Soft Gripper Multizone Control for Individual Joint Articulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic end effectors face difficulties in adapting to objects of varying dimensions and material types, limiting their ability to grasp and move objects effectively.
Innovation Solution
A flexible gripper assembly with multiple flexible gripper elements and bridge elements, configured to receive fluid pressure, allowing for selective actuation and reversible gripping of objects through adjustable pressure zones and pliable layers, enabling complex movements similar to human hand functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional robotic end effectors are used, then they can perform consistent and fast operations, but they have difficulty adapting to objects of differing dimensions and material types
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is divided into multiple independent fingers, each with its own hollow section that can be individually pressurized. This segmentation allows each finger to adapt independently to different object shapes and sizes, significantly improving versatility without requiring a completely new gripper design for each application.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper transitions from a static, rigid structure to a dynamic, flexible structure. The hollow sections can be selectively pressurized to change the shape and stiffness of individual fingers in real-time, enabling the gripper to dynamically adapt to various objects while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If uniform pressure is applied to the hollow section, then the structure is simple to control, but the hollow section cannot achieve complex movements similar to human hand functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow section is divided into multiple independently controllable zones or chambers. By applying pressure to specific zones rather than the entire hollow section uniformly, the system can create complex finger movements and articulations that mimic human hand functionality, while each zone remains relatively simple to control individually.
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones within the hollow section can be pressurized to different pressure levels to create localized effects. This allows specific portions of the gripper fingers to become stiffer or more flexible as needed, enabling complex movements and adaptive grasping without requiring the entire structure to be overly complex.
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 flexible gripper assembly can adapt to different objects by adjusting pressure within its zones, enhancing its ability to grip and move objects of various dimensions and materials with increased precision and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
the hollow section may be configured to selectively receive fluid through the fluid input to adjust pressure within the hollow section and cause the hollow section to selectively actuate
Implementation Method 2
the first side portion has a surface area less than the second side portion
Data Source
AI summary
A gripper assembly is disclosed. The gripper assembly includes a stage, a mounting platform, and a plurality of the flexible gripper elements. The flexible gripper element is configured to grip an object. The flexible gripper elements are supported by a first end piece, where the first end piece is attached to the mounting platform. The mounting platform is connected to the stage, where the stage is moveable. The flexible gripper element includes a hollow section that is selectively pressurizable. The hollow section includes one or more zones, where each zone includes chambers which are pressurizable by a fluid input. The selective pressurization of the hollow section allows the flexible gripper element to grip the object.