Method and system for manipulating articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11911894-B2
Application number	US-202016868695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2020
Priority date	May 9, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

Various example embodiments described herein relates, to an item manipulation system that can include a control system and an end effector. The end effector can include a tube defining a channel between a first end and a second end. The tube can include, a flexible suction cup that can be disposed within the channel of the tube. In some examples, the flexible suction cup can engage a surface of the item based on suction force generated through the flexible suction cup. The end effector also includes a linear actuator that can be mechanically coupled to the flexible suction cup. The end effector can be configured to: extend, the flexible suction cup towards the second end of the channel to position at least a portion of the flexible suction cup outside the tube and retract, the flexible suction cup within the channel to position the flexible suction cup within the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An item manipulation system comprising:
a control system;
an end effector communicatively coupled to the control system, the end effector comprising:
a tube defining a channel between a first end and a second end, the tube comprising:
a flexible suction cup movably positioned within the channel of the tube, the flexible suction cup configured to engage a surface of an item based on vacuum suction force generated through the flexible suction cup; and

a linear actuator mechanically coupled to the flexible suction cup, the linear actuator configured to:
extend, the flexible suction cup towards the second end of the channel to position at least a portion of the flexible suction cup outside of the tube; and
retract, the flexible suction cup within the channel to position the flexible suction cup within the tube, wherein the control system is configured to:
identify characteristics of the item, wherein the characteristics of the item includes at least a body shape of the item; and
actuate the linear actuator based on the identified characteristics of the item to one of:
position the flexible suction cup within the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a flexible body shape of the item, and
position at least a proximal end of the flexible suction cup outside the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a rigid body shape of the item.

2. The item manipulation system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
upon positioning the at least portion of the flexible suction cup outside the tube, actuate the flexible suction cup to grip a first item of a first body shape based on an engagement of a proximal end of the flexible suction cup with a surface of the first item.

3. The item manipulation system of claim 2 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
upon positioning, the flexible suction cup within the tube, actuate the flexible suction cup to grip a second item of a second body shape based on an engagement of a surface of the second item with the second end of the tube.

4. The item manipulation system of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator is a pneumatic cylinder comprising a piston and wherein a distal end of the flexible suction cup is engaged to an end of the piston via an end shaft.

5. The item manipulation system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to at least:
cause to generate, via a vacuum generator, vacuum suction force through at least one of the tube and the flexible suction cup.

6. An end effector comprising:
a tube defining a channel between a first end and a second end, the tube comprising:
a flexible suction cup movably positioned within the channel defined by the tube, the flexible suction cup configured to engage a surface of an item based on vacuum suction force generated through at least one of: the flexible suction cup and the channel defined by the tube; and
a linear actuator mechanically coupled to the flexible suction cup, the linear actuator configured to:
extend, the flexible suction cup towards the second end of the channel to position at least, a portion of the flexible suction cup, outside of the tube; and
retract, the flexible suction cup within the channel to position the flexible suction cup within the tube, wherein the end effector is configured to:
identify characteristics of the item, wherein the characteristics of the item includes at least a body shape of the item; and
actuate the linear actuator based on the identified characteristics of the item to one of:
position the flexible suction cup within the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a flexible body shape of the item, and
position at least a proximal end of the flexible suction cup outside the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a rigid body shape of the item.

7. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the end effector is configured to:
pick a first item of a first body shape by engaging a surface of the item with the flexible suction cup based on vacuum suction force drawn through the flexible suction cup; or
pick a second item of a second body shape by engaging the surface of the item with the second end of the tube based on vacuum suction force drawn through at least one of: the flexible suction cup and the channel defined by the tube.

8. The end effector of claim 6 , comprising:
an ejector adapted to release an item that is engaged by the end effector by employing compressed air ejected through the ejector.

9. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the linear actuator is a pneumatic cylinder comprising, a piston and wherein a distal end of the flexible suction cup is engaged to an end of the piston via an end shaft.

10. The end effector of claim 6 , comprising a vacuum generation system configured to:
generate vacuum suction force through a vacuum generator; and
draw, via a channel, the vacuum suction force through at least one of: the tube and the flexible suction cup.

11. An item manipulation system comprising:
a control system;
an end effector communicatively coupled to the control system the end effector defining:
a first end, configured to be engaged to a robotic tool;
a second end defining an array of item grasping tools configured to engage with a surface of an item, wherein a first set of item grasping tools, from amongst the array of item grasping tools, is configured to be selectively actuated by the control system to:
extend, outwards from the second end and further from, a second set of the item grasping tools, remaining from amongst the array of item grasping tools, to engage with a surface of the item based on a vacuum suction force generated through the first set of the item grasping tools; and
retract, towards the second end to position the first set of item grasping tools in-line with the second set of the item grasping tools, wherein upon retracting, at least one item grasping tool from amongst the second set of the item grasping tools is configured to further engage with the surface of the item engaged to the first set of item grasping tools, wherein the control system is configured to:
identify characteristics of the item, wherein the characteristics of the item includes at least a body shape of the item; and
actuate a linear actuator based on the identified characteristics of the item to one of:
position a flexible suction cup within a tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a flexible body shape of the item, and
position at least a proximal end of the flexible suction cup outside the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a rigid body shape of the item.

12. The item manipulation system of claim 11 , wherein the array of item grasping tools comprises at least one of: a clamp, a static gripper, an electromagnetic gripper, an electrostatic gripper, and a vacuum suction cup.

13. The item manipulation system of claim 11 , wherein the control system is configured to:
access, from a vision system, a plurality of images of a material handling environment including a plurality of items;
based on processing the plurality of images, identify, a first item from amongst the plurality of items which is to be handled by the end effector; and
cause to actuate the first set of the item grasping tools to extend, outwards from the second end and further from a second set of the item grasping tools, to pick the first item based on an engagement

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Simons John
• Wicks Matthew R
• Jeremiah Grant R
• Baer Benjamin

Classifications

• B66C1/0206

  for handling bulk or bags · CPC title

• B65G47/91

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title

• B25J15/0658 Primary

  Pneumatic type, e.g. air blast or overpressure · CPC title

• B25J9/144

  Linear actuators · CPC title

• B25J9/1653

  parameters identification, estimation, stiffness, accuracy, error analysis · CPC title