Devices and methods to grip an object
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorsGerald J. Byers, Tomas A. Blodgett, Shane T. Shelbourn, Kyle D. Kimpel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some embodiments, devices and methods are provided herein useful to grip, hold, and/or manipulate the objects. In some embodiments, a gripping device may include a coupler configured to physically couple to a device moving member, a movable member having an object-facing surface, a actuator for actuating the movable member between a retracted position and an extended position, and a plurality of pins fixed on the object-facing surface of first movable member, each of the plurality of pins comprising an end configured to penetrate a surface of a gripped object when the movable member is in the extended position.
Claims20
A gripping device comprising:
- a coupler configured to physically couple to a device moving member;
- a first movable member having a first object-facing surface;
- a first actuator for actuating the first movable member between a retracted position and an extended position;
- and
- a first plurality of pins fixed on the first object-facing surface of the first movable member, each of the first plurality of pins comprising an end configured to penetrate a surface of a gripped object when the first movable member is in the extended position.
A method to grip an object using a gripping device, the method comprising:
- moving a coupler of the gripping device near the object to be gripped;
- extending, using a first actuator, a first movable member of the gripping device from a retracted position to an extended position;
- and
- penetrating, as the first movable member moves to the extended position, a surface of the object with ends of a first plurality of pins fixed on a first object-facing surface of the first movable member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.