Robotic picking assemblies with highly damped suction cups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12202128-B1
Application number	US-202117474593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 14, 2021
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for robotic picking assemblies with highly damped suction cups. In one embodiment, an example suction cup for a picking assembly may include a shell formed of an elastomeric material, where the shell forms a first bellow. The suction cup may include a first fluid chamber disposed on an outer portion of the suction cup, a first opening, where fluid from the first fluid chamber passes through the first opening, and an optional second fluid chamber disposed on an inner portion of the suction cup. The suction cup may include an optional second opening formed in the shell, where fluid from the second fluid chamber passes through the second opening. The first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber may be configured to dampen movement of the suction cup.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A robotic picking assembly comprising:
a robotic manipulator;
a vacuum suction system configured to provide negative air pressure; and
a picking assembly coupled to the robotic manipulator and the vacuum suction system, the picking assembly configured to pick up and release individual items, the picking assembly comprising:
a suction cup comprising:
a shell formed of an elastomeric material, wherein the shell forms a first bellow and a second bellow of the suction cup;
a flexible outer surface material disposed between the first bellow and the second bellow;
a flexible inner surface material that forms a vacuum flow passage along a central axis of the suction cup;
a first fluid chamber disposed between the flexible inner surface material and a first portion of the shell that forms the first bellow;
a first aperture formed in the first portion of the shell, wherein fluid from the first fluid chamber can pass through the first aperture;
a second fluid chamber disposed between the shell and the flexible outer surface material; and
a second aperture formed in the flexible outer surface material, wherein fluid from the second fluid chamber can pass through the second aperture;
wherein the flexible inner surface material and the flexible outer surface material are configured to deform while grasping an item.

2. The robotic picking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the suction cup further comprises:
a third fluid chamber disposed between the flexible inner surface material and a second portion of the shell that forms the second bellow;
a third aperture formed in the second portion of the shell, wherein fluid from the third fluid chamber can pass through the third aperture into the second fluid chamber; and
a fourth aperture formed in the flexible outer surface material adjacent to the second aperture, wherein fluid from the third fluid chamber can pass through the third aperture or the fourth aperture.

3. The robotic picking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible inner surface material and the flexible outer surface material are formed of the elastomeric material, and wherein the elastomeric material comprises chloroprene.

4. The robotic picking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the suction cup has a damping ratio of at least 0.3.

5. A suction cup for a picking assembly, the suction cup comprising:
a shell formed of an elastomeric material, wherein the shell forms a first bellow;
a first fluid chamber disposed on an outer portion of the suction cup;
a second fluid chamber disposed on an inner portion of the suction cup;
a first opening, wherein fluid from the first fluid chamber passes through the first opening; and
a second opening formed in the shell, wherein fluid from the second fluid chamber passes through the second opening;
wherein the first fluid chamber is configured to dampen movement of the suction cup, and the second fluid chamber is configured to dampen movement of the suction cup.

6. The suction cup of claim 5 , wherein the shell further forms a second bellow, the suction cup further comprising:
a flexible outer surface material extending between the first bellow and the second bellow; and
a flexible inner surface material that forms a vacuum flow passage along a central axis of the suction cup;
wherein the first opening is formed in the flexible outer surface material.

7. The suction cup of claim 6 , wherein the flexible inner surface material and the flexible outer surface material are formed of the elastomeric material.

8. The suction cup of claim 6 , wherein the flexible inner surface material and the flexible outer surface material are integrated with the shell of the suction cup.

9. The suction cup of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third fluid chamber disposed on the inner portion of the suction cup; and
a third opening formed in the shell, wherein fluid from the third fluid chamber passes through the third opening.

10. The suction cup of claim 9 , wherein fluid from the third fluid chamber passes through the third opening into the first fluid chamber.

11. The suction cup of claim 5 , wherein the suction cup has a damping ratio of between 0.3 and 1.1.

12. The suction cup of claim 5 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are in fluid communication with an ambient environment.

13. The suction cup of claim 5 , wherein the fluid is air.

14. The suction cup of claim 5 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of: chloroprene, sorbothane, nitrile-butadiene rubber, silicone, or neoprene.

15. A suction cup for a picking assembly, the suction cup comprising:
a first shell layer formed of an elastomeric material, wherein the first shell layer forms a first bellow and a second bellow;
a first opening formed in the first shell layer;
a second shell layer that forms the first bellow and the second bellow; and
a second opening formed in the second shell layer, wherein the first opening and the second opening are in fluid communication with an ambient environment;
wherein the first shell layer is configured to dampen movement of the suction cup, and wherein the suction cup has a damping ratio of between 0.3 and 1.1.

16. The suction cup of claim 15 , wherein the highly damped material comprises at least one of: chloroprene, sorbothane, nitrile-butadiene rubber, silicon, or neoprene.

17. The suction cup of claim 15 , wherein the second shell layer is over-molded on the first shell layer.

18. The suction cup of claim 15 , wherein the first shell layer is over-molded on the second shell layer.

19. The suction cup of claim 15 , wherein the second shell layer is configured to deform while grasping an item using the suction cup.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Colantonio Peter Thomas
• Bedard Benjamin

Classifications

• B25J15/0616

  with vacuum · CPC title

• B25J15/0023

  Gripper surfaces directly activated by a fluid (flexible fingers B25J15/12) · CPC title

• F16F15/023

  using fluid means · CPC title

• B25J15/0683 Primary

  Details of suction cup structure, e.g. grooves or ridges · CPC title

• F16F2232/08

  Linear · CPC title