Robot Hand Pulley-Wire Gripping for Smooth Follow-Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot hands experience smoothness issues during follow-gripping due to differential gear mechanisms and non-slidable fingers, leading to uneven movement of fingers when gripping misaligned workpieces.
Innovation Solution
A robot hand design featuring first and second fingers with movable pulleys and cord-like members, actuated by actuators, allows for smooth follow-gripping by adjusting the tension on the cord-like members based on resistance, ensuring both fingers move smoothly to grip the workpiece.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a differential gear mechanism is used to transmit power to the fingers, then the robot hand can achieve follow-gripping of misaligned workpieces, but the movement of the fingers becomes less smooth after one finger stops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the differential gear mechanism with a cord-like member system that runs through guide holes in the fingers. This substitution eliminates the gear mechanism's inherent jerkiness while preserving the follow-gripping capability, as the cord allows independent finger movement without mechanical interference
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the differential gear mechanism from the finger actuation system. By taking out this problematic component, the invention achieves smooth finger movement while maintaining the ability to handle misaligned workpieces through the cord-based tension distribution system
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fingers are designed to be rotatable or bendable rather than slidable, then the fingers can grip various shapes, but the fingers cannot move smoothly in the extending direction of the guide rail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sliding motion capability with the gripping capability by designing fingers that slide along guide rails while being actuated by the cord-like member system. This combination allows the fingers to move smoothly in the extending direction of the guide rail while maintaining adaptability to grip various workpiece shapes
3Ease of operation
If one finger stops upon touching the workpiece while the other continues moving, then smooth follow-gripping is achieved, but the mechanism requires complex tension adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-adjusting tension distribution system where the cord-like member automatically balances the tension between fingers based on their individual resistance to movement. When one finger stops upon touching the workpiece, the cord naturally redistributes tension to allow the other finger to continue moving, achieving smooth follow-gripping without complex external adjustment mechanisms
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 design achieves smooth and efficient follow-gripping by allowing one finger to stop while the other continues moving, ensuring both fingers securely grasp the workpiece, even when misaligned.
Implementation Method 1
The first actuator moves the first movable pulley so that a tension of the first cord-like member acts on the first and second fingers to bring the first and second fingers close to each other
Implementation Method 2
The first moving mechanism includes a first movable pulley, a first cord-like member, and a first actuator. The first cord-like member has two ends, one of which is connected to the first finger and the other is connected to the second finger and is wrapped around the first movable pulley
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot hand 100 includes a first finger 2, a second finger 3, and a first moving mechanism 5 that brings the first and second fingers 2 and 3 close to each other in a predetermined moving direction so that the first and second fingers 2 and 3 grip a workpiece. The first moving mechanism 5 includes a first movable pulley 53, a first wire 56 that has two ends, one of which is connected to the first finger 2 and the other is connected to the second finger 3, and is wrapped around the first movable pulley 53, and a first air cylinder 57 that moves the first movable pulley 53. The first air cylinder 57 moves the first movable pulley 53 so that a tension of the first wire 56 acts on the first and second fingers 2 and 3 to bring the first and second fingers 2 and 3 close to each other.