Robotic gripping device having linkage actuated finger sections
AssigneeThe Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
InventorsRichard M. Crowder, David R. Whatley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gripping device which simulates the action of a human finger comprises three pivotted sections 3, 5, 7 having the middle section 5 linked to the tip section 7 by a bar 9 so that its rotation causes rotation of the tip section. Rotation of the lower section 3 is preferentially effected by a motor 11 via a sliding cross-head 15, an equalizer bar 18 and a rod 19. If this rotation is stopped by an object 25 to be gripped, the drive transfers via rod 20, crank 21 and rod 23 to the middle section 5, causing the middle and tip sections to rotate and grip the object against the lower portion as shown at 26. A robotic hand comprising four such fingers and a thumb is usable as a substitute for a human hand in a glove-box glove.
Claims9
A gripping device comprising:
- a lower finger-section pivotted at its lower end to a base and at least a first upper finger-section pivotted to the lower section;
- a driving means mounted on said base for driving said finger-section;
- and linkage means between said driving means and said finger-sections for preferentially rotating said lower finger-section about its pivot, said linkage means being arranged so that, upon rotation of said lower finger-section being stopped or strongly resisted by an object to be gripped, the drive transfers to said first upper finger-section causing it to rotate about its pivot towards the lower finger-section and thereby tend to grip the object between said finger-sections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.