Grabbing device and method for controlling the gripping force
AssigneeElaut N.V.
InventorEric Ernest Maria Verstraeten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for picking up one or more objects, e.g., particular one or more prizes to be won, and subsequently moving the same to a dispensing position includes: a pick-up device, such as a grabber or a vacuum head; and a positioning device to be controlled by a user for positioning the pick-up device over one or more objects. A weight determination device is provided for determining the weight of the pick-up device, in which one or more picked up objects may be present in case of a successful pick-up attempt, or of a variable related to the weight.
Claims26
A device for picking up at least one object and subsequently moving the at least one object to a dispensing position, comprising:
- a pick-up device;
- a positioning device controllable by a user to position the pick-up device over at least one object;
- a weight determination device configured to determine at least one of (a) a weight of the pick-up device, in which at least one picked-up item is present for a successful pick-up attempt, and (b) a variable related to the weight;
- and
- a control device configured to control a pick-up force as a function of the weight determined by the weight determination device.
A device for picking up at least one object of at least one type and subsequently moving the at least one object to a dispensing position, comprising:
- a pick-up device;
- a positioning device controllable by a user to position the pick-up device over at least one object;
- a weight determination device configured to determine at least one of (a) a weight of the pick-up device, in which at least one picked-up item is present for a successful pick-up attempt, and (b) a variable related to the weight;
- and
- a control unit configured to derive a type of object on in accordance with the weight determined by the at least one of (a) the weight and (b) the variable related to the weight.
A device for picking up at least one object and subsequently moving the at least one object to a dispensing position, comprising:
- a pick-up device;
- a positioning device controllable by a user to position the pick-up device over at least one object;
- a weight determination device configured to determine at least one of (a) a weight of the pick-up device, in which at least one picked-up item is present for a successful pick-up attempt, and (b) a variable related to the weight;
- a vertical movement device configured to move the pick-up device up and down;
- and
- a control unit configured to control the vertical movement device in accordance with the weight determined by the weight determination device.
A method for setting up a device during an initialization procedure of a device for picking up at least one object of at least one type and subsequently moving the at least one object to a dispensing position, which the device including a pick-up device and a positioning device controllable by a user to position the pick-up device over at least one object, comprising:
- (a) determining at least one of (a) a weight of all types of objects to be picked up and (b) a variable related to the weight by a weight determination device;
- and
- (b) storing the at least one of (a) the weight of all types of objects to be picked up and (b) the variable related to the weight determined in the determining step (a).
A method for determining statistical data of a device for picking up at least one object of at least one type and subsequently moving the object to a dispensing position, the device including a pick-up device and a positioning device controllable by a user to position the pick-up device over at least one object, comprising:
- for each pick-up attempt, determining a weight of a picked up object;
- and
- storing the weight determined in the determining step.
A method for controlling a device for picking up at least one object of at least one type and subsequently moving the object to a dispensing position, comprising:
- determining at least one of (a) a weight of the pick-up device, in which at least one object is present for a successful pick-up attempt, and (b) a variable related to the weight;
- deriving, from the determined weight, whether an object was picked up;
- and
- deriving, from the determined weight, which type of object was picked up.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.