Robot hand

Abstract

The present invention provides a robotic hand that is lightweight in the finger section, easy to maintain and clean, and capable of gripping a variety of objects. [Solution] The multiple motors include at least a first motor 11 and a second motor 12. The robot hand body 10 has at least a first pinion 14a rotatably mounted on the first motor 11, a second pinion 15a rotatably mounted on the second motor 12, a first rack 14b fitted to the first pinion 14a, and a second rack 15b fitted to the second pinion 15a. The first motor 11 and the second motor 12 are configured to be driven independently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a robot hand.

Background Art

[0002] In the food industry and other fields, the introduction of robots has been actively studied for purposes such as labor saving. However, since the target objects (materials) to be gripped vary in size, shape, hardness, and the working environment, robot hands adapted to such circumstances are demanded. As a robot hand that meets such demands, the invention described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. The invention described in this Patent Document 1 is configured such that a plurality of finger portions for gripping a gripping target object are prepared, and the finger portions are replaced according to the gripping target object.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above-described techniques have a problem that while securing storage space for a plurality of finger portions and improving the efficiency of replacement work can be achieved when working in a wide place such as a factory, they are difficult to use in a narrow work space. In particular, in factories that handle prepared dishes and boxed meals, although there is a shortage of human resources and a wide variety of food products to be handled, and the introduction of robots aims to improve work efficiency and reduce costs, many of these are small-scale businesses, and the narrow work space has become one of the obstacles to the introduction of robots.

[0005] Accordingly, a technique has been proposed in which a motor is installed in each finger portion to freely move the finger portion itself so that a robot can be introduced even in a narrow work space.

[0006] However, because the motor is installed in the finger itself, the weight of the finger becomes heavy, and considering the weight that the robot arm can lift, only light objects can be grasped with this finger. Therefore, there was a problem in that there was a limit to the weight of the objects that could be grasped.

[0007] Furthermore, installing motors in the fingers presented a problem: the motor wiring would get in the way during maintenance, making maintenance work extremely difficult.

[0008] Furthermore, installing the motor in the finger area presented a problem: the presence of motor wiring and other components prevented the finger area from being directly submerged in water, making cleaning extremely difficult.

[0009] Furthermore, while the fingers typically grip an object using a pair of fingers, the distance between these fingers is very short, which limits the width of the object that can be gripped.

[0010] Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a robot hand that can lighten the finger portion, facilitate maintenance and cleaning, and can grasp various objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The object of the present invention described above is achieved by the following means. The reference numerals in parentheses indicate the embodiments described later, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0012] The robot hand according to claim 1 comprises a robot hand body (for example, the robot hand body 10 shown in Figure 1), The finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) provided on the tip side of the robot body, The robot body has a plurality of motors (for example, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1) provided on the base end side, The plurality of motors includes at least a first motor (11) and a second motor (12), The robot hand body is A first pinion (for example, the first pinion 14a shown in Figure 1) is rotatably mounted on the first motor, A second pinion (for example, the second pinion 15a shown in Figure 1) is rotatably mounted on the second motor, The first rack (for example, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 1) fitted to the first pinion, It has at least a second rack (for example, the second rack 15b shown in Figure 1) fitted to the second pinion, The first motor and the second motor are characterized by being able to be driven independently.

[0013] The robot hand according to claim 2 is the robot hand (1A) described in claim 1 above, The robot hand body (for example, the robot hand body 10A shown in Figure 2) is further, A third pinion (for example, the third pinion 16 shown in Figure 2) is fitted into the first rack (for example, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 2), The third pinion has a rotating shaft (for example, the rotating shaft 17 shown in Figure 2) that is rotatably attached to it, The aforementioned finger portion has a first finger portion (for example, the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 2) and a second finger portion (for example, the rotating finger portion 13c shown in Figure 2), The first finger portion is provided on the tip side of the second rack, The second finger portion is provided on the rotation axis, By driving the second motor (for example, the second motor 12 shown in Figure 2), the second pinion is rotated, and thereby the second rack is moved, so that the first finger portion grips the object to be gripped (for example, the object to be gripped W shown in Figure 2), and further, The first motor (for example, the first motor 11 shown in Figure 2) is driven to rotate the first pinion, which in turn moves the first rack, thereby rotating the third pinion and rotating the rotation shaft, and in this way the object to be gripped is supported from below by the second finger portion.

[0014] The robot hand according to claim 3 is the robot hand (1B) described in claim 1 above, The robot hand body (for example, the robot hand body 10B shown in Figure 4) is further, A third pinion (for example, the third pinion 20a shown in Figure 4) is fitted into the first rack (for example, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 4), It has a third rack (for example, the third rack 20b shown in Figure 4) fitted to the third pinion, The aforementioned finger portions (for example, the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e shown in Figure 4) are provided on the tip side of the third rack. The device is characterized in that, by driving the first motor (for example, the first motor 11 shown in Figure 4), the first pinion (for example, the first pinion 14a shown in Figure 4) is rotated, which in turn moves the first rack (for example, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 4), which in turn rotates the third pinion, which in turn moves the third rack, thereby allowing the fingers to grip the object to be gripped (for example, the object to be gripped W shown in Figure 4).

