Mechansim for exchanging concentric suction cups
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichael James O'Connor, Ennio Claretti, Ryan Frederick Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiple suction cup apparatus for lifting an object includes the capability of exchanging a large and small suction cup. At least one interlock enables the large or small suction cup to be deployed. The interlocks include passive interlocks, such as ball detents and conventional magnets, and active interlocks, such as a twist lock and electronic actuated magnets.
Claims20
A concentric, multiple suction cup assembly for deploying and exchanging the suction cups, the assembly comprising:
- an outer suction cup for lifting relatively large objects;
- an inner suction cup, nestable within the outer suction cup, for lifting relatively small objects;
- a tubular housing for mounting to an end effector;
- an inner tube being concentric with the housing, and being extendible and retractable relative to the housing,
- the inner suction cup being permanently affixed to a distal end of the inner tube;
- the outer suction cup being selectively engageable with the distal end of the inner tube or the housing;
- wherein when the outer suction cup is engaged with the inner tube:
- (i) the inner suction cup is recessed within the outer suction cup and (ii) the outer suction cup is extendible from the housing with the inner tube, thereby enabling the outer suction cup to engage the object;
- and
- wherein when the outer suction cup is engaged with the housing, the inner suction cup is extendible from the housing and from the outer suction cup, thereby enabling the inner suction cup to engage the object.
A multiple suction cup assembly configured for mounting to an end effector, the assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a longitudinal axis, the housing being adapted for operatively mounting to an end effector;
- an inner tube within the housing;
- an outer suction cup releasably engaged with the housing and releasably engaged with the inner tube;
- an inner suction cup mounted to a distal end of the inner tube and concentric with the outer suction cup, having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the outer cup;
- a linear actuator adapted for extending and retracting the inner tube relative to the housing;
- a vacuum source in communication with each one of the first suction cup and the second suction cup;
- whereby the outer suction cup is adapted for engaging and lifting relatively large items in a large-item operating mode in which the inner suction cup is retracted relative to the outer suction cup and the outer suction cup is engaged with the inner, and
- whereby the inner suction cup is adapted for engaging and lifting relatively small items in a small-item operating mode in which the inner tube is extended relative to the outer suction cup and the outer suction cup is engaged with the housing.
A method for lifting an object with a multiple suction cup apparatus, the apparatus including a housing, an inner tube concentric within the housing, and outer suction cup, and an inner suction cup concentric with the outer suction cup and mounted to a distal end of the inner tube;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) engaging the outer suction cup with the object under a vacuum, including positioning the housing while the outer suction cup is engaged to the housing by a housing interlock;
- (ii) engaging the inner suction cup with the object under a vacuum, including extending the inner tube from the housing while the inner tube interlock is engaged and the housing interlock is disengaged such that the inner tube extends outwardly relative to the outer suction cup;
- wherein the step of engaging the outer suction cup and the step of engaging the inner occur sequentially.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.