Object gripping device and object gripping / conveying equipment comprising same

Abstract

An object gripping device 10 grips a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object 14 by using a first gripping means 12 and a second gripping means 13 that are provided on a guide base member 11 and oppose each other with a gap therebetween. The guide base member 11 is a long member arranged above the object 14 so as to stretch along a diagonal line of the object 14 in a plan view. The first gripping means 12 and the second gripping means 13 are respectively provided below either longitudinal-direction side of the guide base member 11 with a gap adjustment means 16 interposed therebetween, the gap adjustment means being capable of adjusting the gap across which the first gripping means 12 and the second gripping means 13 oppose each other. The first gripping means 12 and the second gripping means 13 grip the outer surfaces of diagonally opposing corner regions 22, 23 of the object 14 in a plan view.

Description

Object Gripping Device and Object Gripping and Conveying Equipment Equipped with the Same

[0001] The present invention relates to a gripping device that grips an object such as a box-shaped container, for example, and gripping and conveying equipment that grips and conveys an object.

[0002] Conventionally, in logistics and industries, automation of work has been progressing. For example, when conveying goods, parts, etc., after storing them in a box-shaped container (object) with an open top, this container is gripped and conveyed by gripping and conveying equipment. As this gripping and conveying equipment, for example, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. Specifically, four gripping columnar members that grip the four corners of an article conveying box that can be stacked and has a rectangular parallelepiped planar shape are provided on a conveying traveling body so as to be horizontally movable in the two-axis directions of the X-axis and Y-axis along the side portions of the article conveying box. By horizontally moving at least three gripping columnar members between a retracted position away from the outside of each corner of the article conveying box and a gripping position of each corner of the article conveying box, it is a device that grips and conveys the four corners of the article conveying box with the four gripping columnar members.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-177337

[0004] However, since the above device is configured to grip the four corners of the article conveying box with four gripping columnar members respectively, it is necessary to configure the conveying traveling body on which these gripping columnar members are provided to be horizontally movable so that its planar shape is larger than that of the article conveying box, and the device configuration becomes large-scale. Further, when the above device horizontally moves, for example, three gripping columnar members with respect to the conveying traveling body, if one non-moving gripping columnar member is arranged on the corner side of the conveying traveling body, the article conveying box is gripped on the corner side rather than the central part of the conveying traveling body. Depending on the weight of the article conveying box storing goods, parts, etc., local loads may be applied, and there is a risk that stable and reliable gripping and conveyance cannot be achieved.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an object gripping device that can grip and convey an object stably and reliably with a simple configuration, and object gripping and conveying equipment equipped with the same.

[0006] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors have found that when gripping and transporting a rectangular or cubic object, the above problems can be solved by arranging a long guide base member above the object so as to be aligned with the diagonal of the object when viewed from above, and by using first gripping means and second gripping means provided on both sides below the longitudinal direction of the guide base member via spacing adjustment means to grip the corner regions of the object that are opposite each other in the diagonal direction when viewed from above, and have completed the present invention.

[0007] In other words, the present invention is as follows: [1] A gripping device for gripping a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object by a first gripping means and a second gripping means that are spaced apart and facing each other on a guide base member, wherein the guide base member is a long member positioned above the object so as to be aligned with the diagonal of the object in a plan view, and the first gripping means and the second gripping means are provided on both sides below the longitudinal direction of the guide base member via spacing adjustment means that allow the spacing between them to be adjusted, and are means for gripping the outer surface of the corner regions that face each other in the diagonal direction of the object in a plan view.

[0008] [2] The object gripping device according to [1], characterized in that a gripping position adjustment means is provided for rotating the first gripping means and / or the second gripping means relative to the guide base member so that the first gripping means and the second gripping means contact adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object. [3] The object gripping device according to [1] or [2], characterized in that when the object is gripped by the first gripping means and the second gripping means, the spacing adjustment means is a means for adjusting the spacing between the first gripping means and the second gripping means so that the first gripping means and the second gripping means are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center of the guide base member.

[0009] [4] The object gripping device according to any one of [1] to [3] above, characterized in that the first gripping means and / or the second gripping means comprises a first contact portion and a second contact portion that can contact adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object, respectively. [5] The object gripping device according to [4] above, characterized in that a contact position adjustment means is provided for raising and lowering the first contact portion and / or the second contact portion relative to the guide base member.

