# US 11,078,033 B2 · Manufacturing pickup tool

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- Number: US 11,078,033 B2
- Document ID: US11078033B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/460,652
- Filed: 2019-07-02
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-01
- Assignees: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicants: NIKE, Inc.
- Inventors: Adam Montoya; Raymundo Alatorre Mercado
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078033B2

## CPC

- B65G 47/917: {control arrangements}
- B25J 15/0052: {multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors}
- B25J 15/0625: {provided with a valve}
- B25J 15/0658: {Pneumatic type, e.g. air blast or overpressure}
- B25J 19/023: {including video camera means}
- B65G 47/918: {with at least two picking-up heads}
- B65G 51/00: Conveying articles through pipes or tubes by fluid flow or pressure; Conveying articles over a flat surface, e.g. the base of a trough, by jets located in the surface
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- 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 vacuum powered pickup tool with mechanically moveable discrete nozzles allows for selective activation of the nozzles through the mechanical movement of the nozzles relative to a vacuum manifold. The movement of a nozzle from an inactive position where an inlet port of the nozzle is fluidly decoupled with the vacuum manifold to an active position where the inlet port is fluidly coupled with the vacuum manifold allows for independent activation of discrete nozzles of the pickup tool. Aspects also contemplate varying an associate manifold through movement of the manifolds accessible to the inlet port of the nozzle when in the active position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A material pickup system, the system comprising:
a computing device;
a vacuum source;
a multi-axis movement device, wherein the movement device is logically coupled with the computing device; and
a pickup tool logically coupled with the computing device, the pickup tool comprising:
a base member;
a plurality of independently activated nozzles;
a plurality of nozzle movement mechanisms coupled to the base member, wherein each of the plurality of independently activated nozzles is coupled with a discrete nozzle movement mechanism of the plurality of nozzle movement mechanisms;
a vacuum manifold fluidly coupled with the vacuum source, wherein each of the plurality of independently activated nozzles slidably extends through respective manifold sleeves of the vacuum manifold;
a positive manifold; and
a manifold movement mechanism, wherein the manifold movement mechanism is configured to collectively adjust a distance of the vacuum manifold and the positive manifold, relative to the base member, between a first position and a second position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a vision system logically coupled with the computing device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a first manifold sleeve of the manifold sleeves is comprised of a sleeve port effective to transmit vacuum pressure from an internal volume of the vacuum manifold to the first manifold sleeve.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein when a first nozzle of the plurality of independently activated nozzles is in an active position, an inlet port of the first nozzle is in fluid communication with the sleeve port and when the first nozzle is in an inactive position, the inlet port is not in fluid communication with the sleeve port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein a first nozzle movement mechanism of the plurality of nozzle movement mechanisms is coupled with the first nozzle and positions the first nozzle in the active position and in the inactive position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein, when in the first position, at least a portion of the plurality of independently activated nozzles are adapted to fluidly couple or decouple with the vacuum manifold.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein, when in the second position, at least a portion of the plurality of independently activated nozzles are adapted to fluidly couple or decouple with the positive manifold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein, when in the first position, each of the at least a portion of the plurality of independently activated nozzles are adapted to fluidly couple or decouple with the vacuum manifold via linear movement from respective discrete nozzle movement mechanisms of the plurality of nozzle movement mechanisms.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein, when in the second position, each of the at least a portion of the plurality of independently activated nozzles are adapted to fluidly couple or decouple with the positive manifold via linear movement from respective discrete nozzle movement mechanisms of the plurality of nozzle movement mechanisms.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the manifold movement mechanism is coupled to the base member.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the manifold movement mechanism is coupled to the vacuum manifold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the manifold movement mechanism is coupled to the base member and to the vacuum manifold.