Multifunction gripper

Abstract

Multifunction gripper, comprising: - a support frame (2), associable with movement means; - an abutment (3), associated with the frame (2); - a side wall (4), arranged beneath the abutment (3) and provided with suction means; - a presser (5), arranged beneath the abutment (3) in a position opposite to the side wall (4) and movable towards and away from the side wall (4) between a minimum distance position and a maximum distance position from the side wall (4).

Description

[0001] MULTIFUNCTION GRIPPER

[0002] The present invention relates to a multifunction gripper for gripping packages.

[0003] In particular, but not only, the gripper according to the present invention is applicable at the end to a robot arm, structured to move packages within a certain range of action, sorting them between different positions.

[0004] Warehouses and goods sorting systems make extensive use of robot arms provided with multifunction grippers. Typically, the goods arrive inside the system on pallets, from which they must be picked up and moved to another pallet or container, based on certain logistical needs.

[0005] The goods can be of various kinds, and can be contained in boxes or packages of the most varying shapes. In many cases, the boxes or packages to be handled do not have a regular shape, nor a consistency such as to ensure good resistance to gripping.

[0006] A typical example of goods which have some difficulty in gripping and handling are packages of plastic bottles. Normally, these packages consist of a number of bottles, for example four or six, enclosed by a heat- shrinkable film casing. The package has an irregular shape on all sides. Furthermore, the film casing enclosing the bottles is not provided with particularly high resistance.

[0007] For these reasons, the gripping and handling of packages of bottles requires the use of rather complex grippers, which in many cases are not adaptable to changes in size and / or to gripping more than one package at a time.

[0008] Furthermore, the grippers currently available are almost only suitable for picking up packages of bottles. This means that the possible manipulation of separation sheets or partitions between the packages, which are positioned between different layers of packages overlapping each other, requires the use of equipment other than the gripper.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction gripper which allows the effective gripping of irregularly shaped and partially unstable packages.

[0010] An advantage of the gripper according to the present invention is that it can be adapted quickly and simply to grip packages or boxes of different shapes.

[0011] Another advantage of the gripper according to the present invention is to allow gripping more than one package at a time.

[0012] Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description that follows of one embodiment of the invention in question, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the appended figures, in which: figure 1 shows a schematic isometric view of the multifunction gripper according to the present invention; figures 2 to 5 show a sequence of operating steps of the multifunction gripper according to the present invention.

[0013] In the preferred use, the multifunction gripper operates above the objects or packages to be picked up. To pick up an object, the gripper performs an overall movement, albeit with transverse components, directed from the top downwards. After the release of an object, the gripper moves away with a movement comprising at least one initial lifting section.

[0014] The terms "upper" and "lower" used in the following description, as well as all expressions indicating movements or parts placed upwards or downwards, refer to the preferred use of the gripper subject-matter of the invention, without thereby representing a limit to possible different uses of the gripper, in which the gripper is oriented or moved differently.

[0015] The multifunction gripper according to the present invention comprises a support frame (2), associable with movement means. The frame (2) is substantially a structure configured to support the various parts and actuators which allow the operation of the gripper.

[0016] The multifunction gripper further comprises an abutment (3), associated with the frame (2). The abutment (3) is structured to allow contact with a surface or upper area of an object or package to be picked up. Preferably, but not necessarily, the abutment (3) has a flat configuration, i.e., it faces a substantially flat surface downwards. Preferably, the abutment (3) lies on a horizontal plane.

[0017] The multifunction gripper further comprises a side wall (4), arranged beneath the abutment (3) and associated with the latter and / or the frame (2). The side wall (4) is provided with suction means, of the type known in the art. The suction means is configured to exert an action which attracts towards the side wall (4). Overall, the side wall (4) has a flat shape.

[0018] The side wall (4) is configured to be arranged in contact with a side surface or area of a package to be picked up. In the depicted, preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the side wall (4) lies on a substantially vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the abutment (3).

[0019] In the depicted, preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the side wall (4) is movable along a horizontal direction between a waiting position and a gripping position. In the gripping position, the side wall (4) is arranged in contact with the object to be picked up. In the waiting position, the side wall (4) is instead distanced from the object to be picked up. Preferably, but not necessarily, the side wall (4) is associated with a support (41 ), slidable along horizontal guides (43) associated with the frame (2) and / or the abutment (3). The support (41 ) is activated in sliding by means of actuators of known type.

