Gripper of an industrial manipulator with a sensor and method for detecting the presence of a part between the jaws of a gripper of an industrial manipulator - Patents.com

Abstract

To provide a gripper for an industrial manipulator equipped with a sensor detecting presence of components among jaws.SOLUTION: A gripper for an industrial manipulator includes: a body; a plurality of jaws fitted to the body and operable to hold and release components; an actuator 103 of the plurality of jaws; and a sensor 112 configured to detect presence of components between the plurality of jaws. The sensor is not disposed between the plurality of jaws in a space which intends to house a component to be held, and is advantageous in that it is functionally mediated between the actuator and one of the plurality of jaws. A method is for detecting presence of components between the plurality of jaws of the gripper for the industrial manipulator, the method providing a sensor to be used for detecting a position of the jaw with respect to the actuator of the gripper.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gripper for an industrial manipulator. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of industrial automation, the use of robotic manipulators, which typically have grippers attached to them for grasping an object to be manipulated, is known.

[0003] Grippers for industrial manipulators typically have two or more jaws, or gripper fingers, attached to a gripper body that are movable toward and away from one another between an open or release position, in which no pressure is applied to the part being manipulated, and a closed or gripping position, in which sufficient pressure is applied to the part to prevent accidental release during handling.

[0004] Depending on the type of jaw movement, a distinction is made between linear grippers, whose jaws move linearly in or on respective guides, and angular grippers, whose jaws rotate around respective pivot axes.

[0005] The jaws are operated by an actuator device, typically pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric, housed within the gripper body.

[0006] Grippers may be equipped with a sensor, usually magnetic, whose function is to generate an electrical signal indicating the presence of a part between the jaws. The sensor can be used to identify when the gripper has not captured the part being worked on or when the part has accidentally fallen. Two configurations are currently known:

[0007] In the first configuration, used in pneumatic grippers, a magnetic element is incorporated into an air piston that moves inside the gripper body, and a dedicated sensor detects the position of this magnetic element, thereby indirectly detecting the position of the air piston. When a part is properly inserted between the gripper jaws, the jaws cannot approach any closer than the extent determined by the part clamped between them, and the air piston does not reach the end of its stroke. If the part is accidentally released from the jaws or is not captured, the jaws will close fully until they abut each other, allowing the air piston to reach its respective limit stop position, at which point a sensor will emit a signal to generate an alarm.

[0008] One limitation of this method is the need to use low-hysteresis magnetic sensors, which are more expensive than standard sensors, or analog sensors; otherwise, the accuracy of the sensor detection will not be sufficient to distinguish slight movements of the air piston. In fact, standard, inexpensive, and commonly used magnetic sensors are digital sensors that generate a signal only when the magnetic flux strength of the detected magnetic field exceeds a threshold, e.g., 25 Gauss, and turn off when the magnetic flux strength of the magnetic field falls below a lower threshold, e.g., 20 Gauss. This hysteresis makes standard magnetic sensors less accurate (requiring a long stroke of the sensor's magnetic element). This is the reason for adopting more expensive low-hysteresis magnetic sensors.

[0009] In the second configuration, primarily used with the Spruce Gripper, a magnetic sensor is placed in one of the jaws, or on the jaw itself, and the part being worked on remains gripped between the magnetic sensor and the opposing jaw. In this case, the magnetic sensor is fabricated with a stationary member relative to each jaw and a movable member relative to the stationary member. When the part is captured by the gripper, the movable member of the magnetic sensor is pushed toward the stationary member, and the magnetic sensor generates a corresponding electrical signal. When the jaws open and the part is released, the movable member of the magnetic sensor moves away from the stationary member due to the biasing force of the elastic member.

[0010] A drawback of such an approach is that because the magnetic sensors are attached to the jaws, they limit the space available around the jaws, particularly limiting the opening angle of the gripper. Furthermore, because the magnetic sensor is in one jaw facing the opposite jaw, the gripper is not symmetrical, which can make programming the robot arm to which the gripper is attached difficult because the size of the magnetic sensor must be taken into account when capturing and releasing parts.

[0011] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-172735 describes a specialized gripper for handling parts, which is equipped with a sensor that detects deformation of a spring to identify whether or not a part is present between the jaws, and when the jaws apply pressure to the part, the spring is compressed.

[0012] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 182668 describes a pneumatic gripper for holding a plate or sheet. The actuator is an air piston that moves the jaws using a cam-type transmission mechanism. An electronic sensor is located in the transmission mechanism to detect the position of the jaws and distinguish between a gripped state and a state where the plate is not between the jaws.

[0013] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 207807 describes an electric gripper specifically designed to handle Petri dishes, i.e., parts all of equal diameter. The gripper includes a compensation mechanism to prevent excessive force from being applied to the Petri dish. Optical sensors are pre-positioned in the compensation mechanism and the jaws to detect the presence of a Petri dish between the jaws.

[0014] Japanese Patent Publication No. 3825449 describes a gripper in which sensors are arranged in the jaws (paragraph 28, FIG. 3, optical sensor 43 and optical sensor 44).

[0015] US Pat. No. 6,145,904 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 127879 describe pneumatically operated grippers with parallel jaws, which are known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0016] The object of the present invention is to provide a gripper for an industrial manipulator equipped with a sensor for detecting the presence of a part between the jaws, which not only overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional solutions but is also simple to manufacture.

[0017] Therefore, a first aspect of the invention relates to a gripper as claimed in claim 1.

[0018] More specifically, the gripper comprises a body, a plurality of jaws attached to the body and operable to grip and release a part, an actuator for the jaws, and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a part between the jaws, the sensor being advantageously not located between the jaws in the space intended to accommodate the part to be gripped, but operatively interposed between the actuator and one of the jaws.

[0019] That is, in the gripper according to the present invention, the sensor is arranged not at the tip of the jaws but on the front side of the jaws, specifically between one of the jaws and the actuator.

[0020] The expression functionally interposed means that the sensor performs its function between one jaw and the actuator, regardless of its physical position relative to the other components of the gripper, i.e. the sensor interacts between one jaw and the actuator, not between the two jaws, nor between the jaw and the part to be gripped.

[0021] This configuration has the following advantages.

[0022] First, the space between the jaws is not occupied by the sensor, and the reclaimed (unoccupied) space can be used to capture and hold a part, and the jaws can be opened and closed more quickly to hold a particular part.

[0023] Another advantage is that the gripper can be constructed so that the captured parts are held substantially in a lateral plane at an equal distance from the jaws, i.e., on the central axis of the gripper, facilitating the operation of industrial manipulators.

[0024] Another benefit is that the sensor is not exposed to potentially hot or dirty trapped parts, resulting in a longer sensor life.

