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US 5,853,211 AGranted
Universal gripper
AssigneeBTM Corporation
InventorsEdwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Steven J. Sprotberry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A universal gripper has a movable arm locked in a gripping position by abutting against a movable blocking member. A pair of pivoting arms are maintained in their gripping positions by a blocking member being linearly slid between ends of the arms. Varying movable arm configurations can be easily interchanged with each other and mounted to a body by way of a single fixed pivot pin. The opening angle of a gripper arm can be mechanically limited to various positions by selective positioning of an adjustment member.
Claims33
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator mounted to said body;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body, said first arm operably moving in response to movement of said actuator;
- a camming surface located on one of said body and said first arm;
- a member operably riding along said camming surface;
- said member being moved to a blocking position abutting against a portion of said first arm when said first arm is in a gripping position so as to prevent movement of said first arm away from said gripping position until said actuator moves said member;
- and
- an indentation located in said camming surface, said member being located at said indentation for encouraging said first arm to remain in said gripping position even when moving pressure applied to said actuator is lost.
5 more elements
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator mounted to said body;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body, said first arm operably moving in response to movement of said actuator;
- a camming surface disposed on said first arm;
- rollers operably riding along said camming surface;
- and
- an indentation disposed adjacent said camming surface, said rollers being located at said indentation for encouraging said first arm to remain in a gripping position even when moving pressure applied to said actuator is not present.
4 more elements
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator mounted to said body;
- a camming surface;
- a roller operably riding alone said camming surface;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body, said first arm operably moving in response to movement of said actuator;
- and
- a plurality of laterally oriented grooves located on said camming surface;
- said roller engaging one of said grooves when said first arm grips a workpiece, said roller being located at one of said grooves for encouraging said first arm to remain in a gripping position even when moving pressure applied to said actuator is lost.
5 more elements
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator mounted to said body;
- a camming surface;
- a member operably riding along said camming surface;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body, said first arm operably moving in response to movement of said actuator;
- an indentation disposed in said camming surface, said member being located at said indentation for encouraging said first arm to remain in a gripping position even when moving pressure applied to said actuator is lost;
- and
- a second arm stationarily fixed to said body, said second arm sharing a common attachment point with said first arm.
5 more elements
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator movable in relation to said body;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body;
- an adjustment member attached to said body, said adjustment member having a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion;
- and
- a slide having an internal slot, said slot abutting against said cylindrical portion of said adjustment member when said adjustment member is in a first position and abutting against said flattened portion when said adjustment member is in a second position, said adjustment member being movable to said first position which limits movement of said first arm to a first predetermined angular position, said adjustment member also being movable to said second position which limits movement of said first arm to a second predetermined angular position greater than said first angular position.
3 more elements
A gripper comprising:
- a body;
- an actuator movable in relation to said body;
- a first arm movably coupled to said body;
- an adjustment member attached to said body, said adjustment member being movable to a first position which limits movement of said first arm to a first predetermined angular position, said adjustment member also being movable to a second position which limits movement of said first arm to a second predetermined angular position greater than said first angular position;
- a camming surface located on one of said body and said arm;
- and
- a roller mechanism slidable along said camming surface to control movement of said arm, said adjustment member selectively limiting linear travel of said roller mechanism.
4 more elements
A powered gripper comprising:
- a body having a distal end with a slot;
- a pivot pin transversely extending through said body and intersecting said slot;
- a first arm pivotably supported by said pivot pin internal to said slot;
- a second arm supported by said pivot pin internal to said slot, said second arm having a different shape than said first arm, said second arm being stationarily affixed to said body once assembled, said second arm being removable from said body solely by removal of said pivot pin, whereby two of said arms are operably usable with said body at a time;
- and
- a third arm having a hole suitable for receiving said pivot pin, said third arm having a different configuration than one of said first and second arms;
- said pivot pin being linearly, stationarily fixed to said body during operable movement of at least one of said arms;
- said pivot pin being removable to allow for interchangeability of said arms and reconfiguration of said powered gripper.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.