US5039254A — Passive grabbing apparatus having six degrees of …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 308 words

A passive grabbing apparatus having locked and unlocked states, said unlocked state being one wherein the grabbing apparatus is freely positionable by positioning means external to the grabbing apparatus, said locked state being one wherein the grabbing apparatus is locked against movement and maintains a desired position and orientation, said grabbing apparatus comprising: a platform; a base unit slidably attached to said platform; a shoulder joint secured to said base unit, said shoulder joint being rotatable about a given position on said platform when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; an arm having a central longitudinal axis and being attached at a first end to said shoulder joint, said arm being rotatable about said axis and pivotable relative to said shoulder joint when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; closeable jaws secured to a second end of said arm, said closeable jaws assuming a normally open position when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; locking means comprising first, second, and third locking devices for selectively causing said grabbing apparatus to assume its locked state upon application of a single locking force thereto, said single locking force being distributed to said first, second, and third locking devices, said locked state having said closeable jaws forced towards a closed position, said arm locked and prevented from turning and pivoting relative to said shoulder joint, said shoulder joint locked and prevented from rotating relative to said base unit, and said base unit locked and prevented from moving relative to said platform; means for applying said single locking force; and biasing means for causing said grabbing apparatus to assume its unlocked state upon removal of said single locking force, wherein each of said locking devices must overcome a force provided by said biasing means to cause said grabbing apparatus to change from an unlocked state to a locked state.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 308 words

A passive grabbing apparatus having locked and unlocked states, said unlocked state being one wherein the grabbing apparatus is freely positionable by positioning means external to the grabbing apparatus, said locked state being one wherein the grabbing apparatus is locked against movement and maintains a desired position and orientation, said grabbing apparatus comprising: a platform; a base unit slidably attached to said platform; a shoulder joint secured to said base unit, said shoulder joint being rotatable about a given position on said platform when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; an arm having a central longitudinal axis and being attached at a first end to said shoulder joint, said arm being rotatable about said axis and pivotable relative to said shoulder joint when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; closeable jaws secured to a second end of said arm, said closeable jaws assuming a normally open position when said grabbing apparatus assumes its unlocked state; locking means comprising first, second, and third locking devices for selectively causing said grabbing apparatus to assume its locked state upon application of a single locking force thereto, said single locking force being distributed to said first, second, and third locking devices, said locked state having said closeable jaws forced towards a closed position, said arm locked and prevented from turning and pivoting relative to said shoulder joint, said shoulder joint locked and prevented from rotating relative to said base unit, and said base unit locked and prevented from moving relative to said platform; means for applying said single locking force; and biasing means for causing said grabbing apparatus to assume its unlocked state upon removal of said single locking force, wherein each of said locking devices must overcome a force provided by said biasing means to cause said grabbing apparatus to change from an unlocked state to a locked state.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises separate, independent biasing forces for each of said closeable jaws, shoulder joint, and base unit, each of said biasing forces causing its respective component of the grabbing apparatus to move towards its unlocked state.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 123 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said locking force of said locking means comprises a force that increases from an initial value less than the weakest of said biasing forces to a final value greater than the strongest of said biasing forces, said increasing locking force when applied to said grabbing apparatus overcoming each of said biasing forces at a predictable time after application of said increasing locking force, said predictable time for each biasing force being determined by the strength of each biasing force and the manner in which said locking force increases, whereby the respective lockable component associated with each biasing force starts to assume its locked state at the predictable time associated with each biasing force.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 50 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said biasing forces is a different value, whereby said locking force overcomes said biasing forces in an ordered sequence, causing the respective lockable components of said grabbing apparatus begin to assume their locked state in said ordered sequence.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said locking means includes a hydraulic system controlled with a single command signal, whereby a hydraulic locking force is created when said hydraulic system is initially activated to said final value.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 55 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes a biasing spring configured within each of said lockable components, said biasing spring forcing its associated lockable component to its unlocked state, the strength of each of said biasing forces being determined by the spring constant associated with each biasing spring.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said platform lies in an X-Y plane, and said base unit is slidably coupled to said platform for movement in both the X and Y directions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 65 words

The grabbing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said platform includes a track, said base unit being slidably attached to said track, said track having a pattern that moves about said platform in both the X and Y directions, thereby allowing movement of the base unit along said track in both the X and Y directions depending upon the course of said track.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 300 words

