High-force robotic gripper
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorsLoran J. Wilkinson, Matthew D. Summer, John B. Rust, Paul M. Bosscher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic gripper (10) has fingers (12) that are configured to grasp an object, and an actuator (20) for driving the fingers. The actuator has a drive train (30) connected to the fingers for driving the fingers, an impact mechanism (40) mechanically connected to the drive train for driving the drive train, and a motor (50) connected to the impact mechanism for driving the impact mechanism. The impact mechanism generates a series of impacts that are delivered to the drive train when the impact mechanism is loaded beyond a threshold torque. The drive train is a back-drive inhibited drive train provided by a worm drive (32, 34) that is mechanically coupled to the impact mechanism.
Claims13
A robotic gripper, comprising:
- a plurality of fingers configured for grasping an object;
- and
- an actuator for driving at least one of the fingers, the actuator comprising:
- a drive train mechanically coupled to the at least one finger for driving the at least one finger;
- an impact mechanism mechanically coupled to the drive train for driving the drive train, the impact mechanism configured to generate a series of impacts that are delivered to the drive train when loaded beyond a threshold torque;
- and
- a driving device mechanically coupled to the impact mechanism for driving the impact mechanism;
- wherein the impact mechanism comprises an anvil coaxially engaged with a hammer, the driving device mechanically coupled to the hammer, and the drive train mechanically coupled to the anvil, wherein the hammer comprises a contact surface configured to strike at least a contact surface on the anvil;
- and
- wherein the hammer contact surface and the anvil contact surface are sloped at an angle that is less than 90° with respect to a plane of rotation of the hammer and anvil, respectively.
A method for driving a finger of a grasping device in a robotic system, comprising:
- using a driving device to rotate an input drive shaft;
- rotating with said input drive shaft a hammer having at least a first contact face which is sloped at an angle that is less than 90° with respect to a plane of rotation of the hammer;
- engaging with said first contact face at least a second contact face formed on an anvil and sloped at an angle that is less than 90° with respect to a plane of rotation of the anvil for rotation of said anvil and an output shaft coupled thereto;
- when said output shaft is loaded beyond a threshold torque, guiding at least one of said hammer and said anvil in a first axial direction aligned with at least one of said input shaft and said output shaft to facilitate disengagement of said first contact face from said second contact face;
- and
- following said disengagement, accelerating a rotation of said hammer and then impacting said anvil to exert an impact torque upon said output shaft to exert a grasping force with said finger.
A robotic gripper, comprising:
- a plurality of fingers configured for grasping an object;
- and
- an actuator for driving at least one of the fingers, the actuator comprising:
- a drive train mechanically coupled to the at least one finger for driving the at least one finger;
- an impact mechanism mechanically coupled to the drive train for driving the drive train, and configured to generate a series of impacts that are delivered to the drive train when a torque loading value of said drive train exceeds a threshold torque;
- the impact mechanism comprising an input shaft having a spring disposed thereon, a hammer coupled to an end of the input shaft and comprising first contact surfaces, and an anvil comprising second contact surfaces respectfully configured to be struck by the first contact surfaces;
- and
- a driving device mechanically coupled to the impact mechanism for driving the impact mechanism;
- and
- wherein the impact mechanism is further configured to generate a continuous torque that drives the drive train when said torque loading value is less than the threshold torque loading value;
- and
- wherein the threshold torque loading value is defined by a spring constant of the spring and angles of the first and second contact surfaces with respect to a rotational plane of the hammer or the anvil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.