# US 2014/0191522 A1 · Self-adaptive mechanical finger and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191522 A1 - Document ID: US20140191522A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/208,798 - Filed: 2014-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-01-20 - Assignees: Polyvalor, Limited Partnership - Inventors: Lionel Birglen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191522A1 ## CPC - B25J 15/08: having finger members (B25J15/02, B25J15/04 take precedence) - B25J 15/0009: {comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand} - Y10S 901/39: Jaw structure - 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}) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A mechanical finger comprises at least three phalanges, with a base phalanx pivotally connected at a proximal end to a base. At least one intermediate phalanx is pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the base phalanx. An end phalanx is pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of a distal-most one of the at least one intermediate phalanx. The phalanges pivot about parallel pivot axes. A transmission linkage is between the base and the end phalanx. The transmission linkage has links and joints unconnected to any of the phalanges other than the end phalanx, the transmission linkage being configured so as not to constrain the degrees of freedom of the mechanical finger. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mechanical finger comprising: at least three phalanges, with a base phalanx pivotally connected at a proximal end to a base; at least one intermediate phalanx pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the base phalanx; an end phalanx pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of a distal-most one of the at least one intermediate phalanx, said at least three phalanges pivoting about parallel pivot axes; and a transmission linkage between the base and the end phalanx, the transmission linkage having links and joints unconnected to any of the phalanges other than the end phalanx, the transmission linkage being configured so as not to constrain the degrees of freedom of the mechanical finger. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mechanical finger according to claim 1, comprising two of the intermediate phalanx, a proximal one of the intermediate phalanges being pivotally connected at a proximal end to the distal end of the base phalanx, a distal one of the intermediate phalanges being pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the proximal intermediate phalanx, and being pivotally connected to the proximal end of the end phalanx. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mechanical finger according to claim 1, wherein the active joints of the transmission linkage are revolute joints. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mechanical finger according to claim 3, wherein the transmission linkage has two links, with a proximal link being pivotally connected at a proximal end to the base by a base revolute joint, and a distal link being pivotally connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the proximal link by an intermediate revolute joint, and being pivotally connected at a distal end of the end phalanx by an end revolute joint, with the links and the at least three phalanges pivoting about parallel pivot axes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mechanical finger according to claim 1, wherein the transmission linkage comprises a translational joint connecting the transmission linkage to the base. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mechanical finger according to claim 1, wherein the transmission linkage comprises a translational joint connecting the transmission linkage to the base. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mechanical finger according to claim 1, wherein the transmission linkage comprises a two-degree-of-freedom joint connecting the transmission linkage to the base. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The mechanical finger according to claim 7, wherein the two-degree-of-freedom joint has a rotational degree of freedom and a translational degree of freedom. ### Claim 9 A mechanical finger of the type having three phalanges connected to a base and supported by a transmission linkage, the mechanical finger comprising: a first and a second ternary link, the first and the second ternary link being pivotally connected to one another; a first link sequence having at least three binary links actively interconnected to one another, with ends of the first link sequence being pivotally connected to the first and the second ternary link; and a second link sequence having at least three binary links actively interconnected to one another, with ends of the second link sequence being pivotally connected to the first and the second ternary link; the ternary links and the link sequences being arranged such that one of the binary links forms an end phalanx, and such that one of the ternary links forms the intermediate phalanx. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mechanical finger of claim 9, wherein one of the binary links is the base phalanx, and another of the binary links is the base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The mechanical finger of claim 9, wherein the other one of the ternary links is the base phalanx. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The mechanical finger of claim 9, wherein one of the binary links is the base. ### Claim 13 A mechanical finger of the type having three phalanges connected to a base and supported by a transmission linkage, the mechanical finger comprising: a first and a second ternary link; an isolated link having ends pivotally connected to the first and the second ternary link; a first link sequence having at least three binary links actively interconnected to one another, with ends of the first link sequence being pivotally connected to the first and the second ternary link; and a second link sequence having at least two binary links actively interconnected to one another, with ends of the second link sequence being pivotally connected to the first and the second ternary link; the ternary links, the isolated link and the link sequences being arranged such that a sequence of a base phalanx, an intermediate phalanx and an end phalanx comprises at least one of the binary links and at least one of the ternary links. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mechanical finger of claim 13, wherein one of the ternary links is the end phalanx. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The mechanical finger of claim 13, wherein one of the ternary links is the base. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The mechanical finger of claim 13, wherein two of the binary links are in the sequence of phalanges. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The mechanical finger of claim 13, wherein one of the ternary links is the intermediate phalanx, and wherein the end phalanx, the base phalanx and the base each are one of the binary links.