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US 4,878,705 AGranted
Robot gripper passively locked
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorDavid C. Arnquist
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a gripper arm for use in conjunction with a robotic arm for gripping a tool wherein the tool is retained in the gripper arm until a positive action signal and lack of pressure from the tool are simultaneously provided. The tool cannot be discharged from the gripper arm under other conditions including power loss to the robotic device.
Claims7
A robot gripper comprising:
- (a) a set of gripping jaws;
- (b) means including a plunger and sensor responsive to predetermined positioning of an object within said jaws to lockingly close said jaws on said object and provide a predetermined sensed pressure condition within said jaws;
- and
- (c) means including a powered latch pin responsive to removal of said predetermined sensed pressure condition and a predetermined further condition to unlock and open said gripping jaws.
1 more element
A robot gripper comprising:
- (a) a set of gripping jaws;
- (b) a plunger located between said jaws, said plunger including means for causing said jaws to close whenever the plunger is depressed by an object to be gripped;
- (c) a solenoid-driven latch pin positioned to lock said jaws in place when the plunger is fully despressed;
- and
- (d) means for energizing said solenoid and thereby removing said latch pin responsive to reduced pressure on said plunger, whereby the jaws are released to permit removal of the gripped object.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.