US 11,492,215 B1Granted

Concentric suction cup tools with parallel pistons

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsFelipe De Arruda Camargo Polido, Timothy G. Dietz, Michael Bruehwiler, Kevin Sweeney

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for concentric suction cup tools with parallel pistons. In one embodiment, an example picking assembly may include a first piston subassembly with a first air cylinder, a first sliding rail that slides relative to the first air cylinder, and a first suction cup. The example picking assembly may include a second piston subassembly comprising a second air cylinder, a second sliding rail that slides relative to the second air cylinder, and a second suction cup, where the first and second piston subassemblies may be configured to independently actuate from a retracted position to an extended position. The example picking assembly may include a first guide plate with a first aperture for the first piston subassembly and a second aperture for the second piston subassembly, a shell that forms a housing for the picking assembly, and an airflow coupler.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A robotic picking assembly comprising:

a robotic arm;
a vacuum suction system configured to provide positive air pressure and negative air pressure;
and
a picking assembly coupled to the robotic arm and the vacuum suction system, the picking assembly configured to pick up and release objects, the picking assembly comprising:
a center piston subassembly comprising a first sliding rail, a first suction cup coupled to the first sliding rail, and a first air cylinder configured to actuate the center piston subassembly from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the first sliding rail slides relative to the first air cylinder, wherein the center piston subassembly does not comprise a restrictor;
a set of piston subassemblies arranged in a circular arrangement around the center piston subassembly, each piston subassembly in the set of piston subassemblies comprising a sliding rail, a suction cup coupled to the sliding rail, and an air cylinder configured to actuate the respective piston subassembly from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the respective sliding rails slide relative to the respective air cylinders, wherein the set of piston subassemblies comprises individual restrictors to restrict air flow to the respective suction cups of the set of piston subassemblies;
a first guide plate comprising individual apertures in which the center piston subassembly and the set of piston subassemblies are disposed, the first guide plate configured to provide a fixed distance between each of the set of piston subassemblies and the center piston subassembly;
and
a carbon fiber shell, wherein the center piston subassembly, the set of piston subassemblies, and the first guide plate are disposed in the carbon fiber shell, and wherein the carbon fiber shell is coupled to the first guide plate;
wherein the picking assembly is configured to individually actuate individual piston subassemblies to the extended position to grasp an item, and wherein each individual piston subassembly is coupled to the vacuum suction system.

7 more elements

A picking assembly comprising:

a first piston subassembly comprising a first air cylinder, a first sliding rail that slides relative to the first air cylinder, and a first suction cup, wherein the first piston subassembly is configured to independently actuate from a retracted position to an extended position;
a second piston subassembly comprising a second air cylinder, a second sliding rail that slides relative to the second air cylinder, and a second suction cup, wherein the second piston subassembly is configured to independently actuate from the retracted position to the extended position;
a first guide plate comprising a first aperture for the first piston subassembly and a second aperture for the second piston subassembly;
a shell that forms a housing for the picking assembly, wherein the shell is coupled to the first guide plate;
and
an airflow coupler configured to couple the picking assembly to a vacuum suction system;
wherein the second piston subassembly further comprises a restrictor configured to restrict airflow, and the first piston subassembly does not comprise a restrictor.

4 more elements

A robotic picking system comprising:

a robotic arm;
and
a picking assembly coupled to the robotic arm, the picking assembly comprising:
a first piston subassembly comprising a first air cylinder, a first sliding rail that slides relative to the first air cylinder, and a first suction cup, wherein the first piston subassembly is configured to independently actuate from a retracted position to an extended position;
a second piston subassembly comprising a second air cylinder, a second sliding rail that slides relative to the second air cylinder, and a second suction cup, wherein the second piston subassembly is configured to independently actuate from the retracted position to the extended position;
a first guide plate comprising a first aperture for the first piston subassembly and a second aperture for the second piston subassembly;
a shell that forms a housing for the picking assembly, wherein the shell is coupled to the first guide plate;
and
an airflow coupler configured to couple the picking assembly to a vacuum suction system;
wherein the second piston subassembly further comprises a restrictor configured to restrict airflow, and the first piston subassembly does not comprise a restrictor.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.