[0015] The robot hand according to claim 4 is the robot hand (1C) described in claim 1, wherein the robot hand body (for example, the robot hand body 10C shown in Figure 5) is further... A third pinion (for example, the third pinion 16C shown in Figure 5) is fitted into the first rack (for example, the first rack 14Cb shown in Figure 5), The third pinion has a rotating shaft (for example, the rotating shaft 17C shown in Figure 5) that is rotatably attached to it, The finger unit includes a comb-shaped first finger portion (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 5, and the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 6(b)), and a comb-shaped second finger portion (for example, the rotating finger portion 13f shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6(b)). The first finger portion is provided on the distal end side of the second rack (for example, the second rack 15Cb shown in Figure 5). The second finger portion is rotatably attached to the rotating shaft. When gripping an object to be gripped (for example, the gripped object W shown in Figure 5) with the first finger portion and the second finger portion, the first finger portion and the second finger portion are configured to overlap each other, which is a feature of the structure.

Effects of the Invention

[0016] Next, the effects of the present invention will be described with reference numerals of the drawings. The reference numerals in parentheses are those of the embodiments described later, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0017] According to the invention of claim 1, the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) themselves are not provided with a plurality of motors (for example, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1), and the plurality of motors (for example, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1) are arranged at separated positions, so that the weight of the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) themselves does not increase. Therefore, the weight of the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) can be reduced.

[0018] Furthermore, since the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) themselves are not provided with a plurality of motors (for example, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1), there are no wirings for the plurality of motors (for example, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1) on the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1). Therefore, not only is maintenance work extremely easy, but also the finger portions (for example, the right finger portion 13a and left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1) can be directly immersed in water for cleaning, making cleaning work extremely easy.

[0019] Furthermore, the robot hand described above can achieve imitation hand performance, and the first rack (for example, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 1) and the second rack (for example, the second rack 15b shown in Figure 1) can be used to increase the distance between the fingers (for example, the right fingers 13a and left fingers 13b shown in Figure 1) (for example, from 0 mm to 200 mm). This eliminates limitations on the objects that can be grasped, allowing the hand to grasp a variety of objects.

[0020] Therefore, according to the present invention, the finger portion can be made lighter, maintenance and cleaning work is easier, and various objects can be gripped.

[0021] According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the effects of the invention of claim 1, it is possible to control the gripping object (for example, the gripping object W shown in Figure 2) to be supported from below by the second finger portion (for example, the rotating finger portion 13c shown in Figure 2).

[0022] According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effects of the invention of claim 1, the finger portion (for example, the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e shown in Figure 4) can be moved in two directions.

[0023] According to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the effects and advantages of the invention of claim 1, small foods such as chestnuts and mochi can be sandwiched inside. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view illustrating the basic configuration of a robot hand according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a robot hand showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for providing the rotating finger portion in the front-rear direction, where (a) shows the case using a pair of gears, and (b) illustrates the case using four gears. [Figure 4]This is a perspective view of a robot hand showing a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of a robot hand showing a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] (a) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the state in which the left finger portion and the rotating finger portion shown in Figure 5 are superimposed, (b) is a front view when the left finger portion and the rotating finger portion shown in Figure 5 are formed in a comb-like shape, and (c) is a front view showing a modified example of (b). [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of a robot hand showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] A robot hand according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when the directions of up, down, left, and right are indicated, they refer to the up, down, left, and right directions as viewed from the front as shown in the drawings.

[0026] <Basic explanation of robot hands> The robot hand according to this embodiment has lightweight fingers, is easy to maintain and clean, and can grasp various objects. Specifically, it has the basic configuration shown in Figure 1. That is, as shown in Figure 1, the robot hand 1 comprises a robot hand body 10. The robot hand body 10 is provided with multiple motors at its base end (the central side shown in Figure 1), namely, a first motor 11 and a second motor 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the robot hand body 10 is provided with a right finger portion 13a and a left finger portion 13b at its tip end (the left-right side shown in Figure 1). Furthermore, the robot hand body 10 is mounted on a U-shaped mounting base T, as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the first motor 11 is mounted and fixed to the upper horizontal base Ta of the mounting base T, and the second motor 12 is mounted and fixed to the lower horizontal base Tb of the mounting base T. As a result, the robot hand body 10 is mounted on the U-shaped mounting base T, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the robot arm AR is attached to this mounting base T. As a result, the robot hand body 10 moves in conjunction with the movement of the robot arm AR.

[0027] Here, we will explain the robot hand body 10 in detail.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the robot hand body 10 includes a first rack and pinion mechanism 14 and a second rack and pinion mechanism 15. As shown in Figure 1, the first rack and pinion mechanism 14 includes a first pinion 14a that is rotatably mounted on the first motor rotation shaft 11a of the first motor 11. As shown in Figure 1, a pair of first racks 14b are fitted to this first pinion 14a. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the pair of first racks 14b consist of a front first rack 14b1 located on the front side and a rear first rack 14b2 located on the rear side. As shown in Figure 1, the front first rack 14b1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, and in Figure 1, the left side 14b1a is fitted to the first pinion 14a. The rear first rack 14b2 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1, and in Figure 1, the right side 14b2a is fitted to the first pinion 14a.

