Patent · US Expired

Vacuum adsorption hand

US4828304A · kind A · utility

64Cited by
6References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 4, 1987
Grant dateMay 9, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 4, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S294/902
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A vacuum adsorption hand and a composite hand mechanism attachable to the arm or the like of a material handling industrial robot are disclosed. The vacuum adsorption hand includes a sponge-like element on the outer surface of a perforated plate defining a vacuum chamber to prevent the ports or perforations in the plate from being obstructed by packaging film on an article to be handled. The composite hand mechanism of the present invention includes grasping mechanisms for grasping the sides of an article to be held in addition to an adsorbing mechanism. The grasping mechanisms have first members adapted for transverse movement to apply an adjustable transverse grasping force and second members which are vertically movable with respect to the first members. The grasping mechanisms ensure that the article will be held securely despite the effects of horizontally-oriented forces acting on the article held by the composite hand mechanism.

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