ARM-END TOOLS WITH EXTERNAL SUCTION SIDES

Abstract

Systems and methods for arm-end tools having exterior suction surfaces and associated article handling devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exemplary article handling device may include a first gripping element having a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and a first opening disposed on the first outer side surface, and a second gripping element having a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and a second opening disposed on the first outer side surface, the second inner side surface being opposite the first inner side surface.The article handling device may be configured to direct a vacuum flow to the first opening and the second opening so that a first article can be grasped by suction against the first outer side surface or the second outer side surface.

Description

BACKGROUNDAs users purchase online more and more frequently, handling of these purchases and other orders may become increasingly complicated. For example, a distribution center may have a delivery of more than one million packages daily. In the case of such requirements, the efficiency of logistics in the processing of orders and packages may be important. Accordingly, improvements in various order handling operations, such as improvements in picking technology, sorting technology, packaging technology, etc., may be desired, so that the manual effort may be redirected to other tasks.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a hybrid schematic illustration of an example of an application for arm-end tools having outer suction side surfaces and an example of a process flow in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an example article management system for moving and storing articles according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIGS. 3A-3B are schematic representations of a storage basket accessible with an arm-end tool, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIGS. 4A-4B are schematic diagrams of an arm end tool having outer suction side surfaces and an example process flow, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIGS. 5A-5B are schematic representations of gripping members of an arm-end tool in various views, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an example architecture of a computer system connected to an arm-end tool in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.The detailed description will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are merely illustrative of example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and are not to be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. The use of like reference numerals indicates similar, but not necessarily identical, components. Different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components. In various embodiments, elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings may be used, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of the singular to describe a component or element may include a plurality of such components or elements, depending on the context, and vice versa.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOVERVIEWDistribution centers can be used to handle online purchases and other orders. For example, distribution centers may have a product inventory that is retrieved when an order for a particular product or multiple products is posted. In some cases, the product(s) is / are packaged and sent from the distribution center. However, the process of obtaining the product / s, packaging the product / s, and shipping the product / s may be complicated due to the amount of inventory, number of orders to be processed, size of the distribution center, and / or other factors. Moreover, a part of the distribution center provided for packaging or shipping may be different from the part of the distribution center provided for inventory of product. As a result, the transport of the products of an order may be time consuming.The conveyance of articles or objects through a distribution center may require the handling of the article itself. For example, removing the article from the warehouse, loading the article into a container, removing the article from a container, etc. may be all examples of actions in which an article needs to be handled. Moreover, different articles may have different types of packages. For example, some articles may arrive in cartons, others in loose bags, still others in shrink film, yet others without packaging, etc. Moreover, it may be difficult to find a certain number of articles, such as single articles or multiple articles, in an ambiguous environment (e.g., stacked one above the other or otherwise in multiple layers, etc.), and this may depend on the type of package in which the article arrives. People can handle individual articles manually without problems. However, robotic handling of articles may require a varying degree of skill. Also, storing articles in storage areas, e.g., storage baskets or other containers that contain one or more articles therein, may be difficult. For example, creating space in a storage area for removing an article may be a simple manual task, which, however, is difficult to perform through robot manipulation due to the numerous article dimensions, shapes, packaging materials, changes in center of gravity, etc.Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and systems for arm-end tools having outer suction side surfaces. The arm end tools may be configured to handle many different types of articles and provide space within storage areas. For example, the arm end tools may be configured to provide separation between adjacent articles in a storage area to retrieve a particular article without scrambling or unintentionally gripping adjacent articles. Such arm end tools may have improved control over articles, reduce the likelihood of damage to articles, and allow smoother gripping of articles. Some embodiments may be configured to grasp articles with an outer surface of a gripping member via suction holes. Embodiments may include two parallel paddles to grip not only articles with both sides of the gripping members but also to grip articles between the paddles or gripping members. Some embodiments may be configured to receive objects in overfilled or ambiguous horizontal storage compartments by using an extendable suction cup to remove individual target objects from a compartment, a parallel gripper with translation of the two fingers or gripping members to secure the target object once removed, and a gripping member with an external vacuum surface that can be activated to remove individual target objects, which is particularly useful with partially concealed and thin objects that could not be previously removed by robotic manipulation. Some embodiments include optimized process flows for handling orders in distribution centers, as well as process flows or methods for increasing the speed of transport of articles as a result of improved handling of articles. As a result, the throughput of the distribution centers can be improved and / or the logistics of the processes of the distribution centers can be less complicated.FIG. 1 shows an example of an application 10 for arm-end tools having outer suction side surfaces and an example process flow in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Although discussed in the context of online orders, other embodiments may relate to any suitable use case in which products or containers are picked and sorted or packages are sorted, such as examples in which users may pick orders rather than receiving a shipment, examples in which items are collated for transport to another distribution center, and so forth.In FIG. 1, a distribution center may include a robotic storage platform 20, a route sorter 30, one or more article sorting systems 40, and one or more packing stations 50. The robot storage platform 20 may be a part of the distribution center where the products taken from inventory are placed. The inventory may in some cases be stored in containers in flexible container baskets. In some cases, robots with the arm end tools described herein may be used to place items in the inventory baskets and / or to remove and deliver products from the inventory to the robot storage platform, while in other cases, manual labor or a combination thereof may be used to remove products. The picking method at the robotic warehouse platform may include locating a product in an order, obtaining the product, and sending the product to the robotic warehouse platform 20, such as via a conveyor. In the illustrated embodiment, the products may be placed on the robotic storage platform 20 into a container, such as a transport container. The transport bin may in some cases optionally be assigned to or otherwise associated with a particular machine of an article sorting system. For example, a particular transport bin may be associated with a particular article sorting system such that the products intended to be removed and placed in the transport bin are destined for orders to be consolidated in that particular article sorting system. The association between the transport bin and the article sorting system may be static in some cases. In other cases, there may be no mapping between transport containers and sorting systems, or the mapping may be dynamic.At route sorter 30, transport