Flexible picking gripper for pick and place robotic system

Abstract

A flexible picking gripper for a pick and place robotic system is disclosed. The flexible picking gripper includes a body made of an integral piece, the body including a plurality of hard fingers at a distal end of the body and a portion of a soft walled cavity configured to deform by applying positive or negative pressure within the soft walled cavity to cause the plurality of hard fingers to move from a rest position towards or away from a central axis of the flexible picking gripper. The flexible picking gripper also includes one or more fingertips, wherein at least one of the plurality of hard fingers includes a fingertip embedded at a distal end thereof. The one-piece design and fingertips provide robustness, small footprint, large grasping and spreading forces, and more efficient implementation of cluttered and flush grasping of objects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention belong to the field of robotic systems that use artificial intelligence, computer vision and / or mechanical systems to pick, classify and place objects, and particularly relate to flexible picking grippers for robotic systems for picking, classifying and placing objects. Background Technology

[0002] The statements in the background of the invention are intended to help understand the invention and its applications and uses, and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Several methods have been developed for designing flexible picking grippers for sorting and placing robotic systems to pick up objects of varying shapes, sizes, weights, materials, and brittleness. However, many of these methods either require a large footprint or fail to secure the finger grippers firmly, rendering the grippers unsuitable for messy or flush gripping. For example, a common approach is to use a three-finger gripper fixed to the gripper body and radially symmetrical about its central axis. However, this approach has several drawbacks. First, using a three-finger gripper arranged radially symmetrically about its central axis results in a large footprint, making it unsuitable for messy gripping, especially when the gripper is dealing with objects of significantly different sizes, such as long, thin objects. The large footprint also hinders gripping objects close to a wall (i.e., flush gripping), particularly in flexible grippers where the fingertips are not firm or strong enough to penetrate between the target object and the wall. Furthermore, in dynamic applications requiring speed, finger grippers with separate fixing components are not very robust.

[0004] Therefore, providing a flexible picking gripper for picking, sorting and placing robotic systems based on existing technologies would be an advancement in the field.

[0005] It is against this backdrop that the present invention was developed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application relates to a flexible picking gripper for a robotic system for picking, sorting, and placing objects. A portion of the gripper's body and finger-like claws are integrated, resulting in greater robustness and a smaller footprint, while the fingertips enable efficient grasping of cluttered objects. This flexible picking gripper can be controlled by applying positive or negative fluid pressure within its cavity; in response to the pressure, the cavity deforms, causing the finger-like claws to move. Furthermore, the asymmetry along each axis keeps the gripper narrow, allowing for a physically compact device while providing a large gripping or extending force. This picking gripper can be easily extended into a gripper with multiple sets of finger-like claws.

[0007] More specifically, in various embodiments, this application is a flexible picking gripper for a picking and placing robotic system, comprising a body made of an integrated component, the body including a plurality of hard fingers located at a distal end of the body and a portion of a soft-walled cavity configured to deform by applying positive or negative pressure within the soft-walled cavity, thereby causing the plurality of hard fingers to move from a rest position toward or away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper. The flexible picking gripper also includes one or more fingertips, wherein at least one of the plurality of hard fingers includes a fingertip embedded at its distal end. The integrated design and fingertips make it robust, compact, with high gripping and extension forces, and more efficient at grasping objects in clutter.

[0008] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper also includes an adapter plate at the proximal end of a sealed soft-wall cavity, the adapter plate including an adapter plate central channel and an embedded mounting ring for attaching the body to the adapter plate.

[0009] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper further includes a lower portion of a gripper quick-change attached to the adapter plate, wherein the lower portion of the gripper quick-change is connected to the picking and placing robot system via the upper portion of the gripper quick-change, wherein the lower portion of the gripper quick-change includes a gripper quick-change intermediate channel aligned with the intermediate channel of the adapter plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the body of the flexible picking gripper includes two hard fingers, wherein the two hard fingers are positioned along a transverse axis perpendicular to the central axis of the flexible picking gripper, and the movement of the two hard fingers is a rotational movement about a frontal axis perpendicular to both the transverse axis and the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

[0011] In some embodiments, the body, embedded mounting ring, and adapter plate of the flexible picking gripper are narrower along the front axis than along the transverse axis.

[0012] In some embodiments, the number and spatial arrangement of the hard fingers among a plurality of hard fingers are configured for grasping objects of a particular shape.

[0013] In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity is hemispherical.

[0014] In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity is parabolic in shape.

[0015] In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity is ellipsoidal.

[0016] In some embodiments, one or more fingertips are detachable.

[0017] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of hard fingers is configured not to contact another of the plurality of hard fingers when any pressure is applied within the soft-walled cavity.

[0018] In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of hard fingers is configured to contact another of the plurality of hard fingers when certain pressure is applied within the soft-walled cavity.

[0019] In some embodiments, applying multiple pressures within the soft-walled cavity of the flexible picking gripper causes each of the multiple hard fingers to apply corresponding multiple forces to the object.

[0020] In some embodiments, the movement of the multiple hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper from a rest position is a gripping motion directed only toward the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

[0021] In some embodiments, the movement of the multiple hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper from a rest position is an unfolding movement that moves only away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

[0022] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper also includes an external valve configured to maintain pressure within the soft-walled cavity.

[0023] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper also includes sensors for determining information selected from the group consisting of: the position of one or more of the plurality of hard fingers, the position of the object relative to the flexible picking gripper, and the force exerted by one or more of the plurality of hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper.

[0024] In some embodiments, the sensors of the flexible picking gripper are selected from a group consisting of pressure sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, current sensors, and cameras.

[0025] In some embodiments, the pressure sent to the flexible picking gripper is adjusted based on information determined from sensors to keep the force applied by one or more of the multiple hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper within a predetermined force range.

[0026] In some embodiments, the predetermined force range corresponds to grasping an object without damaging it.

[0027] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper also includes a machine learning module for determining information selected from the group consisting of: the position of one or more of the plurality of hard fingers, the position of the object relative to the flexible picking gripper, and the force applied by one or more of the plurality of hard fingers.

[0028] In various embodiments, the present invention is a picking and placing robotic system including a flexible picking gripper comprising a body made of an integral component, the body including a plurality of hard fingers located at a distal end of the body and a portion of a soft-walled cavity configured to deform by applying positive or negative pressure within the soft-walled cavity, thereby causing the plurality of hard fingers to move from a rest position toward or away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper. The flexible picking gripper also includes one or more embedded fingertips, wherein at least one of the plurality of hard fingers includes a fingertip embedded at its distal end.

[0029] Other aspects and embodiments of the invention include methods and processes comprising the steps described herein, as well as processes and modes of operation of the systems and devices described herein. However, other aspects and embodiments of the invention will become apparent when the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in its detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention described herein are exemplary and not restrictive. Embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0031] Figure 1A , 1B Figure 1C illustrates an exemplary robotic system according to some embodiments.

[0032] Figure 2A An exemplary flexible picking gripper is shown in the context of a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2B An exemplary flexible picking gripper is shown, which is attached to an exemplary end effector of a picking, sorting and placing robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein various components of the flexible picking gripper are shown.

[0034] Figure 3A A side view of an exemplary flexible picking gripper attached to an exemplary end effector of a picking, sorting and placing robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein various components of the flexible picking gripper are shown.

[0035] Figure 3B An isometric view of an exemplary flexible picking gripper in the context of an end effector of a picking, sorting and placing robot system according to an embodiment of the invention is shown, wherein various components of the flexible picking gripper are shown.

[0036] Figure 4A A side view of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the body of the flexible picking gripper is shown as transparent.

[0037] Figure 4B A cross-sectional side view of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for picking, sorting and placing a robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0038] Figure 5A A cross-sectional side view of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for picking, sorting and placing a robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0039] Figure 5B Cross-sectional isometric views of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for picking, sorting and placing a robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown.

[0040] Figure 6 A cross-sectional side view of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, including schematically showing the position of the hard fingers when open and closed.

[0041] Figure 7A and 7B A front view and example dimensions of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown.

[0042] Figure 7C A top view and example dimensions of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown.