[0025] The proposed solution can be easily implemented at low cost for both angular grippers and grippers with parallel jaws.

[0026] The jaws preferably have a distal end intended to hold a part and an opposing proximal end or shoulder movable relative to one another by the actuator, which acts on the proximal end of at least one jaw (e.g., one jaw may be stationary or all jaws may be movable). The sensor is operatively interposed between the actuator and the proximal end of one of the jaws and is configured, for example, to generate a signal indicative of the position of the proximal end of the jaw relative to the actuator, which signal also indicates whether a part is present between the jaws.

[0027] The sensor is preferably of the magnetic type and further preferably comprises a magnetic element and an electronic circuit for detecting the magnetic element, for example based on the Hall effect, the electronic circuit being fixed to the jaw and the magnetic element being movable relative to the electronic circuit in response to a force applied by the actuator.

[0028] In one aspect, the electronic circuit is attached to the jaw at a proximal end of the jaw, and the magnetic element is attached to the actuator, e.g., an air piston or rod of a linear actuator, and is movable together with the actuator relative to the electronic circuit in response to a force applied by the jaw to which the sensor is attached, particularly when the actuator is actuated, between a first position where the magnetic element is at a maximum distance from the electronic circuit and a second position where the magnetic element is at a minimum distance from the electronic circuit.

[0029] In an alternative embodiment, the electronic circuit is attached to the jaw at the proximal end of the jaw, and the magnetic element is attached to a dedicated member interposed between the electronic circuit and the actuator, and is movable in response to a force applied by the jaw to which the sensor is attached between a first position in which the magnetic element is at a maximum distance from the electronic circuit and a second position in which the magnetic element is at a minimum distance from the electronic circuit.

[0030] Preferably, the position of the magnetic element at the minimum distance from the electronic circuit corresponds to the part-gripping position of the jaws, i.e., the state where a part is held between the jaws. Thus, when the electronic circuit detects that the magnetic element is in the second position, i.e., at the minimum distance, it generates a signal confirming that the part is properly held by the gripper, and when it detects that the magnetic element is moving away it generates a signal corresponding to another state, for example, corresponding to an open or closed position of the jaws but no part being gripped, or no signal at all.

[0031] The magnetic elements are preferably movably arranged relative to the respective jaws so that: During the closing movement of the jaws, the magnetic element does not rotate relative to each jaw, and the distance between the magnetic element and the electronic circuit remains constant until the jaws move into contact with the part to be grasped. In this situation, the sensor does not generate a signal indicating that a part has been grasped. Thereafter, as the jaws approach the part to be grasped and the actuator applies the force necessary to clamp the part between the jaws, the magnetic element and each jaw rotate relative to each other, reducing the distance between the magnetic element and the electronic circuit, possibly down to zero, i.e., to the point where the magnetic element abuts the electronic circuit. In this situation, the sensor generates a signal that the part has been grasped.

[0032] In this way, an economical sensor, not necessarily of the low hysteresis type, can be used without the risk of generating a false positive signal during gripper operation, i.e., a signal indicating that a part is gripped when in fact no part is between the jaws.

[0033] For example, the sensor may include a first member defining a housing for an electronic circuit, e.g., a housing in which the position of the electronic circuit can be adjustably arranged, and a second member accommodating a magnetic element, and further includes an elastic member interposed between the first member and the second member, the second member being movable relative to the first member in response to a force applied by the jaw to which the sensor is attached, and the elastic member exerting a counter force on the actuator.

[0034] More preferably, the first member of the sensor is fixed to or formed integrally with the jaw and the second member is hinged to the first member and is pivotable relative to the first member, i.e. oscillates as a result of a force exerted by the same jaw when the actuator is actuated and an opposing force exerted by the elastic member.

[0035] For example, a first member of a sensor may be fixed to a jaw at a proximal end of the jaw, and the one jaw may rotate the second member relative to the first member. When a part is held between the jaws, the angle between the first and second members is minimized and the resilient member is compressed.

[0036] The second member of the sensor is preferably a sliding block that abuts against a part of the actuator, the actuator being movable and acting on the sliding block to apply a pressing force to the sliding block.

[0037] Generally, the actuators can be pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric.

[0038] Preferably, in general, the position of the magnetic element relative to the electronic circuitry depends on the position of the jaw to which the sensor is attached, and therefore on the size of the part that can be held between the jaws, and the position of the actuator.

[0039] The applicant reserves the right to file a divisional patent application for another aspect of the invention in which the sensor is pneumatic. In this case, the sensor: a duct opening between the jaws of the gripper and the actuator, for fluid communication with an external low pressure or vacuum source, which may be remotely located and connected to the sensor by a rubber hose, and which may be equipped with a device for detecting the pressure value (i.e., the low pressure value) at the sensor; a shutter movable between an open and a closed position of said duct in response to a force applied by the same jaw on which said sensor is mounted; Equipped with.

[0040] The air pressure sensor preferably comprises a first member securable to the jaw at a proximal portion or shoulder of the jaw, the duct being defined in the first member, the sensor further comprising a second member attached to the first member, the second member being movable relative to the first member between the open and closed positions in response to a force applied by the same jaw to which the first member of the sensor is attached.

[0041] For example, the second member of the sensor may be hinged to the first member and pivotable relative to the first member between the open and closed positions depending on the angular position of the jaw to which the first member is attached.

[0042] The operation of this embodiment is simple: when the jaws close without capturing part P, the sensor duct is not closed by the shutter and a first low pressure value is detected in the duct itself, whereas when a part is held between the jaws, the shutter closes the sensor duct and a second low pressure value greater than the first low pressure value is detected in the duct itself. By detecting the difference in pressure (low pressure) within the duct, it is possible to distinguish between a state in which a part is gripped and a state in which no part is present.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the actuator comprises at least one air piston reciprocally movable along the longitudinal direction within a corresponding cylinder defined in the body of the gripper under the action of a pressurized fluid supplied in the cylinder and under the action of a resilient return member.

[0044] The gripper according to the present invention may be an angular gripper, in which case the plurality of jaws are swingable on a pin and each jaw has a distal end intended to hold a part and a proximal end or shoulder against which the actuator applies a pressing force, the distal end being on the opposite side of the pin from the proximal end, the plurality of jaws swinging between an open position in which the distal ends spread apart and the proximal ends approach each other, and a closed position in which the distal ends approach or abut each other and the proximal ends spread apart, the position of the plurality of jaws when gripping a part being intermediate between the open position and the closed position.

[0045] The gripper according to the present invention may be a gripper with parallel jaws, in which at least one jaw is translatable along a guide and includes a corresponding arm that swings on a pin to displace the at least one jaw on the guide, the proximal end of the jaw being defined by the arm, and the sensor being operatively interposed between the actuator and the arm.

