Apparatuses and systems for the automated retrieval and transport of articles
AssigneeMcKesson Corporation
InventorRich Herrschaft
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for dispensing and retrieving products is provided. A system may include: a grasping head; first and second grasping members, each grasping member comprising: a top member; a post member; and first and second grasping fingers, where the first and second grasping fingers extend from the post member and are spaced apart from the top member by a predetermined distance, where the first and second grasping members are connected to the grasping head, where at least one of the first and second grasping members is movably connected to the grasping head, where the at least one of the first and second grasping members is movable relative to the other of the first and second grasping members.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a grasping head;
- first and second grasping members, each comprising:
- a top member;
- a post member extending from the top member;
- and
- first and second grasping fingers, wherein the first and second grasping fingers extend from the post member and are spaced apart from the top member by a predetermined distance;
- wherein the first and second grasping members are connected to the grasping head, wherein at least one of the first and second grasping members is movably connected to the grasping head, wherein the at least one of the first and second grasping members is movable relative to the other of the first and second grasping members.
A method comprising:
- positioning first and second grasping members on opposing sides of a container, wherein the first and second grasping members each comprises a post member and first and second grasping fingers, wherein the first and second grasping fingers extend in a V-shape from the respective post member;
- advancing the first and second grasping members toward one another, capturing the container between the first and second grasping fingers of each of the first and second grasping members;
- and
- stopping advancement of the first and second grasping members in an engaged position in response to a force exerted by the container on the first and second grasping members satisfying a predetermined value.
A grasping member comprising:
- first and second gasping fingers;
- a top member, wherein the top member is spaced from the grasping fingers by a predetermined distance;
- and
- a post element extending between the first and second grasping fingers, and the top member wherein the first and second grasping fingers extend from the post member an angle of between about 80 degrees and 120 degrees relative to one another;
- wherein a radius is defined between the first and second grasping fingers having a radius dimension of between about a quarter-of-an-inch and three-quarters-of-an-inch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.