US 12,403,616 B2
Suction-based end effector with mixed cup sizes
Zhouwen Sun, Redwood City, CA (US); Robert Holmberg, Mountain View, CA (US); Shitij Kumar, Redwood City, CA (US); Jeesu Baek, San Mateo, CA (US); Joseph Li, San Jose, CA (US); Kishore Ranganath Ramakrishnan, Raleigh, NC (US); and Andrew Lovett, Burlingame, CA (US)
Assigned to Dexterity, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed by Dexterity, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/378,548.
Application 18/378,548 is a continuation of application No. 17/219,509, filed on Mar. 31, 2021, granted, now 11,833,669.
Prior Publication US 2024/0109205 A1, Apr. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B65G 47/14 (2006.01); B65G 47/18 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 15/0683 (2013.01) [B65G 47/18 (2013.01); B65G 47/905 (2013.01); B65G 47/91 (2013.01); B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B65G 47/1492 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A suction type end effector, comprising:
a base from which a first set of one or more suction cups extend; and
a first actuation mechanism configured to configure the first set of suction cups in an inactive position or an active position based on whether the first set of suction cups is selected to engage an item;
wherein:
the first actuation mechanism is controlled based at least in part on one or more control signals; and
the one or more control signals are generated based at least in part on (i) a grasping strategy for grasping the item, and (ii) selection of the first set of suction cups to grasp the item to be engaged, the selection being based at least in part on a determination of an arrangement, suction cup size, and a selection criteria associated with a robotic operation;
the one or more control signals causes the first set of suction cups to move to the active position in connection with engaging the item;
the first set of one or more suction cups are disposed along a first axis;
a second set of one or more suction cups are disposed along a second axis; and
the first axis is shorter than the second axis, and the first axis and second axis intersect at a midpoint of the end effector.