Flat gripper actuator
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsMarc Strauss, Michael Patrick Murphy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Examples described here include a device that has a housing defining a cavity, and a force sensor. The device also includes a first hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, and a second hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity. The first and second hydraulic actuators move between respectively relaxing modes and thrusting modes along respective longitudinal axes. The longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator. The device also includes a first actuated member coupled to the first hydraulic actuator, and a second actuated member coupled to the second hydraulic actuator.
Claims17
A device comprising:
- a housing defining a cavity;
- a force sensor;
- a first hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the first hydraulic actuator moves between a first relaxing mode and a first thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator based at least in part in response to sensor data from the force sensor;
- a second hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the second hydraulic actuator moves between a second relaxing mode and a second thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator based at least in part in response to sensor data from the force sensor, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator;
- a third hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the third hydraulic actuator moves between a third relaxing mode and a third thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the third hydraulic actuator based at least in part in response to sensor data from the force sensor, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator and the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the third hydraulic actuator, and wherein the second hydraulic actuator is positioned between the first hydraulic actuator and the third hydraulic actuator in the cavity;
- a first actuated member coupled to the first hydraulic actuator, wherein the first actuated member is in a first open mode when the first hydraulic actuator is in the first relaxing mode, and wherein the first actuated member is in a first closed mode when the first hydraulic actuator is in the first thrusting mode;
- a second actuated member coupled to the second hydraulic actuator, wherein the second actuated member is in a second open mode when the second hydraulic actuator is in the second relaxing mode, and wherein the second actuated member is in a second closed mode when the second hydraulic actuator is in the second thrusting mode;
- and
- a third actuated member coupled to the third hydraulic actuator, wherein the third actuated member is in a third open mode when the third hydraulic actuator is in the third relaxing mode, wherein the third actuated member is in a third closed mode when the third hydraulic actuator is in the third thrusting mode, and wherein a torque applied to the second actuated member is approximately double a torque applied to the first actuated member and approximately double a torque applied to the third actuated member.
A robotic device, comprising:
- a first limb;
- a second limb coupled to the first limb;
- a gripping component coupled to the second limb, wherein the gripping component comprises (i) a housing defining a cavity, (ii) a force sensor, (iii) a first hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the first hydraulic actuator moves between a first relaxing mode and a first thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator, (iv) a second hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the second hydraulic actuator moves between a second relaxing mode and a second thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator, (v) a third hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the third hydraulic actuator moves between a third relaxing mode and a third thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the third hydraulic actuator, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator and the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the third hydraulic actuator, and wherein the second hydraulic actuator is positioned between the first hydraulic actuator and the third hydraulic actuator in the cavity, (vi) a first gripping member coupled to the first hydraulic actuator, (vii) a second gripping member coupled to the second hydraulic actuator, and (viii) a third gripping member coupled to the third hydraulic actuator, wherein a torque applied to the second gripping member is approximately double a torque applied to the first gripping member and approximately double a torque applied to the third gripping member;
- and
- a controller comprising at least one processor and data storage comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
- based at least in part in response to sensor data from the force sensor, causing the first, second, and third hydraulic actuators to move between the first, second, and third relaxing modes and the first, second, and third thrusting modes to thereby cause movements of the first, second, and third gripping members so as to grasp one or more objects.
A method for actuating a device comprising (i) a housing defining a cavity, (ii) a force sensor, (iii) a first hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the first hydraulic actuator moves between a first relaxing mode and a first thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator, (iv) a second hydraulic actuator positioned in the cavity, wherein the second hydraulic actuator moves between a second relaxing mode and a second thrusting mode along a longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the first hydraulic actuator is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second hydraulic actuator, (v) a first gripping member coupled to the first hydraulic actuator, and (vi) a second gripping member coupled to the second hydraulic actuator, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a control system configured to actuate the device, data indicative of a distinct location of an object in an environment of the device and further indicative of a dimension of the object;
- based on the location and dimension of the object, determining a position to which to rotate each of the first and second gripping members such that the object is located between the first and second gripping members;
- causing the first and second gripping members to rotate to the determined position;
- receiving, at the control system, sensor data from the force sensor;
- and
- in response to the received sensor data, causing movement of the first and second gripping members so as to grasp the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.