[0046] In general, a gripper can have a fixed jaw and a single movable jaw, two movable jaws, three movable jaws, and so on.

[0047] The actuator preferably comprises at least one air piston insertable or movable between the proximal ends of the jaws to spread them apart, or the actuator may be hydraulic or electric.

[0048] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting the presence of a part between the jaws of a gripper for an industrial manipulator that overcomes the drawbacks of prior solutions.

[0049] Therefore, a second aspect of the present invention relates to a method as claimed in claim 20.

[0050] More particularly, the method comprises: providing a gripper comprising a body, a plurality of jaws attached to the body and operable to hold and release a part, an actuator for the plurality of jaws, and a sensor; using the actuator to move the plurality of jaws between an open position, a closed position, and a part-gripping position to capture and hold a part; generating a signal using the sensor indicating that the part has been properly gripped; Equipped with.

[0051] To achieve the above-mentioned advantages of the gripper, i.e. to identify when a part has been gripped, the sensor preferably detects the position of (at least) one of the jaws relative to the actuator.

[0052] In practice, the sensor is operatively interposed between the actuator and one of the jaws, and generates a signal when the position of the one jaw relative to the actuator corresponds to a correctly gripped part.

[0053] The sensor detects deviation of one of the jaws from the closed position of the jaws when the actuator is actuated, i.e., when the actuator is in a position corresponding to the jaws being closed, the deviation being caused by components between the jaws. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0054] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the invention, set forth by way of example only and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0055] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a gripper for an industrial manipulator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2]2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws in an open position; FIG. [Figure 2A] 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws in a closed position. [Figure 3] 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws in a fully closed position. [Figure 4A] 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws closed and in contact with a first part to be worked on. [Figure 4B] 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws closed and in contact with a second part to be worked on. [Figure 4C] 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws closed and in contact with a third part to be worked on. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is an exploded perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 1 with the jaws in an open position. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a gripper for an industrial manipulator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 6 with the jaws in a fully closed position. [Figure 8] 7 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 6 with the jaws closed and in contact with the part being worked on. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 6 with the jaws in an open position. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing details of the gripper shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a gripper for an industrial manipulator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an elevated perspective view of a partial phantom projection of the gripper shown in FIG. 11 with the jaws in an open position. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 11 with the jaws in a fully closed position. [Figure 14] 12 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 11 with the jaws closed and in contact with the part being worked on. [Figure 15] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a gripper for an industrial manipulator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, with the jaws in a fully open position. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a side cross-sectional view of the gripper shown in FIG. 16 with the jaws in a fully closed position. [Figure 18] 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gripper shown in FIG. 16 with the jaws closed and in contact with the part being worked on. [Figure 19] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 16 with the jaws in an open position. [Figure 20] FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the gripper shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a gripper for an industrial manipulator according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is an elevated perspective view of a partial phantom projection of the gripper shown in FIG. 21 with the jaws in an open position. [Figure 23] FIG. 22 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 21 with the jaws in a fully closed position. [Figure 24] 22 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the gripper shown in FIG. 21 with the jaws closed and in contact with the part being worked on. [Figure 25] FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the gripper shown in FIG. 21. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0056] 1 to 5 show a gripper 100 for an industrial manipulator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Gripper 100 includes a body 101 defining a cylinder 102 with a movable air piston 103 therein, according to a typical cylinder-piston configuration. Compressed air is supplied via a nozzle 105. Gripper 100 includes two jaws 106 and 107 attached to body 101 using pins 108 and 109, allowing the jaws 106 and 107 to pivot between an open position in which the jaws 106 and 107 are spread apart, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, and a closed position in which the jaws 106 and 107 abut against each other, as shown in FIG. 3. FIGS. 4A-4C show an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, which can be defined as a part-gripping position, in which the jaws 106 and 107 are slightly spread apart and closed until they abut against a part P to be worked on.

[0058] The closing movement of the jaws 106, 107 is caused by an air piston 103 having a wedge-shaped portion 110 which enters between the jaws 106, 107 when compressed air is supplied through a nozzle 105 and the air piston 103 moves towards the end of the cylinder 102 which is closer to the jaws 106, 107 themselves, i.e., towards what may be called the dead-close point. To achieve this closing movement accurately, the jaws 106, 107 have shoulders 106', 107' (which may also be defined as proximal ends) which extend from the respective pins 108, 109 towards the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103, opposite the distal ends 106'', 107'', which function to capture and hold the part P.

[0059] An elastic member 111, such as a spring or rubber element, is inserted between the jaws 106, 107 to automatically open the gripper when the air piston 103 returns to its initial position, i.e., when the supply of compressed air is interrupted. The spring 111 generates a biasing force tending to spread the distal ends 106", 107" of the jaws 106, 107 apart, i.e., to return the jaws 106, 107 to the open position when the biasing force exerted by the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103 is removed.

[0060] In the example shown in the figure, the spring 111 acts in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction in which the air piston 103 is displaced.

[0061] Gripper 100 comprises a sensor, generally designated 112, whose function is to generate an electrical signal indicative of the position assumed at any given time by jaws 106, 107. Contrary to solutions known to those skilled in the art, in gripper 100 sensor 112 is not located on air piston 103 or on one of the distal ends 106′, 107′ of jaws 106, 107, but is functionally interposed between air piston 103 and one of jaws 106, 107, in particular between wedge 110 of air piston 103 and one of shoulders 106′, 107′ of jaws 106, 107.

[0062] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the sensor 112 is interposed between the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103 and the shoulder portion 106' of the jaw 106.

[0063] The sensor 112 is magnetic and its construction and operation will now be described in detail.

[0064] 5, the sensor 112 comprises a first member 113 intended to be fixed to a shoulder 106′ of the jaw 106 in order to remain stationary relative to said jaw 106; in other words, the first member 113 of the sensor 112 is intended to rotate together with the shoulder 106′ relative to the pin 108. In the example shown, the first member 113 of the sensor 112 has a protrusion 114 that engages in a corresponding hole 115 provided in the shoulder 106′ of the jaw 106.

[0065] The first element 113 of the sensor 112 contains an electronic circuit 116 that is capable of detecting the presence of a magnetic element at a predetermined distance by the Hall effect. Wiring 117 is provided to power the electronic circuit 116 and to collect the electrical signal generated by the sensor 112.

[0066] The sensor 112 also includes a second member 118, which may be defined as a sliding block, that is pivotally attached to the first member 113 by a pin 119 that passes through the shoulder 106' of the jaw 106 and that is inserted through both the first member 113 and the second member 118 of the sensor 112. In other words, the second member 118 of the sensor 112 is hinged to the first member 113 using the pin 119.

[0067] With this configuration, the second member 118 is movable relative to the first member 113, and therefore also relative to the shoulder 106' of the jaw 106, between a distal position corresponding to the maximum possible angle between the two members 113, 118, and a proximal position corresponding to the minimum possible angle between the two members 113, 118.

[0068] 5, a pellet-shaped magnetic element 120 is housed in a dedicated seat 120' within the second member 118. Because the magnetic element 120 moves integrally with the second member 118, detection of the position of the magnetic element 120 by the electronic circuit 116 attached to the first member 113 of the sensor 112 corresponds to an indirect measurement of the angular position of the second member 118 and is therefore primarily dependent on the position of the jaws 106 at the time of detection. The second member 118 always abuts the wedge portion 110 of the air piston 103 and acts as a sliding block on that surface; for this reason, the second member 118 of the sensor 112 preferably has a rounded surface to facilitate sliding of the air piston 103 over the wedge portion 110.

[0069] A resilient member 121, preferably a spring, is operatively interposed between the two members 113, 118 of the sensor 112 so as to constantly exert a biasing force tending to move the second member 118 away from the first member 113. It is the air piston 103 that opposes the spring 121 by wedging itself between the shoulders 106' and 107' of the jaws 106, 107 as it moves towards the dead-close position, thus limiting the relative movement of the second member 118 with respect to the first member 113 of the sensor 112.

[0070] In other words, when the gripper 100 is actuated and the air piston 103 is subjected to a pressing force by the compressed air, the air piston 103 itself exerts a pressing force on the second member 118 of the sensor 112, thereby counteracting the force exerted by the spring 121. When gripping the part P, the new angular position of the jaws 106 causes the second member 118 to swing on the pin 119, which correspondingly reduces the angle between the first member 113 and the second member 118. In this situation, the electronic circuit 116 detects the approach of the magnetic element 120. When the electronic circuit 116 detects that the magnetic element 120 has reached a predetermined relative position, i.e., that the magnetic flux strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element 120 has reached a threshold value that actually corresponds to the unique angular position of the second member 118 of the sensor 112 and therefore corresponds to the status of the gripped part, the sensor 112 generates a corresponding signal.

[0071] If the gripper 100 accidentally loses the part P or does not grip the part P at all, the air piston 103 will come into contact with the limit stopper 122 (dead-closed point) and stop without compressing the elastic member 121, and therefore will not generate a signal corresponding to a properly gripped part P. For example, in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103 does not come into contact with the limit stopper 122, unlike that shown in FIG.

[0072] Specifically, Figure 2 shows gripper 100 with jaws 106, 107 fully open, where the angle between second member 118 of sensor 112 and first member 113 is at a maximum and magnetic element 120 is at a maximum distance from electronic circuit 116. Figure 3 shows gripper 100 with jaws 106, 107 fully closed, where the angle between second member 118 of sensor 112 and first member 113 is at a maximum and magnetic element 120 is at a maximum distance from electronic circuit 116. Figures 4A-4C show gripper 100 with jaws 106, 107 in a gripping position for intermediate part P, where the angle between second member 118 of sensor 112 and first member 113 is at a minimum and magnetic element 120 is precisely closest to electronic circuit 116 due to the angular displacement of jaws 106 from the closed position.

[0073] By employing the above-described solution, the industrial manipulator can safely determine that part P may have been dropped or that it has not gripped part P. In either case, a mismatch of sensors 112 will occur and the manipulator will stall, i.e., gripper 100 will stall.

[0074] The above solution has several advantages.

[0075] Firstly, the space around the jaws 106, 107 remains completely free and the sensor 112 is not attached to the distal ends 106'', 107'' of the jaws 106, 107, i.e., the part of the jaws 106, 107 that needs to interact with the part P to be worked on. In this way, the gripper 100 can be used better.

[0076] Second, the gripper 100 is symmetrical because there is no sensor 112 between the distal ends 106'', 107'' of the jaws 106, 107 and the jaws 106, 107 are symmetrical and move as mirror images relative to the longitudinal axis of the gripper 100 on which the part is held during processing.

[0077] Another advantage is that sensor 112 can be manufactured with inexpensive components, and in fact sensor 112 does not need to be low hysteresis or analog because its operation is also based on the presence of elastic member 121. More specifically, the spring coefficient is selected so that spring 121 can be compressed only when gripper 100 grips part P; if gripper 100 does not capture a part, this would be an error and spring 121 would not be compressed.

[0078] The closing of jaws 106, 107 on a part will now be described with reference to Figures 2, 2A, 3, and 4A-4C, considering the case where gripper 100 must grasp three parts that have circular cross-sections but different diameters P', P'', and P'''.

[0079] For example, initially, when a command to grab part P arrives at gripper 100, its jaws 106, 107 may be open as shown in FIG. 2 or closed as shown in FIG.

[0080] It should be noted that upon closing of the jaws 106, 107 from the position shown in FIG. 2, the angle between the second member 118 and the first member 113 of the sensor 112 is at its maximum and the magnetic element 120 is at its furthest position from the electronic circuit 116, unless the jaws are closed to the part P.

[0081] In other words, during closing of the jaws 106, 107, unless both jaws abut against the part P being worked on, the second member 118, i.e., the sliding block, of the sensor 112 moves integrally with the jaws 106, i.e., these members do not rock against each other on the pin 119.

[0082] This behavior occurs because the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103 prevents the second member 118 of the sensor 112 from pivoting on the pin 119 relative to the jaws 106 unless the preload of the elastic member 121 is exceeded, which occurs only when the jaws 106, 107 move to grip the part P and the wedge-shaped portion 110 of the air piston 103 moves further in a direction corresponding to separating the shoulders 106', 107' of the jaws 106, 107.

[0083] This prevents the second member 118 of the sensor 112 from rotating relative to the jaws 106 before the jaws 106, 107 grip the part P, thereby keeping the magnetic element 120 away from the sensor 112. This is preferable because it avoids false detection signals even though an inexpensive sensor 112, not necessarily of the low hysteresis type, is employed.

[0084] FIG. 2A shows the gripper 100 as the jaws 106, 107 move to close on a part P (three parts P of different diameters are shown schematically), and during the closing movement the angle between the second member 118 and the first member 113 of the sensor 112 remains constant and preferably equals a maximum value until the jaws have closed on the part P, after which this angle decreases as far as the second member 118 of the sensor 112 rotates until it reaches a limit stop which corresponds to the magnetic element 120 being directly abutting the sensor 112 and which corresponds to an angle of zero.