[0010] [6] The object gripping device according to any one of [1] to [5] above, characterized in that the object is a box-shaped container with an open top.

[0011] [7] The object gripping device according to [4] or [5] above, characterized in that the first contact portion and / or the second contact portion have a planar base portion and a plurality of pressing portions attached and fixed to the base portion in an upright position and capable of contacting the outer surface of the object, and each of the pressing portions is arranged adjacent to the base portion in the vertical and horizontal directions and is individually elastically deformable. [8] The object gripping device according to [7] above, characterized in that the pressing portion has a lattice structure.

[0012] [9] An object gripping and transporting apparatus characterized by being equipped with an object gripping device as described in any of [1] to [8] above.

[10] An object gripping and transporting apparatus according to [9] above, characterized in that the guide base member of the object gripping device is provided with a means for attaching to and detaching it from the main body of the gripping and transporting apparatus.

[11] An object gripping and transporting apparatus according to [9] or

[10] above, characterized in that the guide base member of the object gripping device is provided with a means for rotating it relative to the main body of the gripping and transporting apparatus.

[0013] According to the object gripping device and gripping and conveying equipment equipped therewith of the present invention, an object can be gripped and conveyed stably and reliably with a simple configuration.

[0014] This is a schematic diagram showing the object gripping device according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from diagonally above in usage state 1. This is a schematic diagram showing the object gripping device according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side in usage state 1. This is a schematic diagram showing the object gripping device according to one diagonally below in usage state. This is a schematic diagram showing the object gripping device according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side in usage state 2. This is a schematic diagram showing the object gripping device according to one embodiment, viewed from the side in usage state 3. This is a schematic diagram showing the first and second gripping means of the object gripping device according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side opposite to the side in contact with the object.

[0015] The object gripping device of the present invention is a gripping device for gripping a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object by a first gripping means and a second gripping means (hereinafter also referred to as the first and second gripping means) that are spaced apart and facing each other on a guide base member, wherein the guide base member is a long member positioned above the object so as to be aligned with the diagonal of the object in a plan view, and the first gripping means and the second gripping means are respectively provided on both sides below the longitudinal direction of the guide base member via spacing adjustment means that allow adjustment of the distance between them, and are means for gripping the outer surface of the corner region that faces the diagonal direction of the object in a plan view.

[0016] Here, the object can be any rectangular or cuboidal shape with a rectangular planar shape, or a cube or cuboidal shape with a square planar shape. Examples include storage containers, pallets, and cardboard boxes used to store goods or parts. Examples of storage containers include stackable box-shaped containers with an open top and box-shaped containers with a lid that closes at the top. In particular, considering the purpose and target of use of the gripping device, a box-shaped container with an open top is preferred. Generally, this box-shaped container has ribs that protrude outward at least around the periphery of its upper end.

[0017] By using the object gripping device of the present invention, a long guide base member is positioned above the object so as to be aligned with its diagonal when viewed from above. First and second gripping means, which are provided on the lower sides of the longitudinal direction of the guide base member via spacing adjustment means and move along the guide base member, grip the outer surface of the corner regions facing each other in the diagonal direction of the object when viewed from above. This allows the first and second gripping means to grip both sides of the region including the center of gravity of the object. As a result, the center of gravity of the guide base member can be brought closer to, or even aligned with, the center of gravity of the object when viewed from above, thereby suppressing and preventing the generation of localized loads due to deviations in the center of gravity. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the object can be gripped stably and reliably, and further transported, for example, speeding up transport operations and improving work efficiency.

[0018] Furthermore, the object gripping and conveying equipment of the present invention is characterized by being equipped with an object gripping device.

[0019] Here, the object gripping and transporting equipment is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of gripping and transporting the object. For example, it may be equipment used both indoors (inside buildings such as factories) and outdoors. Specifically, examples include industrial robots, collaborative robots such as robot arms, and various types of cranes.