[0029] Thus, the first rack and pinion mechanism 14 configured as described above operates as follows: When the first motor 11 is driven, the first motor rotation shaft 11a rotates, and consequently, the first pinion 14a rotates. As a result, the front first rack 14b1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 1, and the rear first rack 14b2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 1, which is the opposite direction to the front first rack 14b1.

[0030] On the other hand, the second rack and pinion mechanism 15 includes a second pinion 15a that is rotatably mounted on the second motor rotation shaft 12a of the second motor 12, as shown in Figure 1. A pair of second racks 15b are fitted to this second pinion 15a, as shown in Figure 1. More specifically, the pair of second racks 15b consist of a front second rack 15b1 located on the front side and a rear second rack 15b2 located on the rear side, as shown in Figure 1. The front second rack 15b1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1, and in Figure 1, the left side 15b1a is fitted to the second pinion 15a. The rear second rack 15b2 is also formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 1, and in Figure 1, the right side 15b2a is fitted to the second pinion 15a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a rectangular right finger portion 13a extending in the vertical direction is attached to the right side 15b1b of the front second rack 15b1. Also, as shown in Figure 1, a rectangular left finger portion 13b extending in the vertical direction is attached to the left side 15b2b of the rear second rack 15b2. Note that, as shown in Figure 1, the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b are positioned opposite each other.

[0031] Thus, the second rack and pinion mechanism 15 configured as described above operates as follows: When the second motor 12 is driven, the second motor rotation shaft 12a rotates, and consequently, the second pinion 15a rotates. As a result, the front second rack 15b1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 1, and the rear second rack 15b2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 1, which is the opposite direction to that of the front second rack 15b1. Therefore, as the front second rack 15b1 moves, the right finger portion 13a shown in Figure 1 also moves in the left-right direction, and as the rear second rack 15b2 moves, the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 1 also moves in the right-left direction. As a result, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 1, the right finger portion 13a moves to the left in the illustrated direction, and the left finger portion 13b moves to the right in the illustrated direction, thereby enabling gripping. Furthermore, when releasing the grip of the object W shown in Figure 1, the grip can be released by the right finger portion 13a moving to the right in the diagram and the left finger portion 13b moving to the left in the diagram.

[0032] By the way, if the only purpose is to grip the object W, then one degree of freedom with only the second rack and pinion mechanism 15 would suffice. However, the present invention provides two degrees of freedom by newly adding the first rack and pinion mechanism 14. That is, if the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1 are synchronized, that is, driven in the same direction and at the same rotation angle, then the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b will only move in the same way, and the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b will only move as described above, and no new force will be generated. However, if the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 shown in Figure 1 are not synchronized, that is, they are not rotated at the same rotation angle, then a difference in movement will be created between the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b. As a result, a new force will be generated. In other words, in this embodiment, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 1 imparts a displacement to the second rack 15b. This displacement generates a new force (motion). Therefore, by utilizing this new force (movement), it is possible to create new movements in addition to the movements of the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b described above. In other words, it is possible to provide fingers other than the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b to perform new movements. This makes it possible to achieve gripping that is tailored to the shape and size of the object to be gripped W, that is, to achieve a mimicry hand performance.

[0033] Therefore, with the robot hand 1 configured as described above, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 are not provided on the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b themselves, and the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 are placed at separate locations, so the weight of the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b themselves does not increase. Thus, the weight of the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b can be reduced.

[0034] Furthermore, since the right finger section 13a and the left finger section 13b themselves do not have the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 installed, there is no wiring for the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 in the right finger section 13a and the left finger section 13b. As a result, maintenance work is extremely easy, and the right finger section 13a and the left finger section 13b can be washed by simply immersing them in water, making cleaning work extremely easy.

[0035] Furthermore, the robot hand 1 described above can achieve imitation hand performance, and the distance between the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b can be narrowed or widened by the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b, thereby increasing the distance between the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b (for example, from 0 mm to 200 mm). This eliminates restrictions on the objects that can be grasped, allowing the robot hand to grasp a variety of objects.

[0036] Therefore, according to the embodiment described above, the finger portion can be made lighter, maintenance and cleaning work is easier, and various objects can be gripped.

[0037] The shapes of the right finger section 13a and left finger section 13b described above are merely examples, and any shape is acceptable.

[0038] The above is a basic explanation of Robot Hand 1.

[0039] Next, we will explain examples of how to utilize the new force (motion) described above.

