Patent EP0118052A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0118052A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Robot object manipulator with changeable finger tools
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1984-02-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-02-08
Abstract
Abstract An object manipulator includes a gripper (15) formed with at least two fingers (24, 25) which are mounted for relative movement so as to be able to grip an object to be manipulated. At least one tool (32) is mounted on a respective one of the fingers and is adapted to engage with the object. The manipulator also includes control means (16) for controlling the relative movement of the fingers. The tool and its associated finger are formed with cooperating surfaces (36, 37) which allow the tool to be moved in two opposite directions on and off the finger but prevent relative movement between the tool and the finger in any other direction. The cooperating surfaces also cause a frictional force to be exerted on the tool when the finger is gripping an object and this force resists any relative movement between the tool and the finger in the two opposite directions. The tool and its associated finger are also formed with yieldable means (43,44,45) for retaining the tool in position on the finger.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore Wilcox Leverett
- 👤 Bela Musits
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:33
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J15/00; B25J15/04; B25J15/0475; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S294/00; Y10S294/902; Y10S483/00; Y10S483/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
An object manipulator comprising a gripper (15) formed with at least two fingers (24,25) mounted for relative movement so as to be able to grip an object to be manipulated, at least one tool (32) mounted on a respective one of said fingers and adapted to engage with said object, and control means (16) for controlling the relative movement of said fingers, characterised in that said tool (32) and its associated finger (24) are formed with cooperating surfaces (36,37) which allow said tool to be moved in two opposite directions on and off said finger but prevent relative movement between said tool and said finger in any other direction, and which cause a frictional force to be exerted on said tool when said finger is gripping an object, which force resists any relative movement between said tool and said finger in said two opposite directions, and in that said tool and its associated finger are formed with yieldable means (43,44,45) for retaining said tool in position on said finger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
An object manipulator comprising a gripper (15) formed with at least two fingers (24,25) mounted for relative movement so as to be able to grip an object to be manipulated, at least one tool (32) mounted on a respective one of said fingers and adapted to engage with said object, and control means (16) for controlling the relative movement of said fingers, characterised in that said tool (32) and its associated finger (24) are formed with cooperating surfaces (36,37) which allow said tool to be moved in two opposite directions on and off said finger but prevent relative movement between said tool and said finger in any other direction, and which cause a frictional force to be exerted on said tool when said finger is gripping an object, which force resists any relative movement between said tool and said finger in said two opposite directions, and in that said tool and its associated finger are formed with yieldable means (43,44,45) for retaining said tool in position on said finger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An object manipulator as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said tool is formed with a recess (37) and said cooperating surfaces are the inner surface of said recess and the outer surface (36,60) of said associated finger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An object manipulator as claimed in claim 2 in which said recess is formed with a chamfered opening (38) to assist in the insertion of said associated finger into said recess.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
An object manipulator as claimed in either of the preceding claims 2 or 3 characterised in that said cooperating surfaces include a surface (60) extending across the width of said associated finger and cooperating with a corresponding surface on said tool and said frictional force is generated between said surface (60) and the corresponding surface on said tool.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An object manipulator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said associated finger is formed with a sensing device (56,57,58) capable of sensing deformations in said finger resulting from forces exerted on an object being gripped by said finger.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
An object manipulator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in combination with a tool holder (61) adapted to hold said tool (32), characterised in that said holder (61) is formed with a recess (63) adapted to hold said tool (32) and to permit said tool to be mounted on said associated finger (24) while still in said recess by relative movement between said finger and said holder and then to be removed from said holder by further relative movement between said finger and said holder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
An object manipulator in combination with a tool holder as claimed in claim 6 characterised in that said recess in said tool holder (61) is also adapted to permit said tool (32) to be replaced in said holder by relative movement between said associated finger (24) and said holder and then to be removed from off said finger by further relative movement between said finger and said holder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
167 words
An object manipulator comprising a gripper (15) formed with two fingers (24,25) mounted for relative movement so as to be able to grip an object to be manipulated, a tool (32) mounted on each of said fingers and adapted to engage with said object, and control means (16) for controlling the movement of said fingers, characterised in that each tool (32) and its associated finger (24,25) are formed with cooperating surfaces (36,37) which allow each tool to be moved in two opposite directions on and off its associated finger but prevent relative movement between each tool and its associated finger in any other direction, and which cause a frictional force to be exerted on each tool when said fingers are gripping an object, which force resists any relative . movement between each tool and its associated finger in said two opposite directions, and in that each tool and its associated finger are formed with yieldable means (43,44,35) for retaining each tool in position on its associated finger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
167 words
An object manipulator comprising a gripper (15) formed with two fingers (24,25) mounted for relative movement so as to be able to grip an object to be manipulated, a tool (32) mounted on each of said fingers and adapted to engage with said object, and control means (16) for controlling the movement of said fingers, characterised in that each tool (32) and its associated finger (24,25) are formed with cooperating surfaces (36,37) which allow each tool to be moved in two opposite directions on and off its associated finger but prevent relative movement between each tool and its associated finger in any other direction, and which cause a frictional force to be exerted on each tool when said fingers are gripping an object, which force resists any relative . movement between each tool and its associated finger in said two opposite directions, and in that each tool and its associated finger are formed with yieldable means (43,44,35) for retaining each tool in position on its associated finger.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
An object manipulator as claimed in claim 8 in combination with a tool holder (61) adapted to hold said two tools (32) characterised in that said tool holder (61) is formed with a recess (63) adapted to hold said tools (32) and to permit each tool to be mounted on its associated finger (24,25) while still in said recess by relative movement between said finger and said holder, and then to be removed from said holder by further relative movement between said finger and said holder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
An object manipulator in combination with a tool holder (61) as claimed in claim 9 characterised in that said recess (63) in said holder (61) also permits each tool (32) to be replaced in said holder by relative movement between its associated finger and said holder and then to be removed from off said associated finger by further relative movement between said finger and said holder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3075165A
Cited
FR1328613A
Cited
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