Preshaper for Underactuated Robotic Gripper Fingers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underactuated robotic grippers face difficulties in grasping flat or small objects due to their limited ability to change shape, which restricts their versatility and functionality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a preshaper component between the fingers of the gripper, which deforms the deformable gripping surfaces when actuated, allowing the fingertips to curl inward and adapt to the shape of the object, enabling better grasping of flat or small items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If underactuated fingers are used in the robotic gripper, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to grasp flat or small objects deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The preshaper component is positioned between the fingers before grasping occurs. When the fingers actuate, they first contact the preshaper which pre-deforms the deformable gripping surfaces into a curved configuration suitable for holding flat or small objects, rather than requiring the fingers to adapt in real-time during grasping
Solution Approach 2:
The preshaper component acts as an intermediary element between the underactuated fingers and the object to be grasped. It mediates the interaction by transforming the simple actuation motion of the underactuated fingers into the complex deformable surface motion needed for versatile grasping of various object types
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 preshaper component enhances the gripper's ability to grasp a variety of objects, including flat and small ones, by allowing the fingertips to angle inward, thereby increasing the gripper's versatility and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the deformable gripping surface of each finger is deformed by the preshaper component such that the fingertips of each finger are curled inward toward each other
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic gripping device with a preshaper is provided. The robotic gripping device includes two opposable fingers, each finger having a deformable gripping surface, a base, and a fingertip. The robotic gripping device also includes an actuator coupled to the base of each of the fingers, wherein the actuator is configured to move the fingers toward and away from each other. The robotic gripping device also includes a preshaper component positionable between the fingers, wherein when the fingers are moved toward each other by the actuator and the deformable gripping surface of each finger contacts the preshaper component, the deformable gripping surface of each finger is deformed by the preshaper component such that the fingertips of each finger are curled inward toward each other.