[0040] <Description of the first embodiment> The robot hand 1A of the first embodiment shown in Figure 2 is an example in which a rotatable finger portion 13c is newly provided. In the following description, components identical to those of the robot hand 1 described with reference to Figure 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the robot hand 1A includes a robot hand body 10A. As shown in Figure 2, the robot hand body 10A includes a first rack and pinion mechanism 14 and a second rack and pinion mechanism 15. As shown in Figure 2, a third pinion 16 is fitted to the right side 14b1b of the front first rack 14b1. As shown in Figure 2, a rod-shaped rotating shaft 17 is attached and fixed to the lower part of the third pinion 16. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a rectangular support base 18 is provided integrally on the upper side of the right finger portion 13a, protruding outward (to the right in the figure), and the rotating shaft 17 is rotatably attached to this support base 18. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a rod-shaped rotating finger portion 13c is rotatably attached to the lower part of the rotating shaft 17 in the direction of arrow Y1 (from the dashed line position to the solid line position shown in Figure 2).

[0042] Thus, the robot hand 1A, configured as described above, operates as follows.

[0043] First, when the second motor 12 shown in Figure 2 is driven, the second motor rotation shaft 12a rotates, and consequently, the second pinion 15a rotates. As a result, the front second rack 15b1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 2, and the rear second rack 15b2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 2, which is the opposite direction to that of the front second rack 15b1. Therefore, as the front second rack 15b1 moves, the right finger portion 13a shown in Figure 2 also moves in the left-right direction, and as the rear second rack 15b2 moves, the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 2 also moves in the right-left direction. Thus, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 2, the right finger portion 13a moves to the left as shown in the figure, and the left finger portion 13b moves to the right as shown in the figure, allowing the object to be gripped.

[0044] Incidentally, in this case, the first motor 11 shown in Figure 2 is synchronized with the second motor 12 shown in Figure 2 and rotates in the same direction by the same rotation angle. As a result, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 2 moves in the same way as the second rack 15b, so no new force is generated and the third pinion 16 does not rotate. Therefore, the rotating finger 13c shown in Figure 2 also does not rotate and moves in accordance with the movement of the second rack 15b.

[0045] Next, if the drive of the second motor 12 shown in Figure 2 is stopped and the first motor 11 shown in Figure 2 is driven, the first motor rotation shaft 11a shown in Figure 2 rotates, and consequently the first pinion 14a rotates. As a result, the front first rack 14b1 moves in the left-right direction shown in Figure 2, and the rear first rack 14b2 moves in the right-left direction shown in Figure 2, which is the opposite direction to the front first rack 14b1. At this time, a difference in movement is created between the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b, so the third pinion 16 fitted to the front first rack 14b1 rotates. Consequently, the rotation shaft 17 shown in Figure 2 also rotates, and the rotating finger portion 13c rotates in the direction of arrow Y1. As a result, the object to be gripped W shown in Figure 2 can be gripped by the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b, and further supported from below by the rotating finger portion 13c (see the solid line position shown in Figure 2).

[0046] Therefore, by utilizing this new force (motion), it is possible to provide a rotating finger portion 13c other than the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b to enable new movements. Furthermore, simply gripping the object W may cause it to be crushed depending on the object W being gripped; therefore, supporting it from below is useful.

[0047] By the way, although the rotating finger portion 13c in the first embodiment is provided only on the right side as shown in Figure 2, it may of course also be provided on the left side as shown in Figure 2, or only on the left side. Also, the shape of the rotating finger portion 13c is merely an example, and any shape is acceptable.

[0048] Furthermore, the rotating finger portion 13c shown in Figure 2 may be provided in the front-to-back direction as shown in Figure 2 to support the object to be gripped W from below to prevent it from falling. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3(a), a first gear 19a is attached to the rotating shaft 17 shown in Figure 2, and a second gear 19b is provided that meshes with the first gear 19a. A rotating shaft (not shown) is then attached to this second gear 19b, and the rotating finger portion 13c is rotatably attached to that rotating shaft. As a result, the rotating shaft 17 shown in Figure 2 rotates, and as a result of this rotation, the first gear 19a rotates in the direction of arrow Y2 as shown in Figure 3(a), and the second gear 19b rotates in the opposite direction (in the direction of arrow Y3 shown in Figure 3(a)). Consequently, as shown in Figure 3(a), the pair of rotating finger portions 13c can support the object to be gripped W from the direction of arrow Y4.

[0049] On the other hand, if you want to widen the gap between the pair of rotating finger parts 13c, you can do so as shown in Figure 3(b). That is, as shown in Figure 3(b), the first gear 19a is attached to the rotating shaft 17 shown in Figure 2, and a second gear 19b is provided that meshes with the first gear 19a. Furthermore, a third gear 19c is provided that meshes with the first gear 19a, and a fourth gear 19d is provided that meshes with the third gear 19c. Then, a rotating shaft (not shown) is attached to the second gear 19b shown in Figure 3(b), and the rotating finger part 13c is rotatably attached to that rotating shaft. Furthermore, a rotating shaft (not shown) is attached to the fourth gear 19d, and the rotating finger part 13c is rotatably attached to that rotating shaft. As a result, the rotating shaft 17 shown in Figure 2 rotates, and as a result of this rotation, the first gear 19a rotates in the direction of arrow Y5, as shown in Figure 3(b), causing the second gear 19b and the third gear 19c to rotate in the opposite direction (in the direction of arrow Y6, as shown in Figure 3(b)). Then, as shown in Figure 3(b), when the third gear 19c rotates in the direction of arrow Y6, the fourth gear 19d rotates in the opposite direction (in the direction of arrow Y7, as shown in Figure 3(b)). Consequently, as shown in Figure 3(b), the pair of rotating fingers 13c can support the object W being gripped from the direction of arrow Y8.

