Robotic arms or manipulators can be used to toss inventory items within an inventory system. Tossing strategies for the robotic arms may include information about how a grasped item is to be moved and released by a robotic arm to achieve a trajectory for moving the item to a receiving location. A tossing strategy may also use a trajectory that avoids time and/or space reserved for a trajectory of another tossed item. The receiving location can include surfaces and/or other features that can be manipulated for receiving the item based on one or more characteristics of the tossed item and/or a trajectory of the tossed item.

Robotic arms or manipulators can be used to toss inventory items within an inventory system. Tossing strategies for the robotic arms may include information about how a grasped item is to be moved and released by a robotic arm to achieve a trajectory for moving the item to a receiving location. A tossing strategy may also use a trajectory that avoids time and/or space reserved for a trajectory of another tossed item. The receiving location can include surfaces and/or other features that can be manipulated for receiving the item based on one or more characteristics of the tossed item and/or a trajectory of the tossed item.

An ejection device includes a housing and an ejection member. The housing defines a feed channel, an ejection channel and a discharge opening. A portion of the ejection channel has a recess facing an end of the feed channel. The ejection member is partially disposed in the ejection channel and includes a push rod and an elastic member. The push rod has a top portion facing the discharge opening. A width of the top portion of the push rod is smaller than a width of the ejection channel. The elastic member is adjacent to the top portion of the push rod and surrounds a portion of the push rod that is disposed in the ejection channel. When the elastic member is not compressed, at least a portion of the top portion of the push rod is between the end of the feed channel and the recess.

An ejection device includes a housing and an ejection member. The housing defines a feed channel, an ejection channel and a discharge opening. A portion of the ejection channel has a recess facing an end of the feed channel. The ejection member is partially disposed in the ejection channel and includes a push rod and an elastic member. The push rod has a top portion facing the discharge opening. A width of the top portion of the push rod is smaller than a width of the ejection channel. The elastic member is adjacent to the top portion of the push rod and surrounds a portion of the push rod that is disposed in the ejection channel. When the elastic member is not compressed, at least a portion of the top portion of the push rod is between the end of the feed channel and the recess.