[0020] In this object gripping and conveying equipment, the guide base member of the object gripping device can be integrally (non-removable) attached to the main body of the gripping and conveying equipment, but it can also be attached and removed using a means for attachment and removal. This allows one object gripping device to be equipped in gripping and conveying equipment for various objects, thereby increasing versatility. Furthermore, for example, if the object gripping device cannot be rotated relative to the main body of the gripping and conveying equipment when gripping an object, it is preferable to provide a means for rotating the guide base member relative to the main body of the gripping and conveying equipment so that it can be rotated. This makes it easy to accommodate situations where, for example, it is desired to change the position of the object gripping device according to the placement of the object.

[0021] Specifically, if the gripping and transporting equipment is a robot arm, the object gripping device can be used as an end effector (i.e., a gripper) attached to the tip of the robot arm body. Generally, the robot arm body is equipped with means for rotating the object gripping device, but if it is not equipped with means, it is preferable to provide means for rotation. Also, if the gripping and transporting equipment is a crane, the object gripping device can be used by attaching it to a moving means that is movable in three axes, for example, the X, Y, and Z axes. In this case, if the moving means is not equipped with means for rotating the object gripping device, it is preferable to provide means for rotation.

[0022] The following describes the various components of the object gripping device of the present invention.

[0023] [Guide Base Member] The guide base member is a long member positioned above the object (directly above) and aligned with the diagonal of the object when viewed from above (see Figures 1 to 3). The upper part of this guide base member is attached to the gripping and conveying equipment body either permanently or in a removable manner. Preferably, attachment and detachment to the gripping and conveying equipment body is performed at the longitudinal center of the guide base member. This ensures that the balance of both longitudinal sides of the guide base member is even when attached to the gripping and conveying equipment body, enabling stable attachment.

[0024] The longitudinal length of the guide base member is preferably longer than the diagonal length of the rectangular or square shape of the object. For example, when gripping multiple types of objects of different sizes with an object gripping device, it is preferable that the length be longer than the longest diagonal length of the object (see Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5). This makes it possible to grip multiple types of objects with a single object gripping device without changing the object gripping device (guide base member), resulting in improved work efficiency.

[0025] [Spacing adjustment means] The spacing adjustment means is a means that allows adjustment of the distance between the opposing first gripping means and the second gripping means (see Figures 1 to 3). Preferably, the spacing adjustment means comprises, for example, a pair of sliders that are movable along the longitudinal direction of the guide base member and to which the first and second gripping means are attached to the lower side thereof, and a drive unit that allows the sliders to reciprocate along the guide base member.

[0026] Here, it is preferable that the pair of sliders are movably mounted on either side of the longitudinal center of the guide base member. Furthermore, a motor and a reduction gear can be used as the drive unit, and it is preferable that this drive unit has two motors, each provided on a pair of sliders, capable of moving each slider individually, or it may have left and right screws and one motor that rotates these left and right screws bidirectionally around their axis. The left and right screws are those on either side of their axial center, with opposite threads (right-hand threads and left-hand threads) cut into them, and in use, each slider is screwed into the left and right sides of the axial center.

[0027] Preferably, the spacing adjustment means is a means for adjusting the spacing between the first and second gripping means so that when an object is gripped by the first and second gripping means, the first and second gripping means are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center of the guide base member. Specifically, if a motor is provided on each of the pair of sliders, the first and second gripping means can be positioned symmetrically by driving these two motors in synchronous motion. Alternatively, if one motor is provided on the left and right screws that connect the pair of sliders, the first and second gripping means can be positioned symmetrically by driving this single motor. This allows the center of gravity of the guide base member to be brought closer to, or even aligned with, the center of gravity of the object when viewed from above, thereby enabling more stable and reliable gripping and transport of the object.

[0028] [First and Second Gripping Means] The first and second gripping means are provided on the lower sides of the guide base member in the longitudinal direction, respectively, and are members that grip the outer surfaces of corner regions facing each other in the diagonal direction of an object viewed from above (see Figures 1 to 3, 6, and 7). Here, the outer surfaces of the corner regions can be, for example, the two adjacent outer surfaces, but the lower surface (bottom surface) of the corner region may also be included.

[0029] Preferably, the first and second gripping means are provided with a gripping position adjustment means that rotates the first gripping means and / or the second gripping means relative to the guide base member so as to contact the adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object. Preferably, this gripping position adjustment means comprises, for example, a rotating part that rotatably connects a pair of sliders of a spacing adjustment means to the first and second gripping means, and a motor and gears for rotating the first and second gripping means relative to each slider. However, it is also possible to make the rotating part freely rotatable (free) around its axis without using a motor and gears.