[0043] Figure 7D An exploded view of the various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0044] Figure 8A , 8B Figures 8C and 8C show various photographs of exemplary flexible picking grippers for picking, sorting and placing robotic systems according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 9A A schematic flowchart illustrating the unfolding of a flexible picking gripper for picking, sorting, and placing a robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0046] Figure 9B A schematic flowchart of a closed flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0047] Figure 10A block diagram of a server (management computing entity) according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0048] Figure 11 An illustrative diagram of a client (user computing entity) that can be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present invention is provided.

[0049] Figure 12 A schematic system architecture diagram is shown for implementing an embodiment of the present invention in a client-server environment. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Overview

[0051] Referring to the provided figures, embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided for illustrative purposes in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, schematic diagrams, use cases, and / or flowcharts are used to illustrate structures, apparatus, activities, and methods to avoid obscuring the invention. Although the following description contains many specific details for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized by anyone skilled in the art that many variations and / or modifications to the suggested details are within the scope of the invention. Similarly, although many features of the invention are described in a manner that is related to or combined with each other, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many of these features may be provided independently of the other features. Therefore, the description of the invention is presented without loss of generality and without imposing limitations on the invention.

[0052] Background of Flexible Picking Grippers in Robotic Systems

[0053] Figure 1A , 1B Figures 1 and 1C illustrate exemplary robotic systems 100 according to some embodiments of the technology of the present invention. Robotic system 100 is configured to manipulate a wide variety of objects 103, including new objects that the system has not previously picked up, placed, or even identified. In some embodiments, robotic system 100 is a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system.

[0054] In some embodiments, the robot system 100 includes an end effector that further includes a gripper for manipulating an object. In some embodiments, the end effector and the gripper remain stationary relative to the robot system 100 when the position of the object is controlled. For example, the robot system 100 may alter the slope or other features of the surface on which the object is situated, causing the object to slide into a fixed gripper, such as a gripper or suction cup.

[0055] In other embodiments, the end effector and gripper are attached to a motion device, such as a movable robotic arm 102. The gripper may include, for example, a knife capable of cutting or piercing objects, a key capable of unlocking, or a central punch capable of marking on a plate. In some embodiments, the gripper is useful in picking, sorting, and placing robotic systems. Such grippers may include claws and suction cups. Although grippers and related systems for picking, sorting, and placing robotic systems are described below, embodiments useful for other types of grippers will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0056] The picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 includes a robotic arm 102, various input / output components and structures such as a sorting table 150 and a receiving table 180. An operator 101 can supervise or assist the robotic arm 102 (see...). Figure 1A In some cases, sorting station 150 and / or receiving station 180 are replaced by conveyor belt 184, seeding wall 186 and / or automated guided vehicle (AGV) 188, such as Figure 1B As shown. The robotic arm 102 identifies object 103 from bin 152 of the sorting station 150, picks up the object, and places the gripped object at a location (e.g., bin 182) in the receiving station 180. Figure 1C As shown, the sorting table 150 may include a support structure 154, which is a system of metal supports bolted together. The side of the support structure 154 opposite to the robotic arm 102 may include an opening to allow hoppers (e.g., hopper 152) or other receiving containers to be inserted into the sorting table 150. The sorting table 150 may optionally include a base 156 for supporting the receiving containers.

[0057] The picking, sorting, and placing robot system 100 also includes a control system 170 to monitor and manage robot movement. The control system 170 provides instructions and / or command signals for moving (e.g., rotating, extending, retracting) the various components of the robotic arm 102. The control system 170 includes a processor 171, a memory 172 (e.g., a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium), a data link 173, a communication interface, and other components. The control system 170 may also include an optional cloud component 174 with a processor 175 and a database 176, accessible via a local or remote network (e.g., the Internet).

[0058] The picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 also includes a vision system with a vision processor 169, sensing devices 160, and other components. Each sensing device 160 may have one or more cameras 162, various sensors 163 (e.g., image, depth, visible light, and / or infrared sensors), a barcode reader 164, or other components. In some cases, the camera 162 captures image data including visible light data (e.g., RGB data) and / or depth information (e.g., how far an object is from the camera in the image). The captured image data is sent to the control system 170 for processing. The vision system can have any number of sensors and cameras. Its components can be supported by any robot, input or output component, or structure, and can be located in other locations.

[0059] The picking, sorting, and placing robot system 100 also includes a motion controller 177. The vision processor 169 and the motion controller 177 can be external to the control system 170 or located internally within the control system 170. For example, Figure 1A and 1B An external motion controller 177 and a vision processor 169 located inside the control system 170 are shown.

[0060] The picking, sorting, and placing robot system 100 may also include a light curtain system comprising multiple sensors 165 that generate a light curtain 166. The picking, sorting, and placing robot system 100 may also include a lidar system 167. The light curtain system and lidar may be used for safety purposes (e.g., monitoring human movement around the robot system) or operational purposes (e.g., detecting movement of objects or system components). The picking, sorting, and placing robot system 100 may also include lighting 168 that dims according to bin color or other environmental and operational factors.

[0061] The robotic arm 102 includes a base 104 for mounting to a support surface (e.g., the ground or other support structure). A frame 106 is rotatably connected to the base 104. A lower arm 108 is rotatably connected to the frame 106. An upper arm 112 is rotatably connected to the lower arm 108. An end effector 114 is rotatably connected to the upper arm 112. The end effector 114 includes one or more grippers 116 and a shaft tube 115. The end effector 114 and each gripper 116 have a gripper quick-change component 117, which makes various grippers compatible with the end effector 114. A gripper rack 118 is used to store and access various grippers. Each gripper slot on the gripper rack 118 has a gripper sensor 119 to indicate the presence or absence of a gripper. Figure 1A and 1BVarious gripping and suction grippers are shown, such as finger grippers and suction grippers of various sizes. In the case of Figure 1, gripper 116 is a pneumatic gripper, but it could also be other grippers, such as finger grippers or other types of suction grippers. In some cases, end effector 114 is flexible and / or multi-purpose.

[0062] The picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 may also include a vacuum source 120 (e.g., a pump) or a compressed air source 121 to provide the pressure required for using the gripper, where vacuum represents negative pressure and compressed air represents positive pressure. Each source is controlled by a source switch 122 operated by the control system 170. A source selection switch 123 allows the control system 170 to select the appropriate source to operate the currently used gripper. A hose 124 extends from the end effector through the robotic arm to the source. A valve 125 allows the control system 170 to select a pressure source or connect the hose to the atmosphere (i.e., no positive or negative pressure is applied). A pressure sensor 126 allows the control system 170 to monitor the pressure within the hose. The gripper quick-change component 117 allows for efficient and reliable gripper replacement. A weight sensor 131 located on the end effector allows the control system 170 to monitor the weight of the gripper and its load (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 1A In some embodiments, the gripper guide 128 traveling from the end effector to the base or frame allows the control system 170 to determine whether a gripper is attached to the end effector.

[0063] All components of the control system 170 and the vision system (e.g., cameras and sensors) are connected via data link 173. Furthermore, all components involved in motion or monitoring in the robot system (e.g., motion controller 177, pump or source switch 122 or source selection switch 123, valve 125, pressure sensor 126, gripper sensor 119, lighting equipment 168) have data links to the control system 170 via data link 173.

[0064] When a robotic system uses an end effector 114 with a gravity sensor to pick up an object, the gravity sensor detects the object's weight by acting as a converter, transforming the force applied to the gravity sensor—its weight—into an electrical output collected by the robotic system. However, most commercially available gravity sensors are designed to process and measure forces only in a single dimension. When the gravity sensor is subjected to forces in other directions, the resulting torsion or bending can damage the sensor and distort weight measurements.

[0065] Picking, sorting, and placing robotic systems 100 require high robustness and flexibility, especially in applications where speed is required and objects vary in shape, size, weight, material, and fragility. In such applications, picking grippers with a low footprint and minimal number of components are ideal. Specifically, a low footprint allows the picking gripper to remain narrow, enabling a physically compact device while providing high force to the finger grippers.

