# US 11,305,436 B2 · Lateral gripper > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,436 B2 - Document ID: US11305436B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/799,617 - Filed: 2020-02-24 - Published: 2021-08-26 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-24 - Assignees: Tctm (Hong Kong) Limited - Applicants: Tctm (Hong Kong) Limited - Inventors: Chia-Li Tao; Chien-Chang Chu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305436B2 ## CPC - B25J 15/0028: {with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces} - B25J 15/009: {with pins for accurately positioning the object on the gripping head} - B25J 15/0253: {comprising parallel grippers} - B25J 19/0025: {Means for supplying energy to the end effector} - B65G 47/90: Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A lateral gripper includes a gripper mount, and two gripper jaw modules assembled on the gripper mount. Each gripper jaw module includes a sliding block and a gripper jaw. The sliding block drives the gripper jaw to slide on the gripper mount. The gripper jaw is configured to grip a drill box by multi-point contact, so that the freedom of the drill box is restricted, and the drill box can be stably carried by the gripper jaw modules. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lateral gripper, comprising: a gripper mount comprising a transversely arranged linear sliding groove; two gripper jaw modules coupled to said linear sliding groove of said gripper mount and drivable by a driving device to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between a closed position and an open position, each said gripper jaw module comprising a sliding block and a gripper jaw, said sliding block being a T-shaped block, said sliding block comprising a sliding end and a connecting surface, said sliding end being slidably coupled to said linear sliding groove, said gripper jaw being an L-shaped jaw mounted on said connecting surface, said gripper jaw comprising a mounting portion, an abutment surface and a gripping surface, said mounting portion corresponding to said connecting surface and combining said sliding block with said gripper jaw by fastening means, said abutment surface and said gripping surface being connected at right angles, said gripping surface comprising a plurality of mounting holes, said abutment surfaces and said gripping surfaces of said two gripper jaw modules defining a gripping space for gripping an object; and a plurality of positioning devices symmetrically mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surfaces of said gripper jaws of said two gripper jaw modules; wherein said gripper mount further comprises a connection unit, said connection unit having one end thereof connected to a driving device and an opposite end thereof connected to said sliding blocks of said two gripper jaw modules for allowing said driving device to drive said blocks of said two gripper jaw modules to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between said closed position and said open position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said positioning device comprises a spring mounted in one said mounting hole of one said gripper jaw module, a steel ball supported on said spring, and a limiter for position-limiting said steel ball to said spring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in a row. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in two rows. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gripper mount is mounted in an automatic handling device and said an automatic handling device is a robotic arm. ### Claim 6 A lateral gripper, comprising: a gripper mount comprising a transversely arranged linear sliding groove; two gripper jaw modules coupled to said linear sliding groove of said gripper mount and drivable by a driving device to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between a closed position and an open position, each said gripper jaw module comprising a sliding block and a gripper jaw, said sliding block being a T-shaped block, said sliding block comprising a sliding end and a connecting surface, said sliding end being slidably coupled to said linear sliding groove, said gripper jaw being an L-shaped jaw mounted on said connecting surface, said gripper jaw comprising a mounting portion, an abutment surface and a gripping surface, said mounting portion corresponding to said connecting surface and combining said sliding block with said gripper jaw by fastening means, said abutment surface and said gripping surface being connected at right angles, said gripping surface comprising a plurality of mounting holes, said abutment surfaces and said gripping surfaces of said two gripper jaw modules defining a gripping space for gripping an object; and a plurality of positioning devices symmetrically mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surfaces of said gripper jaws of said two gripper jaw modules; wherein each said positioning device comprises a spring mounted in one said mounting hole of one said gripper jaw module, a steel ball supported on said spring, and a limiter for position-limiting said steel ball to said spring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 6, wherein said gripper mount further comprising a connection unit, said connection unit having one end thereof connected to a driving device and an opposite end thereof connected to said sliding blocks of said two gripper jaw modules for allowing said driving device to drive said blocks of said two gripper jaw modules to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between said closed position and said open position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in a row. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in two rows. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 6, wherein said gripper mount is mounted in an automatic handling device and said an automatic handling device is a robotic arm. ### Claim 11 A lateral gripper, comprising: a gripper mount comprising a transversely arranged linear sliding groove; two gripper jaw modules coupled to said linear sliding groove of said gripper mount and drivable by a driving device to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between a closed position and an open position, each said gripper jaw module comprising a sliding block and a gripper jaw, said sliding block being a T-shaped block, said sliding block comprising a sliding end and a connecting surface, said sliding end being slidably coupled to said linear sliding groove, said gripper jaw being an L-shaped jaw mounted on said connecting surface, said gripper jaw comprising a mounting portion, an abutment surface and a gripping surface, said mounting portion corresponding to said connecting surface and combining said sliding block with said gripper jaw by fastening means, said abutment surface and said gripping surface being connected at right angles, said gripping surface comprising a plurality of mounting holes, said abutment surfaces and said gripping surfaces of said two gripper jaw modules defining a gripping space for gripping an object; and a plurality of positioning devices symmetrically mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surfaces of said gripper jaws of said two gripper jaw modules; wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in a row. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said gripper mount further comprising a connection unit, said connection unit having one end thereof connected to a driving device and an opposite end thereof connected to said sliding blocks of said two gripper jaw modules for allowing said driving device to drive said blocks of said two gripper jaw modules to move along said linear sliding groove relative to each other between said closed position and said open position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said positioning device comprises a spring mounted in one said mounting hole of one said gripper jaw module, a steel ball supported on said spring, and a limiter for position-limiting said steel ball to said spring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 11, wherein a plurality of said positioning devices are mounted in said mounting holes on said gripping surface of said gripper jaw of each of said two gripper jaw modules and arranged in two rows. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The lateral gripper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said gripper mount is mounted in an automatic handling device and said an automatic handling device is a robotic arm.