US 6,598,918 B1Granted

Synchronized gripper jaws

AssigneePHD, Inc.

InventorsLyle A. Null, Gordon Kistler

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Abstract

A synchronizing mechanism for parallel gripper and clamp assemblies which includes one or more synchronizing elements that are coupled to elongate jaw guides which guide the parallel reciprocal motion of opposed jaw members. According to one embodiment, a single synchronizing element is used which includes slots on opposite sides. The single synchronizing element is coupled to the elongate jaw guides by pins or other coupling structure or elements which are positioned in the slots and are coupled to the elongate jaw guides. According to another embodiment two synchronizing elements which pivot or rotate about a common axis and which slide relative to one another are used. In other embodiments the synchronizing mechanism can include a rotating element and shuttle elements which are configured to slide along or within the rotating element in slots or through-holes provided therein.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A gripper assembly comprising:

a body;
at least two pistons provided within a chamber within the body for opposed reciprocal movement therein;
a pair of opposed jaw members, said each jaw member located at opposite ends of the body and each coupled to one of the at least two pistons for reciprocal movement between open and closed positions;
first and second longitudinally extending jaw guide members, wherein the first jaw guide member is positioned substantially parallel to the second jaw guide member, and wherein the first jaw guide member is movable along an axis that extends substantially parallel to the second jaw guide member;
wherein the first and second longitudinally extending jaw guide members, each comprises a pin attached thereto;
and
a synchronizing member located in a cavity formed in the body, wherein the synchronizing member is movable about an axis, and wherein the synchronizing member is separated from the first and second jaw guide members by a partition, and wherein the synchronizing member is in operable communication with each of the pins which extend into the cavity.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.