[0066] One embodiment of the invention is a flexible picking gripper for a robotic system for picking, sorting, and placing objects, wherein the cavity and finger-like grippers are integrated together, resulting in greater robustness and a smaller footprint. Furthermore, the fingertips are embedded at the distal ends of one or more hard fingers to achieve stronger and more accurate gripping, an important feature for grasping in cluttered environments.

[0067] The flexible picking grippers described in this disclosure include systems designed for this purpose.

[0068] Interaction between system components

[0069] In some embodiments, the picking and placing robotic system includes a robotic arm with an end effector, a gripper quick-change device, a gripper frame, a vision system, and a control system. The end effector is configured to have a gripper attached at its distal end. The gripper quick-change device further includes a robotic arm attachment portion and a gripper attachment portion. The gripper frame includes one or more gripper plates and multiple grippers. The control system includes a processor, a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and multiple communication interfaces.

[0070] In some embodiments, at least one gripper includes a gripper attachment portion of a gripper quick-change device at its proximal end. The robotic arm attachment portion is configured to attach to the gripper attachment portion, and at least one of one or more gripper plates includes a gripper slot.

[0071] In some embodiments, each gripper plate has only one gripper slot. In other embodiments, the gripper plate may have multiple gripper slots. In one embodiment, the gripper frame further includes one or more sensors associated with the gripper slot, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to indicate the presence of a gripper in the gripper slot.

[0072] In one embodiment, the control system receives data from each sensor on the gripper frame and can determine at any time whether a particular gripper is in its slot on the gripper frame.

[0073] In another embodiment, the gripper attachment portion further includes a plurality of grooves, and the plurality of grooves spatially correspond to gripper slots on the gripper plate.

[0074] The grooves allow the gripper to slide into the gripper holder and be retrieved from it in a stable and timely manner.

[0075] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a weight sensor located at the distal end of the end effector, wherein the weight sensor is configured to measure the weight of the attached gripper and its load (e.g., one or more objects).

[0076] Weight sensors allow control systems to detect the presence or absence of a gripper and the number of objects it is carrying.

[0077] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes circuitry configured to indicate the presence of a gripper attached to the end effector. In one embodiment, the circuitry is a gripper wire.

[0078] The gripper wire can be configured to contact the gripper when it is attached to the end effector to communicate with the control system whether a gripper is attached. In one embodiment, the presence of the gripper is determined electrically (e.g., by detecting changes in wire impedance, current intensity, voltage, etc.).

[0079] In one embodiment, the gripper guide wire travels from the gripper through a straight-through end effector tube to the proximal portion of the robotic arm, such as its base or frame, where information is transmitted to the control system via a data link.

[0080] In some embodiments, the picking and placing robot system further includes multiple input / output components, wherein at least one output component corresponds to an object type, and the multiple input / output components are selected from a group consisting of sorting tables, bins, receiving tables, boxes, bin conveyors, object conveyors, seeding walls, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and shelves.

[0081] Objects can be categorized by type. Object types can relate to their shape (e.g., round vs. elongated objects), their material (e.g., plastic vs. metal objects), their color, or their properties (e.g., fruits vs. vegetables, apples vs. oranges). In one embodiment, objects with the same barcode or the same destination (e.g., delivery address, destination department in an office or factory, etc.) belong to the same object type. In one embodiment, objects belonging to the same order (e.g., having the same order number) belong to the same object type. In one embodiment, each different output component (e.g., boxes in a sorting station) is associated with a different object type.

[0082] In some embodiments, the robotic arm and gripper attachment portion further includes through-holes. In some embodiments, the through-holes transmit vacuum or compressed air between the attached gripper and its corresponding source pump. In some embodiments, the through-holes include mechanical through-holes. In some embodiments, the through-holes include electrical through-holes. In further embodiments, the robotic arm and gripper attachment portion includes multiple through-holes, each of which can be any of the types described above.

[0083] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a first flexible tube, wherein a through-hole of the robotic arm attachment portion is connected to the distal end of the first flexible tube.

[0084] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a pressure sensor located on a first flexible tube. Data from the pressure sensor (e.g., pressure readings) can indicate the presence or absence of the attached gripper or the object being picked up.

[0085] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a source pump, wherein the source pump is connected to the proximal end of a first hose, and the source pump is selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump and a compressed air pump.

[0086] In systems using a single-source pump, the first hose is hose 124, such as... Figure 1A and 1B As shown, the hose connects the gripper directly to the source pump, where the word "connect" indicates the flow of air, vacuum, or pressure.

[0087] In another embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a valve and one or more second hoses, wherein the valve connects the proximal end of the first hose to a valve output selected from the atmosphere and one or more second hoses.

[0088] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes one or more source pumps, wherein at least one of the one or more second hoses connects a valve output to one of the one or more source pumps, at least one of the plurality of grippers corresponds to one of the one or more source pumps, and the source pumps of the one or more source pumps are selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump and a compressed air pump.

[0089] In systems operating with multiple source pumps (e.g., a vacuum pump and a compressed air pump), valves are needed to switch between pumps or to connect the gripper to the atmosphere (i.e., disconnect it from all pumps). In this case, the first hose is... Figure 1A and 1B The distal section of hose 124 is shown. Additionally, a second hose is required to connect the valve to each source pump. The second hose represents... Figure 1A and 1B The proximal section of hose 124 shown connects the valve to each source pump.

[0090] In one embodiment, each source pump has a pump switch to start it, and each has a pump selection switch used by the control system to start the desired pump switch via a data link or any other form of control signal (e.g., an electrical on / off signal).

[0091] In other embodiments, a fluid pump is used to control the gripper. In this case, through-holes, hoses, pressure sensors, and valves are configured to work with the fluid.

[0092] In one embodiment, the vision system includes a vision processor, multiple vision communication interfaces, and one or more vision components selected from the group consisting of a camera, a barcode reader, a depth sensor, an infrared sensor, a light curtain system, and a lidar; and at least one component of the vision system is connected to the vision processor via a data link, and the vision processor is connected to the control system via a data link.

[0093] In one embodiment, the picking and placing robot system further includes a lighting source configured to emit multiple light intensities.

[0094] In one embodiment, the control system controls the movement of the robotic arm via a motion controller. In another embodiment, the motion controller also controls a valve.

[0095] In one embodiment, data from pressure sensors, weight sensors, gripper wires, vision system sensors, gripper sensors, or any other component with a communication interface is transmitted to the control system at fixed time intervals (i.e., data push). In another embodiment, such data is transmitted only when requested by the control system (i.e., data pull).

[0096] In one embodiment, the gripper wire is configured to continuously and instantaneously provide the control system with information about the presence of a gripper attached to the end effector via electrical signals.

[0097] Construction and components of flexible picking grippers

[0098] Figure 2A An exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 in the context of a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In such a robotic system 100, a flexible picking gripper 206 is selected and attached to an end effector 202. In some embodiments, the attachment is located at the distal end of the end effector 202. In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 is modular relative to the end effector 202, i.e., it can be easily inserted and removed automatically or manually via, for example, a gripper changing mechanism, i.e., connected via a gripper quick-change device 204. In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 is directly attached to the end effector 202. In some embodiments, several different grippers are integrated into a single gripper.