A grabbing tool comprising, in combination, a remotely operated vehicle having at least one manipulator protruding therefrom and a platform adjacent said manipulator, said grabbing tool comprising: an arm having a central longitudinal axis, and having a clamping mechanism disposed at a first end thereof, said clamping mechanism including biasing means for holding said clamping mechanism in a normally open position; a shoulder joint connecting a second end of said arm to said platform, said shoulder joint allowing said arm to rotate about said axis and to pitch relative to said platform; means for securing said shoulder joint to said platform, said securing means allowing said shoulder joint and arm to yaw relative to said platform, said securing means further allowing said shoulder joint to slide about on said platform to a desired location while still remaining movably secured to said platform; locking means comprising first, second, and third locking devices for selectively forcing said clamping mechanism to a closed clamping position and locking said clamping mechanism in said closed clamping position, locking said arm to said shoulder joint, and locking said shoulder joint to said platform, respectively, each of said locking devices acting against a force provided by biasing means which tend to force the locking means to an unlocked position; and means for actuating said locking means; whereby said manipulator may move said grabbing tool to a desired position and orientation relative to said platform, when the clamping mechanism is in the open position, and when said arm and said shoulder joint are unlocked and free to move as needed in order to achieve said desired position and orientation, whereupon said locking means may be actuated, thereby locking said clamping mechanism, arm, and shoulder joint against movement and causing said grabbing tool to maintain said position and orientation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 300 words

A grabbing tool comprising, in combination, a remotely operated vehicle having at least one manipulator protruding therefrom and a platform adjacent said manipulator, said grabbing tool comprising: an arm having a central longitudinal axis, and having a clamping mechanism disposed at a first end thereof, said clamping mechanism including biasing means for holding said clamping mechanism in a normally open position; a shoulder joint connecting a second end of said arm to said platform, said shoulder joint allowing said arm to rotate about said axis and to pitch relative to said platform; means for securing said shoulder joint to said platform, said securing means allowing said shoulder joint and arm to yaw relative to said platform, said securing means further allowing said shoulder joint to slide about on said platform to a desired location while still remaining movably secured to said platform; locking means comprising first, second, and third locking devices for selectively forcing said clamping mechanism to a closed clamping position and locking said clamping mechanism in said closed clamping position, locking said arm to said shoulder joint, and locking said shoulder joint to said platform, respectively, each of said locking devices acting against a force provided by biasing means which tend to force the locking means to an unlocked position; and means for actuating said locking means; whereby said manipulator may move said grabbing tool to a desired position and orientation relative to said platform, when the clamping mechanism is in the open position, and when said arm and said shoulder joint are unlocked and free to move as needed in order to achieve said desired position and orientation, whereupon said locking means may be actuated, thereby locking said clamping mechanism, arm, and shoulder joint against movement and causing said grabbing tool to maintain said position and orientation.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The grabbing tool as set forth in claim 9 wherein said locking means includes means for generating a single command signal from a location remote from said vehicle, and means responsive to said single command signal for generating a single locking force that is applied to said clamping mechanism, shoulder joint, and shoulder/platform securing means, said single locking force causing said grabbing tool to become locked.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

The grabbing tool as set forth in claim 10 wherein said locking means further includes locking sequence control means responsive to said single locking force for locking said clamping mechanism, shoulder joint, and shoulder/platform securing means in a prescribed sequence.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 106 words

The grabbing tool as set forth in claim 11 wherein said locking sequence control means includes means internal to said grabbing tool for generating respective biasing forces that maintain said clamping mechanism, shoulder joint, and shoulder/platform securing means in an unlocked state in the absence of said single locking force, each of said respective biasing forces having a value different from the others; the application of said single locking force to said clamping mechanism, shoulder joint, and shoulder/platform securing means overcoming said respective biasing forces in a sequence controlled by the relative strength of each of said biasing forces with respect to said single locking force.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 53 words

The grabbing tool as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for generating respective biasing forces within said grabbing tool comprises springs mounted within each of said clamping mechanism, shoulder joint, and shoulder/platform securing means, each spring generating a biasing force different from the others as a function of its spring constant.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

The grabbing tool as set forth in claim 13 wherein said single locking force comprises a hydraulic force that increases from a minimum value less than the weakest biasing force to a maximum value greater than the strongest biasing force.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-08-12	1995-02-11	1995-08-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-08-12	1999-02-11	1999-08-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-08-12	2003-02-11	2003-08-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Passive grabbing apparatus having six degrees of freedom and single command control

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