US 12,479,085 B2
Material-handling robot with multiple semi-independent arms
Martin Hosek, Salem, NH (US)
Assigned to Persimmon Technologies Corporation, Wakefield, MA (US)
Filed by Persimmon Technologies Corporation, Wakefield, MA (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/369,245.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/060,815, filed on Aug. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/048,822, filed on Jul. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0009083 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/12 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/043 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/126 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01); B25J 18/00 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a drive unit; and
an arm assembly connected to the drive unit, where the arm assembly comprises:
an upper arm connected to a first drive shaft of the drive unit;
a first set of forearms connected to a first end of the upper arm;
a second set of forearms connected to a second end of the upper arm, where the second set has a different number of forearms than the first set, and where the forearms of the second set of forearms are independently rotatable relative to each other and to the forearms of the first set of forearms; and
a respective end effector connected to the forearms, the respective end effectors being single end-effectors having one substrate support area or being dual end-effectors having two support areas;
where the second set of forearms comprises a bridge structure arranged such that the end effector on the second set of forearms is positioned between at least one upper end effector and at least one lower end effector of the end effectors respectively connected to the first set of forearms to provide a uniform vertical pitch between the at least one upper end effector and the at least one lower end effector on the first set of forearms relative to the end effector on the second set of forearms.