Compact dexterous robotic hand

US6244644A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Christopher Scott Lovchik · Pearland, US
• Myron A. Diftler · Houston, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 25, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 12, 2001
• Expiry date: Jan 25, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S294/907
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A compact robotic hand 10 includes a palm housing 16, a wrist section 12 and a forearm section 16. The palm housing supports a plurality of fingers 18, 20, 22 and one or more movable palm members 24, 25 that cooperate with the fingers to grasp and/or release an object. Each flexible finger 18, 20, 22 comprises a plurality of hingedly connected segments, including a proximal segment 16 pivotally connected to the palm housing. The proximal finger segment 16 includes at least one groove 122 defining first and second cam surfaces 126, 128 for engagement with a cable 60. A plurality of lead screw assemblies 54 each carried by the palm housing are supplied with power from a flexible shaft 92 rotated by an actuator 91, and output linear motion to a cable 60 move a finger. The cable 60 is secured within a respective groove 122 and enables each finger to move between an opened and closed position. A decoupling assembly 288 pivotally connected to a proximal finger segment enables a cable 60 connected thereto to control movement of an intermediate and distal finger segment independent of movement of the proximal finger segment. The dexterous robotic hand closely resembles the function of a hu…