Patent · US Expired

Slip sensing method and apparatus

US4637736A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
15References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 19, 1985
Grant dateJan 20, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 19, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S294/907
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A slip sensor and method of sensing slip for object supporting structure such as a manipulator which includes a pair of relatively movable jaws having opposing jaw faces between which an object may be gripped are shown. At least one thermistor is located at the face of the object supporting structure, which thermistor is intimately engageable with the supported object. The thermistor is maintained at a substantially constant temperature, above ambient temperature, by the passage of current therethrough. The temperature of the gripped object adjacent the thermistor is raised to the above-ambient temperature by heat conduction thereto from the thermistor. With slippage of the gripped object between the jaws, the thermistor is exposed to another portion of the object which is at a different temperature than the temperature of the thermistor whereby the resistance of the thermistor changes. The thermistor is included in a temperature sensing and control unit which maintains the thermistor at a substantially constant temperature, and which has an output related to power supplied to the thermistor to maintain the set-point temperature. The output is digitized and supplied to a digital co…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.