US 12,103,048 B2
Item inventory management system with vacuum-operated sorter
Cornell G. Wright, III, Boulder, CO (US); Kevin H. Lipkin, San Francisco, CA (US); Jason Raymond Evarts, Greeley, CO (US); and Christopher Charles Dombrowski, Livermore, CA (US)
Assigned to eBay Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by eBay Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/182,704.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/319,375, filed on Mar. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0286020 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. B07C 5/36 (2006.01); B07C 5/342 (2006.01); B07C 5/38 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/365 (2013.01) [B07C 5/3422 (2013.01); B07C 5/38 (2013.01); B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B65G 47/91 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a light source;
at least one bin that includes at least one wall that directs light from the light source to illuminate one or more items stored in the at least one bin, the at least one wall configured to receive the light from the light source at a first surface of the at least one wall and illuminate the one or more items stored in the at least one bin by emitting the light from a second surface of the at least one wall;
a recognition device that identifies the one or more items stored in the at least one bin by capturing images of the one or more items stored in the at least one bin; and
an end effector that manipulates the one or more items stored in the at least one bin, the end effector comprising at least two end effector tips, the at least two end effector tips comprising a component configured to apply a vacuum force to an item of the one or more items, and the at least two end effector tips configured to impart a curvature on the item of the one or more items to avoid one or more other items from inadvertently adhering to the item of the one or more items.