Pick-up and placement tools for items having hook portion and pusher

Abstract

An item with fibers may be picked up and placed using a tool head with hooks that engage the fibers. The tool head may comprise at least one hook portion and at least one contact surface adjacent to the hook portion. The hooks that engage the fibers may extend from the hook portion. The tool head may be actuatable between at least a first configuration that permits the hooks to engage the fibers and a second configuration that does not permit the hooks to engage the fibers. An item may be picked up at a starting location with a tool head in the first configuration and placed at a placement location by moving the tool head and then actuating the tool head to the second configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pickup tool, comprising:
 a tool head comprising:
 a plurality of hook portions each comprising a hook-contacting surface with a plurality of hooks adapted for engaging fibers of a pliable item, 
 a pusher portion having a pusher-contacting surface that at least partially surrounds the plurality of hook portions, and 
 at least one actuator coupled to:
 the plurality of hook portions, and 
 the pusher portion, 
 
 the at least one actuator operable to shift the plurality of hook portions and the pusher portion in different directions during actuation of the tool head. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pickup tool of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a single actuator. 
     
     
         3 . The pickup tool of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
         4 . The pickup tool of  claim 1 , wherein each hook-contacting surface is round, square, triangular, or rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         5 . The pickup tool of  claim 1 , wherein the shifting of the plurality of hook portions and the pusher portion in different directions is simultaneous. 
     
     
         6 . The pickup tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computing device, and   a robot arm coupled to the tool head and operable to move the tool head to a plurality of different locations,   wherein movement of the robot arm is directed by the computing device.   
     
     
         7 . A pickup tool, comprising:
 a tool head comprising:
 a plurality of pusher portions each comprising a pusher-contacting surface, 
 a hook portion comprising a hook-contacting surface that at least partially surrounds the plurality of pusher portions and that includes a plurality of hooks adapted for engaging fibers of a pliable item, and 
 at least one actuator coupled to:
 the plurality of pusher portions, and 
 the hook portion, 
 
 the at least one actuator operable to shift the plurality of pusher portions and the hook portion in different directions during actuation of the tool head. 
   
     
     
         8 . The pickup tool of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a single actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The pickup tool of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
         10 . The pickup tool of  claim 7 , wherein each pusher-contacting surface is round, square, triangular, or rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The pickup tool of  claim 7 , wherein the shifting of the plurality of pusher portions and the hook portion in different directions is simultaneous. 
     
     
         12 . The pickup tool of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a computing device, and   a robot arm coupled to the tool head and operable to move the tool head to a plurality of different locations,   wherein movement of the robot arm is directed by the computing device.   
     
     
         13 . A pickup tool, comprising:
 a tool head comprising:
 a hook portion comprising a hook-contacting surface, 
 a pusher portion comprising a pusher-contacting surface, and 
 at least one actuator coupled to:
 the hook portion, and 
 the pusher portion, 
 the at least one actuator operable to shift the hook portion and the pusher portion in different directions during actuation of the tool head. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a single actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
         16 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the pusher portion substantially surrounds the hook portion on the tool head, or wherein the hook portion substantially surrounds the pusher portion on the tool head. 
     
     
         17 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the pusher portion at least partially circumscribes the hook portion on the tool head, or wherein the hook portion at least partially circumscribes the pusher portion on the tool head. 
     
     
         18 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , further comprising a robot arm coupled to the tool head and operable to move the tool head to a plurality of different locations. 
     
     
         19 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the shifting of the hook portion and the pusher portion in different directions is simultaneous. 
     
     
         20 . The pickup tool of  claim 13 , wherein the hook-contacting surface is round, square, triangular, or rectangular in shape.