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US 12,759,170 B2Granted
Systems and methods for magnetic gripping
AssigneeOnrobot A/S
InventorsJason Mcauley, John Andrew Fortus, Nicholas Wettels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein are systems and methods for magnetically gripping an object. A magnetic gripping system may include a gripper having different, tunable gripping states that are associated with different magnetic field strengths.
Claims22
A system for handling an object, comprising:
- a first arrangement of magnets;
- a second arrangement of magnets, wherein said second arrangement of magnets and said first arrangement magnets are movable relative to one another;
- and
- a plurality of pole members, wherein said plurality of pole members is (i) in a first magnetic interaction with said first arrangement of magnets and (ii) in a second magnetic interaction with said second arrangement of magnets, wherein each pole member of said plurality of pole members is configured to transfer magnetic flux caused by said first magnetic interaction and said second magnetic interaction to said object,
- wherein one or more of said first arrangement of magnets and said second arrangement of magnets are configured to vary in position relative to one another to vary said first magnetic interaction, said second magnetic interaction, or both, and to vary said magnetic flux transferred to said object;
- wherein a housing structure for said first arrangement of magnets and said second arrangement of magnets comprises a plurality of magnetic flux guiding members, wherein said plurality of magnetic flux guiding members comprises a ferromagnetic doped polymer.
3 more elements
A method for handling an object, comprising:
- (a) providing a housing structure comprising (1) a first arrangement of magnets,
- (2) a second arrangement of magnets, wherein said second arrangement of magnets and said first arrangement magnets are movable relative to one another, (3) a plurality of pole members, wherein said plurality of pole members is (i) in a first magnetic interaction with said first arrangement of magnets and (ii) in a second magnetic interaction with said second arrangement of magnets, wherein each pole member of said plurality of pole members is configured to transfer magnetic flux caused by said first magnetic interaction and said second magnetic interaction to said object, and (4) a plurality of magnetic flux guiding members, wherein said plurality of magnetic flux guiding members comprises a ferromagnetic doped polymer;
- and
- (b) moving one or more of said first arrangement of magnets and said second arrangement of magnets to vary their position relative to one another to vary said first magnetic interaction, said second magnetic interaction, or both, and to vary said magnetic flux transferred to said object.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.