[0085] 4A-4C show the gripper 100 with the jaws 106, 107 (particularly portions 106'', 107'') closed on a small diameter part P', a medium diameter part P'', and a large diameter part P''', respectively.

[0086] As shown, in all three cases, the angle between the second member 118 and the first member 113 of the sensor 112 is zero, the magnetic element 120 is in contact with the sensor 112, and a signal is generated that a part has been gripped, i.e., a signal indicating that parts P', P'', and P''' have been captured between the jaws 106 and 107.

[0087] First, the fact that the jaws 106 and the second member 118 of the sensor 112 move together and then rotate relative to each other ensures that the sensor 112 always gives a correct signal without false detection, regardless of the diameter of the parts P', P'', and P'''.

[0088] 6 to 9 show a gripper 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to the gripper 100 of the first embodiment. In this structural modification, two jaws 206 and 207 swing on pins 208 and 209, respectively, relative to the main body 201 in response to a force applied by an air piston 203 that functions as an actuator and moves back and forth in the vertical direction within a cylinder 202 formed within the main body 201.

[0089] A resilient member 211, which is essentially a preloaded spring, is interposed between the two jaws 206, 207 on the opposite side of the pins 208, 209 from the air piston 203, and forces the jaws 206, 207 into an open position when the air piston 203 returns within the cylinder 202. In other words, the spring 211 exerts a biasing force on the distal ends 206'', 207'' of the jaws 206, 207, tending to spread them apart, and the air piston 203, by means of a wedge 210 that slides directly between the shoulders 206', 207' of the jaws 206, 207, exerts a biasing force on the shoulders 206', 207', spreading them apart against the force exerted by the spring 211.

[0090] The sensor 212 comprises a first member 213 fixable to the shoulder 206' of the jaw 206 and a second member 218 hinged to the first member 213 by means of a pin 219. A resilient member 221, preferably a spring, is interposed between the two members 213, 218 of the sensor 212. A magnetic element 220, as shown in Figure 9, is inserted into the second member 218 of the sensor 212, and an electronic circuit 216 for detecting the magnetic element 220 is attached to the first member 213 of the sensor 212.

[0091] The second member 218, like a sliding block, has a rounded portion intended to interact with the wedge 210 of the air piston 203. The reciprocating motion of the air piston 203 limits the rotational movement of the second member 218 of the sensor 212 relative to the first member 213.

[0092] 7, the wedge-shaped portion 210 of the air piston 203 comes into contact with the limit stopper 222 and stops. On the other hand, when the jaws 206, 207 are in the position for gripping the part P shown in FIG. 8, the wedge-shaped portion 210 of the air piston 203 does not come into contact with the limit stopper 222.

[0093] In Figure 6, gripper 200 is shown with jaws 206, 207 open due to the biasing force applied by spring 211. In Figure 7, gripper 200 is shown with jaws 206, 207 closed due to the biasing force applied by air piston 203. In Figure 8, gripper 200 is shown with jaws 206, 207 in position to grip part P, i.e., part P is held by distal ends 206'', 207''.

[0094] The operation of gripper 200 is similar to that of gripper 100 described above.

[0095] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the jaws 206 and sensor 212 of the gripper 200. As shown, the first member 213 of the sensor 212 is provided with a slot 213' into which the electronic circuit 216 (not shown in FIG. 10 for simplicity) is slidably inserted so that the final position of the electronic circuit 216 can be adjusted and fixed. The first member 213 is formed with a hole that allows insertion of a pin 219 along an axis parallel to the pins 208 and 209. The shoulder 206' of the jaw 206 is fork-shaped and provided with opposing holes 215 that engage with resilient protrusions 214 on the sides of the first member 213 of the sensor 212. A hole 218' is provided through the second member 218 of the sensor 212 to receive the pin 219 and allow a hinged connection to be achieved with the first member 213. The second member 218 is provided with two seats 226, 223 for accommodating the spring 221 and the magnetic element 220, respectively. A suitable limiting surface 224 prevents the first member 213 from rotating relative to the shoulder 206' of the jaws 206 when the sensor 212 is properly mounted on the first member 213. Reference numeral 225 denotes a rounded portion of the sensor 212, i.e., the second member 218, which allows the second member 218 to rotate relative to the first member 213 in response to the force applied by the jaws 206 when a part P is gripped, intended to move like a sliding block on the wedge 210 of the piston 213.

[0096] The space between the jaws 206 and 207 remains completely empty in this second embodiment of the gripper 200, and the sensor 212 is not attached to the distal ends 206'', 207'' of the jaws 206, 207, i.e., the parts of the jaws 206, 207 that need to interact with the part P to be worked on.

[0097] Additionally, sensor 212 does not need to be low hysteresis, and can therefore be manufactured using inexpensive components. The spring coefficient is selected so that spring 221 is compressed only when gripper 200 grips part P. If gripper 200 does not capture part P, this indicates an error, and spring 221 is not compressed, and this situation is identified by sensor 212.

[0098] 11 to 15 show a gripper 300 according to a third embodiment. This is a pneumatic gripper 300, i.e., its actuator is a piston 303 that moves along a direction defined as a vertical direction within a cylinder 302 defined in a body 301 of the gripper 300. Unlike the above-described gripper 100 and gripper 200, in the gripper 300, the jaws 306 and 307 do not rotate but move in parallel to each other and move toward or away from each other. In other words, the gripper 100 and gripper 200 are angular grippers, and the gripper 300 is a gripper having parallel jaws 306 and 307.

[0099] The jaws 306, 307 can slide on dedicated guides 301' fixed to the body 301 of the gripper 300. The guides 301' are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal displacement direction of the piston 303, such that displacement of the piston 303 towards the dead-close point brings the jaws 306, 307 closer to each other, and vice versa, movement of the piston 303 away from the dead-close point moves the jaws 306, 307 apart due to the force exerted by the elastic member 311.

[0100] The jaws 306, 307 move on the guide 301′ by respective swing arms 330, 331 pivotally connected to the gripper body 301 of the gripper 300 by pins 308, 309. Specifically, the swing arms 330, 331 each include a rounded protrusion 332, 333 that engages with the corresponding jaw 306, 307 and exerts a pushing force in two translational directions.

[0101] In this embodiment of gripper 300, the distal ends 306'', 307'' of jaws 306, 307 are identified by sliding blocks on guide 301' as shown, and the proximal ends 306', 307' are identified by swing arms 330, 331, which, although not integral with jaws 306, 307, can be considered part of jaws 306, 307 for purposes of the present invention.

