# US 9,517,565 B2 · Feeding assistant robot

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- Number: US 9,517,565 B2
- Document ID: US9517565B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/732,434
- Filed: 2015-06-05
- Published: 2015-12-31
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-07
- Assignees: National Rehabilitation Center
- Applicants: National Rehabilitation Center
- Inventors: Won Kyung Song; Jong Bae Kim; Kwang Ok An; In Ho Lee; Won Jin Song
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517565B2

## CPC

- B25J 11/009: {Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs}
- A47G 21/08: Serving devices for one-handed persons
- A61F 4/00: Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body
- B25J 9/0084: {comprising a plurality of manipulators}
- B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table}
- B25J 9/1664: {characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning}
- B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed}
- B25J 9/1682: {Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators}
- B25J 11/008: {Manipulators for service tasks}
- B25J 13/02: Hand grip control means {(handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214)}
- B25J 13/06: Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
- B25J 15/0206: {comprising articulated grippers}
- B25J 19/02: Sensing devices
- B25J 9/023: {Cartesian coordinate type}
- G05B 2219/40521: Alternative, allowable path substitution if arm movements not possible
- G05B 2219/45108: Aid, robot for aid to, assist human disabled
- G05B 2219/45111: Meal, food assistance
- 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})
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a feeding assistant robot, which assists in feeding patients or the elderly and infirm who have difficulty in moving their arms and thus have difficulty in feeding themselves. The feeding assistant robot includes: a picking arm including a gripper for picking up food placed on a tray; a feeding arm, including a spoon on which the food picked up by the picking arm is placed, for moving the spoon to the mouth of a user; an input device enabling the user to direct the movements of the picking arm and of the feeding arm; and a control unit electrically connected to the picking arm, the feeding arm, and the manipulation part to control the movements of the picking arm and the feeding arm according to the commands from the input device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A feeding assistant robot, comprising:
a picking arm provided with a gripper picking up food placed on a top surface of a food tray;
a feeding arm provided with a spoon onto which the food picked up by the picking arm is placed, the feeding arm transferring the spoon to a mouth of a user; and
an input device enabling the user to instruct the picking arm and the feeding arm to be operated,
wherein the picking arm includes a link connected at a first end thereof to a motor so that the link horizontally rotates around a rotating shaft,
wherein the gripper is provided on a second end of the link so as to be vertically movable, and
wherein, after gripping the food, the gripper moves upwardly so that the food is lifted up by the gripper to be apart from the top surface of the food tray.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein the link comprises:
a first link connected at a first end thereof to the motor, the first link being horizontally rotatable around the rotating shaft by said motor; and
a second link hinged to a second end of the first link so that the second link is horizontally rotated around the second end of the first link by rotation of a second motor,
wherein the gripper is provided on an end of the second link so as to be vertically movable relative to said end of the second link.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 2, wherein the gripper is connected to the second link by a prismatic joint so as to be vertically movable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein the feeding arm comprises:
a first link connected at a first end thereof to a motor so that the first link is able to vertically swing around a rotating shaft; and
a second link hinged to a second end of the first link, the second link being able to be vertically swung by rotation of a motor,
wherein the spoon is provided on an end of the second link and oriented horizontally with the second link.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein the feeding arm comprises:
a first link connected at a first end thereof to a motor so that the first link is able to vertically swing around a rotating shaft; and
a second link hinged to a second end of the first link, the second link being able to be vertically swung by rotation of a motor,
wherein the spoon is hinged to an end of the second link and is able to be vertically swung by rotation of a motor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein the feeding arm comprises:
a first link connected at a first end thereof to a motor so that the first link is able to vertically swing around a rotating shaft; and
a second link hinged to a second end of the first link, the second link being able to be vertically swung by rotation of a motor,
wherein the spoon is connected to an end of the second link by a prismatic joint so as to be horizontally movable.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein each of food sections of the food tray is partitioned into a plurality of areas depending on a size of the gripper, wherein the gripper picks up pieces of food in the food section in a preset sequence.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The feeding assistant robot according to claim 1, wherein the picking arm and the feeding arm are provided in a single frame.