Gripping apparatus including protective member for protecting object and robot apparatus including the gripping apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339588-A1
Application number	US-201615140431-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gripping apparatus is configured to grip an object by a claw. The gripping apparatus includes an electric circuit passing through a first claw body, the object, and a second claw body, and a conduction judgment part for judging as to whether or not the electric circuit is electrically conductive. The electric circuit is shut off by a protective member, which protects the object, but becomes electrically conductive when the claw bodies and the object are in direct contact with each other.

First claim

1 . A gripping apparatus comprising:
a claw configured to releasably grip an object; and a protective member configured to protect the object, the protective member being attached to the claw, such that when the object is gripped by the claw, the protective member is provided between the claw and the object, wherein the protective member has electrical insulation properties, wherein the gripping apparatus further comprises: an electric circuit configured to pass through the claw and the object when the object is gripped by the claw; and a conduction judgment part configured to judge as to whether or not the electric circuit is electrically conductive, and wherein the electric circuit is configured to become electrically conductive when the claw and the object are in direct contact with each other.

2 . The gripping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electric circuit also passes through a support on which the object is mounted.

3 . The gripping apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the object is a processed article processed by a machine tool, and wherein the support is a table of the machine tool, on which the processed object is mounted.

4 . A robot apparatus comprising:
a multiple-joint robot; and the gripping apparatus according to claim 1 , the gripping apparatus being attached to an arm of the multiple-joint robot.

5 . The robot apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a control apparatus configured to control the multiple-joint robot comprises the conduction judgment part.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Ochiishi Yoshinori

Classifications

• B25J9/1674

  characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic · CPC title

• B25J19/0075

  Means for protecting the manipulator from its environment or vice versa · CPC title

• B25J9/1612

  characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control · CPC title

• B25J9/06

  characterised by multi-articulated arms · CPC title

• G05B2219/37413

  By conductivity, short circuit between tool, probe and metallic surface · CPC title