Gripping Mechanism, Storage Device, and Gripping Method

A gripping mechanism comprising:

• a plurality of gripping arms disposed around a vertical axis, the gripping arms being pivotally supported to be swingable along a horizontal support shaft, the gripping arms being configured to grip an object at lower ends;
• a biasing member coupled to the plurality of gripping arms and configured to apply a gripping force to the lower ends of the plurality of gripping arms;
• a plurality of control arms provided in pairs with the plurality of gripping arms, the control arms being configured to control an opening and closing operation of the gripping arms;
• and
• a state sensor whose output signal changes when a distance between the gripping arms and the control arms is increased to a predetermined amount or more by gripping the object with a predetermined force by the gripping arms.

A gripping method comprising:

• when a gripping mechanism including
• a plurality of gripping arms disposed around a vertical axis and pivotally supported to be swingable along a horizontal support shaft and configured to grip the object at lower ends,
• a biasing member coupled to the plurality of gripping arms and configured to apply a gripping force to the lower ends of the plurality of gripping arms, and
• a plurality of control arms provided in pairs with the plurality of gripping arms and configured to control an opening and closing operation of the gripping arms, grips an object,
• changing an output signal when a distance between the gripping arms and the control arms is increased to a predetermined amount or more by gripping the object with a predetermined force by the gripping arms.