[0050] Therefore, by doing as described above, the rotating finger portion 13c shown in Figure 2 can be positioned in the front-to-back direction shown in Figure 2, allowing the object to be gripped W to be supported from below to prevent it from falling. In this embodiment, the first gear 19a to the fourth gear 19d are shown as examples, but a chain or other belt can be used instead of gears.

[0051] The above describes the first embodiment.

[0052] <Description of the second embodiment> The robot hand 1B of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4 shows an example in which the fingers are provided in the front-to-back direction of Figure 4. In the following description, components identical to those of the robot hand 1 described with reference to Figure 1 will be given the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, the robot hand 1B includes a robot hand body 10B. As shown in Figure 4, the robot hand body 10B includes a first rack and pinion mechanism 14 and a second rack and pinion mechanism 15. As shown in Figure 4, a rectangular right mounting base 15c extending in the front-to-back direction is attached and fixed to the right side 15b1b of the front second rack 15b1, and a rectangular left mounting base 15d extending in the front-to-back direction is attached and fixed to the left side 15b2b of the rear second rack 15b2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the robot hand body 10B also includes a third rack and pinion mechanism 20. As shown in Figure 4, the third rack and pinion mechanism 20 includes a third pinion 20a fitted to the right side 14b1b of the front first rack 14b1. As shown in Figure 4, this third pinion 20a is mounted on the right mounting base 15c and fitted to a pair of third racks 20b. More specifically, the pair of third racks 20b consist of a right third rack 20b1 located on the right side and a left third rack 20b2 located on the left side, as shown in Figure 4. The right third rack 20b1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figure 4, and its front end surface 20b1a is fitted to the third pinion 20a. The left third rack 20b2 is also formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figure 4, and its rear end surface is fitted to the third pinion 20a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a rectangular rear finger portion 13d extending in the vertical direction is attached to the rear end surface 20b1b of the right third rack 20b1. And furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a rectangular front finger portion 13e extending in the vertical direction is attached to the front end surface 20b2b of the left third rack 20b2. As shown in Figure 4, the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e are positioned opposite each other.

[0054] Thus, the robot hand 1B, configured as described above, operates as follows.

[0055] First, when the second motor 12 shown in Figure 4 is driven, the second motor rotation shaft 12a rotates, and consequently, the second pinion 15a rotates. As a result, the front second rack 15b1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 4, and the rear second rack 15b2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 4, which is the opposite direction to the front second rack 15b1. At this time, the first motor 11 shown in Figure 4 rotates in the same direction and by the same angle as the second motor 12 shown in Figure 4. As a result, the first rack 14b shown in Figure 4 moves in the same way as the second rack 15b, so no new force is generated, and the third pinion 20a does not rotate. Therefore, the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e move in accordance with the movement of the second rack 15b (front second rack 15b1).

[0056] Next, if the drive of the second motor 12 shown in Figure 4 is stopped and the first motor 11 shown in Figure 4 is driven, the first motor rotation shaft 11a shown in Figure 4 will rotate, and consequently the first pinion 14a will rotate. As a result, the front first rack 14b1 will move in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 4, and the rear first rack 14b2 will move in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 4, which is the opposite direction to the front first rack 14b1. At this time, a difference in movement is created between the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b, so the third pinion 20a fitted to the front first rack 14b1 will rotate. Consequently, the right third rack 20b1 will move in the front-rear direction as shown in Figure 4, and the left third rack 20b2 will move in the rear-front direction as shown in Figure 4, which is the opposite direction to the right third rack 20b1. As a result, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 4, the rear finger portion 13d moves in the forward direction shown in the figure, and the front finger portion 13e moves in the rear direction shown in the figure, thereby enabling gripping.

[0057] Therefore, in this way, the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e can be made to move in a new forward-backward direction in addition to the left-right direction. In other words, movement in two directions becomes possible.

[0058] By the way, although the third rack and pinion mechanism 20 of the second embodiment is provided only on the right side as shown in Figure 4, it may of course also be provided on the left side as shown in Figure 4, or only on the left side. Also, the shapes of the rear finger portion 13d and the front finger portion 13e are merely examples, and any shape is acceptable.

[0059] The above describes the second embodiment.

