JPWO2020142462A5

JPWO2020142462A5 -

Info

Publication number: JPWO2020142462A5
Application number: JP2021538198A
Authority: JP
Publication date: 2022-10-12

Claims

A robotic end effector configured to provide conformal body interaction, comprising:
one or more fingers, each finger having an inner portion and one or more degrees of freedom;
one or more obstructive conformal pads, each obstructing conformal pad including a bladder positioned on the inner portion of a corresponding finger of the one or more fingers;
The bladder includes a pair of layers sealed about a perimeter, the pair of layers including an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer being substantially planar and the outer layer being , is convex to form a hollow,
each of the one or more obstructive conformal pads is operable in at least two pad configurations, the at least two pad configurations comprising:
a compliant configuration wherein the shape of the obstructing conformal pad is variable to achieve an engagement shape in response to engagement of the obstructing conformal pad with a surface of an object;
a rigid configuration, wherein the hindering conformal pad maintains the engaged shape and is relatively stiff compared to the hindering conformal pad in the compliant configuration;
robot end effector.

The interfering conformal pads are configured to conform to and mate with the surface of the object by distributing over the surface of the object and penetrating any depressions in the surface. defining a mating surface, the one or more obstructing conformal pads being operable to alter compliant properties to alternately alter and maintain the contour of the conformal mating surface. A robotic end effector according to claim 1, comprising an active area.

3. The robotic end effector of claim 2, wherein the conformal engagement surface is an active surface that can alternately change and maintain contour.

the outer layer is conformable to the surface of the object;
The interference conformal pad further includes a filler comprising the bladder, the filler having at least two configurations, the at least two configurations comprising:
a flowable configuration corresponding to the compliant configuration of the interference conformal pad , wherein the filler material flows when the outer layer conforms to the surface ;
static, corresponding to the rigid configuration of the obstructive conformal pad , wherein the filler material is static relative to the filler material in the flowable configuration, and the obstructive conformal pad resists flow of the filler material ; composition, including
A robot end effector according to claim 1 .

A robotic end effector according to claim 4, wherein the filler material further comprises particles.

2. The robotic end effector of claim 1, wherein the obstructing conformal pad is binary operable only in the two compliant and rigid configurations.

2. The robotic end effector of claim 1, wherein the disturbing conformal pad is analog and has multiple different degrees of stiffness between the compliant configuration and the rigid configuration.

The one or more fingers are
further comprising a pair of opposing articulated fingers opposing each other across the gap;
each of the pair of opposed articulated fingers includes thereon at least one of the one or more obstructing conformal pads;
A robot end effector according to claim 1 .

Each jointed finger
further comprising a series of segments comprising adjacent segments movably connected to each other at a joint, having at least a proximal segment and a distal free segment;
the at least one obstructing conformal pad is positioned over at least the articulated distal free segment;
A robot end effector according to claim 8 .

10. The robotic end effector of claim 9, wherein the obstructing conformal pad is positioned on each segment of the articulated finger.

11. The robotic end effector of claim 10, wherein the obstructing conformal pad is a single obstructing conformal pad positioned on the articulated finger and spanning the series of segments and intermediate joints.

11. The robotic end effector of claim 10, wherein the obstruction conformal pad comprises a series of discrete, discrete obstruction conformal pads, each obstruction conformal pad supported by a respective segment of the series of segments. .

further comprising a humanoid hand comprising at least one finger, a palm, and a thumb extending from the palm and opposite the at least one finger;
said obstructive conformal pad is supported by at least said at least one finger and said thumb;
A robot end effector according to claim 1 .

14. The robotic end effector of claim 13, wherein the obstructive conformal pad is positioned on the palm.

The humanoid hand includes a plurality of fingers extending from the palm and opposite the thumb, and the obstructive conformal pad is a single obstructive conformal pad spanning the palm, the fingers and the thumb. 14. The robotic end effector of claim 13, comprising:

wherein said obstructing conformal pad is one of a plurality of discrete obstructing conformal pads, each obstructing conformal pad being supported by a respective one of said palm, said plurality of fingers and said thumb; 16. A robotic end effector according to claim 15.

