Gripper and robot apparatus including gripper thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026034685-A1
Application number	US-202519271228-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2025
Priority date	Aug 5, 2024
Publication date	Feb 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gripper includes a palm module configured such that finger modules of different forms are detachably couplable to the palm module, a plurality of finger modules detachably coupled to the palm module, a linear actuator configured to adjust a distance between the plurality of finger modules that are detachably coupled to the palm module, and a plurality of rotation actuators between the linear actuator and the plurality of finger modules, the plurality of rotation actuators configured to respectively rotate the plurality of finger modules about respective first rotation axes extending in a first direction from the palm module toward the plurality of rotation actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gripper, comprising:
a palm module configured such that finger modules of different forms are detachably couplable to the palm module; a plurality of finger modules detachably coupled to the palm module; a linear actuator configured to adjust a distance between the plurality of finger modules that are detachably coupled to the palm module; and a plurality of rotation actuators between the linear actuator and the plurality of finger modules, the plurality of rotation actuators configured to respectively rotate the plurality of finger modules about respective first rotation axes extending in a first direction from the palm module toward the plurality of rotation actuators.

2 . The gripper of claim 1 , wherein at least one finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
a roll module that is rotatable about a second axis extending in a second direction that is perpendicular to a respective first rotation axis; and at least one finger extending from the roll module.

3 . The gripper of claim 2 , wherein the roll module comprises:
a first roller and a second roller on opposite ends of the roll module in the second direction, and that are independently rotatable, and wherein the first roller is rotatable in a direction that is opposite to a direction in which the second roller is rotatable.

4 . The gripper of claim 1 , wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
a finger detachably couplable to a respective rotation actuator of the plurality of rotation actuators; and a plurality of fingertips at an end portion of the finger.

5 . The gripper of claim 4 , wherein each fingertip of the plurality of fingertips comprise:
a plurality of tips of different types from one another which are across each other based on a point where a respective fingertip is coupled to a respective finger module of the plurality of finger modules, and wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises a rotation tip module configured to rotate a respective fingertip to cause a tip corresponding to a characteristic of a target to face the target.

6 . The gripper of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tips comprise:
a first tip having a first contact surface configured to contact the target; and a second tip having a second contact surface configured to contact the target, and wherein a width of the second contact surface is greater than a width of the first contact surface.

7 . The gripper of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fingertips further comprise:
suction tips configured to grasp a target.

8 . The gripper of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory; a communicator; and a processor configured to:
store, based on at least one finger module of the plurality of finger modules being coupled to the palm module, first module information of the at least one finger module in the memory based on receiving the first module information through the communicator, and
control at least one rotation actuator of the plurality of rotation actuators to which the at least one finger module is coupled and the linear actuator to perform an operation corresponding to the first module information.

9 . The gripper of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
store, based on a first finger module that is coupled to the palm module being substituted with a second finger module, second module information of the second finger module in the memory based on receiving the second module information through the communicator, and control the linear actuator and the at least one rotation actuator to perform an operation corresponding to the second module information of the substituted finger module.

10 . The gripper of claim 1 , wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
dual pinchers coupled to a respective rotation actuator of the plurality of rotation actuators and configured to grasp a target.

11 . The gripper of claim 1 , wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
an elastic element at an outer surface of the figure module configured to prevent damage to a target in a process of grasping the target.

12 . A robot apparatus, comprising:
a main body; and a gripper coupled to the main body, wherein the gripper comprises:
a palm module configured such that finger modules of different forms are detachably couplable to the palm module;
a plurality of finger modules detachably coupled to the palm module;
a linear actuator configured to adjust a distance between the plurality of finger modules that are detachably coupled to the palm module; and
a plurality of rotation actuators between the linear actuator and the plurality of finger modules, of the plurality of rotation actuators configured to respectively rotate the plurality of finger modules about respective first rotation axes extending in a first direction from the palm module toward the plurality of rotation actuators.

13 . The robot apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least one finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
a roll module that is rotatable about a second axis extending in a second direction that is perpendicular to a respective first rotation axis; and at least one finger extending from the roll module.

14 . The robot apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the roll module comprises:
a first roller and a second roller on opposite ends of the roll module in the second direction, and that are independently rotatable, and wherein the first roller is rotatable in a direction that is opposite to a direction in which the second roller is rotatable.

15 . The robot apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises:
a finger detachably couplable to a respective rotation actuator of the plurality of rotation actuators; and a plurality of fingertips at an end portion of the finger.

16 . The robot apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each fingertip of the plurality of fingertips comprise:
a plurality of tips of different types from one another which are across each other based on a point where a respective fingertip is coupled to a respective finger module of the plurality of finger modules, and wherein each finger module of the plurality of finger modules further comprises a rotation tip module configured to rotate a respective fingertip to cause a tip corresponding to a characteristic of a target to face the target.

17 . The robot apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of tips comprise:
a first tip having a first contact surface configured to contact the target; and a second tip having a second contact surface configured to contact the target, and wherein a width of the second contact surface is greater than a width of the first contact surface.

18 . The robot apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
a memory; a communicator; and a processor configured to:
store, based on at least one finger module of the plurality of finger modules being coupled to the palm module, first module information of the at least one finger module in the memory based on receiving the first module information through the communicator, and
control at least one rotation actuator of the plurality of rotation actuators to which the at least one finger module is coupled and the linear actuator to perform an operation corresponding to the first module information.

19 . The robot app

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Cheoggyu
• Park Sungman
• Choi Jinho
• Choi Heeseung
• Lim Baeseok

Classifications

• B25J19/0091

  Shock absorbers (in general F16F) · CPC title

• B25J15/0616

  with vacuum · CPC title

• B25J15/0475

  Exchangeable fingers · CPC title

• B25J15/0293 Primary

  having fingers directly connected to actuator · CPC title

• B25J15/0061

  mounted on a modular gripping structure · CPC title