A self-propelled gripper installed on a robotic arm is provided. The robotic arm comprises a body and a tip axis. The self-propelled gripper comprises a housing, a rotation element, a moving element, and at least one claw body. The housing is fixed on the body. The rotation element is disposed in the housing and secured with the tip axis. The moving element is movably disposed in the housing and is connected to the rotation element. The moving element includes at least one slot. The claw body is pivoted on the housing and partially extends in the corresponding slot. When the rotation element rotates along with the tip axis, the rotation element drives the moving element to process a linear motion along a rotation central line so that the claw body pivotally rotates on the housing.

Example systems and methods are described that are capable of gripping objects. In one implementation, a method involves identifying, by a processing system, an object to be gripped at a first location, commanding, by the processing system, a robotic actuator to move a gripper in a first direction so that the gripper makes contact with the object, wherein one or more teeth in a plurality of fingers associated with the gripper mechanically engage the object, and commanding, by the proceeding system, the robotic actuator to move the gripper in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction, causing the gripper to grip the object.

A manipulator comprises a connecting assembly; a plurality of finger assemblies, one end of each finger assembly connects to the connecting assembly, the other end is away from the connecting assembly to form a free end; each finger assembly includes a plurality of knuckle components which are successively connected, each knuckle component includes a base module, a tactile sensor and an angle sensor, the base modules are interconnected for implementing finger configuration, the tactile sensor is installed on the base module for sensing a target object, the angle sensor is installed on the base module for acquiring information of angle changing. The manipulator is provided with the tactile sensor and the angle sensor on the base module of each knuckle component, which is beneficial to improve the sensing ability of the manipulator. The manipulator is composed of modular knuckle components, each of the single knuckle components has high level of integration.

Robotic systems and methods are provided with an end effector having lockable compliance. A robotic system for manipulating a workpiece includes an arm having a pair of sections connected by a joint assembly, with a lock disposed in the joint assembly. A gripper is connected on the arm and is configured to alternately grip and release the workpiece. A controller operates the lock to alternately lock and unlock the joint assembly. The gripper holds the workpiece during a deformation of the workpiece, while the controller may unlock the lock to allow movement of the joint assembly to relieve forces on the arm arising during a deformation of the workpiece.

A gripper for industrial manipulators includes: at least two jaws one of which being movable allowing it to be opened and closed; and a gripper body. A first gripper body portion housing an actuator device and a second portion supporting the jaws and at least one pin element, defining a pivot axis of the movable jaw, or a pivot axis of at least one transmission element operatively interposed between the at least one movable jaw and the actuator device. The gripper arranged so that the pin element also acts as a locking pin to firmly lock together the first and second portions of the gripper body in assembled condition. The pin element having a circumferential groove which allows a snap coupling of the first portion and the second portion of the gripper body: an elastic element separating them and engaging the edge of one of the two in the groove.

Example systems and methods are described that are capable of gripping objects. In one implementation, a system includes a first finger that includes a plurality of teeth and a second finger that is mechanically coupled to the first finger and includes a plurality of teeth. The first finger and the second finger are configured to move apart when the first finger and the second finger are moved in a first direction against an object. The first finger and second finger are further configured to grip the object when the first finger and the second finger are moved in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction.

An improvement to a semi-autonomous apparatus is described herein. In an apparatus having a gantry subassembly, a tram subassembly movably mounted on the gantry subassembly, and an actuation subassembly mounted on the tram subassembly, the improvement includes a gripper subassembly operatively connected to the actuation subassembly. The movement of the subassemblies is controlled in part by a control system that controls drive systems associated with one or more of the subassemblies. The gantry subassembly includes a bridge member for laterally spanning a selected section of a work site. The tram subassembly includes a tram that travels laterally along to the bridge member. The actuation subassembly includes at least one motion actuator for controlling the movement of the gripper subassembly in a generally vertical direction and may include an additional motion actuator for movement in a generally horizontal direction. The gripper subassembly includes passively actuated grippers for lifting, transporting and placing objects, and particularly, elongate objects such as reinforcing bars used in road and other cementitious surface construction.

The present disclosure generally relates to a robotic gripper comprising: a body; a plurality of displacement mechanisms; a plurality of finger modules removably connected or connectable to the body, such that each finger module engages with a respective displacement mechanism; each finger module comprising a finger actuator cooperative with the other finger actuators for gripping an object; and each displacement mechanism is configured for moving the respective finger module to adjust its arrangement on the body, thereby configuring the robotic gripper for gripping the object.

A gripping device includes a rotating member having a pinion and rotating about a center axis of the pinion, a drive piezoelectric unit having a vibrating portion that vibrates with expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric material, and a convex portion provided in the vibrating portion, being in contact with the rotating member, and transmitting vibration of the vibrating portion to the rotating member, a rack meshing with the pinion and moving with rotation of the pinion, and a gripping part coupled to the rack, wherein a contact portion in which the convex portion and the rotating member are in contact is located outside of an outer circumference of the pinion in a plan view from a direction of a rotation axis of the rotating member.

A gripper apparatus including a gripper frame and a gripper beak; an actuation mechanism for actuating the gripper beak; a clamping force generator biased to exert a clamping force on the gripper beak; a transmission mechanism including an input member that is vertically displaceable with respect to the gripper frame, wherein the transmission mechanism engages the actuation mechanism such that a high position of the input member corresponds to a closed position of the gripper beak while a downward displacement of the input member corresponds to a transition of the gripper beak to an open position; a vertically displaceable carrier coupling device that in a lower rest position presses down on the input member; and a latch mechanism, preferably of alternate push-push type, for holding the gripper beak in its open position.