The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2018
Soft Robotics, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Jeffrey Curhan, Warwick, RI (US);
Craig Demello, Newfields, NH (US);
Thomas Womersley, Newton, MA (US);
Soft Robotics, Inc., Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
Robotic grippers have been employed to grasp and manipulate target objects. One task posing relatively unique problems is the handling of meat products, which can be difficult to grasp with a conventional gripper due to the surface texture and malleability of the meat, among other factors. This is particularly problematic when the meat product includes a bone, which has different properties from the relatively malleable meat surrounding it. Exemplary embodiments described herein provide robotic grippers having one or more fingers and a layered plate. The layered structure defines grooves sized and configured to lead in and capture the bone structure of the meat product. The grooves provide a backstop for the meat as well as preventing rotation or translation of the bone structure, thus allowing a firm grasp to be secured on the meat product.