US 12,441,002 B2
Robotic gripper with seal detection
Joshua Timothy Geating, Allston, MA (US); and Christopher Everett Thorne, Waltham, MA (US)
Assigned to Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed by Boston Dynamics, Inc., Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/989,337.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/288,360, filed on Dec. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0182318 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 13/082 (2013.01) [B25J 5/007 (2013.01); B25J 9/163 (2013.01); B25J 9/1638 (2013.01); B25J 15/065 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
activating each of a plurality of vacuum assemblies of a robotic gripper by supplying a vacuum to each vacuum assembly;
determining, for each of the activated vacuum assemblies, a first respective seal quality of the vacuum assembly with a deformable surface of a first grasped object;
deactivating one or more of the activated vacuum assemblies based, at least in part, on the first respective seal qualities;
observing a dwell time for the activated vacuum assemblies to deform the deformable surface of the first grasped object; and
after observing the dwell time, reactivating one or more of the deactivated vacuum assemblies to attempt to seal with the deformed surface of the first grasped object.