Self-Orienting Gripper Fingers for Precise Bulk Item Picking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated systems face challenges in efficiently gripping and orienting items from bulk, disorganized packaging, requiring manual pre-processing to organize items for precise retrieval and placement, which increases costs and labor in industries like manufacturing and assembly.
Innovation Solution
An item gripping assembly with intrinsic orienting attributes, featuring fingers with specific shapes and precision alignment components that allow for self-alignment and precise grasping of items, reducing the need for manual organization and enabling automated, accurate retrieval and placement of items with varying orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual pre-processing is used to organize items from bulk packaging, then item orientation and placement precision are improved, but labor costs and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping assembly incorporates intrinsic orienting attributes directly into its structure, allowing the item to self-align and self-orient during the gripping process. The shaped fingers and alignment features guide the item into the correct orientation automatically, eliminating the need for manual pre-processing or separate orientation steps, thus reducing both labor time and processing time while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping assembly is pre-configured with specific finger shapes, alignment tabs, and orienting attributes that are designed in advance to match the target item geometry. This preliminary design enables the system to automatically perform orientation and alignment functions during the gripping operation itself, rather than requiring separate pre-processing steps
2Measurement precision
If manual pre-processing is used to organize items, then retrieval accuracy is improved, but labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses self-aligning gripping fingers with intrinsic orienting attributes that automatically guide items into the correct position and orientation during retrieval. This eliminates the need for manual organization labor while maintaining high retrieval accuracy through the mechanical self-alignment features built into the gripping assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pre-processing operations with an automated gripping system that uses precisely engineered finger geometries and alignment features to achieve accurate item retrieval. The mechanical design of the fingers and alignment tabs substitutes for human labor in organizing and positioning items
3Extent of automation
If automated gripping is implemented without intrinsic orienting attributes, then automation extent increases, but item orientation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gripping function with the orienting function into a single integrated assembly. The gripping fingers incorporate intrinsic orienting attributes directly into their structure, combining what would traditionally be separate operations (grasping and orienting) into one automated action, thereby maintaining high automation level while achieving precise item orientation
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping assembly is designed with multi-functional fingers that simultaneously perform gripping, aligning, and orienting operations. The fingers have specific geometries that enable them to contact the item, apply gripping force, and guide the item into the correct orientation all in one motion, making the automated system capable of both automation and precision orientation
4Device complexity
If simple gripping fingers are used, then device complexity is reduced, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire gripping assembly complex, the patent applies local quality by incorporating specific geometric features only where needed on the gripping fingers. The fingers have simplified overall structures but include localized alignment tabs, shaped contact surfaces, and orienting attributes at critical positions, achieving high alignment precision without unnecessary overall complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A gripping assembly for use with an automated sorting or manufacturing assembly is disclosed. The gripping assembly includes two or more fingers and alignment attributes for precisely picking up objects (e.g., objects placed in a random orientation). The gripping assembly includes the intrinsic ability to retrieve and align objects predictably by including fingers machined to specific characteristics, such that when roughly located to pick up the object, the closing of the fingers orients the object precisely allowing further manipulation of the object from a known object orientation. The fingers of the device can be aligned with precision using optional alignment features such as sliding within tabs fixed to one finger or sliding along a stabilizing pin fixed to one finger.