Shear-Activated Fibrillar Adhesive Gripper for Large Object Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic grippers face limitations in grasping and lifting large objects and fragile items due to reliance on pinching forces and the need for additional infrastructure, such as air suction or magnets, which can cause damage.
Innovation Solution
A gripper with synthetic fibrillar adhesive, featuring a shell and finger assemblies with a connecting rod, pad portion, and a layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive, where microfibers are inclined to increase contact area and adhesion force, activated by shear force or gravity, allowing for enhanced grasping and lifting capabilities without pinching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional pinching forces are used to grasp objects, then small objects can be grasped, but large objects beyond pinching range cannot be grasped or lifted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional pinching mechanical system with a shear-activated fibrillar adhesive system. Instead of relying on normal pinching forces, the invention uses shear force to activate the adhesive microfibers, enabling grasping of large objects beyond the pinching range through adhesion rather than mechanical pinching.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the activation parameter from normal force (pinching) to shear force. The fibrillar adhesive remains inactive under normal contact but activates when shear force is applied, allowing the gripper to grasp large objects by transitioning the activation mechanism from compression-based to shear-based.
2Adaptability or versatility
If air suction is used to lift large objects, then lifting capability is improved, but additional infrastructure and pneumatic actuation systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic air suction system with a shear-activated fibrillar adhesive system. Instead of using compressed air and pneumatic infrastructure, the invention uses mechanically activated adhesive microfibers that adhere to object surfaces through shear force, eliminating the need for complex pneumatic systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If magnets are used to lift ferromagnetic objects, then lifting capability is improved, but additional infrastructure is required and fragile objects may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces magnetic lifting systems with shear-activated fibrillar adhesive. Instead of using magnetic fields and associated infrastructure, the invention uses adhesive microfibers activated by shear force, providing a gentler grasping mechanism that reduces damage risk to fragile objects while maintaining lifting capability.
4Device complexity
If conventional grippers are used, then simple structure is maintained, but actuation force is a hard constraint limiting grasping ability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the force parameter from normal pinching force to shear force for activation. The fibrillar adhesive structure allows activation through shear force applied during object contact, removing the hard constraint of actuation force while maintaining relatively simple gripper structure.
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
Enables the gripper to effectively grasp and lift objects of various sizes, including large and fragile ones, by increasing the contact area and adhesion force between microfibers and the object, reducing the risk of damage and eliminating the need for additional infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive attached to the pad portion, wherein microfibers of the layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive are inclined in an opposite direction of the manipulation direction of the gripper
Implementation Method 2
The shear adhesive gripper is able to grasp large, deformable or delicate objects using a delicate touch. US 2018/053144 A1 refers to inventory handlers which can include one or more gripping elements connected with a gripping assembly. The gripping element or elements can be subjected to shear force when in contact with inventory items such that the anisotropically adhesive surface engages an inventory item with an adhesive force.
Implementation Method 3
When the gripper lifts the object, the layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive may be activated by gravity such that a contact area and an adhesion force increase between microfibers of the layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive and the object.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Robot (300) and gripper (100) with synthetic fibrillar adhesive. The gripper may include a shell (10) and at least two finger assemblies (20). The finger assemblies are utilized to grasp an object on two opposite sides of the object. Each finger assembly may include a connecting rod (201), a pad portion (202) and a layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive (203). The connecting rod may be movably connected to the shell. The pad portion may be connected to the connecting rod, and the connecting rod may move the pad portion towards the object under a driving force. The layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive may be attached to the pad portion. Microfibers of the layer of synthetic fibrillar adhesive may be inclined away from the shell.