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:
Jan. 03, 2023
Filed:
Jul. 29, 2021
Rios Intelligent Machines, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Christopher A. Paulson, Belmont, CA (US);
Nicholas L. Choi, South San Francisco, CA (US);
Leo Keselman, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Laura L. Sullivan, Redwood City, CA (US);
Kent A. Evans, Cupertino, CA (US);
Laura Stelzner, Redwood City, CA (US);
Clinton J. Smith, San Francisco, CA (US);
RIOS Intelligent Machines, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US);
Abstract
An automated food production work cell includes a robotic system that utilizes a food-grade robotic gripper to transfer individual food items. The robotic gripper is constructed using food-grade materials and includes finger structures that are linearly movably connected by linear bearings to parallel guide rods and are independently driven by a non-contact actuating system to grasp targeted food items disposed on a first work surface, to hold the targeted food items while the robotic system moves the gripper to a second work surface, and to release the targeted food items onto the second work surface. Encoding and external sensing systems facilitate fully automated food transfer processes. Optional sensor arrays are disposed on tip portions of the finger structures to provide feedback data (e.g., grasping force/pressure). Two or more pairs of independently controlled finger structures are provided to facilitate the transfer of multiple food items during each transfer process.