[0030] The first gripping means and / or the second gripping means preferably comprises a first contact portion and a second contact portion that can contact the adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object, respectively. The first and second contact portions preferably each have, for example, a planar base portion, to which a plurality of elastically deformable pressing portions are attached and fixed in an upright position, or to which cushioning material is attached and fixed. Here, it is preferable that both the first and second contact portions are pressing portions, but they may also be cushioning material, or one may be a pressing portion and the other a cushioning material. The first and second contact portions preferably are arranged to match the cross-sectional shape of the corner region of the object, for example, at a right angle (in a perpendicular state or in an L-shape) when viewed from above, and may be arranged at an acute or obtuse angle within a range of ±10 degrees from a right angle.

[0031] Here, as the pressing part, for example, a dome-shaped object with a cylindrical shape and a hemispherical tip is preferred, and its internal structure is preferably loose, such as a lattice structure, honeycomb structure, or sponge structure, with a lattice structure being particularly preferred. As the cushioning material, for example, a deformable bag-like body filled with a liquid fluid and powder or granules can be mentioned.

[0032] Preferably, the first contact portion and / or the second contact portion (hereinafter also simply referred to as the contact portion) are provided with a contact position adjustment means for raising and lowering them relative to the guide base member. Preferably, this contact position adjustment means comprises, for example, a guide that allows the contact portion to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction, and an actuator such as a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic cylinder that raises and lowers the contact portion along the guide. This makes it possible to change the relative height position of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, and to accommodate various gripping configurations.

[0033] The following describes specific embodiments of the object gripping device of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In Figures 1 to 5, only the object gripping device 10 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the gripping device) is shown, and the object gripping and transporting equipment (the main body of the gripping and transporting equipment) equipped with the gripping device 10 is not shown. Examples of object gripping and transporting equipment include robot arms of industrial robots and collaborative robots, and various types of cranes.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the gripping device 10 is a device that grips a rectangular parallelepiped container (object) 14 using a first gripping means 12 and a second gripping means 13 that are spaced apart and facing each other, provided on a guide base member 11. Figures 4 and 5 show the state in which other rectangular parallelepiped containers 14a and 14b are gripped. The gripping device 10 is provided with imaging means (not shown) that images the container 14 to be gripped and recognizes its shape and position. The gripping device 10 is equipped with control means (computer, etc.: not shown) that allows the gripping device 10 to automatically recognize the position of the container 14 and grip the container 14 according to a preset program.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the guide base member 11 is a single elongated member positioned above (directly above) the container 14, parallel to the container 14, and aligned with one diagonal of the container 14 in a plan view. The upper part of this guide base member 11 is provided with a detachable means 15 that allows it to be attached to and detached from the gripping and conveying equipment body. Since this detachable means 15 is located in the longitudinal center of the guide base member 11, the balance on both sides of the guide base member 11 in the longitudinal direction can be made equal. The longitudinal length of this guide base member 11 is longer than the diagonal length of the square shape of the container 14. Note that in Figures 4 and 5, it is longer than the diagonal length of the square and rectangular shapes of the containers 14a and 14b, respectively.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are provided on the lower sides of the guide base member 11 in the longitudinal direction, respectively, via a spacing adjustment means 16 that allows adjustment of the distance between them. The spacing adjustment means 16 is movably mounted along the longitudinal direction of the guide base member 11 and comprises a slider 17 to which the first gripping means 12 is attached, a slider 18 to which the second gripping means 13 is attached, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves this pair of sliders 17 and 18. This pair of sliders 17 and 18 are movably mounted on both sides of the guide base member 11, centered on the longitudinal central part.

[0037] The drive unit is provided on each of the pair of sliders 17 and 18 and has a motor and a reduction gear (not shown) that individually reciprocates each slider 17 and 18 along the guide base member 11. The drive unit may also have left and right screws and one motor and reduction gear that rotate them. In this case, the pair of sliders are screwed into both sides of the left and right screws in the axial direction (the region of the right screw and the region of the left screw). By rotating the left and right screws in one direction about their axis, the two sliders can be moved away from each other (the direction in which the first gripping means and the second gripping means move away from each other), that is, in the direction of releasing the container. Conversely, when rotated in the other direction, the two sliders can be moved closer to each other (the direction in which the first gripping means and the second gripping means move closer together), that is, in the direction of gripping the container.

