Gripper mechanism having spring-loaded jaws
AssigneeOdetics, Inc.
InventorGordon R. Schulz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gripper for grasping articles in an automatic or semi-automatic handling system includes spring-loaded jaws. No fasteners such as screws, pins, or the like are required to hold the jaws to the gripper assembly. The jaws are moved by way of motor-driven cams. During a grip mode, the cams do not contact the jaws, and the grip is achieved by way of the springs acting against rollers contacting the outside of the jaws. A worm on the motor shaft compresses a spring to buffer the deceleration of the motor. The spring applies a moment to worm gears which mate with the worm on the motor shaft. The gear shaft of each worm gear is operatively coupled to a respective camshaft. In this manner, the cams are locked.
Claims15
A gripper for grasping an article, comprising:
- first and second spaced jaws movable toward each other to grasp opposite sides of an article;
- a support member situated between the jaws;
- cams operable to move each of the jaws;
- force means contacting the support member and an inner surface of each jaw, for exerting force against each jaw;
- and
- hold means contacting an outer surface of each jaw for exerting force in opposite to the force means;
- wherein the cams do not contact the jaws in a grip mode and the article is held between the jaws by way of the force means acting against the hold means.
A gripper for grasping a cassette, comprising:
- first and second spaced jaws movable toward each other to grasp opposite sides of a cassette;
- a support member situated between the jaws;
- cams for moving each of the jaws;
- a motor for driving the cams;
- rollers attached to stationary members fastened to the support member, the rollers contacting an outer surface of each jaw;
- and
- springs contacting the support member and an inner surface of each jaw so that the jaws are held against the rollers by the force of the springs;
- wherein the cams do not contact the jaws in a grip mode so that the cassette is held between the jaws by the springs acting against the rollers.
A system for grasping an article, comprising:
- a gripper assembly comprising first and second spaced jaws movable toward each other to grasp opposite sides of an article;
- a support member situated between the jaws;
- cams operable to move each of the jaws, each cam being seated on a rotatable shaft;
- a motor operable to drive the cams;
- force means contacting the support member and an inner surface of each jaw, for exerting force against each jaw;
- and hold means attached to stationary members fastened to the support member, for exerting force in opposition to the force means, the hold means contacting an outer surface of each jaw;
- and
- an accesser operatively connected to the gripper assembly for moving the gripper assembly toward the article so that the article is situated between, but not in contact with, the jaws;
- wherein when the gripper assembly is in a grip mode, the motor is de-energized when a sensor detects that the shafts upon which the cams are seated have rotated a predetermined amount.
A method of grasping an article with gripping members operatively connected to an accesser, comprising the steps of:
- spring-loading each of the gripping members with springs;
- moving the gripping members toward the article by way of an accesser so that the article is situated between the gripping members and there is no contact between the gripping members and the article;
- and
- driving cams to move the gripping members toward each other to contact opposite sides of the article so that the article is pulled by the force of the springs into the grasp of the gripping members and the cams do not contact the gripping members in a grip mode.
A grasping device, comprising:
- gripping members, each movable to a gripping position in which an article may be grasped and a non-gripping position;
- at least one support member situated between the gripping members;
- cams operable to move the gripping members to and from the gripping and non-gripping positions;
- force means contacting the support member and an inner surface of each gripping member, for exerting force against each gripping member;
- and
- hold means contacting an outer surface of each gripping member for exerting force in opposition to the force means;
- wherein when the gripping members are in the gripping position, grasping of the article is achieved independently of the cams by way of the force means acting against the hold means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.