US 11,964,385 B2
Breakaway end-effectors for food and beverage preparation robots
Michael Hazen Knuepfel, Brooklyn, NY (US); Andrew William Lynch, Brooklyn, NY (US); Darian Montague Ahler, Brooklyn, NY (US); and Jordan Ross Adelson, Brooklyn, NY (US)
Assigned to Truebird Technologies, Inc., Brooklyn, NY (US)
Filed by Truebird, Inc., Brooklyn, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/600,468.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/745,117, filed on Oct. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0114523 A1, Apr. 16, 2020
Int. Cl. B25J 15/04 (2006.01); A23F 5/08 (2006.01); A23F 5/26 (2006.01); A47J 31/00 (2006.01); A47J 31/42 (2006.01); A47J 31/44 (2006.01); A47J 31/52 (2006.01); A47J 36/32 (2006.01); A47J 43/046 (2006.01); A47J 43/06 (2006.01); A47J 44/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); G07F 17/00 (2006.01); A47J 43/27 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 15/0441 (2013.01) [A23F 5/08 (2013.01); A23F 5/26 (2013.01); A47J 31/42 (2013.01); A47J 31/4496 (2013.01); A47J 31/52 (2013.01); A47J 31/521 (2018.08); A47J 36/321 (2018.08); A47J 43/06 (2013.01); A47J 44/00 (2013.01); B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/023 (2013.01); B25J 9/1612 (2013.01); B25J 11/0045 (2013.01); B25J 15/0608 (2013.01); G07F 17/0071 (2013.01); G07F 17/0078 (2013.01); A47J 31/007 (2013.01); A47J 43/0465 (2013.01); A47J 43/27 (2013.01); B25J 9/026 (2013.01); G05B 2219/39065 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot, comprising:
a computer-implemented controller;
a plurality of actuators mechanically coupled to an end-effector mount and configured to respond to commands from the controller;
a first set of end effectors magnetically coupled to the end-effector mount, wherein the first set of end effectors comprises three end effectors, and a first and second end effector among the three end effectors are coupled to arms of the end effector mount that are configured to rotate about an axis passing through a third end effector among the three end effectors; and
a sensor adjacent an interface between at least some of the first set of end effectors and the end-effector mount, wherein:
the end effectors are magnetically coupled to the end-effector mount with magnetic couplings that decouple in response to less than 200 Newtons of force being applied to distal portions of respective end effectors in a direction opposing movement of respective end effectors driven by at least some of the actuators,
the sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of a given end effector decoupling and indicate which end effector in the first set of end effectors decoupled, and
the controller is configured to respond to the signal by instructing the plurality of actuators to position the end-effector mount to recapture the given end effector or to couple with a spare end effector.