bins, including the products that have been removed, may be forwarded to the appropriate or designated article sortation system. For example, route sorter 30 may optionally specify an identifier associated with the transport bin and, using the identifier or other factor, such as sort system utilization, specify one or more article sortation systems to which the transport bin is to be forwarded. Route sorter 30 may forward the transport bin to an article sortation system or assign it to an article sortation system.The article sorting systems 40 may include one or more machines of an article sorting system. In FIG. 1, a first article sorting system 42, a second article sorting system 44, a third article sorting system 46, etc. may be included. Any number of article sorting systems may be included. Some or all of the article sorting systems may optionally be connected to certain transport containers. The article sorting systems may be used to consolidate or otherwise aggregate products for orders of single or multiple articles and / or to deliver them to another distribution center. For example, a first transport container may contain a first article of a multiple article order and a second transport container may contain a second article of the multiple article order. The article sortation system can therefore identify the orders associated with the respective products in a transport container and transport the products to a container, e.g., a transport container, a flexible container, a special chute leading to a container, or another container associated with the order. When the order is completed with all products in the associated chute or container, the order may be packaged. In cases where a container is destined for another distribution center, as opposed to an online order, the container may be packaged when full, as opposed to when certain items are placed in the container (e.g., there may be no certain items that need to be in the container prior to packaging, rather the container may only be full to a certain threshold, etc.). Accordingly, a particular article sorting system may be provided for handling a particular order of multiple articles. As a result, all of the products in the order of multiple articles can be placed in transport bins that are directed to that particular article sorting system. At the article sorting systems 40, the transport bins received via the route sorter 30 may be emptied and the products in the respective transport bins may be transported to the corresponding chutes or bins for the orders for which the products were picked.After an order is completed with one or more items (e.g., when the item sorting system has delivered all the products of the order to the corresponding chute, bin, etc.) or when a bin destined for another distribution center is full (where "full" is a configurable threshold, e.g., about 60% full capacity, 70% full capacity, 80% full capacity, 90% full capacity, etc.), the order may be packaged at the packaging station 50. Some embodiments may include one or more packing stations. In some cases, one packing station may service more than one article sortation system, while in other cases, more than one packing station may service one article sortation system. In the illustration of FIG. 1, a first packing station 52 may be used to package orders from the first article sorting system 42, a second packing station 54 may be used to package orders from the second article sorting system 44, a third packing station 56 may be used to package orders from the third article sorting system 46, and so forth. At packing stations 50, the orders may be placed in cartons and sealed for later shipping. The packages may then be prepared for shipment to the user. In another example, the containers may be stacked, sealed, or otherwise packaged for shipment to another distribution center.An example process flow 60 shown in FIG. 1 may be implemented at the distribution center to improve distribution center efficiency and / or throughput. In a first block 62, the articles can be removed from the robotic storage platform 20 into a transport container, which can optionally be connected to a particular article sorting system. In a second block 64, the transport bin may be sent to the route sorter 30 for delivery to an article sortation system. In a third block 66, the articles from the transport container can be sorted for an order of multiple articles by the specific article sorting system. In a fourth block 68, the articles may be packaged into a shipment when all articles of the order are sorted.Embodiments of the disclosure include arm-end tools having suction outer side surfaces configured to handle items obtained from destinations such as storage areas. Certain embodiments may improve processing speed and / or throughput of distribution centers. Certain embodiments may improve the performance of mechanical devices for sorting and / or consolidating articles. Although described in the context of online orders, aspects of this disclosure are also applicable to other forms of object handling.Example embodiments of the disclosure provide a number of technical features or technical effects. For example, according to embodiments of the disclosure, certain embodiments of the disclosure may improve processing speed, throughput, and / or efficiency of distribution centers. The above examples of technical features and / or technical effects of embodiments of the disclosure are merely illustrative and not exhaustive.One or more illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described above. The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the scope of this disclosure and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Accordingly, variations, modifications, and equivalents of the embodiments disclosed herein are also within the scope of this disclosure. The above-described embodiments and additional and / or alternative embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS AND APPLICATIONSFIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an example article management system for moving and storing articles in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. The illustration in FIG. 2 may not be to scale and may not be to scale with respect to other figures. The robot handler shown in FIG. 2 and the arm end tool configured to grasp articles can be used in the entire environment of the distribution center described in FIG. 1.Inventory systems are used by many companies for inventory storage and management. For example, some retailers use a warehouse having shelves in which items are stored in various containers (also referred to as storage bins, storage locations, etc.). The articles can be stored in the various containers in order to keep them ready for picking. For example, if an order for a particular article needs to be done by a retailer, the article may be removed from (or obtained from) the container in which it is stored. Inventory systems according to an embodiment described herein use a mechanical system to store an article in a container and / or to remove an article from the container. In one embodiment, the mechanical system includes a robotic arm that allows various sensors and arm-end tools (also referred to herein as end effectors) to interact with items outside and / or inside multiple containers. These containers may be carried, for example, by a rack (also referred to as inventory holders or storage racks), wherein each container may contain any number of articles. The robotic arm may use the arm end tool to grasp an article that is outside the container (e.g., in a holding area), transport the article to a particular container, and store the article in the container.In some cases, the robotic arm uses an arm end tool that can handle existing articles in a tightly packed container to provide space for the removal of a particular article. In a particular embodiment, the arm-end tool comprises two blades or gripping members having outer suction side surfaces configured to grip one or more articles. The arm-end tool may grip an article by picking up (e.g., compressing) the article between the two airfoils and / or by using one or both outer suction side surfaces of the individual gripping members.After gripping an article with the arm end tool, the robot arm can remove the arm end tool from a particular container together with the gripped article. By using the outer side surfaces of the paddles of an arm-end tool to receive an article (e.g., as opposed to conventional finger solutions), embodiments provide a high degree of control over the orientation of the article and known contact surfaces, which allows high reliability in the removal of articles in a horizontal store (e.g., a store that is accessed horizontally, such as from a front side as shown in FIG. 2, etc.). It should be appreciated that many of the embodiments described herein describe an arm-end tool for a robot arm in connection with stowage of an article. In other embodiments, the arm end tool described herein may be used for other operations, e.g., for removing an article from a container. In these embodiments, for example, the arm-end tool may use the two paddles to manipulate existing articles in the container to grasp a particular article from the container. Further, the term "article" herein may refer to a single article, multiple articles, a package having a single