Robotic device with coordinated sweeping tool and shovel tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827677-B1
Application number	US-201615155368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

An example robotic device includes a mobile base and a base linkage. The base linkage has a first end and a second end where the first end is connected to the mobile base. The robotic device also includes a first end effector connected to the second end of the base linkage. The first end effector includes a shovel tool. The robotic device additionally includes an actuated control arm having a first end and a second end. The first end of the actuated control arm is connected to the second end of the base linkage. The robotic device further includes a second end effector connected to the second end of the actuated control arm. The second end effector includes a sweeping tool. The actuated control arm is configured to move the sweeping tool to engage with the shovel tool to sweep one or more objects onto the shovel tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robotic device comprising:
a mobile base;
a base linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the mobile base;
a first end effector connected to the second end of the base linkage, the first end effector comprising a shovel tool;
an actuated control arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the actuated control arm connected to the second end of the base linkage; and
a second end effector connected to the second end of the actuated control arm, the second end effector comprising a sweeping tool, wherein the actuated control arm is configured to move the sweeping tool to engage with the shovel tool to sweep one or more objects onto the shovel tool.

2. The robotic device of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to provide instructions to cause the robotic device to grasp an object by causing the actuated control arm to move the second end effector to push the object against the shovel tool.

3. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the base linkage is connected to the mobile base through an actuated rotational joint configured to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base.

4. The robotic device of claim 3 , further comprising a control system configured to:
provide instructions to cause the actuated control arm to move the sweeping tool to push an object onto the shovel tool;
provide instructions to cause the base linkage to raise the shovel tool while the object is disposed on the shovel tool by causing the actuated rotational joint to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base;
provide instructions to cause the mobile base to navigate to a drop-off location while the object is disposed on the shovel tool; and
provide instructions to cause the shovel tool to drop off the object at the drop-off location.

5. The robotic device of claim 3 , further comprising a control system configured to:
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to grasp an object between the second end effector and the shovel tool by pressing the object against the shovel tool using the second end effector;
provide instructions to cause the base linkage to raise the object while the object is grasped between the second end effector and the shovel tool by causing the actuated rotational joint to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base; and
provide instructions to cause the shovel tool and the second end effector to perform a coordinated lift, wherein performing a coordinated lift comprises:
maintaining a constant pitch of the shovel tool by adjusting the orientation of the shovel tool as the base linkage raises the object; and
maintaining the second end effector in a constant position in relation to the shovel tool by adjusting the orientation of the actuated control arm in response to adjustments in the orientation of the shovel tool.

6. The robotic device of claim 3 , wherein:
the actuated rotational joint is a first actuated rotational joint configured to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base in a first plane;
the robotic device further comprises a second actuated rotational joint;
the second actuated rotational joint is configured to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base in a second plane; and
the second plane is approximately perpendicular to the first plane.

7. The robotic device of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to:
receive sensor data from one or more sensors on the robotic device, wherein the sensor data is indicative of a plurality of objects within an environment;
based on the received sensor data, select at least one object from the plurality of objects within the environment;
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to pick up the at least one selected object using the shovel tool and the sweeping tool; and
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to move the at least one picked up object to a drop-off location.

8. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein the actuated control arm comprises:
a first linkage section; and
a second linkage section serially connected to the first linkage section through an actuated rotational joint.

9. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein the shovel tool comprises:
a first flat section having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the second end of the base linkage; and
a second flat section connected to the second end of the first flat section through an actuated rotational joint.

10. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein the second end effector additionally comprises a gripper.

11. The robotic device of claim 10 , wherein:
the second end effector is connected to the second end of the actuated control arm through an actuated rotational joint;
the gripper is connected to the actuated rotational joint at a first point on the actuated rotational joint;
the sweeping tool is connected to the actuated rotational joint at a second point on the actuated rotational joint; and
the actuated rotational joint is configured to rotate each of the sweeping tool and the gripper into an operational position.

12. The robotic device of claim 11 , wherein (i) the actuated rotational joint is a first actuated rotational joint and (ii) the first end of the base linkage is connected to the mobile base through a second actuated rotational joint configured to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base, the robotic device further comprising a control system configured to:
provide instructions to cause the first actuated rotational joint to rotate the sweeping tool into the operational position;
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to move an object onto the shovel tool with the sweeping tool;
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to raise the shovel tool while the object is disposed on the shovel tool by causing the actuated rotational joint to rotate the base linkage with respect to the mobile base;
provide instructions to cause the mobile base to navigate to a drop-off location;
provide instructions to cause the first actuated rotational joint to rotate the gripper into the operational position;
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to open a container by causing the gripper to grasp and move a lid of the container, wherein the container is located at the drop-off location;
provide instructions to cause the first actuated rotational joint to rotate the sweeping tool into the operational position; and
provide instructions to cause the robotic device to actuate the sweeping tool in order to move the object from the shovel tool to the container.

13. The robotic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end effector is connected to the second end of the base linkage through a first actuated rotational joint, the first actuated rotational joint configured to move the first actuated end effector in a first plane;
the first end of the actuated control arm is connected to the second end of the base linkage through a second actuated rotational joint, the second actuated rotational joint configured to move the actuated control arm in or parallel to the first plane; and
the second actuated end effector is connected to the second end of the actuated control arm through a third actuated rotational joint, the third actuated rotational joint configured to move the second actuated end effector in or parallel to the first plane.

14. The robotic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the sweeping tool comprises a plurality of compliant fingers arranged in at least one row;
the at least one row is oriented parallel to a lead

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Gilbertson Seth
• Weber Jeff
• Wilson Robert

Classifications

• B25J9/1682 Primary

  Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators · CPC title

• A47L11/4011

  Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor · CPC title

• B25J9/0087

  Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043) · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• A47L11/24

  Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven · CPC title