Interleaved O-Ring Gripper Jaws for Twist-Free Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current o-ring installation methods, including robotic end effectors, often result in tears, spiraling, or twisting due to inadequate accounting for size, shape, and composition variability, leading to leaks and assembly failures.
Innovation Solution
A modular o-ring gripper system with a housing, movable stripping bar, and interleaved angular jaws with expandable fingers, allowing for precise placement and handling of o-rings of various sizes and shapes, including those with flanges or tabs, using a stripper bar for efficient dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robotic end effectors are used to install o-rings, then automation and productivity are improved, but the precision and reliability of o-ring placement deteriorate due to tearing, spiraling, or twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is divided into multiple independent fingers (typically four) that can move independently to grasp and guide the o-ring. Each finger can be adjusted to accommodate different o-ring sizes and shapes, allowing precise control during installation without causing deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The fingers are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to adapt their position and angle during the installation process. This dynamic adjustment enables the fingers to guide the o-ring smoothly onto the shaft without forcing it into incorrect positions that would cause spiraling or twisting
2Adaptability or versatility
If end effectors account for variability in sizes and shapes of o-rings, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector design incorporates adjustable fingers that can accommodate multiple o-ring sizes, shapes, and cross-sections within a single device configuration. The fingers can be repositioned and reconfigured to handle different types of o-rings, eliminating the need for multiple specialized end effectors while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the fingers can be designed with different properties (e.g., varying widths, angles, or surface characteristics) to accommodate specific o-ring features. This allows each finger to be optimized for its local function while contributing to the overall adaptability of the end effector
3Ease of operation
If o-rings are rolled off a shaft during installation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to spiraling and twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The fingers act as an intermediary between the o-ring and the shaft, providing controlled guidance during installation. Rather than allowing the o-ring to roll freely, the fingers guide it along a controlled path, ensuring it maintains proper orientation and prevents spiraling or twisting while still enabling easy installation
4Reliability
If sliding an o-ring into place is used instead of rolling, then reliability is improved by avoiding spiraling, but device complexity and cost increase due to lubricant requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector fingers are designed to guide the o-ring into place using only the mechanical motion of the fingers themselves, without requiring external lubricants or complex auxiliary systems. The controlled sliding motion is achieved through the finger movement mechanism, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional lubrication equipment
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 precise, efficient, and cost-effective placement of multiple o-rings of different sizes and shapes, reducing assembly-line complexity and minimizing damage, while ensuring proper sealing without overstretching or tearing.
Implementation Method 1
an o-ring is a loop of elastomer, typically with a round cross-section, that is seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts
Implementation Method 2
an o-ring is a loop of elastomer
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system and method for providing an o-ring gripper. The embodiments may include an end effector, comprising: a housing; a movable stripping bar mechanically associated with the housing; a plurality of modules at least partially within the housing; and at least two interleaved angular jaws, wherein each of the at least two jaws provides at least two of the at least four fingers, and wherein an increase in angle between the at least two jaws effects an expansion of an area bounded by each of the at least four fingers; wherein a movement of the stripper bar distally from the housing strips the o-ring from the retention groove for placement.