[0020] Advantageously, the multifunction gripper according to the present invention comprises a presser (5), arranged beneath the abutment (3) in a position opposite to the side wall (4). The presser (5) is movable towards and away from the side wall (4), between a gripping position, in which it is at a smaller distance from the side wall (4), and a release position, in which it is at a greater distance from the side wall (4). The movement of the presser (5) is obtained by actuator means of the type known in the art. The presser (5) is structured to be arranged in contact with a side surface or area of the object to be picked up, in a position opposite to the side wall (4). In other words, the presser (5) is capable of exerting a direct thrust towards the side wall (4), to press an object towards the side wall (4). In particular, by moving from the release position to the gripping position, the presser (5) comes into contact with the object, pressing it abutting the side wall (4).

[0021] The gripping of an object occurs in the following steps.

[0022] The gripper approaches the object, lowering to a position where the abutment (3) is arranged in contact with an upper surface or area of the object to be picked up. The correct positioning of the abutment (3), and therefore of the gripper with respect to the object, is facilitated by the use of position sensors and / or optical sensors known in the art.

[0023] Subsequently, the side wall (4) moves horizontally, approaching the object. The suction means is activated, attracting the object towards the side wall (4). The movement of the side wall (4) can be obtained by actuator means of known type, integral with the frame (2), or by a corresponding translation of the gripper as a whole. Furthermore, the positioning of the side wall (4) is not necessarily subsequent to the positioning of the abutment (3). The side wall (4) and the abutment (3) could be positioned simultaneously in contact with the object to be picked up.

[0024] At this point, the presser (5) moves from the release position towards the gripping position, coming into contact with the object and pressing the object towards the side wall (4).

[0025] The presence and intervention of the presser (5) allow the object to be stabilised, containing it with respect to direct movements away from the side wall (4). This is particularly advantageous in the presence of objects which do not have a stable shape, but which tend to deform and widen laterally, away from the side wall (4), for example packages of bottles enclosed by a heat-shrinkable or stretchable film casing.

[0026] In this case, the side wall (4) alone, with the suction means, would not be able to prevent the bottles farthest from the side wall (4) from slipping out of the package due to their own weight, or from deforming the package by lengthening and dilating the casing, making the correct movement and storage of the package difficult or impossible.

[0027] The presser (5) instead contains the package laterally, maintaining the shape and stability thereof. Thanks to the presence of the presser (5), the only suction means with which the side wall (4) is equipped is able to support the weight of the package, without the need to equip the gripper with lower supports.

[0028] Advantageously, the presser (5) can be shaped as a bar or slat, that is, it can be structured with a relatively limited vertical dimension, so as not to make the gripper heavy and not hinder the approaching movements thereof to the object to be picked up. In the case of an object in the form of a package of bottles, it is sufficient that the presser (5) can be arranged in contact with the neck area of the bottles, to effectively contain the entire package.

[0029] To allow the simultaneous gripping of two packages side by side, it is sufficient to place the gripper so that the presser (5) is located astride the two packages, or so that the presser (5), in the gripping position, is arranged in contact with both packages.

[0030] Preferably, but not necessarily, the side wall (4) is movable between a first position, in which it lies on a substantially vertical plane, and a second position, in which it lies on a substantially horizontal plane. Preferably, in the second position, the side wall (4) is substantially coplanar to the abutment (3). The possibility of being arranged on a horizontal plane allows the side wall (4), via the suction means, to operate the gripping of an object arranged on a horizontal plane, for example a sheet or a plate. In practice, arranging the side wall (4) in a horizontal position, the gripper according to the present invention is capable of picking up and positioning or removing a separation sheet or a plate between two levels of objects. If the objects are arranged on several overlapping levels, separated by a sheet, the gripper is capable of picking up and removing each sheet to move it away from the area, as well as being capable of positioning the sheet on a complete level of objects before overlapping further objects.

[0031] In the preferred embodiment, the side wall (4) is rotatable about a rotation axis (Y) which is substantially horizontal and parallel to the side wall (4), by means of actuators of known type. The rotation of the side wall (4) is allowed by a kinematic mechanism of known type, associated with the support (41 ). In particular, the kinematic mechanism comprises a hinge (42), associated with the support (41 ). The side wall (4) is associated with the support (41 ) by means of the hinge (42).

