Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Persimmon Technologies Corporation

Brooks Automation Gmbh

Leonard Thomas Lilliston, Iii

Beth A Marcus

Martin Hosek

Sripati Sah

Gregory Coleman

Timothy G Dietz

Manikantan Nambi

Erica Aduh

Parris S Wellman

Jayaraman Krishnasamy

Michael James O'Connor

Andrew Dominic Marchese

Felipe De Arruda Camargo Polido

Scott Hopkinson

Margaret Jean Williams George

Jonas Eichenberger

Mathias Moser

Dominique Ernst

Ueli Schlaepfer

A vacuum-gripper end effector conforms to and grasps items upon application of vacuum force and/or actuation of one or more actuators. The vacuum-gripper assembly can be round in top view or can be rectangular. At least three linear actuators deform the vacuum-gripper assembly. Four linear actuators may be spaced equidistantly apart on a square or rectangular vacuum-gripper assembly to enhance functionality of the vacuum-gripper, such as being capable of simultaneously engaging three sides formed at a corner of a box. A one-way actuation type air cylinder may be used. A low friction air cylinder may be returned to its retracted position by the resilience of the vacuum-gripper assembly.

Multi-piston, vacuum gripper assembly

A method including: locating a shaft of a rotor relative to a stator of a motor, locating a robot arm mount on the shaft, temporarily stationarily fixing the robot arm mount relative to the stator at a predetermined rotational location relative to the stator, and while the robot arm mount is temporarily stationarily fixed relative to the stator at the predetermined rotational location, stationarily fixing the robot arm mount to the shaft by a connection, where the connection allows the robot arm mount to be stationarily fixed to the shaft at one of a plurality of angular orientations.

Robot having predetermined orientation

Aspects described herein include an end effector capable of prehending items using impactive and astrictive forces. The end effector includes an interface system having a deformable mounting plate and a pliable body member attached to the mounting plate. The end effector further includes a linkage system between a plurality of actuators and the interface system. The linkage system connects to lateral portions of the mounting plate.

Linkage system for prehending objects using impactive forces

A mechanically intelligent end-of-arm tool includes a valve that is actuated by the action of the arm, such that a force applied to the object to be grasped opens the valve to expose a suction cup to the vacuum pressure. A spool valve, poppet valve, and butterfly valve, et al., can perform the valve function. The tool may include a button that has a rigid contact surface or may be deformable to provide a smoothing force to the object.

Mechanically intelligent end-of-arm tool

An actuator for a suction-cup end effector bends or deforms in response to air pressure within bladders in the actuator. Air bladders of the actuator apply bending moments to rigid flange structures, which transmit the moments to a base layer of the actuator. Grasping elements may be used.

Actuator and gripper assembly

An articulating end-of-arm tool includes back-drive capability. The tool has a cable drive including a vertically oriented capstan head, a pair of idler pulleys, a driven pulley and a tensioner. The driven pulley pivot on a hollow shaft, through which a vacuum channel passes. The vacuum channel extends through the length of the body, including past the vertically oriented motor. The driven pulley is within 10 degrees of perpendicular of the longitudinal axis of the tool.

Articulating suction cup tool

An end-of-arm tool includes concentric rings of suction cups. The pneumatic actuators control the extension of suction cups, and are actuated in rings. Each suction cup is longitudinally retractable in response to a force applied to an item and has a compliant suction cup. Each ring has a vacuum control. Each ring can have its own compliance.

Concentric suction cup array including actuators and compliance

An apparatus including a stator configured to be stationarily connected to a housing; and a rotor configured to have a robot arm connected thereto. The rotor includes a shaft and an robot arm mount adjustably connected to the shaft. The stator and the rotor include mechanical reference locators to temporarily stationarily locate the robot arm mount to the stator for subsequently stationarily fixing the robot arm mount to the shaft.

Robot arm mount with temporary mechanical reference locator

Robot having interchangeability features

An apparatus for gripping a substrate on its peripheral edge including a substrate support having proximate and distal ends, at least one distal rest pad disposed at the distal end, the at least one distal rest pad includes a back stop portion and is configured to support the peripheral edge of the substrate, at least one proximate rest pad disposed at the proximate end, the at least one proximate rest pad being configured to support the peripheral edge of the substrate, and an active contact member assembly disposed at the proximate end, the active contact member assembly including a pusher member, a contact member and a rotatable coupling member that are reciprocably movable towards the distal end for urging the substrate against the back stop portion, the contact member being rotatably secured to the pusher member and free to rotate about an axis of the rotatable coupling member.

Growing community of inventors

Roxbury, MA, United States of America

Leonard Thomas Lilliston, Iii