Robotic gripper with integrated tactile sensor arrays

US11433555B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• RIOS Intelligent Machines, Inc.

Inventors

• Clinton Smith · San Francisco, US
• Christopher A. Paulson · Redwood City, US
• Christopher Lalau Keraly · San Francisco, US
• Matthew E. Shaffer · Menlo Park, US
• Bernard D. Casse · Saratoga, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 2020
• Grant date: Sep 6, 2022
• Expiry date: Jan 29, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/39532
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A robotic gripper (end effector) for an arm-type robotic system includes a hierarchical sensor architecture that utilizes a central data processing circuit to generate rich sensory tactile data in response to pressure, temperature, vibration and/or proximity sensor data generated by finger-mounted sensor groups in response to interactions between the robotic gripper and a target object during robotic system operations. The rich sensory tactile data is used to generate feedback signals that directly control finger actuators and/or tactile information that is supplied to the robotic system's control circuit. Sensor data processing circuits are configured to receive single-sensor data signals in parallel from the sensor groups, and to transmit corresponding finger-level sensor data signal on a serial bus/signal line to the central data processing circuit. Each sensor group and an associated sensor data processing circuit are disposed on a PCB structure and mounted on a contact portion of an associated gripper finger.