US 11,691,279 B2
Systems and methods for maintaining vacuum hose life in hose routing systems in programmable motion systems
Calvin Toothaker, Medford, MA (US); John Richard Amend, Jr., Belmont, MA (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US)
Assigned to Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/855,015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/838,747, filed on Apr. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0338728 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B25J 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1633 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B25J 18/00 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A programmable motion robotic system comprising:
a plurality of arm sections that are joined one to another at a plurality of joints to form an articulated arm; and
a hose coupling an end effector of the programmable motion robotic system to a vacuum source;
a pass-through coupling, said hose being attached to at least one arm section of the articulated arm by the pass-through coupling that permits the hose to pass freely through the coupling as the plurality of arm sections are moved about the plurality of joints; and
a control system processor that identifies one or more restricted areas of movement of the articulated arm based on a movement model of the hose to prevent unwanted forces on the hose, wherein the unwanted forces includes any of a stress, a strain, a bending, a torsion, and a compression on the hose.