Method and apparatus for an adaptable suction device
The present invention will provide a suction device adapted to provide gripping and suction forces to pick up and move a wide variety of objects. This is accomplished through a suction compartment, a membrane compartment, deformable membrane sealing said membrane compartment, and at least one pressure mechanism. The at least one pressure mechanism is in fluid connection with the suction compartment and is configured to modify properties within the suction compartment to assist in providing gripping and attractive forces. The present invention will grasp an object by positioning the deformable membrane adjacent to said object, modifying the deformable membrane to conform to and create a seal with said object, and then depressurizing the suction compartment via the pressure mechanism, providing a suction force onto said object within that sealed area sufficient to grasp said object.
1 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed within a suction wall, said suction compartment further comprising an opening;
a deformable membrane configured to deform about an object, creating a seal with said object;
a membrane compartment formed between a membrane wall and said deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change a pressure of said suction compartment;
wherein depressurization of said suction compartment by said pressure mechanism will reduce the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with said object;
further comprising an actuation mechanism configured to move said suction wall, wherein moving said suction wall will change a shape of said deformable membrane; and
further comprising a suction cup attached to said suction wall or said membrane wall.
2 . The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein said membrane compartment further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of air, gas, fluid, granular material, phase-changing material, and compressible solid material, and wherein said material changes the shape of said deformable membrane.
3 . The gripping device of claim 2 , further comprising a membrane pressure mechanism in fluid communication with said membrane compartment and said material, and wherein said membrane pressure mechanism is configured to change the shape or a stiffness of said deformable membrane by manipulating said material within said membrane compartment.
4 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor to monitor pressure of said suction compartment, pressure of said membrane compartment, movement of said deformable membrane, interaction between said gripping device and said object, strength of said gripping or attractive force, the distance of said object from said gripping device, shape of said object, material of said object, porosity of said object, topology of said object, presence of a bag surrounding said object, or object recognition.
5 . The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein said opening is a single hole, a surface with multiple holes, a grid, a porous material, a filter, a breathable material, a suction cup, or a bellow.
6 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising a separator element configured to prevent occlusion of said opening by said deformable membrane.
7 . The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein said deformable membrane has a bellow shape, suction cup shape, protrusions, dents, ridges, grooves, texture, holes, cavities, different thickness, a combination of membranes, or is formed from different materials.
8 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising a second actuation mechanism configured to move said membrane wall, wherein moving said membrane wall will change the shape of said deformable membrane.
9 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one protrusion configured to mechanically interlock said at least one protrusion with said object.
10 . The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism is further configured to move said suction wall and said membrane wall relative to one another, wherein relative motion of said suction wall and said membrane wall induces a rolling motion of deformable membrane from an exterior side of the gripping device to an interior side of the gripping device.
11 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising a valve in fluid communication with atmosphere and configured to normalize pressure between said atmosphere and said suction compartment or membrane compartment, regulating the gripping or attractive force.
12 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of suction compartments, and wherein said deformable membrane further comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive said plurality of suction compartments such that any pressure changes made within said plurality of suction compartments regulate the gripping or attractive force.
13 . The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein said membrane compartment further comprises a plurality of membrane compartments and wherein said deformable membrane further comprises a plurality of deformable membranes delineating said plurality of membrane compartments.
14 . The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising a joint in rotational communication with said suction compartment and said deformable membrane, said joint configured to rotate the suction compartment and the deformable membrane to form a better seal with said object.
15 . The gripping device of claim 14 , wherein said deformable membrane further comprises at least one protrusion configured to grip said object, wherein a third actuation mechanism is configured to expose or retract said at least one protrusion by moving said deformable membrane.
16 . A method of gripping an object, comprising:
conforming a membrane about an object, forming a seal, said membrane further comprising an opening;
depressurizing a suction compartment using a pressure mechanism in fluid communication with said suction compartment and said opening;
changing a shape of said membrane using an actuation mechanism or a membrane pressure mechanism;
wherein depressurization of said suction compartment will reduce pressure within said seal, providing grasping and attractive forces with said object;
displacing a membrane compartment toward said object, said membrane compartment delineated by said membrane;
displacing said suction compartment away from said object;
wherein displacement of said suction compartment and said membrane compartment change the shape of said membrane, and wherein the change of shape of said membrane creates grasping and attractive forces.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving input from one or a plurality of sensors, implementing machine-learning algorithms using said input, and detecting flat surfaces, edges, colors, or weight using said machine-learning algorithms.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said machine-learning algorithm further comprises at least one lookup table, and an algorithm selected from the group consisting of random forest, support vector machine, linear discriminant analysis, neural network, and deep neural network.
19 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
at least one sensor to monitor pressure of the suction compartment, pressure of the membrane compartment, movement of the deformable membrane, interaction between the gripping device and the object, strength of the gripping or attractive force, distance of the object from the gripping device, shape of the object, material of the object, porosity of the object, topology of the object, presence of a bag surrounding the object, or object recognition.
20 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
a separator element configured to prevent occlusion of the opening by the deformable membrane.
21 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
a first actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
a second actuation mechanism configured to move the membrane wall, wherein moving the membrane wall changes the shape of said deformable membrane.
22 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
at least one protrusion configured to mechanically interlock the at least one protrusion with the object.
23 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
wherein the actuation mechanism is further configured to move the suction wall and the membrane wall relative to one another, wherein relative motion of the suction wall and the membrane wall induces a rolling motion of the deformable membrane from an exterior side of the gripping device to an interior side of the gripping device.
24 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
a valve in fluid communication with atmosphere and configured to normalize pressure between the atmosphere and the suction compartment or membrane compartment, regulating the gripping or attractive force.
25 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
wherein the suction compartment is a plurality of suction compartments, and wherein the deformable membrane further comprises a plurality of apertures configured to couple to the plurality of suction compartments such that pressure changes made within the plurality of suction compartments regulate the gripping or attractive force.
26 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
wherein the membrane compartment further comprises a plurality of membrane compartments and wherein the deformable membrane further comprises a plurality of deformable membranes delineating the plurality of membrane compartments.
27 . A gripping device, comprising:
a suction compartment formed at least partially by a suction wall, the suction compartment having a pressure and an opening;
a deformable membrane having a shape and configured to deform about an object and to create a seal with the object;
a membrane compartment formed between the membrane wall and the deformable membrane; and
a pressure mechanism configured to change the pressure of the suction compartment, wherein depressurization of the suction compartment by the pressure mechanism reduces the pressure, providing a gripping or attractive force with the object;
an actuation mechanism configured to move the suction wall, wherein moving the suction wall changes the shape of the deformable membrane; and
a joint in rotational communication with the suction compartment and the deformable membrane, the joint configured to rotate the suction compartment and the deformable membrane to improve the seal with the object.
28 . The gripping device of claim 27 , wherein the deformable membrane further comprises at least one protrusion configured to grip the object, wherein a third actuation mechanism is configured to expose or retract the at least one protrusion by moving the deformable membrane.