article, a package having multiple articles, etc.FIG. 2 shows a stowage or picking system 100 according to one embodiment. The system 100 may be located in a facility (e.g., a warehouse, a factory, a distribution center, etc.). In a particular embodiment, the system 100 is a robotic stowage or picking system. The system 100 may be located in a distribution center that performs various operations to dispatch items to customers. Here, the system 100 includes a rack 115 (also referred to as inventory holders) that includes multiple containers 120, and a robot 125 that can pick up and move the rack 115 to a particular (or desired) location. The system 100 also includes a robotic arm 130 that can access the on-shelf containers 120, e.g., for a robotic stowage or retrieval operation. The shelf 115 may have multiple-side containers that can be accessed by the robot 125 rotating the shelf 115 such that each side of the shelf 115 may face the robotic arm 130 or one or more other robotic arm(s) (not shown). In one embodiment, the robot 125 may move the shelf 115 to a position proximate to the robot arm 130, e.g., to allow the robot arm 130 to store (or remove) items into the containers 120. In another embodiment, the robotic arm 130 may be mobile and the shelves 115 may be stationary. In this case, the robot arm 130 may move between the shelves to perform stowage and retrieval operations.In the illustrated embodiment, the robotic arm 130 includes a bracket 135 that can support various sensors and arm end tools for storing and / or removing articles from the containers 120. Here, the holder 135 carries, for example, an arm-end tool 200 comprising two paddles 210, 220 for gripping, transporting and removing articles from a particular container. As mentioned above, the arm end tool 200 may grasp an article 105 located in a holding area 110 (also referred to as an article location) with the two blades 210, 220 using one or both outer suction side surfaces of the two blades 210, 220. The holding portion 110 is representative of a plurality of surfaces and may have any shape suitable for receiving articles (e.g., table, floor, conveyor, etc.). In one embodiment, the holding portion 110 includes a planar surface on which one or more articles 105 are located. In an embodiment, the holding portion 110 may include a material layer disposed on a surface of the holding portion 110. This layer of material may help the arm end tool 200 to remove an article 105 located on the layer. The material may include, for example, fabric, foam, plastic, etc.One or more sensors may be included. The sensor(s) may be a visual sensor, a depth sensor, an infrared sensor, a barcode reader, a force sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or combinations thereof. The sensor(s) may / may be any sensor that enables the system 100 to identify occupied versus empty space in the container, identify the location of the articles in the container, identify the type or number of articles in the container, determine the amount of suction or vacuum force applied to an article, determine the orientation of the arm end tool 200, identify the individual articles in the container, and the like. The sensor(s) may / may be disposed at different locations of the robot arm 130 and / or the arm-end tool 200. For example, the sensor / sensors may be attached to one or more of the blades 210, 220 of the arm end tool 200 to allow the arm end tool 200 to determine the amount of force applied to an article when the article is compressed between the two blades 210, 220. Similarly, the sensor(s) may enable the arm end tool(s) 200 to determine how far to separate the paddles 210, 220 of the arm end tool 200 when storing an article into the container.FIGS. 3A-3B are schematic representations of a storage basket accessible using an arm-end tool according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. The figures in FIGS. 3A-3B are not to scale and may not be drawn to scale with respect to other figures. The storage baskets shown in Figures 3A-3B may be the same storage baskets described in Figures 1-2.Referring now to FIG. 3A, there is shown containers 302 and 304 having articles secured by the retaining members 305, 310, and 315, according to one embodiment. Figure 3A shows a portion of a rack having two rows of containers. The upper row of containers 302 includes a retaining member 305 disposed at the lower half of the open side of the containers 302. In this example, the retention member 305 is made of a resilient material that secures the articles within the container. When the rack 115 is pushed or accelerated, an article falling toward the open side of the container is held in the container by the retainer 305. The retainer 305 is resilient, but has sufficient strength to prevent lighter articles from dropping out of the container and sufficient resiliency to allow an employee or access tool to displace the retainer 305 to remove or store an article. The lower row of containers 304 has two retaining elements 310, 315 arranged on their open side. That is, the retainer 310 is disposed in the lower half of the open side, while the retainer 315 is disposed in the upper half of the open side. The use of two restraining members may be preferred when the articles stored in the containers 304 are larger or heavier than the articles stored in the containers 302. While elastic bands are shown as retaining members in FIG. 3A, in other embodiments the retaining members may be a flap that is hinged on top of the containers, or a slider that swings open and has a magnetic or mechanical lock to keep the slider closed. The embodiments described here are therefore not limited to the flexible tapes illustrated in FIG. 3A or in the following embodiments. If another type of retention member is used, the access tool may be changed accordingly to displace the retention member so that a gripping tool (or employee) may access the container.The robotic manipulator and / or arm end tools described herein may include an access tool 320 for displacing a retention member to gain access to a container, according to one embodiment. In this example, the access tool 320 has a hook 330 or a clip for gripping the retaining member 305. The access tool 320 may then pull the hook 330 downward so that the retainer 305 no longer covers the open side of the container 302. In this way, a gripping tool now has more play in performing a stowage or unloading operation. In another embodiment, the access tool 320 may use pliers to grasp the resilient retaining member 305 and pull it down so that it no longer blocks the open side of the container 302.In FIG. 3B, in a first case 340, the elastic band or retention member 305 may be retained while an arm end tool 350 is positioned adjacent an article 370 to be gripped. In a second step 360, the article 370 may be gripped and removed from the container by suction on an outer side surface of the arm end tool 350. In this way, articles can be removed from horizontally accessible containers with the arm-end tools described here.FIGS. 4A-4B are schematic diagrams of an arm end tool 400 having outer suction side surfaces and an example process flow, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. The figures of FIGS. 4A-4B are not to scale and may not be drawn to scale with respect to other figures. The arm end tool illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4B may be the arm end tool discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-3B.The arm end tool 400 may be configured to grip articles with the outer side surfaces of the gripping members, and may also be configured to grip articles between the gripping members. Some embodiments may be configured to support extremely high flow rates, e.g., flow rates of at least 1,000 cubic feet per hour, to create a suitable seal on object areas that could be folded, crumpled, or porous, and to overcome friction.In FIG. 4A, the arm end tool 400 may be an article handling device configured to receive, grasp, and / or secure, move, and unload articles of varying size and shape from tee shirts (e.g., flaccid articles, etc.) to basket balls (e.g., round or cylindrical articles, etc.) to packaged articles (e.g., rigid articles, etc.). The arm end tool 400 may be coupled to a robot handler 480, such as a robot arm, gantry, or other type of handler. The arm-end tool 400 may have six degrees of freedom with respect to the robot manipulator in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the arm end tool 400 may have at least four degrees of freedom with respect to the robot manipulator. The arm end tool 400 may be configured to rotate 360 degrees relative to a point of attachment to the robot manipulator so that an article gripped by the arm end tool 400 may be rotated to a reversed position and then again to an upright position. The arm end tool 400 itself may be configured to rotate at least 90 degrees such that its gripping members may be positioned in a horizontal and a vertical position and articles may be loaded and / or unloaded in a horizontal or a vertical position. In some embodiments, the arm end tool 400 may be connected to the robot handler via a quick connect coupling. The arm end tool 400 may have a connection to the robot manipulator 480 about which the arm end tool 400 may rotate 360 degrees.The arm-end tool 400 may include airfoil-shaped gripping members that form opposing gripping surfaces to hold an article therebetween. The gripping elements may have suction openings on outer side surfaces or outwardly directed surfaces, so that articles can be gripped with the outside of one or both gripping elements. The respective gripping members may be used for unloading or ejecting articles from the arm end tool 400, while maintaining control over the article and avoiding damage to the article. Moreover, the gripping members may have a wedge-shaped or angled shape so that the gripping members may be used to provide space for the article in a storage basket or other container before the article is gripped or unloaded.The arm end tool 400 may have a base 460. A sensor unit 470 may be connected to the base 460. In some embodiments, the sensor unit 470 may be configured to slide along the base 460. The sensor unit 470 may include one or more sensors, such as proximity sensors, camera sensors, infrared sensors, position sensors, and / or other sensors. The arm end tool 400 may include one or more sensors for collecting data associated with the article, such as at least one optical sensor, a camera, a force sensor, a weight sensor, and / or another type of sensor.A grip member holder 450 may be connected to the base 460. The grip member holder 450 may be configured to move along the base 460. For example, an actuator may be configured to move the gripping member mount 450 along the base 460 and / or extend or retract the gripping member mount 450 relative to a distal end of the base 460.The arm end tool 400 may include one or more suction cup assemblies 440. For example, the suction cup assembly 440 may be configured to extend and retract with respect to the gripping member mount 450 and / or the base 460. In one embodiment, the suction cup assembly 440 may be disposed in an opening formed on the gripper holder 450.The article handling apparatus or arm end tool 400 may include one or more gripping members 410. The gripping members 410 may be disposed at a distal end of the arm-end tool 400. The gripping members 410 may be configured to move towards and / or away from each other. For example, the arm end tool 400 may include an actuator configured to move one or both of the gripping members 410 towards and / or away from each other (e.g., along the arrows shown in FIG. 4A, etc.). In FIG. 4A, the gripping members 410 are shown in an open and a closed configuration, and in FIG. 4B in a front view of the closed configuration. The gripping member holder 450 may support the gripping members 410. The gripping members 410 may be configured to move laterally with respect to the gripping member holder 450.The gripping elements 410 may include a first gripping element 420 and a second gripping element 430. The first gripping member 420 may include a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and one or more openings, such as a first opening 422, disposed on the first outer side surface. The second gripping member 430 may include a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and one or more openings, such as a second opening 432, disposed on the second outer side surface. The second inner side surface may be disposed to be opposed to the first inner side surface. The article handling device or arm end tool 400 may be configured to direct a vacuum flow to at least one opening of the first opening 422 and / or the second opening 432 such that a first article may be gripped by suction to the first outer side surface or the second outer side surface.The arm end tool 400 may include a first actuator 424 configured to cause the second gripping member 430 to move toward the first gripping member 420, to cause the first gripping member 420 to move toward the second gripping member 430, and / or to cause the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430 to move toward and away from each other. The article handling apparatus 400 may be configured to grasp a second article between the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430. In this way, a distance or gap between the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430 may be adjusted to accommodate different sizes and / or shapes of articles to be gripped and to adjust the gripping force applied to the article gripped by the arm end tool 400. Various types of actuators may be used, such as actuator assembly 424, including pneumatic actuators, hydraulic actuators, and so forth.When an article is gripped by the arm end tool 400, one or more sensors may be disposed at a distal or rearward end of the gripping environment to detect when an article is at a rearward portion of the arm end tool, which may be used as an indication of a fully gripped article. Other signals, such as feedback from a force sensor indicating the force applied to an article between the conveyor assemblies, distance indicators between the respective conveyor assemblies (as determined by jaw position and / or position sensors, etc.), and / or other signals may be used to determine whether an article is gripped by the arm-end tool 400. Accordingly, additional sensors, such as proximity sensors, position sensors, force sensors, etc., may be connected to the arm-end tool 400.In one embodiment, a system may include a robot handler, an optional vacuum flow system, and the article handling apparatus 400 coupled to the robot handler. The article handling apparatus 400 may include a holder, such as the gripping member holder 450, the first gripping member 420 connected to the holder, the first gripping member 420 having a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and the first opening 422 disposed on the first outer side surface, and the second gripping member 430 connected to the holder, the second gripping member having a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and the second opening 432 disposed on the second outer side surface. The second inner side surface faces the first inner side surface of the first gripping member 420. The optional vacuum system may be coupled to the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430 such that a vacuum flow is directed to the first opening 422 and / or the second opening 430. The system may include an actuator, such as the actuator 424, coupled to the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430, the actuator 424 configured to cause the first gripping member 420 and the second gripping member 430 to move toward each other.In FIG. 4B, an example process flow 490 may be executed by a controller or computer system communicating with the arm end tool 400 and / or the robot manipulator. Process flow 490 is shown for removing an article from a container. The arm end tool 400 may include a controller that may be onboard controlled or remotely controlled. At block 492, the arm end tool 400 may be positioned proximate a location for the article using the robotic manipulator. In optional block 494, the elastic band or retainer may be moved as needed. In one example, an elastic band, fabric band, or other type of securing device may be machined, e.g., slid, to gain access to a storage area. The securing device may be moved by a hook or other component of the arm end tool 400 and / or a component connected to the robot handler. At block 496, the gripping members may be placed in a closed configuration as shown in FIG. 4B. In block 498, the article may be gripped with the outer side surface of a gripping member using a vacuum flow. Accordingly, the controller may determine a target object, move the gripping elements to a closed configuration to make contact between the two gripping elements at the center of the arm end tool 400 (e.g., create an arrow shaped tip, etc.), which is then inserted into the space between the target object and an adjacent object in contact therewith. After the insertion, the outer surface of the gripping members in contact with the target object is vacuumed, thereby sealing the object against it. Once the seal is made. The arm end tool 400 may then be retracted from the space to remove the target object.In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to cause the vacuum flow to be directed to the first gripping member 420, to position the first gripping member 420 adjacent to the first article, and to grip the first article with the first outer side surface by the vacuum flow through the first opening 422.FIGS. 5A-5B are schematic representations of gripping members of the arm end tool in various views, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Other embodiments may include additional or fewer components. The figures in FIGS. 5A-5B are not to scale and may not be drawn to scale with respect to other figures. The gripping elements illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5B may be the gripping elements and / or used with the systems discussed with respect to FIGS. 1-4B.In FIG. 5A, a gripping member 500 is illustrated and a first outer side surface 512 and a bottom view are shown. The gripping member 500 may include a first inner side surface 514, the first outer side surface 512, and one or more openings disposed on the first outer side surface 512. For example, the gripping member 500 may include a first opening 540, a second opening 542, a third opening 544, etc. The first opening 540 may be adjacent to the second opening 542, and the third opening 544 may be adjacent to the second opening 542. Any number of apertures may be provided. The openings may be disposed adjacent an end or side of the gripping member 500. The vacuum flow may be directed from a vacuum system 560 to the openings via a port 550. Some or all of the apertures may receive the same amount of vacuum flow, such as vacuum flow through a common cavity or plenum 572, as shown in partially transparent view in FIG. 5B. The openings may have a substantially rectangular geometry or a parallelogram-shaped geometry, as shown in the examples of FIGS. 5A-5B, where beveled edges, rounded edges, and / or other features may be included.The gripping element 500 can be wedge-shaped, so that an oblique edge is formed. As shown in the bottom view of FIG. 5A, the first outer side surface 512 of the gripping member 500 may form an acute angle with respect to the first inner side surface 514.The gripping member 500 may include a base portion 520 and a cut-out portion 530 disposed between the base portion 520 and the first opening 540. The cut-out portion may be formed with a curvature as illustrated in the bottom view in FIG. 5A, and may have a U-shaped configuration.The cut-out portion 530 may extend less than half the length of the gripping member 500, as shown in FIG. 5A. In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 5B, a gripping member 580 may include a cut-out portion 590 that extends over more than half the length of the gripping member 590.The gripping member 500 may include an air chamber 572 in fluid communication with one or more, e.g., all, of the openings. The vacuum flow may be directed to the openings via the plenum 572. An optional cut-out portion 570 may be used to reduce the weight of the gripping member 500.One or more operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-5B may have been described above as being performed by a user device, or more specifically, by one or more program module(s), applications, or the like, executing on a device. It should be appreciated, however, that each of the operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-5B may be performed, at least in part, in a split fashion from one or more other devices, or more particularly from one or more program module(s), applications, or the like, executing on such devices. Moreover, it should be appreciated that processing performed in response to execution of computer-executable instructions provided as part of an application, program module, or the like may be interchangeably described herein as processing performed by the application or program module itself or by a device on which the application, program module, or the like is executed. While the operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-5B may be described in connection with the illustrated devices, it should be appreciated that such operations may be implemented in connection with numerous other device configurations.The operations described and illustrated in the illustrative methods, process flows, and use cases of FIGS. 1-5B may be performed in any suitable order, such as in the illustrated orders, as desired in various embodiments of the disclosure. Moreover, in certain embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be performed in parallel. Further, in certain embodiments, fewer, more, or different operations than those shown in FIGS. 1-5B may be performed.Although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous other modifications and alternative embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure. For example, each of the functions and / or processing capabilities described with respect to a particular device or component may be performed by any other device or component. Although various illustrative implementations and architectures have been described in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, one skilled in the art will recognize that numerous other modifications of the illustrative implementations and architectures described herein also fall within the scope of this disclosure.Certain aspects of the disclosure are described above with reference to block and flow diagrams of systems, methods, apparatus, and / or computer program products according to example embodiments. It will be appreciated that one or more blocks of the block diagrams and flowcharts, as well as combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flowcharts, may be implemented by the execution of computer-executable program instructions. Likewise, in some embodiments, some blocks of the block diagrams and flowcharts need not necessarily be executed in the illustrated order or not at all. Further, in certain embodiments, additional components and / or operations may be present that are beyond those illustrated in the blocks of the block and / or flowcharts.Accordingly, the blocks of the block diagrams and flowcharts support combinations of means for executing the specified functions, combinations of elements or steps for executing the specified functions, and means for program instruction for executing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flowcharts, may be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions, elements, or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.ILLUSTRATIVE COMPUTER ARCHITECTUREFIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of one or more illustrative computer system(s) 600 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The computer system(s) 600 may comprise any suitable computer device(s) including, but not limited to, a server system, a voice interaction device, a mobile device such as a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a wearable device, or the like; a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a content streaming device, or the like. The computer system(s) 600 may / may correspond to an illustrative device configuration for the device(s) of FIGS. 1-5B. For example, the computer system(s) 600 may / may control one or more aspects of the robotic hand tools and / or arm end tools described in FIGS. 1-5B, such as determining whether to grasp items, determining positioning of the arm end tool, determining when and at what distance to activate the suction or vacuum flow, determining when and how long to actuate the grasp elements, and so forth.The computer system(s) 600 may / may be configured to communicate with one or more servers, user devices, cameras, or the like. The computer system(s) 600 / s may be configured to identify items, retrieve items or containers, move items or containers, and so forth.The computer system(s) 600 may / may be configured to communicate over one or more networks. Such network / networks(s) may / may include one or more different types of communication networks, such as, but not limited to, cable networks, public networks (e.g., the Internet), private networks (e.g., frame relay networks), wireless networks, cellular networks, telephone networks (e.g., a public telephone network), or other suitable private or public packet switched or circuit switched networks. Moreover, such network / networks(s) may have any communication range and may include, for example, global networks (e.g., the Internet), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), or personal area networks (PANs). Moreover, such network(s) may / may include communication links and associated network devices (e.g., link layer switches, routers, etc.) for transmitting network traffic over any suitable type of medium, including, but not limited to, coaxial cables, twisted pair wires (e.g., copper twisted pair wires), optical fibers, a hybrid fiber coaxial medium (HFC), a microwave medium, a radio frequency communication medium, a satellite communication medium, or any combination thereof.In an illustrative configuration, the computer system(s) 600 may include one or more processor(s) (processor(s)) 602, one or more storage devices 604 (also referred to herein as memory 604), one or more input / output (I / O) interface(s) 606, one or more network interface(s) 608, one or more sensor(s) or sensor interface(s) 610, one or more transceivers 612, one or more optional display(s) 614, one or more optional microphone(s) 616, and a data store 620. The computer system(s) 600 may also include one or more bus(s) 618 that operatively connect / connect various components of the computer system / systems 600. The computer system(s) 600 may further include one or more antenna(s) 630, which may include, without limitation, a cellular antenna for transmitting or receiving signals to / from a cellular network infrastructure, an antenna for transmitting or receiving Wi-Fi signals to / from an access point (AP), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna for receiving GNSS signals from a GNSS satellite, a Bluetooth antenna for transmitting or receiving Bluetooth signals, a near field communication (NFC) antenna for transmitting or receiving NFC signals, etc. These various components are described in more detail below.The bus(s) 618 may / may include at least one of a system bus, a memory bus, an address bus, or a message bus, and may enable the exchange of information (e.g., data (including computer-executable code), signaling, etc.) between various components of the computer system / systems 600. The bus(s) 618 may / may include, without limitation, a memory bus or controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, etc. Bus(s) 618 may / may be connected to any suitable bus architecture, including, without limitation, an industry standard architecture (ISA), a micro channel architecture (MCA), an enhanced ISA (EISA), a video electronics standards association (VESA) architecture, an accelerated graphics port (AGP) architecture, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) architecture, a PCI express architecture, a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) architecture, a universal serial bus (USB) architecture, and so on.The memory 604 of the computer system / systems 600 may include volatile memory (memory that maintains its state when powered) such as random access memory (RAM) and / or nonvolatile memory (memory that maintains its state even when not powered) such as read only memory (ROM), flash memory, ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), etc. As used herein, persistent storage may include non-volatile memory. In certain embodiments, volatile memory may allow for faster read / write access than nonvolatile memory. However, in certain other embodiments, certain types of non-volatile memory (e.g., FRAM) may allow for faster read / write access than certain types of volatile memory.In various implementations, the memory 604 may include multiple different types of memory, such as different types of static random access memory (SRAM), different types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), different types of fixed ROM, and / or writable variants of ROM, such as electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc. The memory 604 may include both main memory and various forms of cache memory, such as instruction cache(s), data cache(s), translation lookaside buffer(s) (TLBs), etc. Moreover, a cache memory, e.g., a data cache, may be a multi-level cache organized as a hierarchy of one or more levels of cache (L1, L2, etc.).The data storage 620 may include removable memory and / or non-removable memory, including, but not limited to, magnetic storage, optical disk storage, and / or tape storage. The data store 620 may provide non-transitory storage of computer-executable instructions and other data. The memory 604 and the removable and / or non-removable data store 620 are examples of computer readable storage media (CRSM) as used herein.The data store 620 may store computer-executable code, instructions, or the like, which may be loaded into the memory 604 and executed by the processor(s) 602 to cause the processor(s) 602 to perform or initiate various operations. The data store 620 may additionally store data that may be copied to the memory 604 for use by the processor(s) 602 during execution of the computer-executable instructions. Moreover, output data generated as a result of the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor(s) 602 may be stored in the memory 604 first and may be ultimately copied to the data store 620 for non-transitory storage.In particular, the data store 620 may store one or more operating systems (O / S) 622, one or more database management systems (DBMS) 624, and one or more program module(s), applications, engines, computer-executable code, scripts, or the like. Some or all of these modules may be sub-modules. Each of the illustrated components stored in the data store 620 may include any combination of software, firmware, and / or hardware. The software and / or firmware may include computer executable code, instructions, or the like, which may be loaded into the memory 604 to be executed by one or more of the processors 602. Each of the components shown as stored in the data store 620 may support functions described with reference to the corresponding components mentioned above in this disclosure.The data store 620 may also store various types of data used by the components of the computer system / systems 600. Any data stored in the data store 620 may be loaded into the memory 604 for use by the processor(s) 602 in executing computer-executable code. Moreover, any data that is represented as being stored in the data store 620 may potentially be stored in one or more data store(s) and retrieved via the DBMS 624 and loaded into the memory 604 to be used by the processor(s) 602 in executing computer-executable code. The data store / stores may / may include, but are not limited to, databases (e.g., relational, object-oriented, etc.), file systems, flat files, distributed data stores in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, peer-to-peer network data stores, or the like.The processor(s) 602 / s may be configured to access the memory 604 and execute the computer-executable instructions loaded therein. For example, the processor(s) 602 / may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions of the various program module(s), applications, machines, or the like of the computer system / systems 600 to cause or facilitate various operations performed in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The processor(s) 602 / s may include any suitable processing unit capable of accepting data as input, processing the input data in accordance with stored computer-executable instructions, and generating output data. The processor(s) 602 may / may include any type of suitable processing unit, including, but not limited to, a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor, a complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), and so forth. Moreover, the processor(s) 602 may have any suitable microarchitecture that includes any number of components, such as registers, multiplexers, arithmetic logic units, cache controllers to control reads / writes in cache memory, branch predictors, and the like. The microarchitecture of the processor / processors 602 may support a plurality of instruction sets.With reference to other illustrative components shown as stored in the data store 620, the O / S 622 may be loaded from the data store 620 into the memory 604 and may interface other application software executing on the computer system(s) 600 and the hardware resources of the computer system / systems 600. In particular, the O / S 622 may include a set of computer-executable instructions for managing the hardware resources of the computer system / systems 600 and providing shared services to other application programs (e.g., managing memory allocation between different application programs). In certain embodiments, the O / S 622 may control the execution of the other program module(s). Operating system 622 may include any operating system known or to be developed in the future, including, but not limited to, a server operating system, a mainframe operating system, or other proprietary or non-proprietary operating system.The DBMS 624 may be loaded into the memory 604, and may support functions for accessing, retrieving, storing, and / or processing data stored in the memory 604 and / or the data storage 620. The DBMS 624 may use a variety of database models (e.g., relational model, object model, etc.) and may support a variety of query languages. The DBMS 624 may access data represented in one or more data schemes and stored in any suitable data storage, including, but not limited to, databases (e.g., relational, object-oriented, etc.), file systems, flat files, distributed data storages in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, peer-to-peer network data storage, or the like. In the embodiments where the computer system(s) 600 is / are a mobile device, the DBMS 624 may be any suitable lightweight DBMS optimized for execution on a mobile device.Referring now to other illustrative components of the computer system / systems 600, the input / output (I / O) interface(s) 606 may facilitate receipt of input information by the computer system(s) 600 from one or more I / O devices as well as output of information from the computer system 600 to the one or more I / O devices. The I / O devices may include a variety of components, such as a display or display screen having a touch-sensitive surface or touch screen, an audio output device for generating sound, such as a speaker, an audio capture device, such as a microphone, an image and / or video capture device, such as a camera, a haptic unit, and so forth. Each of these components may be integrated into the computer system(s) 600 or may be separate. The I / O devices may also include any number of peripheral devices, such as data storage devices, printing devices, and so forth.The I / O interface(s) 606 may also include an interface for interfacing an external peripheral device, such as a universal serial bus (USB), FireWir, Thunderbolt, Ethernet port, or other connection protocol capable of connecting to one or more networks. The I / O interface(s) 606 may also include a connection to one or more of the antenna(s) 630 to connect to one or more networks via a wireless local area network (WLAN) (such as Wi-Fi) radio, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and / or a wireless network radio, such as a radio capable of communicating with a wireless communication network such as a long term evolution (LTE) network, WiMAX network, 3G network, ZigBee network, etc.The computer system(s) 600 may further include one or more network interface(s) 608 through which the computer system(s) 600 may communicate with a variety of other systems, platforms, networks, devices, etc. For example, the network interface(s) 608 can / can enable communication with one or more wireless routers, one or more host servers, one or more web servers, and the like, via one or more networksAntenna(s) 630 may include any suitable type of antenna depending on, for example, the communication protocols used to transmit or receive signals via antenna(s) 630. Non-limiting examples of suitable antennas may include directional antennas, omnidirectional antennas, dipole antennas, folded dipole antennas, patch antennas, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, or the like. Antenna(s) 630 may / may be communicatively coupled to one or more transceivers 612 or radio components to or from which signals may be transmitted or received.As described above, the antenna(s) 630 may comprise a cellular antenna configured to transmit or receive signals in accordance with established standards and protocols, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3G standards (e.g., Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), CDMA2000, etc.), 4G standards (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE), WiMax, etc.), direct satellite communication, or the like.Antenna(s) 630 may additionally or alternatively comprise a Wi-Fi antenna configured to transmit or receive signals in accordance with established standards and protocols, such as the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, including over 2.4 GHz channels (e.g., 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n), 5 GHz channels (e.g., 802.11n, 802.11ac), or 60 GHz channels (e.g., 802.11ad). In alternative embodiments, antenna(s) 630 may be configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals within any suitable frequency range that is part of the unlicensed part of the radio spectrum.Antenna(s) 630 may additionally or alternatively comprise a GNSS antenna configured to receive GNSS signals from three or more GNSS satellites carrying time position information to triangulate a position therefrom. Such a GNSS antenna may be configured to receive GNSS signals from any current or scheduled GNSS, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), GLONASS system, the Compass Navigation System, the Galileo system, or the Indian Regional Navigation System.The transceiver / s 612 may include (any) suitable radio component(s) to transmit or receive, in cooperation with the antenna(s) 630, radio frequency (RF) signals in the bandwidth and / or channels conforming to the communication protocols used by the computer system(s) 600 for communication with other devices. The transceiver / s 612 may include hardware, software, and / or firmware for modulating, transmitting, or receiving, possibly in cooperation with one of the antennas 630, communication signals according to any of the communication protocols discussed above, including, but not limited to, one or more Wi-Fi and / or Wi-Fi direct protocols as standardized by the IEEE 802.11 standards, one or more non-Wi-Fi protocols, or one or more cellular communication protocols or standards. The transceiver / s 612 may / (may also include hardware, firmware, or software for receiving GNSS signals. The transceiver / s 612 may include any known receiver and baseband suitable for communication via the communication protocols used by the computer system(s) 600. The transceiver / s 612 may also include a low noise amplifier (LNA), additional signal amplifiers, an analog-to-digital converter (A / D), one or more buffers, digital baseband, or the like.The sensor(s) / sensor interface(s) 610 may include or be capable of interfacing with any suitable type of measurement device, such as inertial sensors, force sensors, thermal sensors, photocells, etc. Example types of inertial sensors may include accelerometers (e.g., MEMS-based accelerometers), gyroscopes, and so forth.The optional display(s) 614 may / may be configured to output light and / or render content. The optional speaker / microphone(s) 616 / may represent any device configured to receive analog audio inputs or voice data.It should be appreciated that the program module(s) shown in FIG. 6, applications, computer-executable instructions, code, or the like stored in the data store 620 are illustrative only and not exhaustive, and that the processing described as being supported by a particular module may alternatively be distributed across multiple modules or executed by another module. Moreover, (a) various program module(s), script(s), plug-in(s), application programming interface(s) (APIs), or any other suitable computer-executable code / s) that are hosted locally on the computer system(s) 600 and / or hosted on other computer(s) that are / are accessible via one or more networks may be provided to support the functions provided by the program module(s), applications, or computer-executable code shown in FIG. 6, and / or additional or alternative functions. Moreover, the functionality may be modularized differently so that the processing described as being supported overall by the collection of program module(s) depicted in FIG. 6 may be performed by a fewer or greater number of module(s), or that the functionality described as being supported by a particular module may be supported at least partially by another module. Moreover, program module(s) that / support the functionality described herein may be part of one or more applications that may be executed over any number of systems or devices in accordance with a suitable computer model, such as a client-server model, a peer-to-peer model, etc. Moreover, any of the functions described as supported by any of the program module(s) shown in FIG. 6 may be implemented at least in part in hardware and / or firmware on any number of devices.It should be further appreciated that computer system(s) 600 may / may include alternative and / or additional hardware, software, or firmware components beyond those described or illustrated without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In particular, it should be appreciated that the software, firmware, or hardware components depicted as part of the computer system / systems 600 are merely illustrative and that some components may not be present or additional components may be provided in various embodiments. While various illustrative program modules have been illustrated and described as software module(s) stored in the data store 620, it should be appreciated that the functionality described as being supported by the program module(s) may be enabled by any combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. It should be further noted that each of the above-mentioned modules may represent a logical partitioning of the supported functionality in various embodiments. This logical partitioning is presented for ease of explanation of functionality and may not be representative of the structure of software, hardware, and / or firmware for implementing the functionality. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the functionality described as being provided by a particular module may be provided, in various embodiments, at least in part by one or more other module(s). Further, in certain embodiments, one or more illustrated module(s) may be absent, while in other embodiments, (a) additional module(s), not illustrated module(s) may be / may be present that may / may support at least a portion of the described functionality and / or additional functionality. Moreover, while (a) particular module(s) may be illustrated and described as submodule(s) of another module, in certain embodiments, such module(s) may / may be provided as independent module(s) or submodule(s) of (another module / modules.The program module(s) disclosed herein, applications, or the like, may / may include one or more software components, such as software objects, methods, data structures, or the like. Each such software component may include computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause at least a portion of the functionality described herein (e.g., one or more operations of the example methods described herein) to be executed.A software component may be encoded in one of the various programming languages. An example programming language may be a low-level programming language, such as an assembly language, associated with a particular hardware architecture and / or operating system platform. A software component including assembly language instructions may require conversion to executable machine code by an assembler prior to execution by the hardware architecture and / or platform.Another example programming language may be a high level programming language that is transferable to multiple architectures. A software component containing high-level programming language instructions may require conversion to an intermediate representation prior to execution by an interpreter or compiler.Other examples of programming languages include a macro language, a shell or command language, a job control language, a scripting language, a database query or search language, or a language for writing reports. In one or more embodiments, a software component containing instructions in any of the foregoing programming languages may be executed directly by an operating system or other software component without having to be previously converted to another form.A software component may be stored in the form of a file or other data storage construct. Software components of a similar type or related functions may be stored together, e.g., in a particular directory, folder, or