Device for faulty item rejection
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJoseph A. Perlas, Dean Albert Tarrant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device may comprise a gripper defining a plurality of openings, each being configured to selectively receive, retain and release an item using a vacuum. One or more sensors may be associated with the plurality of openings, and may be configured to detect a faulty item received in the opening associated therewith. An item receiving structure may be configured to receive items released by the gripper when one or more of the sensors detects that one or more of the received items is faulty. An item receptacle may be configured to receive a plurality of items, and a vacuum chute may be configured to convey items received in the item receiving structure away from the gripper and into the item receptacle under a vacuum force.
Claims9
A device, comprising:
- a gripper defining a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings being configured to selectively receive, retain and release an item using a vacuum;
- one or more sensors associated with the plurality of openings, configured to detect a faulty item received in the opening associated therewith;
- an item receiving structure configured to receive items released by the gripper when at least one of the sensors detects that at least one of the received items is faulty;
- an item receptacle configured to receive a plurality of items;
- and
- a vacuum chute configured to convey items received in the item receiving structure away from the gripper and into the item receptacle under a vacuum force,
- wherein the item receiving structure comprises a movable arm configured to move away from the gripper when none of the sensors detects a faulty item and configured to move under the gripper to receive items released by the gripper when at least one of the sensors detects a faulty item, and
- wherein the item receptacle is disposed away from the gripper and the item receiving structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.