Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Irobot Corporation

Witricity Corporation

Jude R Jonas

Ennio Claretti

Andrew Dominic Marchese

Russell Walter Morin

David Orrin Swett

Harold Boeschenstein

Dragan Pajevic

Gregory Coleman

Bertan Atamer

Areej Pirzada

Justin Thomas Juranovits

Peter Thomas Colantonio

Erica Aduh

Morris P Kesler

Beth A Marcus

Stephen Albert Hickey

Eric Burbank

Oliver Lewis

Manikantan Nambi

Stephen T Campbell

Noah Scott Wieckowski

Kevin John Trenholme

David Michael Lewis

Craig Ropi

David William Guerin

Christopher Robin Grace

Robert Kevin Katzschmann

Kristin Covelle

Matthew Michael Budnick

Gregory Thomas Merlino

Andre B Kurs

Michel Bruehwiler

Konrad J Kulikowski

Michael James O'Connor

Felipe De Arruda Camargo Polido

Arunanshu Mohan Roy

Noam Katz

Timothy Joseph Jordan

Matthew Anthony Brady

Matthew J MacDonald

Jennifer Pagani

Jonathan Sirota

Hamik Amirkhani

Kristine Bunker-Moore

Barbara Maia Araujo Lima

Benjamin Fritz Schilling

A mobile robot includes a body configured to traverse a surface and to receive debris from the surface, and a debris bin within the body. The debris bin includes a chamber to hold the debris received by the mobile robot, an exhaust port through which the debris exits the debris bin; and a door unit over the exhaust port. The door unit includes a flap configured to move, in response to air pressure at the exhaust port, between a closed position to cover the exhaust port and an open position to open a path between the chamber and the exhaust port. The door unit, including the flap in the open position and in the closed position, is within an exterior surface of the mobile robot.

Evacuation station

Examples described herein are directed to methods, computer-readable media, and systems for controlling an end of arm tool with one or more suction zones to pick up an item. Sensor data regarding the item is obtained. The sensor data is used to determine which of the one or more suction zones should be used to pick up the item. A rotational orientation is also determined that orients the determined suction zone(s) with the item. The end of arm tool is then instructed to create a suction force at the one or more suction zones and to pick up the item using the suction force.

Rotating end of arm tool including asymmetrical independently controllable suction zones

An apparatus includes a suction cup, a fitting, and a filter. The suction cup defines an interior cavity with a first opening and a second opening. The fitting is coupled to the suction cup. The fitting includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the fitting defines a chamber. The second portion of the fitting is positioned within the interior cavity and is coupled to the first portion of the fitting to secure the first portion of the fitting to the suction cup. The filter is positioned within the chamber such that the suction cup and the fitting define a passage from the second opening, through the interior cavity, and through the chamber and the filter.

Suction cup filtration fitting

An apparatus includes a bellows and a lip. The bellows defines an interior cavity. The lip is coupled to the bellows such that the lip is concentric with the bellows. The lip extends away from the bellows in a radial direction and in a vertical direction such that the lip forms a cup shape. The bellows and the lip define a passage from the lip through the interior cavity. The lip includes a rib on an outer surface of the lip such that the rib extends along the outer surface of the lip and away from the bellows in the radial direction and in the vertical direction.

Suction cup design for varying packages

An example apparatus of the present disclosure may include an end effector. The end effector may include a pair of actuator-driven fingers that each include a compliant tip. The compliant tips may be used to scoop underneath items as part of item manipulation.

Compliant finger tip for item manipulation

A mobile cleaning robot includes a removable filter unit configured to receive a supply airflow generated by a blower and to filter debris from the supply airflow, a filter seat, a filter access opening, a filter access door, and a filter presence system. The filter access door is pivotable between a closed position, wherein the filter access door covers the filter access opening, and an open position, wherein the filter access door is displaced from the filter access opening to permit access to the filter seat. The filter presence system is configured to: permit the filter access door to move from the open position into the closed position when the filter unit is disposed in the filter seat; and prevent the filter access door from being moved into the closed position when the filter unit is not disposed in the filter seat. The filter presence system includes a lift arm movable between an extended position and a retracted position. When the filter access door is open, the lift arm assumes the extended position to receive the filter unit in the filter seat. Moving the filter access door from the open position into the closed position when the filter unit is disposed in the filter seat causes the lift arm to move to the retracted position.

Debris bins and mobile cleaning robots including same

Systems and methods to test robotic end effectors may comprise a testing rig having variable mass properties. The testing rig may include a variable weight assembly and a movement assembly that can adjust a position or orientation of the variable weight assembly. In this manner, the testing rig can be modified to simulate or replicate mass properties of a plurality of items, and grasp performance of a robotic end effector may be measured using the testing rig. Further, simulation models of end effectors and items may be validated based on actual grasp performance of a robotic end effector and the testing rig having variable mass properties.

Testing rigs having variable mass properties for robotic end effectors and associated methods of use

Examples described herein are directed to an item manipulation system that includes an end of arm tool. The end of arm tool includes a suction manifold including multiple independently controllable asymmetrical suction zones. The end of arm tool is also configured to rotate about a tool axis to selectively align the independently controllable asymmetrical suction zones with target items for manipulation.

A mobile drive unit includes a pivot between the front chassis unit and the rear chassis unit, which both support a support structure that pivotally supports a payload housing. The mobile drive unit can have a sensor and control system.

Mobile drive unit having a conveyor module

Finger assemblies at the end of a robotic arm end effector includes talon that are retractable. Retraction may be accomplished by a vertical or horizontal barrel cam, a paddle and spin assembly, and/or a resilient plate. A method includes contacting a portion of a finger body against a datum.

Finger assembly having a talon and spin paddle actuation

Finger assemblies at the end of a robotic arm end effector includes talon that are retractable. Retraction may be accomplished by a vertical or horizontal barrel cam, a paddle and spin assembly, and/or a resilient plate.

Finger assembly having a spring-biased talon

A drive unit with a cleaning module for cleaning an inventory system includes a frame, a drive module, a blower module, and at least one cleaning module mounted to the frame. The drive module includes at least two drive wheels that can move the unit, and the blower module can generate negative pressure in a debris container for applying to one or more cleaning modules. A first cleaning module includes a rotating brush and spans a cleaning path at least as wide as the drive wheels of the drive module as the drive unit with a cleaning module operates. Some cleaning-enabled drive units can include a bifurcation of the first cleaning module to avoid damaging fiducial markings in the inventory system. Such units include a second cleaning module with a stationary brush positioned in line with the bifurcation to clean the fiducial markings along the cleaning path without causing damage.

Automated drive units with cleaning modules for inventory systems

Growing community of inventors

Hudson, NH, United States of America

Jude R Jonas