US 12,589,951 B2Granted

Robotic systems with gripping mechanisms, and related systems and methods

AssigneeMUJIN, Inc.

InventorsLei Lei, Yixuan Zhang, Xutao Ye, Yi Xu, Brandon Coats, Rosen Nikolaev Diankov, Zhili Lai, Guohao Huang

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Abstract

Robotic systems with variable gripping mechanisms, and related systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a robotic arm and an object-gripping assembly coupled to the robotic arm. The object-gripping assembly can include a main body coupled to the robotic arm through an external connector on an upper surface of the main body and a vacuum operated gripping component coupled to a lower surface of the main body. The object-gripping assembly can also include a variable-width gripping component coupled to the main body. The variable-width gripping component is movable between a fully folded state, a plurality of extended states, and a clamping state to grip a variety of target objects of varying shapes, sizes, weights, and orientations.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An object-gripping assembly, comprising:

a main body having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;
a vacuum operated gripping component coupled to the lower surface, the vacuum operated gripping component configured to engage a first target object of a first category;
and
a variable-width gripping component coupled to the main body, the variable-width gripping component including:
a first arm coupled to the main body and having a first end region at a first longitudinal side of the main body;
a first mechanical gripping component coupled to the first end region of the first arm, the first mechanical gripping component including one or more first clamps configured to engage a first side of a second target object of a second category,
wherein the second target object is categorically different from the first target object,
wherein the second category of the second target object includes a pallet;
one or more first suction components coupled to the first mechanical gripping component, wherein the one or more first suction components are configured to engage an upper surface of a third target object of a third category different from the first category and the second category, the third category including a slip sheet;
a first rotational component coupling the first mechanical gripping component to the first arm, the first rotational component movable between a raised position and a lowered position;
a second arm coupled to the main body and having a second end region at a second longitudinal side of the main body opposite the first longitudinal side;
a second mechanical gripping component coupled to the second end region of the second arm, the second mechanical gripping component including one or more second clamps configured to engage a second side of the second target object;
one or more second suction components coupled to the second mechanical gripping component, wherein the one or more second suction components are configured to engage the upper surface of the second target object;
and
a second rotational component coupling the second mechanical gripping component to the second arm, the second rotational component movable between the raised position and the lowered position,
wherein the first arm and the second arm are extendable in a linear direction to control a distance between the first end region and the second end region, and
wherein the first category of the first target object includes one or more packages targeted for placement on the pallet and/or the slip sheet.

14 more elements

A method of operating a robotic system with an object-gripping assembly, the method comprising:

generating commands for positioning, with a robotic arm, the object-gripping assembly adjacent a target object;
generating commands to dynamically configure the object-gripping assembly into a gripping state that is selected from a fully folded state, a plurality of extended states, and a clamping state, wherein selected gripping state correspond to a selection for grasping (1) one or more packages using a vacuum operated gripping component of the object-gripping assembly, (2) a pallet using one or more clamps and one or more first suction components of the object-gripping assembly, or (3) a slip sheet using one or more second suction components;
generating commands to engage the target object once the object-gripping assembly is in the gripping state, wherein generating the commands to engage the target object includes selecting, according to the target object, one of:
controlling the vacuum operated gripping component to engage an upper surface of the target object when the target object includes a package,
controlling (i) the one or more clamps to engage corresponding one or more peripheral portions of the target object and (ii) the one or more first suction components to engage an upper surface of the target object when the target object includes the pallet, and
controlling the one or more second suction components to engage an upper surface of the target object when the target object includes the slip sheet;
generating commands for moving, with the robotic arm, the target object from a first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position;
and
generating commands to disengage the target object at the second position, wherein generating the commands to disengage includes selecting one of:
controlling the object-gripping assembly to place the pallet at a location,
controlling the one or more second suction components to place the slip sheet at the location, and
controlling the vacuum operated gripping component to place the package over the pallet, the slip sheet, or both.

9 more elements

A robotic system, comprising:

a robotic arm;
and
an object-gripping assembly coupled to the robotic arm, the object-gripping assembly including:
a main body having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;
an external connector coupled between the upper surface of the main body and the robotic arm;
a variable-width gripping component coupled to the main body, the variable-width gripping component movable between a fully folded state, a plurality of extended states, and a clamping state, the variable-width gripping component including:
one or more first suction components configured to engage and grasp an upper surface of a slip sheet, and
one or more second suction components, wherein the variable-width gripping component is configured to grasp a pallet and the one or more second suction components are configured to engage an upper surface of the pallet in grasping the pallet;
and
a vacuum operated gripping component coupled to the lower surface of the main body and configured to grasp one or more packages that are targeted for placement on the pallet and/or the slip sheet.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/885,366Filed 10 Aug 2022 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Aug 2021
Published: US 2023/0052763 A116 Feb 2023
Granted: 31 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B65G 47/91
Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials: incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
B65G 61/00
Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or
B25J 15/0061
Multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors: mounted on a modular gripping structure
B25J 15/0206
Servo-actuated: comprising articulated grippers