[0038] The spacing adjustment means 16 is a means for adjusting the spacing between the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 so that when the container 14 is gripped by the first and second gripping means 12 and 13, the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center of the guide base member 11. Specifically, the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 can be positioned symmetrically by synchronously driving two motors provided on a pair of sliders 17 and 18. If one motor is provided on each of the left and right screws, the first and second gripping means can be positioned symmetrically by driving this single motor.

[0039] The first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are configured in a mirror-image symmetry, each comprising a support plate 19 attached to the lower part of the sliders 17 and 18, and a first contact portion 20 and a second contact portion 21 attached to the support plate 19. These first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are means for gripping the outer surfaces of the corner regions 22 and 23 that face each other in the diagonal direction when viewed from above. Specifically, the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 of the first gripping means 12 are capable of contacting the adjacent outer surfaces 22a and 22b of the corner region 22, and the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 of the second gripping means 13 are capable of contacting the adjacent outer surfaces 23a and 23b of the corner region 23.

[0040] Here, each support plate 19 is attached to the lower part of the sliders 17 and 18 via a gripping position adjustment means 24 that allows each support plate 19 (first and second contact portions 20 and 21) to rotate relative to the sliders 17 and 18. This gripping position adjustment means 24 comprises a rotating portion 25 that connects each support plate 19 to each slider 17 and 18 so that they can rotate, and a motor and gears (not shown) for rotating each support plate 19 relative to the sliders 17 and 18. As a result, as shown in Figure 5, even if the container 14b has a rectangular planar shape, by rotating the support plates 19 relative to the sliders 17 and 18, the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 can be brought into contact with the outer surfaces (adjacent outer surfaces) of the corner regions 22c and 23c of the container 14b.

[0041] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first contact portion 20 is attached to the support plate 19 via a contact position adjustment means 26 that allows the first contact portion 20 to move up and down relative to the support plate 19 (guide base member 11). This contact position adjustment means 26 comprises a lifting guide 27 that allows the first contact portion 20 to move up and down in the vertical direction, and an actuator 28 such as a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic cylinder that moves the first contact portion 20 up and down along the lifting guide 27. The second contact portion 21 is attached to the support plate 19 via a support member 29 that prevents the second contact portion 21 from moving up and down. This makes it possible to change the relative height position of the first contact portion 20 and the second contact portion 21, and easily accommodate various gripping configurations.

[0042] The first and second contact portions 20 and 21 each have a planar base portion 30 and a plurality of pressing portions 31 attached and fixed to the base portion 30 in an upright position. The base portions 30 of the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 are arranged on the support plate 19 at right angles (orthogonal in a plan view) such that the leading edges of the pressing portions 31 attached and fixed to the base portion 30 can contact the adjacent outer surfaces 22a and 22b of the corner region 22 and the adjacent outer surfaces 23a and 23b of the corner region 23.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, 6 and 7, the multiple pressing parts 31 are capable of contacting the outer surface (side) of the container 14 and are arranged adjacent to each other vertically and horizontally on the base part 30. Here, the upright state means that the pressing parts are attached and fixed so that their axis is at a 90-degree angle to the base part 30, so that they protrude toward the container 14 to be gripped. The number of pressing parts 31 provided on the base part 30 is, for example, about 5 to 30, and multiple pressing parts arranged vertically can be considered as one set, and multiple sets (rows) can be arranged horizontally. Specifically, two pressing parts arranged vertically are considered as one set, and four sets (rows) are arranged horizontally. The number of pressing parts 31 provided on the first and second contact parts 20 and 21 is the same, but they can also be different numbers.

[0044] These plurality of pressing portions 31 are arranged at the intersection positions of the grid such that the intervals between the vertically and horizontally adjacent pressing portions 31 are equal. However, they can also be arranged in a honeycomb shape (bee's honeycomb shape) such that the interval between adjacent pressing portions 31 is minimized. The shape of the pressing portion 31 is dome-shaped, being cylindrical with the shape of the tip portion being hemispherical. The diameter (width) of this pressing portion 31 is, for example, about 10 mm to 50 mm, and the height (height with respect to the base portion 30) is, for example, about 10 mm to 100 mm. The plurality of pressing portions 31 have the same shape and size, but the shape and / or size of some of the pressing portions (for example, for each region divided into a plurality) may be different.