[0102] Figure 11 shows the gripper 300 in an elevated perspective view with the jaws 306, 307 open. This view shows the spring 311 and guide 301' opposing the piston 303, as well as a sensor 312 operatively interposed between the piston 303 and the proximal end 306' of the jaws 306. Figure 12 shows the gripper 300 in an elevated perspective view, partially in phantom, with the piston 303 at its dead-open position (opposite to its dead-closed position) and therefore not exerting any pressing force on the swing arms 330, 331 with its wedge 310, so that the spring 311 keeps the swing arms 330, 331 spread apart, and thus keeps the jaws 306, 307 open. 13 is an elevation (longitudinal) cross-sectional view of the gripper 300 in a configuration in which the jaws 306, 307 are fully closed. The piston 303 is at its dead-close position and abuts against the limit stopper 322. The wedge-shaped portion 310 is inserted between the swing arms 330, 331, thereby spreading the swing arms 330, 331 apart in the region between the piston 303 and the pins 308, 309. In this configuration, the rounded protrusions 332, 333 of the swing arms 330, 331 are at a minimum distance from each other. FIG. 14 is an elevation (longitudinal) cross-sectional view of the gripper 300 in a configuration in which the jaws 306, 307 are in a gripping position for a part P, i.e., abutting against the part P from opposite sides of the part P to be worked on.

[0103] Considering that the first member 313 of the sensor 312 is fixed to the swing arm 330, which also defines the proximal end 306' of the jaw 306, the operation of the gripper 300 is as follows: As the piston 303 moves towards its dead-end position, it opposes the second member 318 of the sensor 312, limiting its rotation on the pin 319 relative to the first member 313, which remains stationary relative to the swing arm 330. An electronic circuit 316 inserted into and fixed to the first member 313 generates an electrical signal indicative of the position of the magnetic element 320 relative to itself. A spring 321 acts to return the second member 318 to its initial position when the gripper 300 is in an inactive state, i.e., when compressed air is no longer supplied to the piston 303. Similarly, spring 311 reopens jaws 306, 307 when piston 303 returns to its dead-open position.

[0104] As already mentioned for grippers 100 and 200, in gripper 300, the spring 321 between the two members 313 and 318 of sensor 312 also helps to make the system effective. Indeed, by comparing FIGS. 13 and 14 , it is possible to conclude that when jaws 306 and 307 are closed, spring 321 is uncompressed or only slightly compressed, whereas when jaws 306 and 307 are gripping a part P, spring 321 is compressed. As mentioned above, spring 321 cooperates with electronic circuitry 316 and magnetic element 320 to enable sensor 312 to detect without error a state in which part P is not present between jaws 306 and 307. Indeed, with the above-described configuration, spring 321 is compressed only when jaws 306 and 307 are actually gripping a part P, as shown in FIG. 14 ; otherwise, spring 321 remains uncompressed or only slightly compressed. This is because jaws 306 pivot to a closed position when part P is held in. As a result, by appropriately selecting the spring constant of spring 321, for example by performing tests, it is possible to manufacture sensor 312 without using a low hysteresis member.

[0105] The gripper 300 is also self-aligning, similar to the grippers 100 and 200. Figure 14 shows that the part P is held along the longitudinal axis of the gripper 300.

[0106] 16 to 20 show a gripper 400 according to a fourth embodiment. This gripper 400 is an angular gripper equipped with a pneumatic actuator 440 perpendicular to the vertical axis along which the part P is held. That is, FIGS. 16 to 18 show, in vertical cross-sectional elevation views, the gripper 400 when the jaws 406, 407 are open, closed, and gripping the part P, respectively. FIG. 19 shows, in a perspective elevation view, the gripper 400 when the jaws 406, 407 are open. FIG. 20 is an exploded view of the gripper 400.

[0107] More specifically, the jaws 406, 407 are attached to the body 401 of the gripper 400 so as to be rotatable, i.e., swingable, on pins 408, 409. Compressed air is supplied to the body 401 via a nozzle 405. Inside the body 401, there is a volume 440 connected to the nozzle 405 and partitioned into two opposing chambers 441 and 442, which are arranged on opposite sides of the nozzle 405, and air pistons 403′, 403″ are movable within the chambers 441, 442, respectively. The compressed air injected through the nozzle 405 moves the air pistons 403′, 403″ apart from each other within the chambers 441, 442, respectively, and the air pistons 403′, 403″ are slidable within the chambers 441, 442 and are connected to each other by a telescopic coupling. Specifically, air piston 403'' has a shaft that is partially slidably inserted into air piston 403'.

[0108] Air piston 403' acts on shoulder 406' of jaw 406, and air piston 403" acts on shoulder 407' of jaw 407, so that when gripper 400 is actuated by a supply of compressed air, pistons 403', 403" move away from each other, spreading shoulders 406', 407' of jaws 406, 407 away from each other and causing jaws 406, 407 to pivot on pins 408, 409, bringing distal ends 406", 407" of jaws 406, 407 closer together. As described above, air pistons 403', 403" move perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of gripper 400.

[0109] When the compressed air supply to the gripper 400 is removed, a resilient member 411 (actually a spring) returns the jaws 406, 407 to the open position shown in Figures 16 and 19. The spring 411 is housed in a dedicated seat in the body 401 of the gripper 400, oriented parallel to the direction of movement of the air pistons 403', 403'', but positioned clearly opposite the air pistons 403', 403'' with respect to the pins 408, 409.

[0110] Gripper 400 includes a sensor 412 attached to jaw 407, specifically located on shoulder 407'. Sensor 412 has been omitted from Figure 20 for simplicity, but can be clearly seen in Figures 16-19.

[0111] The sensor 412 includes a first member 413 integrally formed with the shoulder 407' of the jaw 407, which includes an electronic circuit 416 with an LED light indicator 450. The magnetic element 420 of the sensor 412 is received in a corresponding seat and attached to the air piston 403'', with a spring 421 operatively interposed between the air piston 403'' and the shoulder 407'' of the jaw 407. The spring 421 is retained on the air piston 403'' by the shoulder 407' of the jaw 407, thereby preventing accidental release of the spring 421.

[0112] The operation of sensor 412 is as follows: In the initial state of the unactuated gripper 400 shown in Figure 16 with the jaws 406, 407 open, the spring 421 is uncompressed or only slightly compressed and the magnetic element 420 is at a first distance from the electronic circuitry 416. When the gripper 400 is actuated, i.e., when compressed air is supplied, the air pistons 403', 403" move the jaws 406, 407 to the closed position shown in Figure 17, and the air pistons 403', 403" reach limit stops at the elastomeric rings 436, 437 so that movement of the air pistons 403', 403" away from each other does not compress the spring 421.

