Three orthogonal directions movable fingers for holding and/or manipulating a three-dimensional object

A method of gripping a sheet of material having at least an opening defined therein, comprising the steps of:

• providing three non-jointed fingers each of which is relatively movable to another finger from the three non-jointed fingers via actuators in each of three orthogonal directions in a frame of reference relative to a position of the another finger, at least one finger having a groove for being guided along a wall defining the opening;
• placing at least one finger in the opening, the fingers being spaced from one another;
• and,
• moving the fingers toward or away from one another until movement is ceased such that the object is kinematically securely held, the fingers forming 3 vertices of a triangle.

A method of gripping a sheet of material having at least an opening defined therein, comprising the steps of:

• providing three non-jointed fingers each of which is relatively movable to another of the three non-jointed fingers in a frame of reference relative to a position of the another via actuators in three orthogonal directions, at least one finger having a groove for being guided along a wall defining the opening;
• placing at least one finger in the opening, the fingers being spaced from one another;
• and,
• moving the fingers toward or away from one another until movement is ceased such that the object is kinematically securely held the fingers forming 3 vertices of a triangle wherein the groove is substantially larger than the thickness of the sheet material, allowing for error in locating the sheet.

A method for holding and moving an object having at least an edge comprising the steps of:

• providing a gripper supported by a supporting member, the gripper having at least three rigid non-jointed fingers, each finger being relatively movable to another of the three rigid non-jointed fingers in three orthogonal directions in a frame of reference relative to a position of the another, at least one of the fingers having at least a groove for engaging said at least said edge;
• and, providing drive means for relatively moving the fingers,
• placing the fingers about edges of the object and grasping the object such that the at least a groove engages the object and the object is kinematically held;
• moving the object from a first position to a second different position without moving the supporting member.