Workpiece support structures and apparatus for accessing same
View Patent ↗A workpiece container stores at least one workpiece having a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. In one embodiment, a workpiece support structure is located within the container enclosure, which forms multiple vertically stacked storage shelves within the enclosure. Each storage shelf includes, in one embodiment, a first tine and a second tine for supporting the workpiece in a substantially horizontal orientation. The bottom surface and peripheral edge of a workpiece seated on a storage shelf extends beyond the outer edge of both the first tine and the second tine. An end effector may engage these extended portions or “grip zones” of the workpiece.
1. An end effector comprising:
a body;
a first arm attached to and extending from the body in a direction,
a second arm attached to and extending from the body in the direction;
each of the first and second arms having a proximal end closer to the body than a distal end;
a distal support pad extending from each of the first and second arms towards the other arm, the distal support pad located closer to the distal end than to the proximal end,
wherein the distal support pads are located in a retracted position to facilitate travel of the first and second arms vertically within an enclosure of a container, wherein the distal support pads are located in a support position to support a workpiece when present in the container, wherein the first and second arms are configured to move closer or away from each other, wherein in the retracted position, the distal support pads are away from each other to not support the workpiece, and in the support position, the distal support pads are closer to each other to support the workpiece when present; and
a finger extending from the body in the direction in which the first and second arms extend, wherein the finger extends between the first and second arms to be below a lower surface of the workpiece when present, wherein the finger has a finger support pad that extends from a top surface of the finger to support the workpiece when present.
2. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms is curved between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the body has a portion that is straight.
3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the finger is straight and is located between the first and second arms, wherein the finger support pad extends from the finger towards the workpiece when present.
4. The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the finger has a shorter length in the direction compared to a length of each of the first and second arms in the direction.
5. The end effector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first additional support pad extending from the first arm towards the second arm and located between the proximal end of the first arm and the distal end of the first arm;
a second additional support pad extending from the second arm towards the first arm and located between the proximal end of the second arm and the distal end of the second arm, wherein the first and second additional support pads are configured to support the workpiece when present, wherein the proximal end of each of the first and second arms is contiguous with the body.
6. The end effector of claim 5 , wherein each of the distal support pads has a contact surface that extends in a horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in a vertical direction with respect to the contact surface of the distal support pad, wherein each of the first and second additional support pads has a contact surface that extends in the horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in the vertical direction with respect to each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads.
7. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein each backstop of the distal support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from each respective contact surface of the distal support pads, wherein each backstop of the first and second additional support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads.
8. A system comprising:
a container having a plurality of base members, the container further having a plurality of tines that extend from the base members into an interior space of the container; and
an end effector including:
a body;
a first arm attached to and extending from the body in a direction,
a second arm attached to and extending from the body in the direction;
each of the first and second arms having a proximal end closer to the body than a distal end;
a distal support pad extending from each of the first and second arms towards the other arm, the distal support pad located closer to the distal end than to the proximal end,
wherein the distal support pads are located in a retracted position to facilitate travel of the first and second arms vertically within the interior space of the container, wherein the distal support pads are located in a support position to support a workpiece when present in the container, wherein in the retracted position, the distal support pads are away from each other to not support the workpiece, and in the support position, the distal support pads are closer to each other to support the workpiece when present; and
a finger extending from the body in the direction in which the first and second arms extend, wherein the finger extends between the first and second arms to be below a lower surface of the workpiece when present, wherein the finger has a finger support pad that extends from a top surface of the finger to support the workpiece when present.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second arms is curved between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the body has a portion that is straight.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the finger is straight and is located between the first and second arms, wherein the finger support pad extends from the finger towards the workpiece when present.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the finger has a shorter length in the direction compared to a length of each of the first and second arms in the direction.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the end effector comprises:
a first additional support pad extending from the first arm towards the second arm and located between the proximal end of the first arm and the distal end of the first arm;
a second additional support pad extending from the second arm towards the first arm and located between the proximal end of the second arm and the distal end of the second arm, wherein the first and second additional support pads are configured to support the workpiece when present, wherein the proximal end of each of the first and second arms is contiguous with the body.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the distal support pads has a contact surface that extends in a horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in a vertical direction with respect to the contact surface of the distal pad, wherein each of the first and second additional support pads has a contact surface that extends in the horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in the vertical direction with respect to each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each backstop of the distal support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from each respective contact surface of the distal support pads, wherein each backstop of the additional support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from the each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads.
15. An end effector comprising:
a body having a length that extends in a direction;
a first arm attached to and extending from the body in the direction,
a second arm attached to and extending from the body in the direction;
each of the first and second arms having a proximal end closer to the body than a distal end;
a distal support pad extending from each of the first and second arms towards the other arm, the distal support pad located closer to the distal end than to the proximal end,
wherein the distal support pads are located in a retracted position to facilitate travel of the first and second arms vertically within an enclosure of a container, wherein the distal support pads are located in a support position to support a workpiece when present in the container, wherein in the retracted position, the distal support pads are away from each other to not support the workpiece, and in the support position, the distal support pads are closer to each other to support the workpiece when present; and
a finger extending from the body in the direction in which the first and second arms extend, wherein the finger extends between the first and second arms to be below a lower surface of the workpiece when present, wherein the finger has a contact surface that extends from a top surface of the finger to support the workpiece when present.
16. The end effector of claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second arms is curved between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the body has a portion that is straight.
17. The end effector of claim 15 , wherein the finger is straight and is located between the first and second arms, when the contact surface extends from the finger towards the workpiece when present.
18. The end effector of claim 17 , wherein the finger has a shorter length in the direction compared to a length of each of the first and second arms in the direction.
19. The end effector of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first additional support pad extending from the first arm towards the second arm and located between the proximal end of the first arm and the distal end of the first arm;
a second additional support pad extending from the second arm towards the first arm and located between the proximal end of the second arm and the distal end of the second arm, wherein the first and second additional support pads are configured to support the workpiece when present, wherein the proximal end of each of the first and second arms is contiguous with the body.
20. The end effector of claim 19 , wherein each of the distal support pads has a contact surface that extends in a horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in a vertical direction with respect to the contact surface of the distal pad, wherein each of the first and second additional support pads has a contact surface that extends in the horizontal direction and a backstop that extends in the vertical direction with respect to each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads,
wherein each backstop of the distal support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from each respective contact surface of the distal support pads, wherein each backstop of the first and second additional support pads is configured to extend in the vertical direction to prevent the workpiece from sliding from the each respective contact surface of the first and second additional support pads.