[0045] The pressing portion 31 is, for example, composed of a wear-resistant material made of rubber or resin, and has a flexible and elastically deformable configuration. Specifically, the pressing portion 31 is composed of a single (one) material (wear-resistant material), and its internal structure is in a sparse state, here, a lattice structure. Since this lattice structure is a special structure, it is preferably manufactured by, for example, a 3D printer or the like.

[0046] Further, the rubber or resin wear-resistant material constituting the pressing portion 31 is a material that can slow down the progress of wear due to contact with the object to be gripped. For example, it is preferable to use urethane rubber (ether-based, ester-based, etc.) having a shore hardness (shore hardness (HS hardness): JIS K 6253, etc.) of about 60 to 90. Although the plurality of pressing portions are made of the same material, the materials of some of the pressing portions (for example, for each region divided into a plurality) may be different.

[0047] The first contact portion 20 is attached and fixed to the base portion 30 such that the plurality of pressing portions 31 attached and fixed to the base portion 30 face obliquely upward, and the base portion 30 is attached via the inclined guide 32 to the contact position adjusting means 26. Also, for the second contact portion 21, the base portion 30 is attached via the inclined guide 33 to the support member 29 such that the axial centers of the plurality of pressing portions 31 attached and fixed to the base portion 30 face obliquely upward. The inclination angle of the axial center of the pressing portion 31 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably adjusted to be within a range of more than 0 degrees and 45 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0048] As a result, the distance between the first contact portion 20 of the first gripping means 12 and the second contact portion 21 of the second gripping means 13 facing each other, and the distance between the second contact portion 21 of the first gripping means 12 and the first contact portion 20 of the second gripping means 13 facing each other can be gradually widened upward. Therefore, for example, when lifting the container 14 gripped by the first and second gripping means 12 and 13, even if the pressing portion 31 is bent downward due to the weight of the container 14, the container 14 can be stably gripped.

[0049] Each of these inclined guides 32 and 33 enables the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 to move forward and backward between the contact side and the non-contact side with the container 14. For example, the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 can be moved forward and backward with respect to the container 14 by a driving portion such as a motor. A pressing portion 34 is provided at the tip (contact side) of the inclined guide 33 of the second contact portion 21 so as to face the base portion 30, and the pressing portion 31 and the pressing portion 34 are configured to be able to sandwich the side wall of the container 14, for example.

[0050] As described above, since the object gripping device 10 includes the first and second gripping means 12 and 13, the distance adjusting means 16, etc., in order to prevent cables and tubes such as power supplies and signals for controlling and driving these from contacting the sliders 17 and 18 and causing disconnection, etc., a cable carrier (registered trademark: cable carrier) 35, which is a component for housing the cables and tubes, is disposed on both sides of the upper part of the guide base member 11 centered on the detaching means 15.

[0051] Next, a method for gripping an object using the object gripping device 10 of the present invention will be described. However, this gripping method is not limited to these embodiments and varies depending on, for example, the type and shape of the object, the weight of the article housed inside, etc.

[0052] First, the object gripping device 10 is moved by the gripping and transporting equipment body (not shown) to a position directly above the container 14 to be transported. Then, the container 14 is lowered to a position where it can be gripped from both sides by the first and second gripping means 12 and 13. At this time, as shown in Figure 1, the guide base member 11 is positioned above the container 14, along the diagonal of the container 14 in a plan view, and the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are positioned near opposing corner regions 22 and 23. The distance between the opposing first and second gripping means 12 and 13 is adjusted by the spacing adjustment means 16 so that, with the base portions 30 of the first and second contact portions 20 and 21 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 positioned as far away from the container 14 as possible, the holding portion 34 of the second contact portion 21 is positioned close to the inner surface of the container 14.

