Interconnected phalanges for robotic gripping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9492928-B2
Application number	US-201414534049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2014
Priority date	Nov 5, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A robotic gripping device allows for pinch and power grasps using interconnected phalanges with configurable connections. A distal phalange is rotatably connected to a proximal phalange. A contact phalange is rotatably connected to the proximal phalange. The contact phalange is rotatably connected to the distal phalange via a contact-distal pivot or rotation connection. In response to sufficient contact between the contact phalange and an object, the contact phalange is configured to rotate in a first direction toward the proximal phalange. The rotation of the contact phalange causes rotation of the distal phalange in a second direction toward the object. The contact-distal connection may be a configurable gear connection for adjusting the movement ratio of the contact and distal phalanges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robotic gripping apparatus, comprising:
a proximal phalange having an elongated body with a first proximal phalange end portion and a second proximal phalange end portion;
a distal phalange having an elongated body with a first distal phalange end portion connected to the second proximal phalange end portion via a proximal-distal pivot or rotation connection and a second distal phalange end portion;
a contact phalange having an elongated body with a first contact phalange end portion connected to the first proximal phalange end portion via a proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection, and a second contact phalange end portion connected to the first distal phalange end portion via a contact-distal pivot or rotation connection; and
in response to the contact phalange contacting an object, the contact phalange rotates in a first direction via the proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection toward the proximal phalange to cause rotation of the distal phalange in a second direction opposite to the first direction via the contact-distal pivot or rotation connection and toward the object such that the distal phalange contacts the object.

2. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the contact-distal pivot or rotation connection is a gear connection.

3. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gear connection includes a plurality of intermediary gears connected to the second contact phalange end portion and the first distal phalange end portion.

4. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second contact phalange end portion has a gear surface in direct contact with a gear surface of the first distal phalange end portion.

5. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electromechanical actuator configured to rotate the proximal phalange.

6. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the proximal phalange includes a first plate and a second plate being substantially parallel to the first plate, each of the first plate and the second plate having a first end portion connected to the first contact phalange end portion via the proximal-contact pivot or rotation mechanism and a second end portion connected to the first distal phalange end portion of the distal phalange via the proximal-distal pivot or rotation connection, and
wherein the contact phalange is positioned parallel to and in between the first plate and the second plate of the proximal phalange.

7. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the contact phalange includes a first plate and a second plate being substantially parallel to the first plate, each of the first plate and the second plate having a first end portion connected to the first proximal phalange end portion via the proximal-contact pivot or rotation mechanism and a second end portion connected to the first distal phalange end portion, and
wherein the proximal phalange is positioned parallel to and in between the first plate and the second plate of the contact phalange.

8. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the contact phalange does not rotate when there is no contact between the contact phalange and the object.

9. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical stop configured to limit a range of backward and forward rotation motions of the distal phalange, and further configured to maintain the distal phalange in an extended position when the distal phalange, but not the contact phalange, contacts the object.

10. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electromechanical actuator configured to rotate the proximal phalange in a third direction such that the rotation of the contact phalange in the first direction, the rotation of the distal phalange in the second direction, and the rotation of the proximal phalange in the third direction are controlled to be in equilibrium to allow the phalanges to grip the object.

11. A robotic gripping apparatus, comprising:
a first proximal phalange having a first end portion and a second end portion;
a second proximal phalange having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the second proximal phalange being connected to the second end portion of the first proximal phalange via a first proximal-distal pivot or rotation connection;
a first contact phalange having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the first contact phalange being connected to the first end portion of the first proximal phalange via a first proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection, and the second end portion of the first contact phalange being connected to the first end portion of the second proximal phalange via a first contact-distal pivot or rotation connection that is configured to control a ratio of movement and velocity between the first contact phalange and the second proximal phalange, and
in response to the first contact phalange contacting an object, the first contact phalange is configured to rotate in a first direction via the first proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection toward the first proximal phalange to cause rotation of the second proximal phalange in a second direction opposite to the first direction and toward the object;
a distal phalange having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the distal phalange being connected to the second end portion of the second proximal phalange via a second proximal-distal pivot or rotation connection; and
a second contact phalange having a first end portion and a second portion, the first end portion of the second contact phalange being connected to the first end portion of the second proximal phalange via a second proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection, and the second end portion of the second contact phalange being connected to the first end portion of the distal phalange via a second contact-distal pivot or rotation connection that is configured to control a ratio of movement and velocity between the second contact phalange and the distal phalange, and
in response to the second contact phalange contacting the object, the second contact phalange is configured to rotate in a third direction via the second proximal-contact pivot or rotation connection toward the second proximal phalange to cause rotation of the distal phalange in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction and toward the object.

12. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first contact-distal pivot or rotation connection is a first gear connection, and the second contact-distal pivot or rotation connection is a second gear connection.

13. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of the first gear connection and the second gear connection includes a plurality of intermediary gears.

14. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second end portion of the first contact phalange has a gear surface in direct contact with a gear surface of the first end portion of the second proximal phalange, and
the second end portion of the second contact phalange has a gear surface in direct contact with a gear surface of the first end portion of the distal phalange.

15. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising an electromechanical actuator configured to rotate the first proximal phalange.

16. The robotic gripping apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the first contact phalange and the second contact phalange includes two substantially parallel plates, and
wherein the first proximal phalange is positioned pa

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Moore Douglas A

Classifications

• Y10S901/39

  Jaw structure · CPC title

• B25J15/0009 Primary

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

• B25J9/142

  comprising inflatable bodies · CPC title