[0099] Figure 2BAn exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 is shown attached to an exemplary end effector 202 of a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a vertical flexible system of the end effector 202, a gripper quick-change 204, and the flexible picking gripper 206. When the robotic system 100 uses the flexible picking gripper 206 to pick up a load, positive or negative pressure is applied to the flexible picking gripper 206 through vacuum or fluid channels passing through the vertical flexible system 202 and the gripper quick-change 204. The applied pressure deforms a cavity in the gripper 206 containing fluid (e.g., air) within the body of the flexible picking gripper 206, thereby resulting in force applied to a plurality of hard fingers located at the distal end of the body. Subsequent movement of the plurality of hard fingers causes the flexible picking gripper 206 to open or close.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cavity is formed by one or more walls. In some embodiments, at least some of the walls are soft, i.e., these walls deform in response to pressure within the cavity, in which case the cavity is a soft-walled cavity. In some such soft-walled cavities, one or more walls may be hard, i.e., these walls do not deform or deform very little in response to pressure within the cavity. In some embodiments, integration between the cavity and the hard finger is achieved by molding a body comprising at least a portion of the cavity and the hard finger into an integral structure. In some such embodiments, the cavity portion contained in the body includes a soft wall adjacent to the hard finger. In other embodiments, integration is achieved by 3D printing the components as an integral structure. In other embodiments, integration is achieved by mechanically connecting the components using standard means such as latches, screws, clips, and holes. Integrating at least a portion of the soft-walled cavity and the hard finger into the body of an integral structure has several advantages. First, this reduces the space required compared to picking grippers based on separately fixed finger grippers. Second, this keeps the picking gripper narrow, thus enabling a physically compact device while providing a large grip or large extension force. Third, in dynamic applications requiring rapid and repetitive operations from the robotic system, the body exhibits greater robustness. The integrated design eliminates the need for connections, moving hermetic seals (as found in conventional cylinders), and other moving parts. This eliminates maintenance requirements and reduces the likelihood of component failure. The fewer parts and simpler construction reduce production and assembly costs.

[0101] Figure 3AA side view of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 attached to an example end effector of a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein various components of the flexible picking gripper 206 are shown. The flexible picking gripper 206 is based on a body 314 made of an integral component, the body 314 including at least a portion of a soft-walled cavity and a plurality of hard fingers 318 located at the distal end of the body 314. The stiffness of the hard fingers 318 relative to the cavity walls enables the flexible picking gripper 206 to apply sufficient force to a load (e.g., an object). The soft-walled cavity within the body 314 of the flexible picking gripper 206 is configured to deform by changing the pressure within the cavity through vacuuming or fluid (e.g., air). In some embodiments, deformation of the soft-walled cavity causes the hard fingers 318 to move from a rest position toward the central axis of the flexible picking gripper 206, thereby causing a grasping motion of the flexible picking gripper 206, such as... Figure 6 As shown. In some embodiments, deformation of the soft-walled cavity causes the hard finger 318 to move from a rest position away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper 206, thereby causing the flexible picking gripper 206 to unfold. In some embodiments, the same flexible picking gripper 206 may exhibit an expanding or gripping movement or different positions in response to different pressures applied to the cavity.

[0102] In some embodiments, the body 314 of the flexible picking gripper 206 is molded from rubber. In other embodiments, other soft materials may be used. In some embodiments, the body 314 is made of flexible polyurethane rubber. In some embodiments, the body 314 is made of flexible silicone rubber. In some embodiments, a portion of the soft-wall cavity and the hard fingers 318 are molded into an integral structure made of the same material. In other embodiments, a portion of the soft-wall cavity is molded from rubber, but the hard fingers 318 are not. Unlike the cavity walls, the hard fingers 318 are rigid because they do not deform when pressure is applied to the flexible picking gripper 206. This is related to the design of the body 314 and the extent of the soft-wall cavity, as described below. Figure 5A and 5B Specifically, in some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity does not extend to the hard finger 318.

[0103] In some embodiments, the hard finger 318 is designed with additional features to increase traction on the grasped object. For example, the surface of the hard finger 318 may be serrated. In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 further includes one or more fingertips 316 embedded at the distal end of one or more hard fingers 318. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are harder than the hard fingers 318. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are softer than the hard fingers 318. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are made of plastic or metal. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are cast in-situ. In other embodiments, the fingertips 316 are detachable from their corresponding hard fingers. In other embodiments, the fingertips 316 are replaceable. In other embodiments, the fingertips 316 are attached to the hard fingers 318 by screws. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are made of an isotropic polymer. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or nylon. In some embodiments, the fingertips 316 are made of aluminum, POM plastic, or stainless steel. Any material that does not deform or deforms very little during the picking operation can be used. The fingertips 316 may be serrated to improve their grip. The serrations may be directed towards the central axis for gripping, away from the central axis for extension, or both. Figure 3B (Various operating axes are shown).

[0104] Fingertips 316 extend the picking and manipulating capabilities of the flexible picking gripper 206. For example, fingertip 316 allows the hard fingers 318 to pass through narrow spaces between objects or near walls. They also allow the hard fingers 318 to grasp fragile objects (e.g., fruit) with less force than other methods. This feature allows for more precise and flexible object grasping in cluttered environments, especially when it is not possible to pick up the target object using suction-based methods.

[0105] The soft walls of the body 314 of the flexible picking gripper 206 allow it to withstand the high pressure applied to its hard fingers 318 without damage. Furthermore, it prevents slippage or crushing of objects during picking. In summary, the combination of the body 314 and the fingertips 316 expands the range of objects that the flexible picking gripper 206 can handle.

[0106] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 further includes an embedded mounting ring 312 and an adapter plate 310, wherein the embedded mounting ring 312 is attached to the body 314 and the adapter plate 310, as shown below. Figure 3AAs shown. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 and the adapter plate 310 are an integrated assembly. The adapter plate 310 seals the proximal end of the soft-walled cavity such that the walls of the soft-walled cavity include the embedded mounting ring 312 and the adapter plate 310. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 and the adapter plate 310 are more rigid than the walls of the soft-walled cavity contributed by the body 314. In some embodiments, the adapter plate 310 includes an adapter plate central channel that allows vacuum or fluid to be pumped into or extracted from the cavity.

[0107] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 further includes a lower portion 308 of a gripper quick-change device 204, which is attached to the adapter plate 310 and connected to the robot system 100 via the upper portion 306 of the gripper quick-change device 204. The upper portion 306 and the lower portion 308 of the gripper quick-change device 204 allow the robot system to easily and quickly change from one gripper to another. In some embodiments, both the upper portion 306 and / or the lower portion 308 of the gripper quick-change device 204 include a gripper quick-change intermediate channel, which allows vacuum or fluid to be pumped into or extracted from the cavity. The gripper quick-change intermediate channel is aligned with the adapter plate intermediate channel. In some embodiments, the upper portion 306 of the gripper quick-change device 204 is further connected to the vacuum tube 302 via a tube clamp 304.

[0108] In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 is an attachment assembly between the body 314 and the rigid components of the flexible picking gripper 206. In some embodiments, when no pressure is applied to the flexible picking gripper 206, it adopts the shape of the soft-walled cavity in its resting position, such as... Figure 3A As shown. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 is made of plastic or metal. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 is made of an isotropic polymer. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 is made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or nylon. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312 is made of aluminum, POM plastic, or stainless steel. Plastic materials are lighter and are generally easier to mass-produce (through injection molding, 3D printing, etc.).

[0109] In some embodiments, the adapter plate 310 is more rigid than the embedded mounting ring 312 and is capable of connecting a large portion of the body 314 or the embedded mounting ring 312 to a standard shaft assembly located proximal to the end effector 202. In some embodiments, the adapter plate 310 is made of nylon. In other embodiments, the adapter plate 310 may be made of other rigid materials.

[0110] In some embodiments, the body 314 is made of flexible polyurethane rubber or silicone rubber, which provides durability, flexibility, and moldability. In some embodiments, the gripper quick-change 204 (lower 308) is made of ABS, POM, or nylon. In some embodiments, the embedded mounting ring 312, fingertip 316, adapter plate 310, and gripper quick-change 204 (upper 306) are made of aluminum, stainless steel, ABS, POM, or nylon. Aluminum and stainless steel are corrosion resistant. The listed materials have high durability, impact strength, and abrasion resistance (particularly helpful for fingertips). Furthermore, these materials are lightweight, with plastics being the lightest, and aluminum being lighter than stainless steel.

[0111] Figure 3B An isometric view 300 is shown of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 in the context of an end effector 202 of a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein various components of the flexible picking gripper are shown. In particular, Figure 3B The relative positions of various components from the proximal end to the distal end of the gripper actuator are shown in one embodiment of the invention. At the proximal end of the gripper actuator ( Figure 3B (top of) Figure 3B The vacuum tube 302, tube clamp 304, and upper part 306 of gripper quick changer 204 are shown. Upper part 306 of gripper quick changer 204 is connected to flexible picking gripper 206 via lower part 308 of gripper quick changer 204. Figure 3B The remainder of a gripper quick-change device 204 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. From the proximal end to the distal end of the gripper actuator, it includes a lower portion 308 of the gripper quick-change device 204, an adapter plate 310 secured to an embedded mounting ring 312 by mounting screws 320, a rubber picking gripper body 314, and embedded fingertips 316.

