbeams are formed of an elastic material to facilitate deformation of the fin gripper during gripping, at least one vacuum port located at the fingertip end, and wherein the exterior flange defines a vacuum duct that extends from the hub end to the vacuum port at the fingertip end. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the contact and exterior flanges are joined together and extend at an acute angle from the fingertip end. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the fin gripper has an asymmetric shape. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the fin gripper has a vacuum port support bracket at the fingertip end. ### Claim 23 A method of grasping objects, comprising: gripping a first object with fin grippers of an end effector, wherein the fin grippers are made of elastic material, wherein each the fin grippers each include a contact flange and an exterior flange that extend at an acute angle relative to one another, wherein each of the fin grippers include a series of crossbeams connected between the contact flange and the exterior flange, wherein the contact flange and the exterior flange are joined together at a fingertip end; wherein said gripping includes deforming the fin grippers to bend around the first object; and securing a second object with at least one vacuum port at the fingertip end on at least one of the fin grippers by applying suction to the vacuum port. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the crossbeams deform as the contact flange bends during said gripping. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: releasing the first object from the fin grippers by opening the fin grippers. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: releasing the second object by ceasing suction to the vacuum port.