The obstructive conformal pad comprises :
a filler material within the bladder and flowable within the bladder and comprising particles;
the flow properties of the filler change with the pressure in the bladder, and the compliance of the bladder changes with the flow properties of the filler;
A robot end effector according to claim 1 .

The robotic end effector of claim 1 , wherein the bladder volume varies as a function of pressure within the bladder.

The robotic end effector of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure source operably coupled to the bladder and capable of varying pressure within the bladder.

20. The robotic end effector of claim 19, wherein the pressure source is operable to provide a variable range of pressure within the anterior bladder to provide a variable degree of stiffness to the obstructive conformal pad.

The pressure source is for providing stiffness to the obstructing conformal pads between and including the soft obstructing conformal pads and the rigid obstructing conformal pads. 20. The robotic end effector of claim 19, wherein the pressure within said bladder can also be varied.

20. The robotic end effector of claim 19, wherein the pressure source includes a vacuum source for selectively withdrawing fluid from the bladder.

A robotic end effector according to claim 17, wherein the bladder is flexible and has a variable volume.

18. The bladder changes shape after contact with the object, wherein the filler material flows within the bladder and the particles move relative to each other within the bladder as the bladder changes shape. The robot end effector described in .

The robotic end effector of claim 1 , wherein the bladder is one of a plurality of bladders of the obstructive conformal pad, each of the plurality of bladders containing filler material.

26. The robotic end effector of claim 25, wherein the plurality of bladders are arranged parallel to each other , or wherein the plurality of bladders are arranged in series with respect to each other .

18. The robot end of claim 17, wherein the filler further comprises an interstitial material disposed between the particles, or wherein the filler further comprises a fluid disposed between the particles. effector.

The particles of the filler are elastically compressible , the particles of the filler have an elastic modulus between 0.01 and 3.5 GPa, or the particles of the filler are , having a modulus of elasticity between 50 and 100 GPA .

Said particles of said filler have at least two different moduli of elasticity, alternatively said particles of said filler further comprise particles of at least two different sizes, alternatively said particles of said filler have at least 18. The robotic end effector of claim 17 , which is partially spherical, or wherein the particles of the filler material comprise particles of at least two different shapes .

A robotic end effector configured to provide conformal body interaction, comprising:
A pair of opposable fingers opposing each other across a gap and movable relative to each other to change the size of said gap, each opposable finger having an inner portion and one or more degrees of freedom finger and
a bladder in the inner portion of at least one opposable finger of the pair of opposable fingers, comprising a pair of layers sealed about a perimeter, the pair of layers comprising an inner layer and an outer layer, said inner layer being substantially flat and said outer layer being convex to form a hollow portion ;
a filler material within the bladder and flowable within the bladder and comprising particles;
flow properties of the filler change with pressure in the bladder, compliance of the bladder changes with the flow properties of the filler,
said bladder having said filling material therein,
a compliant configuration wherein the shape of the bladder and the filler material is variable to achieve an engaged shape in response to engagement of the pad with a surface of an object;
a rigid configuration, wherein the bladder and filler maintain the engaged shape and are stiffer than the bladder and filler in the compliant configuration;
having at least two configurations;
robot end effector.

A method of grasping an object having a surface with a robotic end effector comprising:
positioning the object within a gap between a pair of opposable fingers of the robotic end effector;
closing the pair of opposable fingers on the object;
compressing an obstructing conformal pad supported by one of said pair of opposable fingers against said surface of said object, said obstructing conformal pad being distributed over said surface of said object; and defines a conformal engagement surface of the obstructing conformal pad that penetrates any depression in the surface to mate with and mate with the surface, the obstructing conformal pad being aligned with the pair of opposing a bladder disposed on the inner portion of a corresponding finger of a finger, the bladder including a pair of layers sealed about a perimeter, the pair of layers comprising an inner layer and an outer layer compressing , wherein the inner layer is substantially flat and the outer layer is convex to form a hollow ;
stiffening the obstructing conformal pad to maintain the shape of the conformal engagement surface;
Method.