[0060] <Description of the third embodiment> In the first and second embodiments described above, examples were shown in which the rack and pinion mechanism was arranged vertically. However, the robot hand 1C of the third embodiment shown in Figure 5 shows an example in which the rack and pinion mechanism is arranged horizontally. In the following description, components identical to those of the robot hand 1 described with reference to Figure 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0061] As shown in Figure 5, the robot hand 1C includes a robot hand body 10C. As shown in Figure 5, the robot hand body 10C includes a first rack and pinion mechanism 14C and a second rack and pinion mechanism 15C. As shown in Figure 5, the first rack and pinion mechanism 14C includes a first pinion 14Ca that is rotatably mounted on the first motor rotation shaft 11a (see Figure 1) of the first motor 11. As shown in Figure 5, a pair of first racks 14Cb are fitted to this first pinion 14Ca. More specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the pair of first racks 14Cb consist of a lower first rack 14Cb1 located on the lower side and an upper first rack 14Cb2 located on the upper side. As shown in Figure 5, the lower first rack 14Cb1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, and in Figure 5, the left side 14Cb1a is fitted to the first pinion 14Ca. The upper first rack 14Cb2 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 5, and in Figure 5, the right side 14Cb2a is fitted to the first pinion 14Ca.

[0062] On the other hand, the second rack and pinion mechanism 15C includes a second pinion (not shown) that is rotatably mounted on the second motor rotation shaft 12a (see Figure 1) of the second motor 12, as shown in Figure 5. A pair of second racks 15Cb are fitted to this second pinion, as shown in Figure 5. More specifically, the pair of second racks 15Cb consist of a lower second rack 15Cb1 located on the lower side and an upper second rack 15Cb2 located on the upper side, as shown in Figure 5. The lower second rack 15Cb1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 5, and in Figure 5, its left side is fitted to the second pinion. The upper second rack 15Cb2 is also formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 5, and in Figure 5, its right side 15Cb2a is fitted to the second pinion. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a rectangular right finger portion 13a extending in the vertical direction is attached to the right side surface 15Cb1b of the lower second rack 15Cb1. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a rectangular left finger portion 13b extending in the vertical direction is attached to the left side surface 15Cb2b of the upper second rack 15Cb2. Note that, as shown in Figure 5, the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b are positioned opposite each other.

[0063] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, a third pinion 16C is fitted to the right side 14Cb1b of the lower first rack 14Cb1. A rod-shaped rotating shaft 17C is attached and fixed to the third pinion 16C, as shown in Figure 5. This rotating shaft 17C is rotatably mounted on the upper part of the right finger portion 13a, as shown in Figure 5. A rectangular rotating finger portion 13f is rotatably mounted on the front end surface of the rotating shaft 17C, as shown in Figure 5.

[0064] Thus, the robot hand 1C, configured as described above, operates as follows.

[0065] First, when the second motor 12 shown in Figure 5 is driven, the second motor rotation shaft 12a (see Figure 1) rotates, and consequently, the second pinion rotates. As a result, the lower second rack 15Cb1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 5, and the upper second rack 15Cb2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 5, which is the opposite direction to the lower second rack 15Cb1. Therefore, as the lower second rack 15Cb1 moves, the right finger portion 13a shown in Figure 5 also moves in the left-right direction, and as the upper second rack 15Cb2 moves, the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 5 also moves in the right-left direction. Thus, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 5, the right finger portion 13a moves to the left as shown in the figure, and the left finger portion 13b moves to the right as shown in the figure, allowing the object to be gripped.

[0066] Incidentally, in this case, the first motor 11 shown in Figure 5 is synchronized with the second motor 12 and rotated in the same direction by the same rotation angle. As a result, the first rack 14Cb shown in Figure 5 moves identically to the second rack 15Cb, so no new force is generated, and the third pinion 16C does not rotate. Therefore, the rotating finger 13f also does not rotate and moves in accordance with the movement of the second rack 15Cb.

[0067] Next, if the drive of the second motor 12 shown in Figure 5 is stopped and the first motor 11 is driven, the first motor rotation shaft 11a (see Figure 1) rotates, and consequently the first pinion 14Ca rotates. As a result, the lower first rack 14Cb1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 5, and the upper first rack 14Cb2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 5, which is the opposite direction to the lower first rack 14Cb1. At this time, a difference in movement is created between the first rack 14Cb and the second rack 15Cb, so the third pinion 16C fitted to the lower first rack 14Cb1 rotates. Consequently, the rotation shaft 17C shown in Figure 5 also rotates, and the rotating finger portion 13f rotates. As a result, the object to be gripped W shown in Figure 5 can be gripped by the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b, and further supported from below by the rotating finger portion 13f.

[0068] Therefore, by utilizing this new force (motion), it is possible to provide a rotating finger portion 13f other than the right finger portion 13a and the left finger portion 13b to enable new movements. Furthermore, simply gripping the object W may cause it to be crushed depending on the object W being gripped; therefore, supporting it from below is useful.

[0069] In the third embodiment, the rotating finger portion 13f is provided only on the right side as shown in Figure 5, but of course, it may also be provided on the left side as shown in Figure 5, or it may be provided only on the left side.

