Gear gripping device and method for gripping a gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9481092-B2
Application number	US-201514959496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2015
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A device which prevents a gear from ending up being damaged while enabling the gear to be more easily and suitably gripped is provided. A gear gripping device 10 comprises a pawl which is provided to be able to move so as to approach a circumference of a gear G and which can engage with a gear groove which is formed at the circumference of the gear, a first drive part 18 which drives the pawl to abut against the circumference of the gear G, a second drive part 20 which makes the gear G rotate in the circumferential direction of the gear G, and an engagement detection part 50 which detects if the pawl has engaged with the gear groove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gear gripping device comprising:
a pawl provided to be movable so as to approach a circumference of a gear and capable of engaging a gear groove formed at the circumference of the gear;
a first drive part which drives the pawl so as to abut against the circumference of the gear;
a second drive part which rotates the gear in a circumferential direction of the gear; and
an engagement detection part which detects whether the pawl engages the gear groove.

2. The gear gripping device according to claim 1 , further comprises a pair of clamp parts provided to be movable so as to approach each other, each of the pair of clamp parts including the pawl, wherein
the first drive part drives the pair of clamp parts so as to approach each other, thereby hold the circumference of the gear between the pair of clamp parts.

3. The gear gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein the first drive part or the second drive part includes a servo motor.

4. The gear gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement detection part:
monitors a load torque applied to the second drive part during the pawl abuts against the circumference of the gear; and
detects that the pawl engages the gear groove, when the load torque changes.

5. The gear gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement detection part:
monitors the displacement of the pawl during the pawl abuts against the circumference of the gear; and
detects that the pawl engages the gear groove, when the displacement occurs.

6. A method of gripping a gear, comprising:
moving a pawl capable of engaging a gear groove formed at a circumference of the gear, and abutting the pawl against the circumference of the gear;
rotating the gear in a circumferential direction of the gear; and
detecting whether the pawl engages the gear groove.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
monitoring a load torque applied to a drive part for rotating the gear, after abutting the pawl against the circumference of the gear; and
detecting that the pawl engages the gear groove, when the load torque changes.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
monitoring a displacement of the pawl, after abutting the pawl against the circumference of the gear; and
detecting that the pawl engages the gear groove, when the displacement occurs.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Suga Keisuke

Classifications

• B25J15/0028 Primary

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title

• B25J15/0253

  comprising parallel grippers · CPC title

• B25J15/0293

  having fingers directly connected to actuator · CPC title

• B25J15/0033 Primary

  with gripping surfaces having special shapes · CPC title