US 6,746,203 B2Granted

Gripping and transport clamp mounted at the end of a robotic arm and method for operating the same

AssigneeAXIUM Inc.

InventorsPaul Leblanc, Sylvain-Paul Morency, Dominic Prevost, Sylvain Boily

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gripping and transport clamp mounted at an end of a robotic arm. The clamp has a support member mounted at the end of the robotic arm and two lower pressing plates and one upper pressing plate mounted on the support member. A sensor is used to detect a reaction force being exerted on the first pressing plate upon displacement thereof. An actuator inserts the first lower pressing plate under the object to be gripped in response to a detection of the reaction force by the sensor. The second lower pressing plate under the first pressing plate moves between a retracted position and an extended position by means of an actuator mounted between the second lower pressing plate and the support member. It is also inserted under the object to be gripped. An actuator moves the upper pressing plate towards the object for gripping it between the plates. A controller receives detection signals from the sensor and operates the actuators.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A gripping and transport clamp mounted at an end of a robotic arm being movable towards an object to be gripped, comprising:

a support member mounted at the end of the robotic arm;
a first lower pressing plate mounted on the support member, the first lower pressing plate being shaped for insertion under the object to be gripped;
sensor means adapted for detecting a reaction force being exerted on the first pressing plate upon displacement thereof;
first actuating means for inserting the first lower pressing plate under the object to be gripped in response to a detection of the reaction force by the sensor means;
a second lower pressing plate mounted below the first lower pressing plate on the support member, the second lower pressing plate being movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
second actuating means mounted between the second lower pressing plate and the support member for moving the second lower pressing plate between the retracted position and the extended position, thereby inserting the second lower pressing plate under the object to be gripped in response to the first lower pressing plate being inserted under the object to be gripped;
an upper pressing plate mounted on the support member, the upper pressing plate being movable toward the object to be gripped between an open position and a gripping position;
third actuating means mounted between the upper pressing plate and the support member for moving the upper pressing plate between the open position and the gripping position, thereby gripping the object between the upper and lower pressing plates;
and
control means for receiving detection signals from the sensor means and for operating the actuating means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/953,495Filed 14 Sep 2001 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 Mar 2001
Published: US 2002/0154986 A124 Oct 2002
Granted: 8 Jun 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B65H 3/325
For separating a part of the pile, i.e. several articles at once: the pile being pre-marked
B65G 59/005
De-stacking of articles: by using insertions or spacers between the stacked layers
B65G 61/00
Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or
B65H 2301/42242
Gripping piles, sets or stacks of articles: by acting on the outermost articles of the pile for clamping the pile