Gripper device
AssigneeMarel A/S
InventorsJens Overby, Jens Kongensholm Dalgaard, Niels Bjarne Hundtofte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gripper device is configured to pick up a pliable food product having a tail-like part from a pick-up area and releasing it at a releasing area, where a support is provided. A pair of jaws is mounted to the support for movement of distal ends thereof towards each other defining a closing position of the pair of jaws and away from each other defining an open position of the pair of jaws. A tail bender device is attached to the support and adjacent to one end of the pair of jaws. The tail bender device is moveable in relation to the pair of jaws and is configured to bend the tail-like part while transferring the food product from the pick-up area until releasing it at the releasing area.
Claims13
A gripper device configured to pick up a pliable food product having a tail-like part from a pick up area and releasing it at a releasing area, comprising:
- a support,
- a pair of jaws mounted to the support for movement of distal ends thereof towards each other defining a closing position of the pair of jaws and away from each other defining an open position of the pair of jaws, and
- a tail bender device attached to the support and adjacent to one end of the pair of jaws, the tail bender device being moveable in relation to the pair of jaws and is configured to bend the tail-like part while transferring the food product from the pick up area until releasing it at the releasing area,
- wherein the movement of the tail bender device relative to the pair of jaws comprises a movement of the tail bender device at least partly below the pair of jaws when being in closing position such that said bending of the tail-like part comprises pushing the tail-like part downward;
- wherein the tail bender device is intersected by a plane parallel with movement of the tail bender device and placed between the pair of jaws at least in the open position of the pair of jaws.
A method of picking up a pliable food product having a tail-like part from a pick up area and releasing it at a releasing area using a gripper which comprises:
- a support,
- a pair of jaws mounted to the support for movement of distal ends thereof towards each other defining a closing position of the pair of jaws and away from each other defining an open position of the pair of jaws, and
- a tail bender device attached to the support and adjacent to one end of the pair of jaws, the tail bender device being moveable in relation to the pair of jaws and is configured to bend the tail-like part while transferring the food product from the pick up area until releasing it at the releasing area,
- wherein the step of moving the tail bender device in relation to the pair of jaws comprises moving the tail bender device at least partly below the pair of jaws when being in closing position such that said bending of the tail-like part comprises pushing the tail-like part downward.
A robotic system comprising:
- a position detection means for detecting positions of incoming pliable food products having a tail-like part,
- a gripper device comprising:
- a support,
- a pair of jaws mounted to the support for movement of distal ends thereof towards each other defining a closing position of the pair of jaws and away from each other defining an open position of the pair of jaws, and
- a tail bender device attached to the support and adjacent to one end of the pair of jaws,
- a control unit for controlling the movement of the gripper device in accordance to the detected positions of the pliable food products when picking up the pliable food product having a tail-like part from a pick up area and releasing it at a releasing area,
- wherein the tail bender device is moveable in relation to the pair of jaws and is configured to bend the tail-like part while transferring the food product from the pick up area until releasing it at the releasing area,
- wherein the step of moving the tail bender device in relation to the pair of jaws comprises moving the tail bender device at least partly below the pair of jaws when being in closing position such that said bending of the tail-like part comprises pushing the tail-like part downward.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.