Gripper apparatus for use in a robotics system
US5253911A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B15/6835
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Robot gripper jaw apparatus is disclosed that is suited for grasping a media cartridge in a robot-controlled media library, or for grasping other objects. The gripper jaw apparatus employs a novel circular cam which reduces the amount of torque required to operate the gripper jaws. This allows use of a relatively small servo motor. The use of a circular cam additionally decreases the overall size and complexity of the gripper apparatus as compared to conventional gripper mechanisms. The gripper apparatus provides for an easily controllable robot gripper jaw mechanism for grasping a media cartridge wherein the force applied by the gripper jaw mechanism does not damage the media cartridge being grasped, due to the use of a flat spring which limits the force applied to the media cartridge. In addition, the gripper apparatus does not require that the gripper drive servo motor be reversed in order to release the media cartridge. Therefore, the gripper jaw servo motor need only rotate in one direction. This uni-directional servo motor motion reduces the complexity of the gripper controlling electronics and also reduces servo motor brush wear.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.