Gripping device
OwnerJeffrey M. Krahn, Carlo Menon +2inventors
InventorsJeffrey M. Krahn, Carlo Menon, Francesco Fabbro, Enrico Bovero
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Abstract
A device in which the gripping action is achieved by a compliant membrane that adapts itself to the object to be lifted and then maintains such shape throughout the displacement of the object. The gripping force provided by the present invention is best suited for delicate objects, as it gently applies the gripping force necessary for displacement. This is accomplished through a chamber, a deformable membrane delimiting the chamber partially or entirely, and a means for changing the volume or shape of the chamber determined by the deformation of the membrane.
Claims16
A gripping device comprising:
- a chamber having an open end;
- a deformable membrane sealing said open end;
- and
- a piston for changing the volume within said chamber;
- wherein said change in volume will create positive or negative pressure within said chamber, deforming said membrane through the motion of said piston, providing gripping and attractive forces.
A method of gripping an object, comprising:
- positioning the open end of a chamber adjacent to said object, said chamber further comprising a deformable membrane sealing an open end;
- deforming said membrane about said object;
- wherein said deforming of said membrane will grip said object;
- and further comprising a piston for changing the volume within said chamber, wherein the deformation of said membrane is maintained through the controlled position of said piston.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.