Patent ID: 9093926
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: B25J,B65G,H02N

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a conveyor belt having a plurality of separately addressable regions, wherein each separately addressable region includes one or more electrodes in the conveyor belt that are electrically isolated from electrodes in adjacent regions; an electroadhesive platform comprising one of the plurality of separately addressable regions; a power supply configured to electrically connect to the electrodes in the conveyor belt through one or more rolling contacts; and a controller configured to: (i) control the power supply to apply a voltage to the one or more electrodes in the electroadhesive platform to thereby cause the electroadhesive platform to adhere to an item disposed on the electroadhesive platform such that the item resists moving with respect to the electroadhesive platform and (ii) control the power supply to reduce the voltage applied to the one or more electrodes such that the item moves with respect to the electroadhesive platform.