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US 11,642,795 B1Granted
Compliant finger tip for item manipulation
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAndrew D. Marchese, Matthew Michael Budnick, Ennio Claretti, Jude Royston Jonas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example apparatus of the present disclosure may include an end effector. The end effector may include a pair of actuator-driven fingers that each include a compliant tip. The compliant tips may be used to scoop underneath items as part of item manipulation.
Claims20
An end effector, comprising:
- a pair of elongate fingers disposed opposite each other, each of the pair of elongate fingers comprising an inner face configured to contact with an item;
- a first finger attachment being movably coupled to one of the pair of elongate fingers via one or more biased members;
- a pair of compliant tips connected to the pair of elongate fingers, each of the pair of the compliant tips being configured to move independently with respect to the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers, a first compliant tip of the pair of compliant tips comprising a first opposing protrusion disposed at a distal end of the first compliant tip, the first opposing protrusion comprising a tapered profile, wherein the first compliant tip is coupled to a distal end of the first finger attachment, wherein at least one of the first finger attachment or the first protruding tip deviates from an equilibrium position when an external force is applied at a distal end of the first protruding tip;
- and
- wherein the pair of elongate fingers are drivable towards each other until the pair of compliant tips flex to contact opposing bottom edges of the item while the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers contact opposite sides of the item.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first end effector configured to grasp an item using a first grasping function;
- and
- a second end effector configured to grasp the item using a second grasping function, the second end effector comprising:
- a pair of elongate fingers disposed opposite each other, each of the pair of elongate fingers comprising an inner face configured to contact with the item;
- a pair of compliant finger attachments connected to the pair of elongate fingers, wherein each compliant finger attachment of the pair of compliant finger attachments is independently moveable with respect to the inner faces of a respective elongate finger of the pair of elongate fingers, wherein each compliant finger attachment is coupled to the respective elongate finger of the pair of elongate fingers via one or more biased members;
- a pair of compliant tips connected to the pair of compliant finger attachments, each of the pair of the compliant tips being configured to move independently with respect to the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers, a first compliant tip of the pair of compliant tips comprising a first opposing protrusion disposed at a distal end of the first compliant tip, wherein at least one of the pair of compliant finger attachments or the first compliant tip deviates from an equilibrium position when an external force is applied at a distal end of the first protruding tip;
- and
- wherein the pair of elongate fingers are drivable towards each other until the pair of compliant tips flex to contact opposing bottom edges of the item while the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers contact opposite sides of the item and when the second end effector uses the second grasping function to grasp the item.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a robotic manipulator;
- and
- an end effector connected to the robotic manipulator, the end effector comprising:
- a pair of elongate fingers disposed opposite each other, each of the pair of elongate fingers comprising an inner face configured to contact with an item;
- a finger attachment being movably coupled to one of the pair of elongate fingers via one or more biased members;
- a pair of compliant tips connected to the pair of elongate fingers, each of the pair of the compliant tips being configured to move independently with respect to the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers, wherein a first compliant tip of the pair of compliant tips is coupled to a distal end of the finger attachment, wherein at least one of the finger attachment or the first protruding tip deviates from an equilibrium position when an external force is applied at a distal end of the first protruding tip, the first compliant tip of the pair of compliant tips comprising:
- an inward-facing protrusion disposed at a distal end of the first compliant tip;
- and
- a curved rear portion defined as extending between a rear surface of a first elongate finger of the pair of elongate fingers and an underside of the inward-facing protrusion;
- and
- wherein the pair of elongate fingers are drivable towards each other until the pair of compliant tips flex to contact opposing bottom edges of the item while the inner faces of the pair of elongate fingers contact opposite sides of the item.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.