[0113] In other words, the elastic rings 436, 437 stop the air pistons 403', 403'' when the gripper 400 closes unnecessarily, i.e., when the part P is not captured or held between the jaws 406, 407, thereby preventing the magnetic element 420 from applying force to the electronic circuit 416.

[0114] 18, when gripper 400 captures component P, the compression of spring 421 compensates for the size of component P, and in this position, shoulder 407′ of gripper 400 is closer to air piston 403″ than in the position shown in FIG. 17, thus bringing magnetic element 420 closer to electronic circuit 416, which detects magnetic element 420 and illuminates LED light indicator 450 to confirm that component P has been gripped. The components are returned to their initial positions of FIG. 16 by deactivating gripper 400.

[0115] Thus, in gripper 400, spring 421 of sensor 412 is compressed only when part P is gripped, and spring 421 is not substantially compressed in all other states of jaws 406, 407. Spring 421, in cooperation with electronic circuitry 416 and magnetic element 420, identifies the gripping state of part P in an effective, error-free, and simple manner.

[0116] In gripper 400, the space around jaws 406, 407 remains fully usable as it is not taken up by sensor 412. In clamp 400, sensor 412 does not need to be expensive.

[0117] Based on the example given, it is possible to consider the following method for detecting the presence of a part between the jaws of a gripper of an industrial manipulator, which is based on the fact that the magnetic sensor 112, 212, 312, 412 is not located between the distal ends of the jaws, as in conventional solutions, but is functionally interposed between the actuator of the gripper and the proximal end or shoulder of the jaws, thus ensuring the exact presence of the part P to be worked on, even if it is in a different position.

[0118] The sensors 112, 212, 312, 412 are configured with magnetic elements 120, 220, 320, 420 that are movable relative to the corresponding electronic circuits 116, 216, 316, 416 in response to the relative positions of the jaws 106 and 107, 206 and 207, 306 and 307, and 406 and 407, and resilient members 121, 221, 321, 421 that resist approach of the magnetic elements 120, 220, 320, 420 to the electronic circuits 116, 216, 316, 416. By selecting the appropriate resilient members, i.e., by selecting the appropriate force that the resilient members exert, the grippers are configured so that the resilient members 121, 221, 321, 421 are compressed only when the gripper 100, 200, 300, 400 is actually gripping the part P.

[0119] This method has two main advantages: In contrast to conventional solutions where the magnetic element is located on the piston and therefore the sensor must be analog or low hysteresis, the method according to the present invention can be implemented with a cheaper digital on-off sensor, since the elastic members 121, 221, 321, 421 ensure correct operation, i.e., the elastic members 121, 221, 321, 421 ensure that the sensor 112, 212, 312, 412 generates a gripping signal for the part P only when the part P is actually between the jaws 106 and 107, 206 and 207, 306 and 307, or 406 and 407 of the gripper. Compared to conventional solutions in which the magnetic element is located in the jaws of the gripper, the method according to the invention can be realized by arranging the sensor 112, 212, 312, 412 in a less bulky position adjacent to the actuator.

[0120] Although Figures 1 to 20 show examples of grippers 100, 200, 300, 400 having two jaws, in general the present invention is applicable to grippers having only one jaw, or to grippers having more than two jaws, for example, three radial jaws.

[0121] 1 to 20 show examples of grippers 100, 200, 300, 400 having pneumatic actuators, but the present invention is generally applicable to grippers having hydraulic or electric actuators.

[0122] 21 to 25 show a gripper 500 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and the applicant reserves the right to file a divisional patent application for this embodiment. In this case, the gripper 500 is also an angular gripper, and two jaws 506 and 507 swing relative to the main body 501 on pins 508 and 509, respectively, in response to a force applied by an air piston 503 that operates as an actuator and moves back and forth vertically within a cylinder 502 formed within the main body 501.

[0123] A resilient member 511, which is essentially a preloaded spring, is interposed between the two jaws 506, 507 on the opposite side of the pins 508, 509 from the air piston 503, and forces the jaws 506, 507 into an open position when the air piston 503 returns within the cylinder 502. In other words, the spring 511 exerts a biasing force on the distal ends 506'', 507'' of the jaws 506, 507 tending to spread them apart, and the air piston 503, by means of its wedge-shaped portion 510 sliding directly between the shoulders 506', 507', exerts a biasing force on the shoulders 506', 507' of the jaws 506, 507 against the force exerted by the spring 511, spreading the shoulders 506', 507' apart.

[0124] The gripper 500 comprises a pneumatic sensor 512 having a first member 513 securable to a shoulder 506' of the jaw 506 and a second member 518 hinged to the first member 513 by means of a pin 519. A resilient member 521, preferably a spring, is interposed between the two members 513, 518 of the sensor 512.

[0125] A duct 513' is defined within the first member 513 and is connectable via a nozzle to an external vacuum source, such as an aspirator or vacuum pump, so that a low pressure or vacuum can be created within the duct 513'.

[0126] Unlike the above-mentioned solution which has an electronic circuit for detecting the magnetic element, the second member 518 of the sensor 512 has a shutter 520, which is preferably spherical as shown in the figure and made of, for example, rubber, inserted into it, and the pneumatic sensor 512 does not detect the magnetic element by the Hall effect, but instead detects the pressure value (specifically the low pressure value) in the duct 513', as will be described later.

[0127] The second member 518, like a sliding block, has a rounded portion intended to interact with the wedge 510 of the air piston 503. The reciprocating movement of the air piston 503 causes the second member 518 of the sensor 512 to rotate relative to the first member 513, thus displacing the shutter 520 relative to the first member 513 and therefore relative to the duct 513'.

[0128] 23, the wedge-shaped portion 510 of the air piston 503 is stopped by abutting against the limit stopper 522. On the other hand, when the jaws 506, 507 are in the position for gripping the part P shown in FIG.

[0129] 21 and 22, gripper 500 is shown with jaws 506, 507 open due to the biasing force applied by spring 511. In Fig. 23, gripper 500 is shown with jaws 506, 507 closed due to the biasing force applied by air piston 503. In Fig. 24, gripper 500 is shown with jaws 506, 507 in position to grip part P, i.e., part P is held by distal ends 506'', 507''.

[0130] FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the gripper 500. As shown, the first member 513 has a hole through which a pin 519 can be inserted along an axis parallel to the pins 508 and 509. The proximal end, or shoulder 506', of the jaw 506 is forked and has opposing holes 515 that engage with resilient projections 514 on the sides of the first member 513 of the sensor 512. A hole 518' extends through the second member 518 of the sensor 512 to receive the pin 519 and achieve a hinged connection with the first member 513. Two seats are provided on the second member 518 to accommodate the spring 521 and the shutter 220, respectively. Appropriate restraining surfaces 524 prevent the first member 513 from rotating relative to the shoulder 506' of the jaw 506 when the sensor 512 is properly installed. Reference numeral 525 denotes a rounded portion of the sensor 512, which is intended to rotate the second member 518 relative to the first member 513 by moving, like a sliding block, on the wedge-shaped portion 510 of the air piston 513.

