Patent ID: 11911894
Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An item manipulation system comprising:
a control system;
an end effector communicatively coupled to the control system, the end effector comprising:
a tube defining a channel between a first end and a second end, the tube comprising:
a flexible suction cup movably positioned within the channel of the tube, the flexible suction cup configured to engage a surface of an item based on vacuum suction force generated through the flexible suction cup; and

a linear actuator mechanically coupled to the flexible suction cup, the linear actuator configured to:
extend, the flexible suction cup towards the second end of the channel to position at least a portion of the flexible suction cup outside of the tube; and
retract, the flexible suction cup within the channel to position the flexible suction cup within the tube, wherein the control system is configured to:
identify characteristics of the item, wherein the characteristics of the item includes at least a body shape of the item; and
actuate the linear actuator based on the identified characteristics of the item to one of:
position the flexible suction cup within the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a flexible body shape of the item, and
position at least a proximal end of the flexible suction cup outside the tube of the end effector when the identified characteristics of the item corresponds to a rigid body shape of the item.