Robot Gripper Fork Units Vertical Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot grippers face challenges in handling heavy loads due to the indirect connection of forks to the gripper base, requiring voluminous guides and complex designs, which complicates the handling of goods with different external dimensions and non-horizontal target surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A robot gripper with a gripper base and at least two fork units, where the forks are stationary relative to the gripper base in the longitudinal direction, allowing for vertical displacement and supported by a single guide, enabling flexible handling of goods with adjustable height and transverse positioning, and equipped with a hold-down device for secure transport and placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If forks are indirectly connected to the gripper base via multiple guides for vertical and horizontal displacement, then the gripper can handle goods of various types, but the structure becomes voluminous and complex when handling heavy loads
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is divided into independent fork units, each capable of vertical displacement relative to the gripper base. This segmentation allows each fork unit to be simplified while maintaining overall functionality for handling various goods types.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing forks to displace horizontally relative to the gripper base through complex guides, the invention fixes the forks horizontally and achieves horizontal movement through displacement of the entire gripper base by the robot arm. This inverts the traditional approach and simplifies the guide structure.
2Strength
If forks are indirectly connected via multiple guides to handle heavy loads, then load capacity increases, but the guide structure becomes voluminous
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is segmented into individual guides for each fork unit, rather than requiring a complex multi-axis guide system. Each guide only needs to handle vertical displacement, reducing the volume requirements while maintaining load capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention eliminates the need for horizontal guides by fixing forks horizontally and achieving horizontal movement through gripper base displacement. This inversion dramatically reduces the guide structure volume while maintaining heavy load handling capability.
3Device complexity
If forks are fixed relative to the gripper base in the longitudinal direction, then the guide structure is simplified, but the ability to adjust fork positions for different goods is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
While forks are fixed longitudinally relative to the gripper base, the entire gripper base is made dynamically positionable by the robot arm. Additionally, forks can be independently vertically displaced to adapt to different goods dimensions, maintaining versatility through dynamic positioning rather than longitudinal adjustment.
Data Source
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AI summary
Robot grippers (10) for grasping, transporting, and depositing transported goods (90) are known. A robot gripper of this type is proposed, comprising a gripper base (12) with a coupling device (16) for attachment to a robot arm (8) and at least two fork units (20). Each fork unit (20) has a fork tine (32), the forks (32) extending parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction (Y) from the gripper base (12) and fixed in position relative to the gripper base (12) with respect to this longitudinal direction (Y), and bearing surfaces (80) for direct support of the transported goods (90). The at least two forks (32) are movable independently of each other in a vertical direction (Z) relative to the gripper base (12).