# US 2019/0168382 A1 · Pressurizing housing for a soft robotic actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168382 A1 - Document ID: US20190168382A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/208,669 - Filed: 2018-12-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Soft Robotics, Inc. - Applicants: Soft Robotics, Inc. - Inventors: Joshua Aaron LESSING - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168382A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/142: {comprising inflatable bodies} - B25J 9/1075: {with muscles or tendons} - B25J 15/0023: {Gripper surfaces directly activated by a fluid (flexible fingers B25J15/12)} - B25J 15/12: with flexible finger members - F15B 15/103: {using inflatable bodies that contract when fluid pressure is applied, e.g. pneumatic artificial muscles or McKibben-type actuators} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Exemplary embodiments relate to pressurizable housings for a soft robotic actuator. The pressurized housings may be divided into an upper chamber in fluid communication with an internal void of the actuator, and a lower chamber connected to an inlet and an outlet. The upper chamber and lower chamber may be separated by a piston. By supplying a fluid to the lower chamber via the inlet, the piston is moved into the space previously occupied by the upper chamber, which reduces the volume of the upper chamber and increases the pressure in the internal void. This action allows the actuator to be rapidly inflated, and further simplifies the pressurization system and reduces its weight. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic end effector comprising: a soft robotic actuator comprising an elastomeric outer surface surrounding an internal void, wherein the soft robotic actuator is configured to curl when an inflation fluid is supplied to the internal void; a pressurizable housing divided into a first space and a second space, the first space being in fluid communication with the internal void, wherein a fixed amount of inflation fluid is present in the first space and a volume of the second space is manipulable to change a volume of the first space and thereby alter an internal pressure of the internal void; an inlet port for supplying a second space fluid to the second space; and an outlet port for exhausting the second space fluid from the second space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, further comprising tubing connected to the inlet port, wherein a diameter of the tubing is less than 10 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The end effector of claim 2, wherein the diameter of the tubing is about 4 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is a valve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the exhaust port comprises a pinhole opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The end effector of claim 5, wherein the pinhole opening is an orifice present in a disk capable of being inserted into the exhaust port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the pressurizable housing is connected to a plurality of soft robotic actuators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the first space and the second space are divided by a piston. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The end effector of claim 8, further comprising a set of upper stops between the piston and the actuator in the first space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The end effector of claim 9, wherein the upper stops are adjustable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The end effector of claim 8, further comprising a set of lower stops in the second space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The end effector of claim 11, wherein the lower stops are adjustable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor present in the first space. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the second space fluid is a pneumatic fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The end effector of claim 1, wherein the second space fluid is a hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method comprising: providing a robotic end effector according to claim 1; and supplying the second space fluid to the inlet port. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising exhausting the second space fluid via the exhaust port. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an indication at a controller that a pressure in the first space is unexpectedly low or unexpectedly high. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein, in response to the indication, the controller is configured to perform at least one of the following actions: transmitting a warning message to an operator of the end effector; automatically stopping a machine to which the end effector is attached; stopping a manufacturing line including the machine to which the end effector is attached; or redirecting work from the machine to which the end effector is attached to another machine present on the same manufacturing line.