Robot hand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643323-B2
Application number	US-201314442202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2013
Priority date	Nov 14, 2012
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a robot hand that is capable of gripping an object and manipulating the gripped object in a manner similar to that of a human hand, and that makes it possible to reduce the number of actuators. This robot hand is provided with: a first actuator ( 31 ) that imparts driving force to a first finger link ( 11 ) so that the first finger link ( 11 ) pivots relative to a base section ( 1 ); and a second actuator ( 32 ) that imparts driving force to at least one of a second finger link ( 12 ) and a third finger link ( 13 ) so that the second finger link ( 12 ) pivots relative to the first finger link ( 11 ) and the third finger link ( 13 ) pivots relative to the second finger link ( 12 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robot hand, comprising:
a base section;
a first finger link pivotably connected to the base section;
a second finger link pivotably connected to the first finger link;
a third finger link pivotably connected to the second finger link;
an auxiliary link that interlocks pivoting of the second finger link relative to the first finger link with pivoting of the third finger link relative to the second finger link;
a first actuator that imparts driving force to the first finger link so that the first finger link pivots relative to the base section; and
a second actuator that imparts driving force to at least one of the second finger link and the third finger link so that the second finger link pivots relative to the first finger link and the third finger link pivots relative to the second finger link,
wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged at the base section,
the first actuator is a first linear actuator having a body and a shaft that linearly moves relative to the body,
the second actuator is a second linear actuator having a body and a shaft that linearly moves relative to the body, and
the body of the first linear actuator and the body of the second linear actuator are arranged at the base section.

2. The robot hand according to claim 1 , wherein
the body of the first linear actuator is pivotably supported by the base section,
the body of the second linear actuator is pivotably supported by the base section, and
a center line for pivoting of the first linear actuator relative to the base section is substantially in alignment with a center line for pivoting of the second linear actuator relative to the base section.

3. The robot hand according to claim 2 , wherein
the robot hand further comprises a working link pivotably connected to the shaft of the second linear actuator while being pivotably connected to the second finger link or the auxiliary link, and
the second linear actuator imparts driving force to the second finger link via the working link.

4. The robot hand according to claim 3 , wherein the auxiliary link is only pivotably connected to the first finger link while being only pivotably connected to the third finger link.

5. The robot hand according to claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary link is only pivotably connected to the first finger link while being only pivotably connected to the third finger link.

6. The robot hand according to claim 1 , wherein
the robot hand further comprises a working link pivotably connected to the shaft of the second linear actuator while being pivotably connected to the second finger link or the auxiliary link, and
the second linear actuator imparts driving force to the second finger link via the working link.

7. The robot hand according to claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary link is only pivotably connected to the first finger link while being only pivotably connected to the third finger link.

8. The robot hand according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary link is only pivotably connected to the first finger link while being only pivotably connected to the third finger link.

Assignees

• Thk Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagatsuka Masaki
• Endo Yoshimasa

Classifications

• B25J15/0009 Primary

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

• B25J15/10

  with three or more finger members {(B25J15/0009 takes precedence)} · CPC title