Self-feeding apparatus with hover mode

• US 6,592,315 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Joseph Jr. Osborne
• Original Assignee: William Joseph Jr. Osborne
• Inventors: Osborne, William Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krizek, Janice L.
• Application Number:
  US09/850,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20020064438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 414/9, 414/730, 414/738, 414/739, 414/740, 414/744.3, 414/744.6, 414/744.7, 414/744.8, 901/2, 901/14, 901/15, 901/16, 901/17, 901/18
• US Class Current: 414/9
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/08 Serving devices for one-handed persons
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/003 by means of an audio-responsive input audible safety signals B25J19/061
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/02 Hand grip control means handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0206 comprising articulated grippers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45111 Meal, food assistance

Abstract

A robotic self-feeding device uses a multiplicity of dishes, utensils and control methods to handle a wide variety of food, including sandwiches. Its operating sequence has a hover mode in which a utensil is automatically steered over a food holder and is constrained from moving away from the food holder. The user points to the desired food with the utensil and triggers pickup which is automatically accomplished. Its gripper can operate tong utensils to grasp food. It can cut food. The process of eating is thus easy and intuitive for people who may have a wide variety of severe paralysis disabilities.

Claims

1. A self feeding apparatus comprising:

a. a robotic arm

b. a set of one or more food holding vessels selected from the group consisting of plates and bowls and trays and boxes and microwave containers and refrigerator dishes and compartmented food trays and frozen dinner trays,

c. a set of one or more eating utensils selected from the group consisting of forks and spoons and sporks,

d. a gripper mounted on the end of said robot arm, said gripper capable of grasping any of said utensils,

e. a control apparatus to operate said robot arm which can cause said utensil to move over one of said food holding vessels (the selected food holding vessel), use said utensil to pick up food and convey said food to the food delivery position,

f. an operating sequence which includes a hover mode in which said utensil is steered in the horizontal plane only and in which said utensil is constrained to remain over said selected food holding vessel, said hover mode constituting the subject matter which applicant regards as his invention,

whereby persons who may have severe paralysis can easily and intuitively feed themselves a wide variety of foods in a sequence of their choice using a utensil of their choice from any of a wide variety of standard food holding vessels.

2. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes tongs and wherein said gripper is capable of operating said tongs.

3. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes other food manipulating devices and wherein said gripper is capable of operating said food manipulating devices.

4. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is a cutting tool attached to said gripper and wherein said control apparatus can cause the cutting tool to cut food.

5. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes knives and fork knife combinations wherein said control apparatus can cause the utensil to cut food.

6. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control apparatus receives operator input from an operator interface selected from the group consisting of joysticks and gamepads and keyboards and microphones and standard computer pointing devices and single and multiple switches.

7. The self feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said operating sequence includes a routine to gather separated food pieces into a tighter grouping.

8. A self feeding apparatus comprising:

a) a set of one or more food holding vessels selected from the group consisting of plates and bowls and trays and boxes and microwave containers and refrigerator dishes and frozen dinner trays,

b) an eating utensil selected from the group consisting of forks and spoons,

c) a means for grasping said eating utensil,

d) a means for controlling the motion of said eating utensil which can cause said eating utensil to move over a selected food holding vessel, use said utensil to pick up food and convey said food to the food delivery position,

e) an operating sequence which includes a hover mode in which said utensil is steered in the horizontal plane only and in which said utensil is constrained to remain over said selected food holding vessel, said hover mode constituting the subject matter which applicant regards as his invention,

whereby persons who may have severe paralysis can easily and intuitively feed themselves a wide variety of foods in a sequence of their choice using a utensil of their choice from any of a wide variety of standard food holding vessels.

9. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes tongs and wherein said means for grasping is capable of operating said tongs.

10. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes other food manipulating devices and wherein said means for grasping is capable of operating said food manipulating devices.

11. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein there is a cutting tool attached to said means for grasping and wherein said means for controlling motion can cause the cutting tool to cut food.

12. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said set of eating utensils is selected from the group that also includes knives and fork knife combinations wherein said means for controlling motion can cause the utensil to cut food.

13. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control apparatus receives operator input from an operator interface selected from the group consisting of joysticks and gamepads and keyboards and microphones and standard computer pointing devices and single and multiple switches.

14. The self feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said operating sequence includes a routine to gather separated food pieces into a tighter grouping.