A gripper attachment for an object handling system comprising:
- an end-effector configured for grasping an object, the end-effector including:
- a suction cup assembly including a housing and configured to engage the object;
- a contact limit sensor apparatus, including a contact limit sensor, configured to detect a pressure associated with the engagement between the suction cup assembly and the object based on registering an amount of displacement of the housing;
- and
- a stopper plate located above the contact limit sensor apparatus,
- wherein the suction cup assembly further includes:
- a first suction cup configured to couple to a vacuum pressure generating source via a first suction shaft movable through the housing, wherein the first suction cup is displaceable relative to the housing;
- and
- a second suction cup coupled to the vacuum pressure generating source via a second suction shaft movable through the housing, wherein the second suction cup is displaceable relative to the housing and independent of the first suction cup,
- wherein the contact limit sensor transmits contact information when the contact limit sensor detects the pressure exceeding a contact threshold,
- wherein the transmitted contact information causes movement of the end-effector toward the object to be limited,
- wherein, in a moving direction of the second suction shaft, an amount of a protrusion of the second suction shaft, from an uppermost surface of the housing toward the vacuum pressure generating source, is more than an amount of a protrusion of the first suction shaft from the uppermost surface of the housing toward the vacuum pressure generating source, and
- wherein the housing is configured to be displaced up to the stopper plate, in the moving direction of the second suction shaft, from an initial position to a contact limit position,
- wherein the housing includes an offset step including:
- a first upper surface of the housing through which the first suction shaft passes on opposing sides of the housing;
- a second upper surface of the housing through which the second suction shaft passes on opposing sides of the housing;
- and
- a side surface that connects the first upper surface of the housing to the second upper surface of the housing, and
- wherein, with respect to a bottommost surface of the housing, the second upper surface of the housing is located higher than the first upper surface of the housing;
- wherein the stopper plate includes another offset step including:
- a first bottom surface of the stopper plate located above the first upper surface of the housing;
- a second bottom surface of the stopper plate located above the second upper surface of the housing;
- another side surface that connects the first bottom surface of the stopper plate to the second bottom surface of the stopper plate, and
- wherein, with respect to the bottommost surface of the housing, the second bottom surface of the stopper plate is located higher than the first bottom surface of the stopper plate.