[0112] also, Figure 3B The position of a flexible picking gripper 206 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown relative to the front axis (or rotation axis) (labeled X-axis), the transverse axis (labeled Y-axis), and the central axis (axis of a vacuum or fluid tube) (labeled Z-axis). Figure 3B In the middle, two hard fingers 318 are molded along a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the central axis of the flexible picking gripper. The movement of the two hard fingers 318 is a rotation about a front axis (or rotation axis) that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis and the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

[0113] Although the flexible picking gripper 206 may include more than two fingers, the two-finger design allows the picking gripper to maintain a small footprint while allowing each finger to apply a greater range of force. Large grippers can potentially deform or damage objects around the target object. Conversely, the small footprint keeps the flexible picking gripper 206 narrow, resulting in a physically compact device while providing potentially large gripping force. In summary, compared to other designs, the integrated two-finger design allows for a greater range of force to be applied with fewer fingers. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with fingertips, the integrated design allows for better gripping and improved access to tighter spaces. These factors facilitate picking objects with irregular shapes and sizes, as well as objects involving loose packaging (e.g., non-boxed objects).

[0114] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 includes a single finger. Such a gripper can be used, for example, to push or press objects for general object manipulation or to adapt to objects of irregular shape.

[0115] In some embodiments, the number and spatial arrangement of the fingers in the flexible picking gripper 206 are configured to grasp objects of a specific shape. Changing the number and spatial arrangement of the fingers to achieve a particular result will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0116] Figure 4A A side view 400 of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 for picking, sorting and placing a robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the body 314 of the flexible picking gripper 206 is shown as transparent. Figure 4A The image shows the lower part 308 of the gripper quick changer 204, the adapter plate 310, the embedded mounting ring 312, the rubber picking gripper body 314, and the embedded fingertip 316.

[0117] Figure 4B A cross-sectional side view 420 of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 for picking, sorting, and placing a robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In particular, Figure 4B The diagram depicts a cross-section 420 of the vacuum channel 402 passing through the lower part 308 of the gripper quick changer 204 and the adapter plate 310, a cross-section of the vacuum cavity 404 inside the body 314 of the flexible picking gripper 206, and mounting screws 320 for attaching the adapter plate 310 to the lower part 308 of the gripper quick changer 204.

[0118] Figure 5AA cross-sectional side view 500 is shown of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 for picking, sorting, and placing a robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These various components include an adapter plate 310, an embedded mounting ring 312, a rubber picking gripper body 314, and embedded fingertips 316.

[0119] Figure 5B A cross-sectional isometric view 520 is shown of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 for picking, sorting, and placing a robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These various components include an adapter plate 310, an embedded mounting ring 312, a rubber picking gripper body 314, and embedded fingertips 316.

[0120] Figure 5A and 5B The boundary of a soft-walled vacuum cavity 404 is shown according to one embodiment. The vacuum cavity 404 is confined only to the upper part of the body, excluding the hard fingers 318, such that the hard fingers 318 are thicker than the wall of the vacuum cavity 404, thereby causing them to have relative hardness compared to the wall of the vacuum cavity 404.

[0121] Figure 4A , 4B Figures 5A and 5B illustrate embodiments of a flexible picking gripper 206 including two hard fingers 318. In some embodiments, the body 314, embedded mounting ring 312, and adapter plate 310 of the flexible picking gripper are narrower along the front axis than along the transverse axis. This allows the shape of the soft-walled cavity 404 to be laterally elongated, such as... Figure 4A , 4B As shown in 5A and 5B. In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity 404 is spherical or hemispherical. In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity 404 is non-spherical (e.g., parabolic, cylindrical, oval, ellipsoidal). Figure 5B The soft-walled cavity 404 is shown to be generally cylindrical. Furthermore, the laterally elongated shape of the base of the flexible picking gripper (i.e., the proximal portion of the body 314 housing the cavity 404, the embedded mounting ring 312, and the adapter plate 310) reduces the base's size along its front axis, thus making the gripper less bulky. For example, this allows the gripper to avoid impacting the container wall in flush gripping applications.

[0122] In some embodiments, when pressure is applied to the flexible picking gripper, the shape asymmetry of the body 314 between the front axis and the transverse axis causes the soft-wall cavity 404 to deform more in the closing direction of the hard finger 318.

[0123] In some embodiments, when a negative pressure (vacuum) is applied to the body 314 through the vacuum tube 302, the soft-walled cavity 404 contracts inward, resulting in a force applied to the hard fingers 318 in the direction of closing the gripper (i.e., toward the central axis), which pulls the hard fingers 318 of the gripper together. When a positive pressure is applied to the gripper body 314 through the vacuum tube, the soft-walled cavity 404 expands outward, resulting in a force applied to the hard fingers 318 in the direction of opening the gripper (i.e., away from the central axis), which pulls the hard fingers 318 of the gripper apart. In other embodiments, the effect of pressure is reversed: applying positive pressure to the gripper body 314 causes the soft-walled cavity 404 to contract inward, resulting in a force applied to the hard fingers 318 in the direction of closing the gripper; while applying negative pressure (vacuum) to the body 314 causes the soft-walled cavity 404 to expand outward, resulting in a force applied to the hard fingers 318 in the direction of opening the gripper.

[0124] In some embodiments, the contraction or expansion of the soft-walled cavity 404 is a generally uniform movement around the soft-walled surface. In other embodiments, the contraction or expansion of the soft-walled cavity 404 is a non-uniform movement around the soft-walled surface, depending on the shape of the soft-walled cavity 404. In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity 404 is spherical or hemispherical. In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity 404 is non-spherical (e.g., parabolic, cylindrical, oval, ellipsoidal), which helps reduce the overall footprint of the flexible picking gripper in cluttered gripping applications. Laterally elongated designs also benefit flush gripping, as described above. In some embodiments, the soft-walled cavity 404 is asymmetrical. For example, the soft-walled cavity 404 may have a thicker wall in one of the two lateral directions, resulting in asymmetrical movement of the hard finger 318, thereby causing the hard finger 318 to exhibit different applied forces or positions (e.g., opening angles) in response to a given pressure applied to the flexible picking gripper 206.

[0125] In some embodiments, the body 314 is designed such that the hard fingers 318 are not identical or respond differently to a given applied pressure. Asymmetry in shape, size, or response to pressure (e.g., different opening angles) can facilitate picking up objects of a particular shape (e.g., books). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the fingertips 316 located at the distal ends of one or more hard fingers 318 may have different shapes or be made of different materials. For example, a wider finger or fingertip 316 may be more suitable for picking up a set of small objects simultaneously. For example, using a wider finger and / or fingertip 316 can facilitate lateral digging and lifting as part of the picking action. Various specialized flexible picking grippers can be realized by designing various finger configurations and fingertip forms.

[0126] Figure 6A cross-sectional side view 600 of various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper 206 for a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown, including a schematic illustration of the position of the hard fingers when open and closed. In one embodiment, pressure applied to the flexible picking gripper 206 causes the hard fingers 318 to move from a rest position toward a central axis 604, thereby causing a grasping motion of the flexible picking gripper 206. Figure 6 In this embodiment, a specific pressure applied to the flexible picking gripper 206 causes one of the hard fingers 318 to reduce its opening angle 602 to an angle θ, where the opening angle 602 is the angle formed between the hard finger 318 and the central axis 604 of the flexible picking gripper. In some embodiments, each hard finger 318 is hard enough that the deformation of each hard finger as the opening angle 602 changes is less than the deformation of the cavity 404. In some embodiments, each hard finger 318 is hard enough that each hard finger does not deform as the opening angle 602 changes. In some embodiments, the hard fingers 318 may come into contact with each other when the deformation of the cavity 404 is large enough. This may occur at the fingertip 316 or elsewhere along the hard fingers 318. In other embodiments, the hard fingers 318 never come into contact with each other, regardless of how much the cavity 404 deforms. In some embodiments, the hard fingers 318 deform only after they have come into contact with each other or with an object.

