US 11,731,267 B2
Manipulating boxes using a zoned gripper
Sachin Chitta, Palo Alto, CA (US); David Hershberger, Menlo Park, CA (US); and Karl Pauwels, Redwood City, CA (US)
Assigned to Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed by Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/646,164.
Application 17/646,164 is a continuation of application No. 16/538,114, filed on Aug. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,235,458.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/718,060, filed on Aug. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0118606 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B66F 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/10 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1612 (2013.01); B25J 13/08 (2013.01); B25J 15/0683 (2013.01); B66F 9/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method when executed by data processing hardware of a robot causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
receiving a minimum object size for a plurality of objects varying in size, each object of the plurality of objects having at least one planar surface, the robot comprising a gripper with a plurality of vacuum suction cups;
dividing a grip area of the gripper into a plurality of zones based on the minimum object size;
locating, using sensor data, a target candidate object of the plurality of objects;
determining, for the grip area of the gripper, a target zone configuration of one or more zones of the plurality of zones that corresponds to an area of a top surface of the target candidate object;
determining a grasp pose for the target candidate object, the grasp pose aligning the target zone configuration of the gripper with the at least one planar surface of the target candidate object; and
executing the grasp pose to lift the target candidate object by the gripper, the gripper activating each zone of the target zone configuration.