[0131] With particular reference to Figures 23 and 24, when the gripper 500 is actuated, i.e., when the air piston 503 forces the jaws 506, 507 closed, two situations can occur: In the first case, as in Figure 23, the gripper 500 has not gripped the part P. An angle is defined between the first member 513 and the second member 518 of the sensor 512, and the shutter 520 does not close the duct 513'. A dedicated external device configured to detect a low pressure in the duct 513' detects a first value, which corresponds for example to -0.3 bar. In the second case, the gripper catches and holds the part P between jaws 506 and 507. The second member 518 of the sensor 512 abuts against the first member 513 due to the pressure exerted by jaw 506, and the shutter 520 closes the duct 513'. The external device detects a second value of the low pressure in the duct 513', which corresponds for example to -0.8 bar.

[0132] Therefore, the operation of sensor 512 is simple and is based on detecting the pressure (low pressure) value in duct 513', and the fluctuation in the measurement value distinguishes between cases where gripper 500 has correctly captured part P from cases where gripper 500 has operated unnecessarily without capturing part P.

[0133] The space around the jaws 506, 507 remains completely empty in this fifth embodiment 500, and the sensor 512 is not attached to the distal ends 506'', 507'' of the jaws 506, 507, i.e., not to the part of the jaws 506, 507 that needs to interact with the part P to be worked on.

[0134] Furthermore, the sensor 512 can be manufactured using readily available and inexpensive components, and furthermore, the measurement of the pressure value in the duct 513' can be performed by external means connected to the sensor 512, which may be located remotely, is highly accurate, and has the advantage that it is not attached to the gripper 500 and is therefore less susceptible to movement or stress.

Claims

1. A gripper (500) for an industrial manipulator, comprising: a body (501); a plurality of jaws (506-507) attached to the body (501) and operable to hold and release a part (P); an actuator (503) for the plurality of jaws (506-507); and a sensor (512) configured to detect the presence of a part (P) between the plurality of jaws (506-507); the sensor (512) is operatively interposed between the actuator (503) and one of the plurality of jaws (506-507); The sensor (512) a duct (513') opening between the jaw (506) and said actuator (503) and providing fluid communication with an external low pressure or vacuum source; a shutter (520) movable between an open and a closed position of said duct (513') in response to a force applied by the same jaw (506) on which said sensor (512) is mounted; the sensor (512) being fixable to the jaw (506) at a proximal portion or shoulder (506') of the jaw (506), the first member (513) defining the duct (513'); a second member (518) attached to the first member (513); the shutter (520) is inserted into the second member (518) of the sensor (512), the second member (518) being movable relative to the first member (513) in response to a force applied by the jaws (506) between a first position in which the shutter (520) is in the closed position, thereby closing the duct (513'), and a second position in which the shutter (520) is in the open position, thereby opening the duct (513'), Gripper (500).

2. 2. The gripper (500) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (503) comprises at least one air piston (503) reciprocatable along the longitudinal direction within a corresponding cylinder (502) defined in the body (501) under the action of a pressurized fluid supplied into the cylinder and under the action of an elastic return member (511).

3. The gripper (500) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuator is pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric.

4. The jaws (506-507) are swingable on pins (508-509), each having a distal end (506''-507'') intended to hold a part (P) and a proximal end or shoulder (506'-507') against which the actuator (503) applies a pressing force, the distal end (506''-507'') being on the opposite side of the pins (508-509) from the proximal end (506'-507'), and the jaws 2. The gripper (500) of claim 1, which swings between an open position in which the distal ends (506''-507'') spread apart and the proximal ends (506'-507') move closer to each other, and a closed position in which the distal ends (506''-507'') move closer to each other and the proximal ends (506'-507') spread apart, and the position of the multiple jaws (506-507) when gripping a part (P) is a position intermediate between the open position and the closed position.

5. 2. The gripper (500) of claim 1, wherein at least one jaw (506, 507) is translatable along a guide (501') and has corresponding arms (530, 531) that swing on pins (508, 509) to exert a pushing force on the at least one jaw (506, 507) in both directions along the guide (501'), a proximal end (506', 507') being defined by the arms (530, 531), and the sensor (512) is functionally interposed between the actuator (503) and the arms (530, 531).

6. 2. The gripper (500) of claim 1, wherein the actuator (503) comprises at least one air piston (503) that can be inserted or moved between the proximal ends (506'-507') of the plurality of jaws (506-507) to spread the proximal ends (506'-507').

7. 2. The gripper (500) of claim 1, wherein the second member (518) of the sensor (512) is hinged to the first member (513) and is rotatable relative to the first member (513) between the open position and the closed position depending on the angular position of the jaw (506) to which the first member (513) is attached.

8. 1. A method for detecting the presence of a part (P) between a plurality of jaws (506-507) of a gripper (500) for an industrial manipulator, comprising: providing a gripper (500) comprising a body (501), a plurality of jaws (506-507) attached to said body (501) and operable to hold and release a part (P), an actuator (503) for said plurality of jaws (506-507), and a sensor (512); using the actuator (503) to move the plurality of jaws (506-507) between an open gripper position, a closed gripper position, and a gripping position of a part (P) to capture and hold the part (P); and generating a signal indicative of the position of the plurality of jaws (506-507) using the sensor (512); the sensor (512) is operatively interposed between the actuator (503) and one jaw (506) of the plurality of jaws (506-507), and generates a signal when the one jaw (506) grips a part (P); The sensor (512) a duct (513') opening between the jaw (506) and said actuator (503) and providing fluid communication with an external low pressure or vacuum source; a shutter (520) movable between an open and a closed position of said duct (513') in response to a force applied by the same jaw (506) on which said sensor (512) is mounted; the sensor (512) is fixable to the jaw (506) at a proximal portion or shoulder (506') of the jaw (506), and comprises a first member (513) in which the duct (513') is defined, and a second member (518) attached to the first member (513), the shutter (520) being inserted into the second member (518) of the sensor (512), the second member (518) being movable relative to the first member (513) in response to a force applied by the jaw (506) between a first position in which the shutter (520) is in the closed position, thereby closing the duct (513'), and a second position in which the shutter (520) is in the open position, thereby opening the duct (513'). method.

9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor (512) detects displacement of the one jaw (506) from the closed position of the plurality of jaws (506-507) when the actuator (503) is in a position corresponding to the plurality of jaws (506-507) being closed.

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