[0070] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 6(a), the left finger portion 13b and the rotating finger portion 13f can also be superimposed. In this case, the left finger portion 13b and the rotating finger portion 13f can be made comb-shaped as shown in Figure 6(b). That is, the left finger portion 13b and the rotating finger portion 13f can be composed of a long, narrow rectangular base 13b1 (13f1) extending in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 6(b), and a long, narrow rectangular comb portion 13b2 (13f2) provided on the base 13b1 (13f1) with a gap between them and protruding downwards. Therefore, with such a comb-shaped configuration, when the left finger portion 13b and the rotating finger portion 13f are configured to superimpose, as shown in Figure 6(a), the comb portion 13f2 of the rotating finger portion 13f can be inserted between the comb portion 13b2 of the left finger portion 13b as shown in Figure 6(b). In this way, small foods such as chestnuts and mochi can be gripped between the left finger portion 13b and the rotating finger portion 13f. In order to grip small foods such as chestnuts and mochi more securely, the comb portion 13b2 (13f2) may be pre-angled and attached to the base 13b1 (13f1), as shown in Figure 6(c).

[0071] The above describes the third embodiment.

[0072] <Description of the 4th embodiment> In the first to third embodiments described above, examples using two motors were shown, but of course, since the principle is the same, it is also possible to use three or more motors. The robot hand 1D of the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 7 shows an example using three motors. In the following description, components identical to those in the robot hand 1 described with reference to Figure 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted.

[0073] As shown in Figure 7, the robot hand 1D includes a robot hand body 10D. As shown in Figure 7, the robot hand body 10D includes a first rack and pinion mechanism 14, a second rack and pinion mechanism 15, and a third rack and pinion mechanism 20D. As shown in Figure 7, the third rack and pinion mechanism 20D includes a third pinion 20Da that is rotatably mounted on the third motor rotation shaft 21a of the third motor 21. As shown in Figure 7, a pair of third racks 20Db are fitted to this third pinion 20Da. More specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the pair of third racks 20Db consist of a front third rack 20Db1 located on the front side and a rear third rack 20Db2 located on the rear side. As shown in Figure 7, the front third rack 20Db1 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, and in Figure 7, the left side 20Db1a is fitted to the third pinion 20Da. The rear third rack 20Db2 is also formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction, and in Figure 7, the right side 20Db2a is fitted to the third pinion 20Da.

[0074] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, a fifth pinion 22 is fitted to the right side 20Db1b of the front third rack 20Db1. A rod-shaped rotating shaft 23 is attached to this fifth pinion 22, as shown in Figure 7. This rotating shaft 23 is rotatably attached to the right finger portion 13a, as shown in Figure 7. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a first bevel gear 24 is attached to the lower part 23a of the rotating shaft 23. A second bevel gear 25 meshes with this first bevel gear 24, as shown in Figure 7, and a rotating finger portion 13g is attached to this second bevel gear 25.

[0075] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, the robot hand body 10D is further equipped with a fourth rack and pinion mechanism 26. As shown in Figure 7, the fourth rack and pinion mechanism 26 is equipped with a fourth pinion 26a fitted to the right side 14b1b of the front first rack 14b1. As shown in Figure 7, the fourth rack 26b is fitted to the left side of this fourth pinion 26a. As shown in Figure 7, the fourth rack 26b is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending in the front-rear direction, and in Figure 7, its rear end face is fitted to the fourth pinion 26a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a substantially rectangular front finger portion 13h extending in the vertical direction is attached to the front end face 26ba of the fourth rack 26b.

[0076] Thus, the robot hand 1D, configured as described above, operates as follows.

[0077] First, when the second motor 12 shown in Figure 7 is driven, the second motor rotation shaft 12a rotates, and consequently, the second pinion 15a rotates. As a result, the front second rack 15b1 moves in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 7, and the rear second rack 15b2 moves in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 7, which is the opposite direction to that of the front second rack 15b1. Therefore, as the front second rack 15b1 moves, the right finger portion 13a shown in Figure 7 also moves in the left-right direction, and as the rear second rack 15b2 moves, the left finger portion 13b shown in Figure 7 also moves in the right-left direction. Thus, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 7, the right finger portion 13a moves to the left in the illustrated direction, and the left finger portion 13b moves to the right in the illustrated direction, allowing the object to be gripped.

[0078] Incidentally, in this case, the first motor 11 and the third motor 21 shown in Figure 7 are synchronized with the second motor 12 shown in Figure 7 and rotate in the same direction by the same rotation angle. As a result, the first rack 14b and the third rack 20Db shown in Figure 7 move in the same way as the second rack 15b, so no new force is generated, and the fifth pinion 22 and the fourth pinion 26a do not rotate. Therefore, the front finger part 13h and the rotating finger part 13g move in accordance with the movement of the second rack 15b (front second rack 15b1).

[0079] Next, if the driving of the second motor 12 and the third motor 21 shown in Figure 7 is stopped and the first motor 11 shown in Figure 7 is driven, the first motor rotation shaft 11a shown in Figure 7 will rotate, and consequently the first pinion 14a will rotate. As a result, the front first rack 14b1 will move in the left-right direction shown in Figure 7, and the rear first rack 14b2 will move in the right-left direction shown in Figure 7, which is the opposite direction to the front first rack 14b1. At this time, a difference in movement is created between the first rack 14b and the second rack 15b, so the fourth pinion 26a fitted to the front first rack 14b1 will rotate. Consequently, the fourth rack 26b will move in the front-rear direction shown in Figure 7. As a result, when gripping the object W shown in Figure 7, the front finger portion 13h will move in the rearward direction shown in the figure, allowing it to grip.

[0080] Next, if the driving of the second motor 12 and the first motor 11 shown in Figure 7 is stopped and the third motor 21 shown in Figure 7 is driven, the third motor rotation shaft 21a shown in Figure 7 will rotate, and consequently the third pinion 20Da will rotate. As a result, the front third rack 20Db1 will move in the left-right direction as shown in Figure 7, and the rear third rack 20Db2 will move in the right-left direction as shown in Figure 7, which is the opposite direction to the front third rack 20Db1. At this time, a difference in movement is created between the first rack 14b and the third rack 20Db, so the fitted fifth pinion 22 will rotate. Consequently, the rotation shaft 23 shown in Figure 7 will also rotate, and the first bevel gear 24 will rotate. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the second bevel gear 25 which meshes with the first bevel gear 24 will rotate, and the rotating finger 13g will rotate in the direction of arrow Y9. Therefore, in this way, the rotating finger portion 13g can support the object W to be gripped, as shown in Figure 7, from below.

[0081] Therefore, even with three motors, new forces (motions) can be utilized, and new movements can be made by providing rotating finger parts 13g and anterior finger parts 13h in addition to the right finger parts 13a and left finger parts 13b. Furthermore, since simply gripping the object W may cause it to be crushed depending on the object W being gripped, supporting it from below is useful.

[0082] In the fourth embodiment, the rotating finger portion 13g and the forefinger portion 13h are provided only on the right side as shown in Figure 7, but of course, they may also be provided on the left side as shown in Figure 7, or only on the left side. Furthermore, the forefinger portion 13h may also be provided on the rear side as shown in Figure 4.

[0083] The above describes the fourth embodiment.

[0084] Therefore, as shown in the first to fourth embodiments described above, by utilizing the new force (motion) explained in the basic description of the robot hand 1, it becomes possible to realize not only movement in one direction but also movement in two directions and various other movements.

[0085] It should be noted that the details shown in this embodiment, as well as the first to fourth embodiments, are merely examples, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims. For example, the number of motors may be four or more.

[0086] Furthermore, while the gripping object W shown in this embodiment can be any object, it is particularly useful for food products that vary in shape, hardness, and size.

[0087] 1,1A~1D Robot Hand 10, 10A~10D Robot Hand Body 11. First motor (motor) 12. Second motor (motor) 13a Right finger (finger, first finger) 13b Left finger (finger, first finger) 13c Rotating finger section (second finger section) 13d Posterior finger (finger) 13e Front finger (finger) 13th fret: Rotating finger section (2nd finger section) 14a First pinion 14b, 14Cb, Rack 1 15a Second pinion 15b, 15Cb, 2nd rack 16, 20a, 16C Third pinion 20b Rack 3 W Grasped object

Claims

1. The robot hand body and The finger portion provided on the tip side of the robot body, The robot body has a plurality of motors provided on the base end side, The plurality of motors includes at least a first motor and a second motor, The robot hand body is, A first pinion is rotatably mounted on the first motor, A second pinion is rotatably mounted on the second motor, The first rack fitted to the first pinion, It comprises at least a second rack fitted to the second pinion, The first motor and the second motor are configured to be driven independently by the robot hand.

2. The robot hand body further comprises: The third pinion fitted to the first rack, The rotating shaft is rotatably attached to the third pinion, The aforementioned finger portion has a first finger portion and a second finger portion, The first finger portion is provided on the tip side of the second rack, The second finger portion is provided on the rotation axis, By driving the second motor, the second pinion is rotated, thereby moving the second rack, which allows the first finger portion to grasp the object to be grasped, and further, The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the first motor is driven to rotate the first pinion, thereby moving the first rack, which in turn rotates the third pinion and rotates the rotation shaft, thereby supporting the object to be grasped from below with the second finger portion.

3. The robot hand body further comprises: The third pinion fitted to the first rack, It has a third rack fitted to the third pinion, The aforementioned finger portion is provided on the tip side of the third rack, The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the first motor is driven to rotate the first pinion, thereby moving the first rack, which in turn rotates the third pinion, moving the third rack, thereby allowing the fingers to grasp an object to be grasped.

4. The robot hand body further comprises: The third pinion fitted to the first rack, The rotating shaft is rotatably attached to the third pinion, The aforementioned finger portion has a comb-shaped first finger portion and a comb-shaped second finger portion. The first finger portion is provided on the tip side of the second rack, The second finger portion is rotatably mounted on the rotation axis, The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein when grasping an object with the first finger portion and the second finger portion, the first finger portion and the second finger portion overlap.

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