Electroadhesive gripping system with smart brake and metering

Abstract

A system utilizes electroadhesive surfaces for braking and metering objects in an automated environment. An electroadhesive surface can include electrodes that are configured to induce an electrostatic attraction with nearby objects upon application of voltage to the electrodes. The systems described utilize various configurations of electroadhesive surfaces, sensors, controllers and programmable processors to create smart braking, capturing and metering systems for improved automated material handling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an electroadhesive surface including one or more electrodes;   a controller configured to meter a flow of a plurality of objects by applying a voltage to the one or more electrodes when the plurality of objects is in proximity to the electroadhesive surface, wherein a controller output is triggered by a sensor that detects one or more of:
 the presence of an object or the plurality of objects; 
 a control system which informs the measured weight, size or other properties of the object; 
 a rate of movement of the object or a second object; and 
 an acceleration of movement of the object or the second object; and 
   a processor configured to: receive object detection data from the sensor, and output electroadhesive surface instruction to the controller based on the detection data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the controller is configured to apply the voltage when the plurality of objects is in contact with the electroadhesive surface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises flow control instructions based on a second sensor, a flow plan, or a user input. 
     
     
         4 . A system comprising:
 an electroadhesive surface including one or more electrodes;   a processor comprising flow control instructions and electroadhesive surface instructions based on the flow control instructions;   a controller configured to meter the flow of a plurality of objects by applying a voltage to the one or more electrodes when a first object of the plurality of objects is in contact with the electroadhesive surface based on instruction from the processor; and   a sensor configured to: detect the presence of one or more objects; detect a rate of movement of the object; detect an acceleration of movement of the object, and output object detection data to the processor.   
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 an electroadhesive surface including one or more electrodes;   a sensor that detects the presence an object or a second object, a rate of movement of the object or the second object, or an acceleration of movement of the object or the second object; and   a controller configured to decelerate the object by applying a voltage to a first electrode of the one or more electrodes when the object is in contact with the electroadhesive surface based on the sensor detection,   wherein the object continues moving relative to the electroadhesive surface despite deceleration.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a processor configured to:
 receive object detection data from the sensor, and   output electroadhesive surface instruction to the controller based on the detection data.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor comprises flow control instructions based on a second sensor, a flow plan, or a user input. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 an electroadhesive surface including one or more electrodes;   a controller configured to decelerate an object that is in contact with the electroadhesive surface by applying a voltage to a first electrode of the one or more electrodes based on an instruction from a processor that controls the flow of the object based on a sensor detection of the object; and   a sensor configured to: detect one or more of presence the object or of a second object, a rate of movement of the object or of a second object, or an acceleration of movement of the object, and output object detection data to the processor.   
     
     
         9 . The system of one of  claim 1 ,  4 ,  5 , or  8 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 an optical sensor,   a weight sensor,   a speed sensor,   an acceleration sensor,   a proximity sensor,   a touch sensor,   a laser sensor,   a RFID sensor,   an UV sensor,   an Infrared sensor, or   a radar sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The system of one of  claim 1 ,  4 ,  5 , or  8 , wherein the sensor determines:
 the presence of the object,   the presence of the second object,   the presence of stacked or layered objects,   the number of objects in a stack,   the size of the object,   the shape of the object,   the weight of the object,   the speed of the object, or   the acceleration or deceleration of the object, or   the acceleration or deceleration of the second object.   
     
     
         11 . The system of one of  claims 1 - 10  wherein the electroadhesive surface is flexible. 
     
     
         12 . The system of one of  claims 1 - 10  wherein the electroadhesive surface has a low coefficient of friction when there is no voltage applied. 
     
     
         13 . The system of one of  claims 1 - 10  wherein the electroadhesive surface comprises:
 a pad, 
 a curtain, 
 a flap, 
 a strip, 
 chute, 
 a slide, 
 a roller, 
 a carousel, 
 a door, 
 an arm, 
 a partition, 
 a step, 
 a platform, 
 a table, 
 an undulating surface, 
 a decline surface, or 
 an incline surface 
 
     
     
         14 . A conveyance system comprising a system of one of  claims 1 - 13 . 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a movable substrate; and   a fixed substrate,   wherein the fixed substrate has an electrostatic potential that is different from an electrostatic potential of the movable substrate;   wherein the electroadhesive surface shifts between a same electrostatic potential as the movable substrate and a different electrostatic potential as the movable substrate; and   wherein a velocity of the movable substrate is controlled by electroadhesion to the electroadhesive surface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the electroadhesive surface shifts at least twice between the same electrostatic potential as the movable substrate and the different electrostatic potential as the movable substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a movable substrate; and   a fixed substrate,   wherein the fixed substrate has an electrostatic potential that is different from an electrostatic potential of the movable substrate;   wherein the electroadhesive surface shifts between electrostatic attraction to the movable substrate and electrostatic attraction to the fixed substrate;   wherein the electroadhesive surface moves independently from the fixed substrate during the electrostatic attraction to the movable substrate; and   wherein a velocity of the movable substrate is controlled by electroadhesion to the electroadhesive surface.   
     
     
         18 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the second substrate is substantially at rest and the velocity of the first substrate is decreased intermittently. 
     
     
         19 . They system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the velocity is decreased by at least about 10%. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the velocity of the movable substrate is decreased by 100%. 
     
     
         21 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the movable substrate is a planar movable substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the movable substrate is a curved movable substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the curved movable substrate is a brake roller. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the brake roller is a metallic brake roller. 
     
     
         25 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the movable substrate maintains an electrostatic potential equal to ground potential. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising a ground brush. 
     
