US 11,964,830 B2Granted

Suction gripper cluster device for material sorting and other applications

AssigneeAMP Robotics Corporation

InventorsJohn C. McCoy, Jr., James A. Bailey, Carter J. Schultz, Matanya B. Horowitz, Mark Baybutt, Cameron D. Douglas

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Abstract

Using a suction gripper cluster device is disclosed, including: causing airflows to be generated by a plurality of airflow generators of a respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms included in a suction gripper cluster device comprising a plurality of suction gripper mechanisms, wherein the plurality of airflow generators is configured to cause the airflows to enter respective intake ports of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms and exit respective outlet ports of the respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms in response to receiving air at a respective air input port of the respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms; causing a target object to be captured by the suction gripper cluster device using the airflows; activating a positioning actuator mechanism to position the suction gripper cluster device; and causing the target object to be ejected from the suction gripper cluster device.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A suction gripper cluster device, comprising:

a mounting assembly coupled to a positioning actuator mechanism;
and
a plurality of suction gripper mechanisms coupled to the mounting assembly, wherein the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms comprises a first suction gripper mechanism that includes:
a first linear shaft element coupled to the mounting assembly, wherein the first linear shaft element is operable to travel through the mounting assembly;
and
a first air conveyor device coupled to the first linear shaft element, wherein the first air conveyor device comprises:
a housing that includes an intake port and an outlet port;
an air input port;
and
an airflow generator defined within the housing, wherein the airflow generator is coupled to the air input port, wherein the airflow generator is configured to cause an airflow to enter the intake port and exit the outlet port in response to a supply of air into the air input port;
and
wherein a first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms is selected to emit a vacuum force during a capture action to collectively capture a target object based at least in part on detected attribute information of the target object;
and
wherein a second subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms is not selected to emit the vacuum force during the capture action to collectively capture the target object based at least in part on the detected attribute information of the target object.

11 more elements

A system, comprising:

a mounting assembly coupled to a positioning actuator mechanism;
a suction gripper cluster device comprising a plurality of suction gripper mechanisms, wherein the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms comprises a first suction gripper mechanism and a second suction gripper mechanism, wherein the first suction gripper mechanism comprises a first linear shaft element coupled to the mounting assembly, wherein the first linear shaft element is operable to travel through the mounting assembly;
a processor configured to:
select a first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms to emit a vacuum force during a capture action to collectively capture a target object based at least in part on detected attribute information of the target object, wherein a second subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms is not selected to emit the vacuum force during the capture action to collectively capture the target object based at least in part on the detected attribute information of the target object;
cause airflows to be generated by a plurality of airflow generators of the first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms included in the suction gripper cluster device, wherein the plurality of airflow generators is configured to cause the airflows to enter respective intake ports of the first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms and exit respective outlet ports of the respective first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms in response to receiving air at a respective air input port of the respective first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms;
cause the target object to be captured by at least the first subset of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms included in the suction gripper cluster device using the airflows;
activate the positioning actuator mechanism to position the suction gripper cluster device;
and
cause the target object to be ejected from the suction gripper cluster device;
and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/122,929Filed 15 Dec 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 16 Dec 2019
Published: US 2021/0179366 A117 Jun 2021
Granted: 23 Apr 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B65G 47/91
Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials: incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
B65G 47/918
Incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers: with at least two picking-up heads
B25J 13/08
Controls for manipulators: by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
B25J 15/0052
Gripping heads and other end effectors: multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors