The Boeing Company

Daniel M Simunovic

James J Troy

Gary E Georgeson

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Stafford Cary

End effectors and systems may capture, release, and/or create a mating engagement between the end effector and a target object, such as in capture and launch applications, grasping applications, or pick-and-place applications. The end effectors are tolerant of positional and rotational misalignment of the target object, and may include a plurality of roller wheels, one or more of which is arranged in a non-parallel plane with respect to one or more other roller wheels. Control devices enable operation of these and other end effectors in a portable, self-contained system that a single operator can use in a hand-held or wearable form factor. The control devices may include a drive system for power transfer, manual and automatic leveling or angular positioning mechanisms, and/or operator-mounting features. Related methods may involve capture and release, pick-and-place, and/or grasping operations performed with the disclosed control device and one or more end effectors coupled thereto.

Control devices for end effectors with multi-axis roller wheels, systems including the same, and related methods

An apparatus may include: a support base; and two or more roller wheels, each adjustable in orientation, position, or orientation and position, mounted on the support base and configured to engage with an object in a passive locking configuration. The apparatus may be further configured to disengage from the object in the passive locking configuration. The apparatus may be further configured to lock the object to the apparatus in an active locking configuration. Orientations, positions, or the orientations and positions of the at least two of the two or more roller wheels may be adjustable.

Apparatuses configured to allow real-time adjustments of locking dimensions

End effectors and systems may capture, release, and/or create a mating engagement between the end effector and a target object. Said end effectors are tolerant of positional and rotational misalignment of the target object, and include a plurality of roller wheels, one or more of which is arranged in a non-parallel plane with respect to one or more other roller wheels. A first roller wheel configured to rotate in a first plane, a second roller wheel configured to rotate in a second plane, and a third roller wheel configured to rotate in a third plane may be arranged such that the end effector is configured to engage a passive receptacle of the target object, to capture the target object. Rotating the roller wheels in the opposite direction may cause the target object to be released or launched, by urging the passive receptacle off of or away from the roller wheels.

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Titusville, FL, United States of America

Daniel M Simunovic