Back to results
US 8,297,673 B2Granted
Gripper with central support
AssigneeNorgren Automation Solutions, LLC
InventorsConrad Earl Waldorf, Anthony Jenkins, James R. Kalb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gripper assembly including at least one gripper jaw and an actuator head linked with the at least one gripper jaw. An actuator selectively operates to move the actuator head between a plurality of positions. A support is fixed relative to the actuator and includes a guide slot that guides the actuator head. One of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a channel and the other of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a guide member extending there from at least partially into the channel.
Claims20
A gripper assembly, comprising:
- a first gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- a second gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- an actuator;
- a cam assembly that is operatively connected to the actuator, extends laterally outward with respect to the actuator, and is engageable with the cam slot of the first gripper jaw and the cam slot of the second gripper jaw for moving the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw in response to movement of the actuator;
- and
- a central support that is fixed relative to the actuator and is positioned between the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw, such that the first gripper jaw is adjacent to a first exterior surface of the central support, and the second gripper jaw is adjacent to a second exterior surface of the central support, the central support including a hollow central portion that receives at least a portion of the cam assembly, wherein the central support defines a first guide feature that is positioned between the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw, the cam assembly defines a second guide feature, and engagement of the first guide feature with the second guide feature limits lateral movement of the cam assembly with respect to the central support during movement of the actuator.
3 more elements
A gripper assembly, comprising:
- a first gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- a second gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- an actuator;
- a cam assembly that is operatively connected to the actuator and is engageable with the cam slot of the first gripper jaw and the cam slot of the second gripper jaw for moving the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw in response to movement of the actuator;
- and
- a monolithic central support that is fixed relative to the actuator and is positioned between the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw, the central support including a hollow central portion that receives at least a portion of the cam assembly, wherein the central support defines a first pair of guide features, the cam assembly defines a second pair of guide features, and engagement of the first pair of guide features with the second pair of guide features linearly guides the cam assembly with respect to the central support during movement of the actuator.
3 more elements
A gripper assembly, comprising:
- a first gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- a second gripper jaw having a cam slot;
- an actuator including a piston rod;
- a cam assembly that is operatively connected to the piston rod of the actuator and is engageable with the cam slot of the first gripper jaw and the cam slot of the second gripper jaw for moving the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw in response to movement of the actuator;
- and
- a central support that is fixed relative to the actuator and is positioned between the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw, the support including a hollow central portion that receives at least a portion of the cam assembly and the piston rod of the actuator, wherein the central support defines a first pair of guide features, the cam assembly defines a second pair of guide features, the first pair of guide features and the second pair of guide features are positioned between the first gripper jaw and the second gripper jaw, and engagement of the first pair of guide features with the second pair of guide features linearly guides the cam assembly with respect to the central support during movement of the actuator.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.