[0127] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper thus responds to varying degrees of applied pressure (e.g., different magnitudes of pressure result in different magnitudes of force). After calibration, the force required by the flexible picking gripper 206 can be achieved by appropriately adjusting the applied pressure. Therefore, in some embodiments, multiple pressures applied to the interior of the soft-walled cavity 404 may result in each of the plurality of hard fingers 318 applying multiple corresponding magnitudes of force on the object, or resulting in multiple corresponding positions of each of the plurality of hard fingers 318.

[0128] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper may include an external valve that can be opened or closed by a user or automated system to maintain a specific pressure inside the soft-walled cavity 404, thereby avoiding continued pressure on the flexible picking gripper 206 to maintain a specific finger position or force.

[0129] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper may include a proportional air valve that enables the application of a specific pressure to the flexible picking gripper 206, resulting in a continuous application of a corresponding force to the hard finger 318, or causing a corresponding position (e.g., opening angle) of the hard finger 318. In some embodiments, the proportional air valve controls the vacuum pressure. In these embodiments, the proportional air valve is controlled by an I / O controller having an analog voltage signal, and the pressure is monitored by the I / O controller and an analog pressure sensor.

[0130] In some embodiments, the movement of the plurality of hard fingers 318 from a rest position may be a grasping movement that occurs only toward the central axis 604 of the flexible picking gripper 206, such as Figure 6 As shown; it may be an unfolding motion that is only away from the central axis 604. Figure 6 (Not shown); or it could be a combination of gripping and unfolding movements relative to the central axis 604. Therefore, objects with open cavities (e.g., cups) or with concave structures or portions (e.g., rings, cones, hooks) can be picked up or moved by applying unfolding movements. In one embodiment, fingertips 316 may be included on the surface of fingers 318 remote from the central axis 604. Including fingertips 316 on the surface of fingers 318 facing the central axis 604 can replace or be added to including fingertips 316 on the surface of fingers 318 remote from the central axis 604. Picking up or moving objects in this manner is advantageous when less space is needed in crowded environments, when the outer surface of an object is difficult to grip, and when one robotic arm hands an object to another or uses it for gripping from the outer surface. The robotic arm can also use extension to separate objects from each other, away from walls, or away from other obstacles.

[0131] Figure 7A and 7B Front views 700, 720 and example dimensions of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. Figure 7C A top view 740 and example dimensions of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. Specifically, as Figure 7C As shown, the cavity differs in size along the front axis and the transverse axis. This asymmetry causes more deformation of the soft-walled cavity 404 in the closure direction of the hard finger 318 when pressure is applied to the flexible picking gripper. Since the described embodiment is exemplary, other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0132] Figure 7D An exploded view 760 shows various components of an exemplary flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0133] Figure 8A , 8BFigures 800, 820, and 840 illustrate various exemplary flexible picking grippers for a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 includes one or more sensors as part of a sensor system configured to determine the position of one or more hard fingers, the position of an object relative to the flexible picking gripper, or the magnitude of a force applied by one or more hard fingers. The one or more sensors may be pressure sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, current sensors, magnetic field sensors, or vision sensors (e.g., cameras).

[0134] In some embodiments, the flexible picking gripper 206 is part of a robotic system 100 that includes a feedback mechanism that uses vacuum back pressure or other methods to determine whether the hard fingers have grasped the load. In some embodiments, the feedback mechanism determines the strength of the grip. This can be achieved using multiple vision sensors, tactile sensors, or pressure sensors. For example, the feedback mechanism may include an RGB camera pointed at the gripper to visually detect whether the gripper has grasped the load. In some embodiments, the robotic system 100 may include information about the range of gripping pressure for grasping various types of objects. For example, fragile objects may have a low acceptable gripping pressure threshold above which the gripper will damage or destroy the object; heavy objects may have a high acceptable gripping pressure threshold below which the gripper will be unable to hold the heavy object. In some embodiments, the feedback mechanism is trained using an artificial intelligence (AI) system configured to detect anomalous behaviors such as double picking or weak gripping. In some embodiments, a machine learning module determines the position of one or more hard fingers, the position of the object relative to the flexible picking gripper, or the magnitude of the force applied by one or more hard fingers. In some embodiments, in order to achieve a specific objective (e.g., to grasp or contact an object within a predetermined pressure range), the pressure sent to the flexible picking gripper is adjusted in response to determined information.

[0135] In some embodiments, the end effector may include multiple flexible picking grippers that can operate in a coordinated manner. For example, this arrangement can be used to grip a long object with a stability and force that is difficult or impossible for a single flexible picking gripper to achieve, equivalent to a human grasping a long object with both hands. The arrangement of multiple flexible picking grippers can also be configured to grip objects of a specific shape. In some embodiments, such combined grippers share the same end effector but have independent bodies. An air valve connector located near the adapter plate of the gripper can be configured to apply a fixed proportion of the total applied pressure to each flexible picking gripper (e.g., 50% if two flexible picking grippers are identical and always configured to apply the same force). Grippers sharing the same end effector can also share a gripper quick-change (i.e., the air valve is located between the adapter plate and the gripper quick-change, such as...). Figure 3A and 3B (As shown). In this configuration, the gripper group combined in this way is regarded as the same gripper by the robot system 100.

[0136] In another embodiment, the air valve connector is located near the upper gripper quick-change unit of the gripper. In this configuration, each gripper combined in this way is treated as a separate gripper by the robot system 100. In other embodiments, a separate vacuum tube may be used for each flexible picking gripper located on the same robotic arm.

[0137] Flexible picking gripper in operation

[0138] Figure 9A A schematic flowchart 900 illustrates the opening of a flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Flowchart 900 begins at step 902: applying positive or negative pressure to the flexible picking gripper. In step 904, the soft-walled cavity of the body of the flexible picking gripper, made of an integrated component, deforms under the positive or negative pressure. In step 906, in response to the deformation of the soft-walled cavity, forces are applied to a plurality of hard fingers of the body of the flexible picking gripper. In step 908, the movement of the plurality of hard fingers causes the flexible picking gripper to open.

[0139] Figure 9B A schematic flowchart 920 illustrating the closure of a flexible picking gripper for a picking, sorting, and placing robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Flowchart 920 begins at step 910: applying positive or negative pressure to the flexible picking gripper. In step 912, the soft-walled cavity of the body of the flexible picking gripper, made of an integrated component, deforms under the positive or negative pressure. In step 914, in response to the deformation of the soft-walled cavity, forces are applied to a plurality of hard fingers of the body of the flexible picking gripper. In step 916, the movement of the plurality of hard fingers causes the flexible picking gripper to close.

[0140] Flowcharts illustrating the motion combinations of multiple flexible picking grippers will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0141] Exemplary system architecture

[0142] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more servers (management computing entities), one or more networks, and one or more clients (user computing entities). For example, a server may remotely control the picking and placing robot system, and a client device may also remotely control the operation of the robot system. Similarly, various computing components of the robot system may be implemented using the server or client device architecture described herein. Each of these components, entities, devices, and systems (similar terms used interchangeably herein) may communicate directly or indirectly with each other via the same or different wired or wireless networks. Furthermore, although Figure 10 and Figure 11 Various system entities are described as separate, independent entities, but various implementations are not limited to this particular architecture.

[0143] Exemplary management computing entity

[0144] Figure 10 A block diagram 1000 of a server (management computing entity 1002) according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. Generally, the terms computing entity, computer, entity, device, system, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein can refer to, for example, one or more computers, computing entities, desktop computers, mobile phones, tablet computers, phablets, laptops, portable computers, distributed systems, game controllers, watches, glasses, iBeacons, proximity beacons, small secure terminals, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, headphones, scanners, televisions, dongles, cameras, wristbands, wearable items or devices, self-service terminals, input terminals, servers or server networks, blade servers, gateways, switches, processing devices, processing entities, set-top boxes, repeaters, routers, network access points, base stations, etc., and / or any combination of devices or entities suitable for performing the functions, operations, and / or processes described herein. These functions, operations, and / or processes include, for example, transmitting, receiving, manipulating, processing, displaying, storing, determining, creating or generating, monitoring, evaluating, and / or comparing (similar terms are used interchangeably herein). In one embodiment, these functions, operations, and / or processes may be performed on data, content, and / or information (similar terms are used interchangeably herein).

