Gripper Device for Flexible Objects Using Segmented Finger Pairs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripper devices for elongated, flexible objects like sausages often cause misalignment and instability during handling, leading to unpredictable placement and reduced throughput due to the objects swinging or sagging when lifted.
Innovation Solution
A gripper device with multiple gripper sections, each equipped with two pairs of movable fingers that grip the objects on opposite sides, allowing simultaneous actuation to securely hold and align the objects, combined with a drive mechanism for synchronized finger movement and a compacting mechanism to position the objects closely together.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a gripper device with single pair of fingers per gripper section is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of object alignment and positioning deteriorates due to objects swinging or sagging when lifted
Solution Approach 1:
Each gripper section is divided into two separate pairs of fingers (first and second pairs) positioned at different locations along the object. This segmentation allows independent gripping points that stabilize the object during lifting, preventing swinging and sagging while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular finger assemblies.
2Force
If fingers are positioned close together, then the gripping force is concentrated, but the ability to stabilize curved or flexible objects deteriorates as they can still swing or change position
Solution Approach 1:
The two pairs of fingers are positioned at different locations along the longitudinal axis of the object, creating a distributed gripping pattern. This spatial distribution in another dimension (along the object length) provides stabilization against swinging and position changes while maintaining adequate gripping force through coordinated finger closure.
3Reliability
If multiple pairs of fingers per gripper section are added, then the reliability of object handling is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilization function is extracted from a single complex multi-pair finger assembly and implemented through two simpler pairs of fingers positioned at different locations. This extraction reduces the complexity within each gripper section while achieving the reliability benefit through the distributed positioning of the two pairs along the object.
Data Source
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AI summary
Gripper device for simultaneously gripping several elongated flexible objects, in particular sausages (15), with several gripper sections (2) arranged parallel to each other, wherein each gripper section (2) has two spaced-apart pairs of fingers (3), wherein the fingers (4) of each pair of fingers (3) grip the object (15) on opposite sides and are simultaneously movable towards each other to grip an object (15), wherein the gripper sections (2) are simultaneously operable.