US5120101A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rolling friction robot fingers
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1990-12-17
•
Granted: 1992-06-09
•
Expires: 2010-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A low friction, object guidance, and gripping finger device for a robotic end effector on a robotic arm, having a pair of robotic fingers each having a finger shaft slideably located on a gripper housing attached to the end effector, each of the robotic fingers having a roller housing attached to the finger shaft. The roller housing has a ball-bearing mounted centering roller located at the center, and a pair of ball bearing mounted clamping rollers located on either side of the centering roller. The object has a recess to engage the centering roller and a number of seating ramps for engaging the clamping rollers. The centering roller acts to position and hold the object symmetrically about the centering roller with respect to the X axis and the clamping rollers act to position and hold the object with respect to the Y and Z axis.
Inventors
- 👤 John M. Vranish
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:42
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J15/00; B25J15/08; B25J15/10; B25J15/0028; B25J15/02; B25J15/0253; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S294/00; Y10S294/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A low friction, object guidance, and gripping finger device for a robotic end effector on a robotic arm, comprising: a pair of robotic fingers each having a finger shaft slideably located on a gripper housing attached to said end effector; each of said robotic fingers comprising a roller housing affixed to said finger shaft, said roller housing having one ball-bearing mounted centering roller affixed at the center and two ball bearing mounted clamping rollers affixed one on top of the other on either side of said centering roller; said object having a recess to engage said centering roller and a plurality of seating ramps to engage said clamping rollers; said centering roller acting to position and hold said object symmetrically about said centering roller with respect to an X axis; said clamping rollers acting to position and hold said object with respect to a Y and Z axis; said X and Y axis being located in a horizontal plane and orthogonal to one another, and said Z axis being located in a vertical plane which is orthogonal to said horizontal plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
A low friction, object guidance, and gripping finger device for a robotic end effector on a robotic arm, comprising: a pair of robotic fingers each having a finger shaft slideably located on a gripper housing attached to said end effector; each of said robotic fingers comprising a roller housing affixed to said finger shaft, said roller housing having one ball-bearing mounted centering roller affixed at the center and two ball bearing mounted clamping rollers affixed one on top of the other on either side of said centering roller; said object having a recess to engage said centering roller and a plurality of seating ramps to engage said clamping rollers; said centering roller acting to position and hold said object symmetrically about said centering roller with respect to an X axis; said clamping rollers acting to position and hold said object with respect to a Y and Z axis; said X and Y axis being located in a horizontal plane and orthogonal to one another, and said Z axis being located in a vertical plane which is orthogonal to said horizontal plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said rollers are made from a resilient material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said roller housing has two ball bearing mounted centering rollers affixed one on top of the other at the center and one ball bearing mounted clamping roller affixed on either side of said centering rollers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 1 further including a means for said ball bearing mounted centering roller to rotate and perform limited translation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said means for said centering roller to rotate and perform limited translation comprises a two way bearing, a centering spring, a spring retainer, a bearing way and a roller housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said roller housing has four co-planar bearing mounted alignment rollers located thereon, the longitudinal axis of each alignment roller being at 90° to the longitudinal axis of the adjacent alignment bearing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1405325A
Cited
US3856292A
Cited
US4353537A
Cited
US4475607A
Cited
US4505614A
Cited
US4546681A
Cited
US4653793A
Cited
SU1227463A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-09 | 1995-12-09 | 1996-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-09 | 1999-12-09 | 2000-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-09 | 2003-12-09 | 2004-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |