Food-grade robotic gripper for automated production work cell

US11542103B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• RIOS Intelligent Machines, Inc.

Inventors

• Christopher A. Paulson · Redwood City, US
• Nicholas L. Choi · South San Francisco, US
• Leo Keselman · Menlo Park, US
• Laura L. Sullivan · Redwood City, US
• Kent Evans · Sunnyvale, US
• Laura Stelzner · Mountain View, US
• Clinton Smith · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 29, 2021
• Grant date: Jan 3, 2023
• Expiry date: Aug 12, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65G2201/0202
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

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.