Elastic Protective Casing for Clean-Room Robotic Grippers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic grippers used in industrial automation lack the necessary sealing to prevent particle contamination in clean-room environments, which are critical for maintaining stringent GMP and ISO regulations by allowing microparticles to escape and pollute the air.
Innovation Solution
A protective casing comprising a base and dome that securely houses grippers, ensuring airtight sealing to prevent particle escape, made from elastic materials like silicone or neoprene, with adaptable slots for jaw movement and optional transparent sections for visibility of indicators, allowing conventional grippers to be used in clean-rooms without modifying existing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional grippers are used in clean-rooms, then productivity is maintained, but particle contamination occurs due to lack of sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible protective casing made of elastic material (such as rubber or silicone) that envelops the gripper. This flexible shell maintains airtight sealing while accommodating the dynamic movements of the gripper jaws, thereby preventing particle contamination without compromising operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective casing acts as an intermediary barrier between the gripper (source of particles) and the clean-room environment. This intermediate layer isolates the conventional gripper from the controlled environment, allowing its use in clean-rooms without modification to the gripper itself.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If grippers are sealed to prevent particle escape, then cleanliness is improved, but jaw movement and operation are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing is designed with dynamic characteristics, being made of elastic material that can deform and flex as the gripper jaws move. This dynamic design allows the casing to maintain airtight sealing while freely accommodating the jaw movements required for gripping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible nature of the protective casing enables it to conform to the changing shape and position of the gripper during operation, maintaining sealing integrity throughout the full range of jaw movements without restricting operational freedom.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If rigid covers are used to seal robotic arms, then particle containment is improved, but adaptability to different grippers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible protective casing can be easily adapted to different gripper types and sizes, providing a universal solution for sealing various conventional grippers in clean-room applications without requiring custom rigid covers for each configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The protective casing effectively prevents particle contamination, enabling the use of conventional grippers in clean-rooms while adhering to stringent GMP and ISO standards, as demonstrated by laboratory tests, and can be easily retrofitted onto existing grippers.
Implementation Method 1
At least the portion of the dome at the through slots is elastically deformable to follow the movements of the jaws movable between a clamping position and a releasing position
Data Source
AI summary
A protective casing of a gripper for industrial automation is described, having two or more jaws, which makes the gripper also usable in clean-room. The casing comprises a base fixable to an outer actuator, for example a robotic arm, and a dome. The dome and the base are air tightly constrainable one to another and they together define a chamber for housing the gripper. The dome is provided with through slots at the jaws of the gripper; the edges of the through slots air tightly adhere to the corresponding jaw. At least the portion of the dome at the through slots is elastically deformable to follow the movements of the jaws. Preferably, the dome and the base are coupled and flush in order to limit or prevent particles or dust from building up between interstices.