[0053] Next, the base portions 30 of the second contact portions 21 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are moved toward the container 14 along the inclined guide 33, so that each second contact portion 21 comes into contact with the outer surfaces 22b and 23b of the corner regions 22 and 23. As a result, the adjacent side walls of the container 14 are gripped by the second contact portions 21 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13. At this time, the base portions 30 of the first contact portions 20 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 are positioned furthest from the container 14, and the pressing portions 31 are not in contact with the outer surfaces 22a and 23a of the corner regions 22 and 23. With the adjacent side walls of the container 14 gripped in this manner, the gripping device 10 is raised to a predetermined height and stopped.

[0054] Next, the contact position adjustment means 26 lowers the first contact portion 20 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 to a position lower than the height of the second contact portion 21. Then, the base portion 30 of the first contact portion 20 of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 is moved toward the container 14 along the inclined guide 32, bringing each first contact portion 20 into contact with the outer surfaces 22a and 23a of the corner regions 22 and 23. As a result, the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 grip the outer surfaces of the corner regions 22 and 23 that are opposite each other in the diagonal direction of the pallet 14 when viewed from above. After the container 14 is transported and placed to the target location by the gripping and transporting equipment body, the gripping state of the first and second gripping means 12 and 13 toward the container 14 is released, for example, by the reverse procedure of the above procedure, thereby completing the transport operation.

[0055] The present invention is industrially useful because it provides an object gripping device and object gripping and conveying equipment equipped therewith, which can grip an object stably and reliably with a simple configuration.

[0056] 10: Object gripping device, 11: Guide base member, 12: First gripping means, 13: Second gripping means, 14, 14a, 14b: Container (object), 15: Attachment / detachment means, 16: Spacing adjustment means, 17, 18: Slider, 19: Support plate, 20: First contact part, 21: Second contact part, 22: Corner region, 22a: Outer surface, 22b: Outer surface, 22c: Corner region, 23: Corner region, 23a: Outer surface, 23b: Outer surface, 23c: Corner region, 24: Gripping position adjustment means, 25: Rotating part, 26: Contact position adjustment means, 27: Lifting / lowering guide, 28: Actuator, 29: Support member, 30: Base part, 31: Pressing part, 32, 33: Inclined guide, 34: Holding part, 35: Cable carrier

Claims

1. A gripping device for gripping a rectangular parallelepiped or cubic object using a first gripping means and a second gripping means that are spaced apart and facing each other on a guide base member, wherein the guide base member is a long member positioned above the object so as to be aligned with the diagonal of the object in a plan view, and the first gripping means and the second gripping means are provided on both sides below the longitudinal direction of the guide base member via spacing adjustment means that allow adjustment of the distance between them, and are means for gripping the outer surface of the corner regions that face each other in the diagonal direction of the object in a plan view.

2. The object gripping device according to claim 1, characterized in that a gripping position adjustment means is provided for rotating the first gripping means and / or the second gripping means relative to the guide base member so that the first gripping means and the second gripping means contact adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object.

3. The object gripping device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the object is gripped by the first gripping means and the second gripping means, the spacing adjustment means is a means for adjusting the spacing between the first gripping means and the second gripping means so that the first gripping means and the second gripping means are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center of the guide base member.

4. The object gripping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first gripping means and / or the second gripping means comprises a first contact portion and a second contact portion that can contact adjacent outer surfaces of the corner region of the object, respectively.

5. The object gripping device according to claim 4, characterized in that it is provided with contact position adjustment means for raising and lowering the first contact portion and / or the second contact portion relative to the guide base member.

6. The object gripping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the object is a box-shaped container with an open top.

7. The object gripping device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first contact portion and / or the second contact portion have a planar base portion and a plurality of pressing portions that are attached and fixed to the base portion in an upright position and capable of contacting the outer surface of the object, and each of the pressing portions is arranged adjacent to the base portion in the longitudinal and transverse directions and is individually elastically deformable.

8. The object gripping device according to claim 7, characterized in that the pressing portion has a lattice structure.

9. An object gripping and conveying apparatus characterized by comprising an object gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The object gripping and conveying equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that the guide base member of the object gripping device is provided with a means for attaching and detaching it to the main body of the gripping and conveying equipment.

11. The object gripping and conveying equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that a rotating means is provided to allow the guide base member of the object gripping device to rotate relative to the main body of the gripping and conveying equipment.

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