End effector

Abstract

A robotic system includes an end effector with one or more fin grippers that have one or more vacuum ports. The fin grippers are made of elastic material. The fin grippers each include contact and exterior flanges joined together with a series of crossbeams. The crossbeams each define a tube opening to form a tube guide channel between the contact and exterior flanges. In one form, the vacuum ports are located at fingertip ends of the fin grippers, and the vacuum ports include vacuum cups.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 an end effector including one or more fin grippers that have one or more vacuum ports;   wherein the fin grippers each include contact and exterior flanges joined together with a series of crossbeams;   wherein the contact flange is configured to contact a gripped object;   wherein the crossbeams are spaced apart from one another; and   wherein the crossbeams are formed of an elastic material to facilitate deformation of the fin grippers during gripping.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the contact flange and the exterior flange form an asymmetric shape to facilitate the contact flange bending around the gripped object when gripped. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the contact flange is straight and the exterior flange is curved. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the contact and exterior flanges are joined together and extend at an acute angle from a fingertip. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the crossbeams each define a tube opening to form a tube guide channel between the contact and exterior flanges. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the fin grippers have a vacuum port support bracket at the fingertip. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the vacuum ports include vacuum cups. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the end effector includes a pneumatic sensor manifold configured to sense the vacuum applied by the vacuum cups. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes an actuator configured to actuate the fin grippers. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes a linkage drive and one or more linkages coupled between the fin grippers and the drive. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the actuator includes a motor and a gearbox operatively connected between the motor and linkage drive; and   the actuator includes a threaded drive shaft and a linkage plate threadedly connected to the drive shaft.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a hub with a palm plate to which the fin grippers are pivotally coupled. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the vacuum ports include vacuum cups; and   the vacuum cups include an extendable palm vacuum cup configured to extend from the palm plate.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the end effector has one or more sensors coupled to the palm plate; and   the sensors include a vision system sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fin grippers each have a fingertip end where the contact flange and the exterior flange are joined together. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the vacuum ports that include at least include a vacuum cup located at the fingertip end configured to secure difficult to grip objects via suction. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 gripping a first object with fin grippers of an end effector, wherein the end effector includes one or more fin grippers that have one or more vacuum ports;   wherein the fin grippers each include contact and exterior flanges joined together with a series of crossbeams;   wherein the crossbeams are spaced apart from one another;   wherein the crossbeams are formed of an elastic material to facilitate deformation of the fin grippers during gripping;   wherein said gripping includes deforming the fin grippers to bend around the first object;   wherein the crossbeams deform as the contact flange bends during the gripping; and   securing a second object with vacuum ports.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 releasing the first object from the fin grippers by opening the fin grippers; and   releasing the second object by ceasing suction to the vacuum port.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said securing the second object includes applying suction to the vacuum port.