library. Software components may be static (e.g., pre-determined or fixed) or dynamic (e.g., created or changed at the time of execution).Software components may invoke or be invoked by other software components by a variety of mechanisms. Invoked or invoking software components may include other custom-designed application software, operating system functions (e.g., device drivers, data storage routines (e.g., file management), other general routines and services, etc.), or third party software components (e.g., middleware, encryption or other security software, database management software, file transfer or other network communication software, mathematical or statistical software, image processing software, and format translation software).Software components associated with a particular solution or system may be stored and executed on a single platform or distributed across multiple platforms. These platforms may be connected to more than one hardware manufacturer, underlying chip technology, or operating system. Moreover, software components associated with a particular solution or system may be originally written in one or more programming languages, but may invoke software components written in a different programming language.Computer-executable program instructions may be loaded onto a special purpose computer or other particular machine, processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a particular machine, such that execution of the instructions on the computer, processor, or other programmable data processing devices causes one or more functions or operations indicated in the flowcharts to be executed. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium (CRSM), which, when executed, may direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that perform one or more functions or operations indicated in the flowcharts. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device to cause a series of operating elements or steps to be executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process.Other types of CRSMs that may be present in the devices described herein include programmable random access memory (PRAM), SRAM, DRAM, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the information and that can be accessed. Combinations of the above media also fall within the scope of the CRSM. Alternatively, computer readable communication media (CRCM) may also include computer readable instructions, program module(s), or other data transmitted in a data signal, e.g., a carrier wave, or other transmission. However, the term CRSM as used herein does not include CRCM.Although the embodiments have been described in language related to structural features and / or methodological acts, the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. Conditional terms such as "may", "could", "would", or "may", unless expressly stated otherwise or otherwise understood in the context, are generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not include these. Therefore, it is generally not intended to suggest by such conditional wording that features, elements and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic to decide, with or without user input or prompt, whether these features, elements and / or steps are included or are to be executed in a particular embodiment.

Claims

A system comprising: a robot handler; and an article handler connected to the robot handler, the article handler comprising: a holder; a first gripping member connected to the holder, the first gripping member comprising a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and a first opening disposed on the first outer side surface; a second gripping member connected to the holder, the second gripping member comprising a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and a second opening disposed on the second outer side surface, the second inner side surface opposing the first inner side surface of the first gripping member; and a vacuum system coupled to the first gripping member and the second gripping member such that a vacuum flow is directed to the first opening and the second opening.The system of claim 1, wherein the article handling device is configured to grasp an article with the first outer side surface or the second outer side surface.The system of claim 1, wherein the first outer side surface of the first gripping member forms an acute angle with respect to the first inner side surface; and wherein the first gripping member further comprises: a base portion connected to the bracket; and a cut-out portion disposed between the base portion and the first opening.The system of claim 1, further comprising: an actuator connected to the first gripping member and the second gripping member, wherein the actuator is configured to cause the first gripping member and the second gripping member to move toward each other.An article handling apparatus comprising: a first gripping member comprising a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and a first opening disposed on the first outer side surface; and a second gripping member comprising a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and a second opening disposed on the second outer side surface, wherein the second inner side surface is opposed to the first inner side surface; wherein the article handling apparatus is configured to direct a vacuum flow to at least one of the first opening or the second opening such that a first article can be gripped by suction to the first outer side surface or the second outer side surface.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first outer side surface of the first gripping member forms an acute angle with respect to the first inner side surface; and wherein the first gripping member further comprises: a base portion; and a cut-out portion disposed between the base portion and the first opening.The article handling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cut-out portion extends over more than half of the length of the first gripping member.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first opening has a parallelogram-shaped geometry.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first gripping member further comprises: a third opening disposed adjacent to the first opening.The article handling apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first gripping member further comprises an air chamber in fluid communication with both the third opening and the first opening.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: a first actuator configured to cause the second gripping member to move toward the first gripping member.The article handling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the article handling apparatus is configured to grip a second article between the first gripping member and the second gripping member.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: a controller configured to: cause a vacuum flow to be directed onto the first gripping member; cause the first gripping member to be positioned adjacent the first article; and cause the first article to be gripped with the first outer side surface by a vacuum flow through the first opening.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: one or more sensors for obtaining data associated with the first article, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of the following sensors: an optical sensor, a camera, a force sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, or a weight sensor.The article handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the article handling apparatus is connected to a robotic handler by a quick-attach mating connector, and wherein the article handling apparatus is configured to rotate at least 90 degrees with respect to the robotic handler.A robotic system comprising: a vacuum system; and an article handling apparatus comprising: a first gripping member comprising a first inner side surface, a first outer side surface, and a first opening disposed on the first outer side surface; and a second gripping member comprising a second inner side surface, a second outer side surface, and a second opening disposed on the second outer side surface, wherein the second inner side surface is opposite the first inner side surface; wherein the article handling apparatus is configured to direct a vacuum flow from the vacuum system to the first opening and the second opening such that a first article can be gripped by suction to the first outer side surface or the second outer side surface.The robotic system of claim 16, wherein the first outer side surface of the first gripping member forms an acute angle with respect to the first inner side surface; and wherein the first gripping member further comprises: a base portion; and a cut-out portion disposed between the base portion and the first opening.The robotic system of claim 16, wherein the first gripping member further comprises: a third opening disposed adjacent to the first opening.The robotic system of claim 16, wherein the article handling device further comprises: a first actuator configured to cause the second gripping member to move toward the first gripping member.The robotic system of claim 19, wherein the article handling device is configured to grasp a second article between the first gripping member and the second gripping member.

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