US 5,570,920 A · Robot arm end effector

Abstract

A robot arm end effector in the form of a multi-fingered hand having a conformable grasp. Each articulating finger includes multiple phalanges sequentially interconnected by pivot points such that each finger articulates in one plane. One filament pair, which controls finger articulation within the plane, is routed through a respective finger by a system of pulleys and is controlled by a DC motor. Driving the associated motor in a first direction causes a respective finger to articulate in a first direction within the plane. Reversing the motor direction causes the respective finger to articulate in a second direction within the plane. Individual phalanges articulate independently of the motion of adjacent phalanges. A second filament pair may be employed to pivot a respective finger about a base axis resulting in out of plane motion of the finger.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A robot arm end effector providing conforming, adaptive grasping of varied objects, comprising:

a palm having a first surface;
a plurality of base couplings disposed on said first surface;
a plurality of digits, each of said digits disposed on a respective one of said plurality of base couplings, each of said digits comprised of a plurality of sequentially disposed phalanges;
a system of sequentially disposed pulleys within each of said digits, each of said pulleys being freely rotatable;
a first pair of antagonistic filaments disposed within said system of pulleys, said first pair of filaments comprised of a first filament and a second filament, said first filament disposed on alternating sides of sequential ones of said system of pulleys, and said second filament disposed on opposing sides of said sequential ones of said system of pulleys with respect to said first filament;
and
motive means associated with said first pair of antagonistic filaments for simultaneously retracting said first filament and allowing extension of said second filament.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Robot arm end effector

Life of this patent

Robot arm end effector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17