Gripper device, and use of a gripper device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017225338-A1
Application number	US-201515501043-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gripper device ( 16; 30; 56; 90; 120 ) which is designed so as to be movable along a movement path, and which serves for grasping and holding a workpiece ( 70 ) and for moving the workpiece along the movement path, with at least one first contact section ( 18; 38; 66 ) which, to produce an operative pairing with the workpiece that effects the gripping or holding action, can be driven relative to a second contact section ( 20; 40; 68 ), which first contact section is assigned actuator means ( 22; 44; 54; 128 ), which are designed to exert a drive force in reaction to the application of a magnetic field, and which are composed of a magnetic shape-memory alloy material, wherein the actuator means for magnetic interaction are formed, for the application of a magnetic field, with magnetic field generating means that are static at one position of the movement path ( 52; 80; 86; 88 ), and/or with magnetic field generating means that are provided so as to be movable independently of the gripper device.

First claim

1 . A gripper device ( 16 ; 30 ; 56 ; 90 ; 120 ) which is designed so as to be movable along a movement path, and which serves for grasping and holding a workpiece ( 70 ) and for moving the workpiece along the movement path, with at least one first contact section ( 18 ; 38 ; 66 ) which, to produce an operative pairing with the workpiece that effects the gripping or holding action, can be driven relative to a second contact section ( 20 ; 40 ; 68 ),
which first contact section is assigned actuator means ( 22 ; 44 ; 54 ; 128 ), which are designed to exert a drive force in reaction to the application of a magnetic field, and which are composed of a magnetic shapememory alloy material, wherein the actuator means for magnetic interaction are formed, for the application of a magnetic field, with magnetic field generating means that are static at one position of the movement path ( 52 ; 80 ; 86 ; 88 ), and/or with magnetic field generating means that are provided so as to be movable independently of the gripper device.

2 . The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and the at least one second contact section implement a gripper, designed for purposes of an interaction with the workpiece, wherein the first and/or second contact section is designed on gripping jaws or gripping arms ( 12 ; 14 ; 34 ; 36 ; 62 ; 64 ) of the gripper.

3 . The device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the gripper provides for the rotation, twisting, deformation, pivoting and/or relative displacement of body sections implementing the first and/or second contact section of a gripper body implemented in one or more parts in reaction to the drive force of the actuator means.

4 . The device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the gripper is designed in at least some sections from a plastic and/or a metal material, on which the actuator means are seated, or in which the actuator means are integrated.

5 . The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the operative pairing of the first and/or second contact sections on the workpiece implements a clamping action, an engagement action, an accompanying action, a locking action, and/or a frictional action.

6 . The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the actuator means, of an elongated design, is designed and set up such that it can be expanded and/or compressed in reaction to the application of the magnetic field in the expansion direction.

7 . The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the actuator means are designed and set up for purposes of interaction with reset means and/or spring means ( 26 ; 130 ), such that a reset force or spring force of the reset and/or spring means can effect or promote the capture and holding action in a operating state of the actuator means in which a magnetic field is not applied.

8 . The device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the reset means or spring means are designed and set up for purposes of interacting with the actuator means, such that the reset force or spring force effects a return of the actuator means into an initial position of the magnetic shape-memory alloy material in the operating state in which no magnetic field is applied.

9 . The device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the reset means or spring means are designed and set up for purposes of interacting with the actuator means, such that the actuator means, also remain in a position achieved by the application of the magnetic field, in the operating state in which no magnetic field is applied, and an additional application of a magnetic field, effects a return of the actuator means into an initial position before the application of a magnetic field.

10 . The device in accordance claim 1 , wherein the static magnetic field generating means provided at a first position of the movement path are designed and arranged such that a gripper implementing the first and the second contact sections, having the actuator means, and movable along the movement path, only enables the magnetic interaction at the first position.

11 . The device in accordance with claim 10 , further comprising further magnetic field generating means ( 80 ), provided at a second position of the movement path that is spaced apart from the first position, which are designed and set up for purposes of magnetic interaction with the actuator means, such that at the second position a mechanical process of manipulation of the workpiece can be effected.

12 . The device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field generating means have a permanent magnet and/or an electromagnet having coil means that can be electrically activated.

13 . The device in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the coil means of the electromagnet are designed such that they are connected and/or activated such that they can be energised temporarily, only at a time at which the actuator means are located at a position provided for magnetic interaction with the magnetic field generating means, or at a position adjacent to this position.

14 . The use of the gripper device in accordance with claim 1 for purposes of implementing a gripper system in industrial production engineering and/or conveyor systems engineering.

Assignees

• Eto Magnetic Gmbh

Inventors

• Schiepp Thomas
• Laufenberg Markus
• Raab Markus
• Ernst Bernhard

Classifications

• B25J9/1085

  positioning by means of shape-memory materials (shape memory actuators F03G7/06) · CPC title

• B25J15/0246 Primary

  actuated by an electromagnet · CPC title

• F03G7/06147

  Magnetic shape memory alloys, e.g. ferro-magnetic alloys · CPC title

• F03G7/065

  using a shape memory element · CPC title

• H10N35/00

  Magnetostrictive devices (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00) · CPC title