# US 8,740,273 B2 · Clamping mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,740,273 B2 - Document ID: US8740273B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/961,679 - Filed: 2013-08-07 - Published: 2014-02-27 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-24 - Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Chang-Xue He - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740273B2 ## CPC - B25J 15/0028: {with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces} - B25J 15/00: Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A clamping mechanism includes a mounting member, three sealing assemblies, three clamping assemblies, and six adjusting valves. The mounting member defines a receiving hole axially and three mounting holes radially, the three mounting holes communicate with the receiving hole. Each sealing assembly includes a top seal and a bottom seal sealing opposite ends of corresponding mounting hole. Each clamping assembly includes a holding member and a piston, a first end of the holding member extends through the axial hole and is received in the receiving hole, the piston is fixed to the holding member and divides the mounting hole into a first chamber and a second chamber. The six adjusting valves respectively communicate with the first chambers and the second chambers of the three mounting holes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clamping mechanism, comprising: a mounting member defining a receiving hole axially and at least two mounting holes radially, the at least two mounting holes communicating with the receiving hole; at least two sealing assemblies each comprising a top seal and a bottom seal sealing opposite ends of a corresponding mounting hole, the top seal being adjacent to the receiving hole and defining an axial hole thereon; at least two clamping assemblies slidably received in the at least two mounting holes respectively, each clamping assembly comprising a holding member and a piston, a first end of the holding member extending through the axial hole of the top seal and received in the receiving hole, a second end of the holding member being received in the mounting hole, the piston being fixed to the second end of the holding member and dividing the mounting hole into a first chamber and a second chamber separating from the first chamber; a plurality of adjusting valves respectively communicating with the first chambers and the second chambers of the at least two mounting holes; and a connecting member received in the receiving hole, wherein the connecting member comprises a connecting portion and a holding portion coaxial with the connecting portion, the connecting portion protrudes out of the mounting member, the holding portion is received in the receiving hole and radially defines at least two holding holes along a circumferential face, and the second end of each holding member is received corresponding holding holes, thereby holding the connecting member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clamping mechanism of claim 1, wherein each mounting hole comprises a pair of latching grooves at opposite ends, the latching groove is recessed from a periphery of the end of the mounting holes, the top seal and the bottom seal are received in the pair of latching grooves. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The clamping mechanism of claim 2, wherein the receiving hole is defined at a center of the mounting member and extends through a top and a bottom of the mounting member, the mounting hole communicates outside and the receiving hole, and is sealed by the top seal and the bottom seal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The clamping mechanism of claim 3, wherein the sealing assembly further comprises a pair of sealing washers, one sealing washer is deformable received between the top seal and the inner side of the latching groove, the other one sealing washer is deformable received between the bottom seal and the inner side of the latching groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The clamping mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a flange comprising a fixing portion and a linking portion coaxial with the fixing portion, wherein the fixing portion comprises a plurality of fixing ribs arranged an a side thereof opposite to the liking portion, the plurality of fixing ribs are uniformly arranged adjacent to a periphery thereof in a loop and fixed to a top of the mounting member, so as to connect the flange to the mounting member, the linking portion is connected to robot arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The clamping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the at least two mounting holes comprises three mounting holes defined at a circumferential wall of the mounting member and arranged along the circumferential wall of the mounting member uniformly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The clamping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the mounting member further defines at least two inlets respectively communicating with the at least two mounting holes and at least two outlets respectively communicating with the at least two mounting holes, the adjusting valves respectively communicating with the first chambers and the second chambers of the at least two mounting holes via the at least two inlets and the at least two outlets. ### Claim 8 A clamping mechanism, comprising: a mounting member defining a receiving hole axially, at least two mounting holes radially and at least two axial holes respectively communicating the at least two mounting holes with the receiving hole; at least two sealing assemblies each comprising a bottom seal sealing an end of corresponding mounting hole away from the receiving hole; at least two clamping assemblies slidably received in the at least two mounting holes respectively, each clamping assembly comprising a holding member and a piston, a first end of the holding member extending through the axial hole and received in the receiving hole, a second end of the holding member being received in the mounting hole, the piston being fixed to the second end of the holding member and dividing the mounting hole into a first chamber and a second chamber separating from the first chamber; a plurality of adjusting valves respectively communicating with the first chambers and the second chambers of the at least two mounting holes; and a connecting member received in the receiving hole, wherein the connecting member comprises a connecting portion and a holding portion coaxial with the connecting portion, the connecting portion protrudes out of the mounting member, the holding portion is received in the receiving hole and radially defines at least two holding holes along a circumferential ace, and the second end of each holding member is received corresponding holding holes, thereby holding the connecting member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The clamping mechanism of claim 8, wherein each mounting hole comprises a latching groove at the end away from the receiving hole, the latching groove is recessed from a periphery of the end of the mounting hole, the bottom seal is received in the latching groove. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The clamping mechanism of claim 9, wherein the receiving hole is defined at a center of the mounting member and extends through a top and a bottom of the mounting member, the mounting hole communicates outside, and is sealed by the bottom seal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The clamping mechanism of claim 10, wherein the sealing assembly further comprises a sealing washer deformable received between the bottom seal and the inner side of the latching groove. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The clamping mechanism of claim 8, further comprising a flange comprising a fixing portion and a linking portion coaxial with the fixing portion, wherein the fixing portion comprises a plurality of fixing ribs arranged an a side thereof opposite to the liking portion, the plurality of fixing ribs are uniformly arranged adjacent to a periphery thereof in a loop and fixed to a top of the mounting member, so as to connect the flange to the mounting member, and the linking portion is connected to robot arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The clamping mechanism of claim 8, wherein the at least two mounting holes comprises a plurality of mounting holes defined at a circumferential wall of the mounting member and arranged along the periphery of the mounting member uniformly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The clamping mechanism of claim 8, wherein the mounting member further defines at least two inlets respectively communicating with the at least two mounting holes and at least two outlets respectively communicating with the at least two mounting holes, the adjusting valves respectively communicate with the first chambers and the second chambers of the at least two mounting holes via the at least two inlets and the at least two outlets.