System and methods for providing vacuum valve assemblies for end effectors

1. An end effector for an articulated arm, said end effector comprising a compliant pad at a distal end of the end effector, said compliant pad including a plurality of defined apertures, and a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel comprising:

a supply conduit in fluid communication with a vacuum source; and

a supply conduit plug that is movable between an open position responsive to the supply conduit being at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, and a closed position responsive to the supply conduit being at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit, wherein each of the defined apertures is aligned with a respective supply conduit of said valve assembly.

2. The end effector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of defined apertures in the pad include a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, and wherein the first plurality of apertures are centrally located with respect to the second plurality of apertures.

3. The end effector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of apertures is separated from the second plurality of apertures by a wall.

4. The end effector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the wall is a ring formed of a compliant material.

5. The end effector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said first plurality of apertures are in communication with each other, providing a common vacuum pressure among the first plurality of apertures in the pad.

6. The end effector as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said common vacuum pressure provides a higher vacuum pressure at the first plurality of apertures in the pad as compared to the second plurality of apertures in the pad.

7. The end effector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of apertures in the pad are in communication with the vacuum source at a first vacuum pressure, and the second plurality of apertures in the pad are in communication with a further vacuum source at a second vacuum pressure that is different than the first vacuum pressure.

8. The end effector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second vacuum pressure is greater than the first vacuum pressure.

9. The end effector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pressure is provided to the plurality of supply conduits via a vacuum head that is coupled to the articulated arm via a mounting plate, and wherein the mounting plate is coupled to the vacuum head via a plurality of load cells that are each responsive to force distributions.

10. The end effector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said end effector further includes an electronic circuit board in communication with the pressure sensors, each of which is associated with a supply channel.

11. The end effector as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each supply channel further includes a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the respective supply conduit, wherein the pressure sensor provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the respective supply conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

12. The end effector as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said pressure sensor signal is provided to the electronic circuit board to provide information indicative of whether each respective supply channel is engaged with a load, thereby reducing the vacuum pressure within the respective supply channel.

13. The end effector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said end effector further includes a plurality of load cells attached between an articulated arm and a vacuum generation head that provides the vacuum pressure.

14. An end effector for an articulated arm, said end effector comprising a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel comprising:

a supply conduit in fluid communication with a first vacuum source; and

a supply conduit plug that is movable between an open position responsive to the supply conduit being at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, and a closed position responsive to the supply conduit being at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit, wherein said end effector includes a plurality of defined apertures, each of which is aligned with a respective supply conduit of said valve assembly, wherein said plurality of defined apertures in the end effector include at least a first aperture and a second plurality of apertures, and wherein the at least the first aperture is centrally located with respect to the second plurality of apertures, and wherein the at least the first aperture is provided with a first high flow vacuum provided by the first vacuum source that is higher in flow than a second vacuum provided by a second vacuum source that is provided to the plurality of second apertures.

15. The end effector as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the at least the first aperture is provided with a plurality of first apertures that are commonly in communication with the first high flow vacuum source.

16. The end effector as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said end effector further includes a compliant pad at a distal end of the end effector.

17. The end effector as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said pad includes a plurality of defined apertures, each of which is aligned with a respective supply conduit of said valve assembly.

18. The end effector as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said plurality of defined apertures in the pad include a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, and wherein the first plurality of apertures are centrally located with respect to the second plurality of apertures.

19. The end effector as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first plurality of apertures is separated from the second plurality of apertures by a wall.

20. The end effector as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the wall is a ring formed of a compliant material.

21. The end effector as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each supply channel further includes a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the respective supply conduit, wherein the pressure sensor provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the respective supply conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

22. The end effector as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said end effector further includes an electronic circuit board in communication with the pressure sensors, each of which is associated with a supply channel.

23. The end effector as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said pressure sensor signal is provided to the electronic circuit board to provide information indicative of whether each respective supply channel is engaged with a load, thereby reducing the vacuum pressure within the respective supply channel.

24. The end effector as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said vacuum pressure is provided to the plurality of supply conduits via a vacuum head that is coupled to the articulated arm via a mounting plate, and wherein the mounting plate is coupled to the vacuum head via a plurality of load cells that are each responsive to force distributions.

25. The end effector as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said end effector further includes a plurality of load cells attached between an articulated arm and a vacuum generation bead that provides the vacuum pressure.

26. An end effector for an articulated arm, said end effector comprising a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel comprising:

a supply conduit in fluid communication with a first vacuum source; and

a supply conduit plug that is movable between an open position responsive to the supply conduit being at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, and a closed position responsive to the supply conduit being at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit, wherein said end effector includes a plurality of defined apertures, each of which is aligned with a respective supply conduit of said valve assembly, wherein said plurality of defined apertures in the end effector include at least a first aperture and a second plurality of apertures, and wherein the at least the first aperture is centrally located with respect to the second plurality of apertures, and wherein the at least the first aperture is provided with a plurality of first apertures that are commonly in communication with the first vacuum source.

27. The end effector as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the vacuum provided by the first vacuum source is higher in flow than a second vacuum provided by a second vacuum source that is provided to the plurality of second apertures.

28. The end effector as claimed in claim 26 , wherein said end effector further includes a compliant pad at a distal end of the end effector.

29. The end effector as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said pad includes a plurality of defined apertures, each of which is aligned with a respective supply conduit of said valve assembly.

30. The end effector as claimed in claim 29 , wherein said plurality of defined apertures in the pad include a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, and wherein the first plurality of apertures are centrally located with respect to the second plurality of apertures.

31. The end effector as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the first plurality of apertures is separated from the second plurality of apertures by a wall.

32. The end effector as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the wall is a ring formed of a compliant material.

33. The end effector as claimed in claim 26 , wherein said vacuum pressure is provided to the plurality of supply conduits via a vacuum head that is coupled to the articulated arm via a mounting plate, and wherein the mounting plate is coupled to the vacuum head via a plurality of load cells that are each responsive to force distributions.

34. The end effector as claimed in claim 26 , wherein each supply channel further includes a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the respective supply conduit, wherein the pressure sensor provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the respective supply conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

35. The end effector as claimed in claim 34 , wherein said end effector further includes an electronic circuit board in communication with the pressure sensors, each of which is associated with a supply channel.

36. The end effector as claimed in claim 35 , wherein said pressure sensor signal is provided to the electronic circuit hoard to provide information indicative of whether each respective supply channel is engaged with a load, thereby reducing the vacuum pressure within the respective supply channel.

37. The end effector as claimed in claim 36 , wherein said end effector further includes a plurality of load cells attached between articulated arm and a vacuum generation head that provides the vacuum pressure.