US 12,036,673 B2
Systems and methods for a passive grasping surface on an active grasping robotic manipulator
David Gabriel Hallock, San Francisco, CA (US); Jun Jeong, San Francisco, CA (US); and Thomas John Hummel, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to Ocado Innovation Limited, Hatfield (GB)
Filed by Ocado Innovation Limited, Hatfield (GB)
Filed on Nov. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/056,149.
Application 18/056,149 is a continuation of application No. 16/691,404, filed on Nov. 21, 2019, granted, now 11,559,884.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/772,452, filed on Nov. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0075952 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1612 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 15/0683 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for a robotic manipulator having an active grasping component that allows for passive grasping of an object, comprising:
a controller;
at least two fingers configured to provide an active grasp of the object;
at least two passive grasping surfaces, each one of the at least two passive grasping surfaces coupled to a respective one of the at least two fingers, wherein each of the passive grasping surfaces includes a deformable shell having an interior containing a medium;
a storage container configured to store the medium; and
a pump communicatively coupled to the controller, the pump configured to deliver the medium from the storage container to the interior of at least one shell of the passive grasping surfaces, the pump further configured to suction the medium from the interior of the at least one shell.