[0145] As shown, in one embodiment, the management computing entity 1002 may also include one or more communication interfaces 1010 to communicate with various computing entities, such as by transmitting, receiving, manipulating, processing, displaying, storing, etc., data, content and / or information (similar terms are used interchangeably herein).

[0146] like Figure 10As shown, in one embodiment, the management computing entity 1002 may include one or more processing elements 1004 (also referred to as processors and / or processing circuitry, similar terms are used interchangeably herein) or communicate with one or more processing elements 1004, for example, the processing elements 1004 may communicate with other elements within the management computing entity 1002 via a bus. As will be understood, the processing element 1004 may be implemented in a variety of different ways. For example, the processing element 1004 may be implemented as one or more complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), microprocessors, multi-core processors, coprocessing entities, application-specific instruction set processors (ASIPs), microcontrollers, and / or controllers. Furthermore, the processing element 1004 may be implemented as one or more other processing devices or circuitry. The term "circuit" can refer to an entire hardware implementation or a combination of hardware and computer program products. Thus, the processing element 1004 may be implemented as an integrated circuit, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic array (PLA), hardware accelerator, other circuitry, etc. Therefore, it can be understood that the processing element 1004 may be configured for a particular purpose or configured to execute instructions stored in volatile or non-volatile media or other instructions accessible to the processing element 1004. Thus, regardless of whether configured by hardware or computer program products or by a combination thereof, the processing element 1004, once configured, is capable of performing the steps or operations of various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0147] In one embodiment, the management computing entity 1002 may further include or communicate with non-volatile media (also referred to as non-volatile storage devices, memory, memory storage, and / or memory circuitry, similar terms are used interchangeably herein). In one embodiment, the non-volatile storage device or memory may include one or more non-volatile memory or memory media 1006, including but not limited to hard disks, ROMs, PROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, flash memory, MMCs, SD memory cards, Memory Sticks, CBRAMs, PRAMs, FeRAMs, NVRAMs, MRAMs, RRAMs, SONOS, FJG RAMs, Millipede memory, racetrack memory, etc. As will be understood, the non-volatile storage device or memory media may store databases, database instances, database management systems, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, bytecode, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, executable instructions, etc. The term “database, database instance and / or database management system” (and similar terms are used interchangeably in this document) can refer to a collection of records or data stored in a computer-readable storage medium using one or more database models (e.g., hierarchical database model, network model, relational model, entity-relational model, object model, document model, semantic model, graphical model, etc.).

[0148] In one embodiment, the management computing entity 1002 may further include volatile media (also referred to as volatile storage device, memory, memory circuitry, similar terms are used interchangeably herein), or communicate with volatile media. In one embodiment, the volatile storage device or memory may further include one or more volatile memories or memory media 1008, including but not limited to RAM, DRAM, SRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, RDRAM, TTRAM, T-RAM, Z-RAM, RIMM, DIMM, SIMM, VRAM, cache memory, register memory, etc. As will be understood, the volatile memory or memory media may be used to at least partially store, for example, databases, database instances, database management systems, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, bytecode, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, and / or executable instructions, etc., executed by the processing element 1004. Therefore, with the assistance of the processing element 1004 and the operating system, databases, database instances, database management systems, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, bytecode, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, and / or executable instructions can be used to control and manage certain aspects of the operation of computing entity 1002.

[0149] As shown, in one embodiment, the management computing entity 1002 may further include one or more communication interfaces 1010 for communicating with various computing entities, for example, communicating data, content, and / or information (similar terms are used interchangeably herein) by means of transmission, reception, manipulation, processing, display, storage, etc. Such communication may be performed using wired data transmission protocols such as Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Ethernet, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay, Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), or any other wired transmission protocol. Similarly, the management computing entity 1002 can be configured to communicate via wireless external communication networks using various protocols, such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), CDMA2000 1X (1xRTT), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), Evolved Data Optimized (EVDO), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi Direct, 802.16 (WiMAX), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR) protocol, Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol, Ultra Low Power Bluetooth (Wibree) wireless technology, Bluetooth protocol, Wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, etc.

[0150] Although not shown, the management computing entity 1002 may include one or more input elements, such as keyboard input, mouse input, touchscreen or display input, motion input, movement input, audio input, pointing device input, joystick input, key input, etc., or communicate with such one or more input elements. The management computing entity 1002 may also include or communicate with one or more output elements (not shown), such as audio output, video output, screen or display output, motion output, movement output, etc., or communicate with such one or more output elements.

[0151] As will be understood, one or more components of the management computing entity 1002 may be located remotely from other components of the management computing entity 1002, such as in a distributed system. Furthermore, one or more components may be combined, and additional components performing the functions described herein may be included in the management computing entity 1002. Therefore, the management computing entity 1002 can be adapted to various needs and situations. As will be understood, these architectures and descriptions are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the various embodiments.

[0152] Exemplary User Computing Entity

[0153] Users can be individuals, companies, organizations, entities, departments within an organization, or representatives of organizations and / or individuals. Figure 11 Exemplary schematic diagram 1100 of a client (user computing entity) 1102 that can be used with various embodiments of this disclosure is provided. Generally, the terms device, system, computing entity, entity, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein can refer to, for example, one or more computers, computing entities, desktop computers, mobile phones, tablet computers, phablets, laptop computers, portable computers, distributed systems, game controllers, watches, glasses, key fobs, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, headphones, scanners, cameras, wristbands, self-service terminals, input terminals, servers or server networks, blade servers, gateways, switches, processing devices, processing entities, set-top boxes, repeaters, routers, network access points, base stations, etc., and / or any combination of devices or entities that perform the functions, operations, and / or processes described herein. User computing entity 1102 can be operated by various parties. Figure 11 As shown, the user computing entity 1102 may include an antenna 1110, a transmitter 1104 (e.g., a radio), a receiver 1106 (e.g., a radio), and a processing element 1108 (e.g., CPLDs, microprocessors, multi-core processors, coprocessor entities, ASIPs, microcontrollers, and / or controllers) that provides signals to and receives signals from the transmitter 1104 and receiver 1106, respectively.

[0154] The signals provided to transmitter 1104 and receiver 1106, and the signals received from transmitter 1104 and receiver 1106, may include signaling information conforming to the air interface standard of the applicable wireless system. In this respect, user computing entity 1102 is capable of operating with one or more air interface standards, communication protocols, modulation types, and access types. More specifically, user computing entity 1102 can operate according to any wireless communication standard and protocol, such as those described above with respect to management computing entity 1002. In a particular embodiment, user computing entity 1102 can operate according to multiple wireless communication standards and protocols, such as UMTS, CDMA2000, 1xRTT, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, LTE, E-UTRAN, EVDO, HSPA, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, WiMAX, UWB, IR, NFC, Bluetooth, USB, etc. Similarly, user computing entity 1102 can operate according to a variety of wired communication standards and protocols, such as those described above with respect to management computing entity 1002 via network interface 1116.

[0155] Through these communication standards and protocols, user computing entity 1102 can communicate with various other entities using concepts such as Unstructured Supplemental Service Data (USSD), Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency Signaling (DTMF), and / or Subscriber Identity Module Dialer (SIM Dialer). User computing entity 1102 can also download changes, add-ons, and updates to its firmware, software (e.g., including executable instructions, applications, program modules), and operating system.

