Flexible Object Gripping Device with Micro Adjuster
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial grippers struggle to precisely grip and engage thin, flexible objects like connector cables due to their rigid design and limited flexibility, leading to low engagement success rates and potential damage to the objects.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a manipulator with a body, a driving part, a moving part, a fixing part, and a micro adjuster, which allows for precise control of the gripping force and position through a combination of up-and-down movement, rotation, and lateral adjustments, along with a force sensor module to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rigid industrial gripper is used to grip a flexible object, then the gripper structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the gripping precision and control of gripping force are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is divided into multiple independent modules: a fixed part, a moving part with independent driving mechanism, and a micro adjuster with multiple adjustment degrees. Each module performs a specific function, allowing precise control of the flexible object's position and gripping force while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system with multiple degrees of freedom. The moving part can move vertically to adjust gripping force, and the micro adjuster provides rotational and lateral adjustments, enabling adaptive positioning and force control suitable for flexible objects.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pincer-like horizontal gripper is used, then the gripper structure is simple, but it cannot grip thin flexible objects effectively and has limited workbench space
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper adopts a vertical gripping structure where the moving part moves up and down to clamp the flexible object between itself and the fixed part. This vertical arrangement provides better control for thin flexible objects and allows the manipulator to approach connectors from above, increasing workbench space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro adjuster acts as an intermediary mechanism between the main gripper and the flexible object. It provides fine-adjustment capabilities with multiple degrees of freedom (rotation, forward/backward, left/right movement) to precisely position and engage thin flexible objects that cannot be gripped by conventional grippers.
3Reliability
If a rigid gripper is used to engage connectors positioned inward from the board edge, then the gripper structure is simple, but the engagement success rate is low
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper system incorporates multiple dynamic adjustment capabilities: the moving part adjusts vertical position for gripping force control, and the micro adjuster provides rotational and lateral adjustments. This multi-degree-of-freedom system can adapt to connectors positioned at various locations including those inward from the board edge, significantly improving engagement success rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The force sensor module provides real-time feedback on the gripping force applied to the flexible object. This feedback mechanism allows the control system to adjust the moving part's position to maintain optimal gripping force, preventing both excessive force that could damage the object and insufficient force that would fail to engage the connector reliably.
4Measurement precision
If a simple industrial gripper is used, then the device complexity is low, but the control of gripping force and position is imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensor module continuously monitors the gripping force and provides feedback to the control system. This enables precise control of the moving part's vertical position to maintain the desired gripping force on the flexible object, achieving accurate force control that simple grippers cannot provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The micro adjuster serves as an intermediary mechanism that provides fine-positioning capabilities with multiple degrees of freedom. It enables precise control of the flexible object's position in multiple directions (rotation, forward/backward, left/right), achieving high measurement and position control precision that compensates for the increased structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for an assembly process, where in a flexible object is moved by a manipulator to be engaged with a connector, including: a body provided in the manipulator and moved toward the connector; a driving part provided inside of the body; a moving part provided under the body and moved up and down by the driving part to press and grip a flexible object; and a fixing part with one end provided under the body, the other end positioned under the moving part, and a top surface including a support plate to be mounted with the flexible object.