     
         27 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the fixed substrate is a planar fixed substrate. 
     
     
         28 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the fixed substrate is a curved fixed substrate. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the curved fixed substrate is a fixed bed. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the curved fixed substrate is a cupped brake housing. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein a curve of the curved fixed substrate is the same as a curve of the curved movable substrate. 
     
     
         32 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the fixed substrate further comprises molded material. 
     
     
         33 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the fixed substrate further comprises electrostatic conductive regions. 
     
     
         34 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the electroadhesive surface comprises ground potential or bipolar electrostatic potential. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the bipolar electrostatic potential comprises a region of positive polarity and a region of negative polarity. 
     
     
         36 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein a velocity of the object contacting the movable substrate is controlled by electroadhesion. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the velocity of the object is decreased by at least about 10%. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the velocity of the object is decreased by 100%. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the object is between about 10 pounds (lbs) and about 50 pounds (lbs). 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the system is orientated to between about a 7.5 degree angle and about a 9 degree angle relative to ground. 
     
     
         41 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , further comprising a power supply. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the shifting is performed electronically. 
     
     
         43 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the system is utilized as a roller brake. 
     
     
         44 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the system is utilized as a braking system. 
     
     
         45 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the system is retrofitted to a roller conveyor. 
     
     
         46 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , further comprising two or more movable substrates and two or more fixed substrates. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the two or more movable substrates is about 5 or more and the two or more fixed substrates is about 5 or more. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein each of the two or more movable substrates self-reference to a single fixed substrate of the two of more fixed substrates. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the electroadhesive surface is weaved between the two or more movable substrates. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising an electroadhesive curtain. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the electroadhesive curtain is attached above the movable substrate. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the electroadhesive curtain provides a braking force to the object by generating an electrostatic potential difference between the object and the electroadhesive curtain. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the electrostatic potential difference between the object and the electroadhesive curtain is generated on-demand. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the electroadhesive curtain is a same length as the object. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the electroadhesive curtain is a length longer than the object. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the electroadhesive curtain provides a braking force to the object by generating an electroadhesive force between the electroadhesive curtain and the movable substrate underneath the object. 
     
     
         57 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein a distance between the fixed substrate and the movable substrate is maintained. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein a detachment of the electroadhesive surface from the movable substrate occurs when the electrostatic potential of the electroadhesive surface is equivalent to ground potential. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein a detachment of the electroadhesive surface from the movable substrate prevents friction between one or more movable substrates. 
     
     
         60 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein an individual movable substrate is referenced to an individual fixed substrate. 
     
     
         61 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the electroadhesive surface comprises a top electroadhesive film and a bottom electroadhesive film. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the top electroadhesive film comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface contacts the movable substrate and the bottom surface contacts a brake wherein the contacting is alternated. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the bottom electroadhesive film comprises a bottom surface sealed to the fixed substrate and a top surface, wherein the top surface contacts the bottom surface of the top electroadhesive film. 
     
     
         64 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , further comprising a bearing. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , further comprising a brake shoe. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein an individual movable substrate is referenced to an individual fixed substrate and an individual brake shoe. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein a bearing contacts the movable substrate by magnetic force. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein a bearing contacts the movable substrate by spring-loaded force. 
     
     
         69 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , further comprising an optical sensor. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein the optical sensor measures one or more features of the object comprising a weight of the object, a velocity of the object, or an acceleration of the object, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 70 , wherein the one or more measurements determine whether to generate electrostatic potential differences between the movable substrate and the object. 
     
     
         72 . The system of one of  claim 15 , or  17 , wherein the system is utilized in an automated environment. 
     
     
         73 . A kit for retrofitting a roller conveyor into a braking roller conveyor comprising: the braking system of one of  claims 1 - 72  wherein the braking roller conveyor decreases a velocity of the object. 
     
     
         74 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein each of the one or more movable substrates references a single fixed substrate from the one or more fixed substrates, wherein the braking roller conveyor decreases a velocity of the object by at least about 10%, and wherein the braking system portion of the roller conveyor is between about 1.0 ft long and about 15 ft long, wherein the roller conveyor is oriented at least at about a 5 degree angle relative to a level ground. 
     
     
         75 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein a braking system portion of the roller conveyor is at least about 5 ft long. 
     
     
         76 . The kit of  claim 74 , wherein the one or more movable substrates is between about 5 and 35 movable substrates and the one or more fixed substrates is between about 5 and 35 fixed substrates. 
     
     
         77 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein the roller conveyor is orientated between about a 7.5 degree angle and about a 9 degree angle relative to ground. 
     
     
         78 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein the braking system is mounted underneath the roller conveyor. 
     
     
         79 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein the velocity of the object is decreased by 100%. 
     
     
         80 . The kit of  claim 73 , wherein the object is between about 10 pounds (lbs) and about 50 pounds (lbs). 
     
     
         81 . A system comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate that is mechanically separate from the first substrate; and   an electroadhesive surface only partially attached to second substrate,   wherein the first substrate has an electrostatic potential that is different from an electrostatic potential of the second substrate;   wherein the electroadhesive surface shifts between electrostatic attraction to the first substrate and electrostatic attraction to the second substrate;   wherein at least a portion of the electroadhesive surface moves independently from the first substrate during the electrostatic attraction to the second substrate; and   wherein a velocity of the first substrate is controlled by electroadhesion to the electroadhesive surface and the velocity of the second substrate.   
     
     
         82 . The system of  claim 81 , wherein the first substrate is originally substantially at rest, and the velocity of the second substrate is increased or decreased intermittently.