# US 12,109,683 B2 · Tactile sensor, robot hand, and robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,683 B2 - Document ID: US12109683B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/615,449 - Filed: 2019-06-06 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-06 - Assignees: OMRON Corporation - Applicants: OMRON Corporation - Inventors: Misato Nabeto; Sayaka Doi; Hiroki Koga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109683B2 ## CPC - B25J 13/082: {Grasping-force detectors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22)} - B25J 13/084: {Tactile sensors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22)} - B25J 15/08: having finger members (B25J15/02, B25J15/04 take precedence) - G01L 5/226: {to manipulators, e.g. the force due to gripping} - 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}) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) ## Abstract A tactile sensor pertaining to the present disclosure includes a cover that is provided so as to cover at least part of a base portion, a detection unit that is disposed between the cover and the base portion and detects force applied to the cover, and a limiting structure that limits inclination of the cover with respect to the base portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tactile sensor comprising: a cover that is provided so as to cover at least part of a base portion; a detection unit comprising a sensor body and a contact, wherein the detection unit is disposed between the cover and the base portion and detects force applied to the cover; and a limiting structure that limits inclination of the cover with respect to the base portion, wherein the detection unit detects a force applied to the cover from relative displacement of the cover with respect to the base portion, and wherein relative displacement of the cover with respect to the base portion is caused by retraction of the contact toward the sensor body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein: the cover has a side face covering portion that is disposed along a base portion side face of the base portion and an end face covering portion that extends from the side face covering portion and is disposed along a base portion end face of the base portion, and the detection unit is disposed between the base portion side face and the side face covering portion and between the base portion end face and the end face covering portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tactile sensor of claim 2, wherein the limiting structure comprises a stopper that limits movement of the cover in a direction toward the base portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein the stopper limits movement of a peripheral edge portion of the cover formed in an arbitrary shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein: the stopper includes a side face stopper provided at the base portion side face and an end face stopper provided at the base portion end face, the side face stopper has a sideward face contacting portion that contacts the side face covering portion and limits movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face and a sideward end contacting portion that contacts an end face of the side face covering portion and limits movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face, and the end face stopper has an endward face contacting portion that contacts the end face covering portion and limits movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face and an endward end contacting portion that contacts an end face of the end face covering portion and limits movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The tactile sensor of claim 3, wherein: the stopper includes a first side face stopper provided at the base portion side face, a second side face stopper provided at the side face covering portion, a first end face stopper provided at the base portion end face, and a second end face stopper provided at the end face covering portion, and the second side face stopper and the first end face stopper limit movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face, and the first side face stopper and the second end face stopper limit movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein a contact portion that contacts a target place is replaceably attached to the cover. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A robot hand comprising: the tactile sensor of claim 1; and an opposing member that is disposed opposing the tactile sensor and grips an object between itself and the tactile sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A robot comprising: the robot hand of claim 8; and a robot body that drives the robot hand. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein: the cover has a side face covering portion that is disposed along a base portion side face of the base portion and an end face covering portion that extends from the side face covering portion and is disposed along a base portion end face of the base portion, and the detection unit is disposed between the base portion side face and the side face covering portion and between the base portion end face and the end face covering portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The tactile sensor of claim 4, wherein: the stopper includes a side face stopper provided at the base portion side face and an end face stopper provided at the base portion end face, the side face stopper has a sideward face contacting portion that contacts the side face covering portion and limits movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face and a sideward end contacting portion that contacts an end face of the side face covering portion and limits movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face, and the end face stopper has an endward face contacting portion that contacts the end face covering portion and limits movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face and an endward end contacting portion that contacts an end face of the end face covering portion and limits movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The tactile sensor of claim 4, wherein: the stopper includes a first side face stopper provided at the base portion side face, a second side face stopper provided at the side face covering portion, a first end face stopper provided at the base portion end face, and a second end face stopper provided at the end face covering portion, and the second side face stopper and the first end face stopper limit movement of the side face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion side face, and the first side face stopper and the second end face stopper limit movement of the end face covering portion in a direction toward the base portion end face. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein a contact portion that contacts a target place is replaceably attached to the cover. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein: the detection unit comprises a plurality of detection units disposed between the cover and the base portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The tactile sensor of claim 2, wherein: the detection unit is disposed to correspond to a central portion of the side face covering portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein: the detection unit includes a side face detection unit and an end face detection unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The tactile sensor of claim 1, wherein: the detection unit detects the force applied to the cover as electrical changes and transmits the detected electrical changes to a controller via a harness. ### Claim 18 A tactile sensor comprising: a cover that is provided so as to cover at least part of a base portion; a detection unit that is disposed between the cover and the base portion and detects force applied to the cover; and a limiting structure that limits inclination of the cover with respect to the base portion, wherein the cover has a side face covering portion that is disposed along a base portion side face of the base portion and an end face covering portion that extends from the side face covering portion and is disposed along a base portion end face of the base portion, wherein the detection unit is disposed between the base portion side face and the side face covering portion and between the base portion end face and the end face covering portion, and wherein the limiting structure comprises a stopper that limits movement of the cover in a direction toward the base portion. ### Claim 19 A robot hand comprising: a tactile sensor; an opposing member that is disposed opposing the tactile sensor and grips an object between itself and the tactile sensor, wherein the tactile sensor comprises: a cover that is provided so as to cover at least part of a base portion; a detection unit that is disposed between the cover and the base portion and detects force applied to the cover; and a limiting structure that limits inclination of the cover with respect to the base portion.