Gripping device for handling items or components of different shape and size

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11794337-B2
Application number	US-202117186060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Apr 20, 2020
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

A gripping device has at least one tendon associated with a gripping arm and guided in a freely slidable manner along a first and second arm portion thereof through a succession of guiding elements. The guiding elements associated with a first proximal arm portion of the arms are carried by an inner yielding panel so that when the inner yielding panel on the inner side of the first proximal arm portion engages against an item or component to be gripped, the guiding elements of the tendon carried by the inner yielding panel cause a tensioning of the tendon, which results in an articulation and/or inflection movement of a second distal arm portion with respect to the first proximal arm portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Gripping device, usable on a robot, for handling items or components of variable shape and size, said device comprising:
a support structure,
a plurality of gripping arms, each including a first proximal arm portion pivotally connected to the support structure and at least one second distal arm portion connected to the first proximal arm portion,
a plurality of actuator devices carried by the support structure and each associated with a respective gripping arm, for commanding an articulation movement of said first proximal arm portion with respect to the support structure,
at least one tendon associated with each gripping arm and having a first and a second head end secured to the first proximal arm portion and to the second distal arm portion respectively,
each tendon of the at least one tendon being guided in a freely slidable manner along said first and second arm portions through a succession of guiding elements associated with said first and second arm portions,
wherein the guiding elements associated with the first proximal arm portion are carried by an inner yielding panel arranged on an inner side of said first arm portion, which faces the item or component to be gripped,
so that when the inner yielding panel on the inner side of the first proximal arm portion engages against an item or component to be gripped following a command given by the respective actuator device, the guiding elements of the at least one tendon carried by the inner yielding panel causes a tensioning of the at least one tendon which results in an articulation and/or inflection movement of said second distal arm portion with respect to the first proximal arm portion,
so that each gripping arm is able to automatically adapt to the configuration of the item or component to be gripped, independently of the other gripping arms.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner yielding panel comprises a first surface facing the item or component to be gripped and a second surface, opposite the first surface, on which the guiding elements are carried.

3. Device according to claim 2 , wherein two tendons of the at least one tendon substantially parallel to each other are associated with each gripping arm, and wherein said two tendons are guided in a freely slidable manner through a succession of holes formed through said guiding elements.

4. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the second distal portion of each arm comprises a back member in the form of a chain of mutually articulated elements, on which the guiding elements that are associated with the second distal arm portion are carried, and an inner element, facing the item or component to be gripped, and wherein the inner element comprises a flexible auxiliary panel, having a first end and a second end, kept substantially parallel and distanced with respect to the back member by a plurality of connecting elements.

5. Device according to claim 4 , wherein each gripping arm also comprises a third distal portion, connected to the second distal portion,
and wherein the second end of the inner element is connected to said third distal portion,
so that the aforesaid tensioning condition of the tendon also results into an articulation and/or inflection movement of the third distal arm portion with respect to the second distal arm portion, so as to further improve the adaptation of each gripping arm to the item or component to be gripped.

6. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the second distal portion of each arm comprises a back member in the form of a first chain of mutually articulated elements, on which the guiding elements, and an inner element, facing the item or component to be gripped are carried, and wherein the inner element is in the form of a second chain of mutually articulated elements, having a first end and a second end, kept substantially parallel and distanced with respect to the back member by a plurality of connecting elements.

7. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the first proximal arm portion has an articulated quadrilateral configuration defined by two pairs of arms each articulated at one end to said support structure and at an opposite end to an intermediate connecting member between the first proximal arm portion and the second distal arm portion, and
wherein the actuator device associated with each gripping arm is a fluid actuator cylinder having opposite cylinder ends connected, respectively, to the support structure and to said intermediate member by means of connecting kinematic mechanisms, configured so that a variation in length of the actuator cylinder produces an oscillation of the first proximal arm portion with respect to said support structure.

8. Device according to claim 7 , wherein the inner yielding panel of the first proximal arm portion has one end connected to said intermediate member and the opposite end free.

9. Device according to claim 7 , wherein the inner yielding panel has one end connected to said intermediate member and the opposite end connected, directly or indirectly, to said support structure.

10. Device according to claim 7 , wherein the first end of said inner element of the second distal arm portion is connected to said intermediate member.

11. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner yielding panel of the first proximal portion of each gripping arm is in the form of a flexible panel or of a chain of mutually articulated elements.

Assignees

• Fiat Ricerche

Inventors

• Zanella Alessandro
• Jilich Michal
• Pietronave Giorgio
• Zoppi Matteo

Classifications

• B25J9/109 Primary

  comprising mechanical programming means, e.g. cams · CPC title

• B25J9/104

  with cables, chains or ribbons · CPC title

• B25J9/1075

  with muscles or tendons · CPC title

• B25J15/0009 Primary

  comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand · CPC title

• B25J15/024

  having fingers directly connected to actuator · CPC title