[0032] Preferably, but not necessarily, the presser (5) is movable between a first position, in which it lies on a substantially vertical plane, and a second position, in which it lies on a substantially horizontal plane. Preferably, in the second position the presser (5) is substantially coplanar to the abutment (3). The possibility of the presser (5) being placed on a substantially horizontal plane facilitates the gripping of horizontal objects operated by the side wall (4).

[0033] In the preferred embodiment, the presser (5) is also rotatable about a substantially horizontal rotation axis, by means of actuators of known type. In the first position, the side wall (4) and the presser (5) lie on planes parallel to each other.

[0034] Preferably, but not necessarily, the abutment (3) is vertically movable with respect to the frame (2), i.e., along the vertical axis (Z). Actuators known in the art are arranged to cause the movement of the abutment (3).

[0035] The abutment (3) is movable between at least an upper position, located at a higher level along the vertical axis (Z), and a lower position, located at a lower level along the vertical axis (Z).

[0036] The vertical movement of the abutment (3) allows the gripper greater adaptability to objects of different height. For picking up objects of lesser height, the abutment (3) is arranged in the lower position or near the latter. Conversely, for picking up objects of greater height, the abutment (3) is arranged in the upper position or near the latter.

[0037] In the embodiment in which the abutment (3) is vertically movable with respect to the frame (2), the presser (5) is also vertically movable with respect to the frame (2) in a manner concordant with the presser (5). To this end, preferably, but not necessarily, the presser (5) is vertically movable integrally with the abutment (3). In particular, the presser (5) and the actuators responsible for moving the presser (5) between the gripping position and the release position are associated with the abutment (3).

[0038] The multifunction gripper according to the present invention can be usefully associated with the end of a robotic arm, by means of an attachment device (C) known in the art. The attachment device (C) allows the rotation of the frame (2) about a vertical axis (Z).

[0039] The robotic arm is a device known in the art, in various configurations and with different degrees of freedom or rotation axes.

[0040] The robotic arm is activated by a control module, connected to the actuators of the arm and to the actuators of the multifunction gripper. As is known in the art, the control module can consist of an electronic device, i.e., a computer, programmed to perform the functions described and to activate, in a programmed manner, the aforementioned actuators. The control module is also connected to the sensors used to detect the position of the multifunction gripper with respect to the objects to be picked up. Based on the signals received from such sensors, the control module regulates the activation of the various actuators responsible for moving the parts of the gripper, in the manner described above.

Claims

CLAIMS1) A multifunction gripper, comprising: a support frame (2), associable with movement means; an abutment (3), associated with the frame (2); characterised in that it comprises: a side wall (4), arranged beneath the abutment (3) and provided with suction means; a presser (5), arranged beneath the abutment (3) in a position opposite to the side wall (4) and movable towards and away from the side wall (4) between a minimum distance position and a maximum distance position from the side wall (4).2) The multifunction gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall (4) is movable along a horizontal direction between a waiting position and a gripping position; in the gripping position, the side wall (4) is arranged in contact with the object to be picked up; in the waiting position, the side wall (4) is, on the other hand, distanced from the object to be picked up.3) The multifunction gripper according to claim 2, wherein the side wall (4) is associated with a support (41 ), slidable along horizontal guides associated with the frame (2) and / or the abutment (3).4) The multifunction gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall (4) is movable between a first position, in which it lies on a substantially vertical plane, and a second position, in which it lies on a substantially horizontal plane.5) The multifunction gripper according to claim 4, wherein, in the second position, the side wall (4) is substantially coplanar to the abutment (3).6) The multifunction gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the presser (5) is movable between a first position, in which it lies on a substantially vertical plane, and a second position, in which it lies on a substantially horizontal plane.7) The multifunction gripper according to claim 6, wherein, in thesecond position, the presser (5) is substantially coplanar to the abutment (3).8) The multifunction gripper according to claims 4 and 6, wherein, in the first position, the side wall (4) and the presser (5) lie on planes parallel to each other.9) The multifunction gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the abutment (3) is movable vertically with respect to the frame (2) between at least an upper position, located at a higher level along the vertical axis (Z), and a lower position, located at a lower level along the vertical axis (Z).10) The multifunction gripper according to claim 9, wherein the presser (5) is solidly constrained with the abutment (3) with respect to the vertical movement.

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