[0156] According to one embodiment, user computing entity 1102 may include location determination aspects, devices, modules, functions, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein. For example, user computing entity 1102 may include outdoor positioning aspects, such as a location module suitable for acquiring, for example, latitude, longitude, altitude, geocoding, route, direction, heading, speed, world time (UTC), date, and / or various other information or data. In one embodiment, the location module can acquire data, sometimes referred to as ephemeris data, by identifying the number of observed satellites and their relative positions. Satellites can be a variety of different satellites, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems, Department of Defense (DOD) satellite systems, the European Union Galileo positioning system, the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, etc. Alternatively, location information can be determined by triangulating the location of user computing entity 1102 relative to various other systems, including cell towers, Wi-Fi access points, etc. Similarly, user computing entity 1102 may include indoor positioning aspects, such as a location module suitable for acquiring, for example, latitude, longitude, altitude, geocoding, route, direction, heading, speed, time, date, and / or various other information or data. Some indoor systems may use a variety of location or positioning technologies, including RFID tags, indoor beacons or transmitters, Wi-Fi access points, cellular towers, and nearby computing devices (such as smartphones and laptops). These technologies may include, for example, iBeacons, Gimbal proximity beacons, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitters, NFC transmitters, and more. These indoor positioning aspects can be used in a variety of environments to pinpoint the location of a person or object within inches or centimeters.

[0157] User computing entity 1102 may also include a user interface (which may include a display 1112 coupled to processing element 1108) and / or a user input interface coupled to processing element 1108. For example, the user interface may be a user application, browser, user interface, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein that execute on and / or access through user computing entity 1102 to interact with management computing entity 1002 and / or result in the display of information from management computing entity 1002. The user input interface may include any device or interface that allows user computing entity 1102 to receive data, such as keyboard 1114 (hard or soft), touch display 1112, voice / speech or motion interface, or other input device. In embodiments including keyboard 1114, keyboard 1114 may include (or result in the display of) conventional numbers (0-9) and related keys (#, *), as well as other keys for operating user computing entity 1102, and may include a full set of letter keys or a set of keys that can be activated to provide a full set of alphanumeric keys. In addition to providing input, the user input interface can also be used to activate or deactivate certain functions, such as screen savers and / or sleep modes.

[0158] User computing entity 1102 may also include volatile memory or memory 1118 and / or non-volatile memory or memory 1120, which may be embedded and / or removable. For example, non-volatile memory may be ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, MMCs, SD memory cards, Memory Stick, CBRAM, PRAM, FeRAM, NVRAM, MRAM, RRAM, SONOS, FJG RAM, Millipede memory, racetrack memory, etc. Volatile memory may be RAM, DRAM, SRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, RDRAM, TTRAM, T-RAM, Z-RAM, RIMM, DIMM, SIMM, VRAM, cache memory, register memory, etc. Volatile and non-volatile memory or storage can store databases, database instances, database management systems, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, bytecode, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code, executable instructions, etc., to implement the functionality of user computing entity 1102. As shown in the figure, this may include user applications residing on the entity or accessible through a browser or other user interface to communicate with and manage computing entity 1002 and / or various other computing entities.

[0159] In another embodiment, user computing entity 1102 may include one or more components or functions that are the same as or similar to those of management computing entity 1002, as described in detail above. As will be understood, these architectures and descriptions are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the various embodiments.

[0160] This invention can be implemented in a client-server environment. Figure 12 An exemplary system architecture 1200 is shown, illustrating one embodiment of the invention implemented in a client-server environment. Client user devices 1202 may include smartphones 1204, laptops 1206, desktop computers 1208, tablets 1210, or other devices. These user devices 1202 access the services of system server 1214 via some network connection 1212 (e.g., the Internet).

[0161] in conclusion

[0162] Those skilled in the art will recognize that use cases, structures, illustrations, and processes can be performed in other orders or combinations, but these will maintain the inventive concept of the invention without departing from its broader scope. Each embodiment can be unique, and methods or steps can be omitted or added, overlapped with, postponed, delayed, and continued after time intervals to implement the method of the invention.

[0163] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader scope of the invention. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single, broader invention, which may have a scope greater than any single description teaches. Many changes to the specification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A flexible picking gripper for a picking and placing robotic system, comprising: A body made of integrated components, the body comprising: Multiple hard fingers located at the distal end of the body, and A portion of a single soft-walled cavity is configured to deform by applying positive or negative pressure within the single soft-walled cavity, thereby causing the plurality of hard fingers to move from a rest position toward or away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper in response to the deformation of the single soft-walled cavity; and One or more embedded fingertips, wherein at least one of the plurality of hard fingers includes a fingertip embedded at its distal end; The flexible picking gripper further includes: An adapter plate sealing the proximal end of the single soft-walled cavity, the adapter plate including an adapter plate central channel; and The body is attached to the embedded mounting ring of the adapter plate; The wall of the single soft-wall cavity includes the embedded mounting ring and the adapter plate.

2. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The flexible picking gripper further includes the lower part of a gripper quick-change device attached to the adapter plate. The lower part of the gripper quick-change device is connected to the picking and placing robot system via the upper part of the gripper quick-change device. The lower part of the gripper quick changer includes a gripper quick changer middle channel aligned with the middle channel of the adapter plate.

3. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 2, wherein, The plurality of hard fingers is a set of two hard fingers; The two rigid fingers are positioned along a transverse axis perpendicular to the central axis of the flexible picking gripper; and The movement of the two hard fingers is a rotational movement about a front axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis and the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

4. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 3, wherein, The body, the embedded mounting ring, and the adapter plate are narrower along the front axis than along the transverse axis.

5. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The number and spatial arrangement of the multiple hard fingers are configured for grasping objects of a specific shape.

6. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The individual soft-walled cavity is hemispherical.

7. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The individual soft-walled cavity is parabolic in shape.

8. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The individual soft-walled cavity is ellipsoidal.

9. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more embedded fingertips are detachable.

10. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the plurality of hard fingers is configured not to contact another hard finger when any pressure is applied within the single soft-walled cavity.

11. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, One of the plurality of hard fingers is configured to contact another of the plurality of hard fingers when certain pressure is applied within the single soft-walled cavity.

12. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, Multiple pressures applied within the single soft-walled cavity cause each of the multiple hard fingers to exert corresponding multiple forces on the object.

13. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The movement of the plurality of hard fingers from the rest position is a gripping motion that occurs only toward the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

14. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The movement of the plurality of hard fingers from the rest position is an unfolding movement that occurs only away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper.

15. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The flexible picking gripper further includes: An external valve is configured to maintain the pressure within the single soft-walled cavity.

16. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 1, wherein, The flexible picking gripper further includes sensors for determining information selected from the group consisting of: the position of one or more of the plurality of hard fingers, the position of the object relative to the flexible picking gripper, and the force exerted by one or more of the plurality of hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper.

17. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 16, wherein, The sensor is selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensor, a force sensor, a proximity sensor, a current sensor, and a camera.

18. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 16, wherein, The pressure sent to the flexible picking gripper is adjusted based on information determined from the sensor to keep the force applied by one or more of the plurality of hard fingers of the flexible picking gripper within a predetermined force range.

19. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 18, wherein, The predetermined force range corresponds to gripping an object without damaging it.

20. The flexible picking gripper according to claim 16, wherein, The flexible picking gripper further includes a machine learning module for determining information selected from the group consisting of: the position of one or more of the plurality of hard fingers, the position of the object relative to the flexible picking gripper, and the force applied by one or more of the plurality of hard fingers.

21. A picking and placing robot system, comprising: A flexible picking gripper, the flexible picking gripper comprising: A body made of integrated components, the body comprising: Multiple hard fingers located at the distal end of the body, and A portion of a single soft-walled cavity is configured to deform by applying positive or negative pressure within the single soft-walled cavity, thereby causing the plurality of hard fingers to move from a rest position toward or away from the central axis of the flexible picking gripper in response to the deformation of the single soft-walled cavity; and One or more embedded fingertips, wherein at least one of the plurality of hard fingers includes a fingertip embedded at its distal end; The flexible picking gripper further includes: An adapter plate sealing the proximal end of the single soft-walled cavity, the adapter plate including an adapter plate central channel; and The body is attached to the embedded mounting ring of the adapter plate; The wall of the single soft-wall cavity includes the embedded mounting ring and the adapter plate.

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