A soft joint gripper based on 4D printing comprises a palm body and five soft finger units connected with the palm body; each soft finger unit is provided with two soft finger joints and two finger bones; the finger bones are made of 3D printing resin; the soft finger joints are two symmetrical double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuators; the double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuator is made of a 4D printing liquid crystal elastomer and a polyimide electrothermal film, and the bending angle of each double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuator is changed by energization or heating stimulation; and the double-layer film soft finger joint actuator is used to control the soft finger unit to perform reversible bending motion. Accurate control of the soft joint gripper can be realized.

A soft joint gripper based on 4D printing comprises a palm body and five soft finger units connected with the palm body; each soft finger unit is provided with two soft finger joints and two finger bones; the finger bones are made of 3D printing resin; the soft finger joints are two symmetrical double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuators; the double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuator is made of a 4D printing liquid crystal elastomer and a polyimide electrothermal film, and the bending angle of each double-layer thin-film soft finger joint actuator is changed by energization or heating stimulation; and the double-layer film soft finger joint actuator is used to control the soft finger unit to perform reversible bending motion. Accurate control of the soft joint gripper can be realized.

According to one embodiment, a gripping tool includes a gripper, a sensor, a pump unit, and a controller. The gripper is flexible and has a granular material provided in an interior of the gripper. The sensor is connected to the interior. The sensor detects a pressure or a flow rate of a gas. The pump unit is connected to the interior. The controller performs at least a first operation of causing the gripper to contact a workpiece and causing the gripper to operate, and a second operation of separating the gripper from the workpiece and causing the gripper to operate. In at least a portion of the second operation, the controller sets a pressure of the interior to be different from a pressure external to the gripper.

According to one embodiment, a gripping tool includes a gripper, a sensor, a pump unit, and a controller. The gripper is flexible and has a granular material provided in an interior of the gripper. The sensor is connected to the interior. The sensor detects a pressure or a flow rate of a gas. The pump unit is connected to the interior. The controller performs at least a first operation of causing the gripper to contact a workpiece and causing the gripper to operate, and a second operation of separating the gripper from the workpiece and causing the gripper to operate. In at least a portion of the second operation, the controller sets a pressure of the interior to be different from a pressure external to the gripper.

According to one embodiment, a gripping tool includes a gripper. The gripper is flexible and includes a first portion contacting a workpiece, a second portion opposing the first portion, and a granular material provided between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes a concave portion and a convex portion. The concave portion is recessed in a first direction. The first direction is from the first portion toward the second portion. The convex portion is provided around the concave portion and protrudes in a second direction. The second direction is the reverse of the first direction. The concave portion has a groove having a ring configuration recessed outward from a center of the gripper.

According to one embodiment, a gripping tool includes a gripper. The gripper is flexible and includes a first portion contacting a workpiece, a second portion opposing the first portion, and a granular material provided between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes a concave portion and a convex portion. The concave portion is recessed in a first direction. The first direction is from the first portion toward the second portion. The convex portion is provided around the concave portion and protrudes in a second direction. The second direction is the reverse of the first direction. The concave portion has a groove having a ring configuration recessed outward from a center of the gripper.

A gripper assembly is disclosed. The gripper assembly includes a stage, a mounting platform, and a plurality of the flexible gripper elements. The flexible gripper element is configured to grip an object. The flexible gripper elements are supported by a first end piece, where the first end piece is attached to the mounting platform. The mounting platform is connected to the stage, where the stage is moveable. The flexible gripper element includes a hollow section that is selectively pressurizable. The hollow section includes one or more zones, where each zone includes chambers which are pressurizable by a fluid input. The selective pressurization of the hollow section allows the flexible gripper element to grip the object.

A gripper assembly is disclosed. The gripper assembly includes a stage, a mounting platform, and a plurality of the flexible gripper elements. The flexible gripper element is configured to grip an object. The flexible gripper elements are supported by a first end piece, where the first end piece is attached to the mounting platform. The mounting platform is connected to the stage, where the stage is moveable. The flexible gripper element includes a hollow section that is selectively pressurizable. The hollow section includes one or more zones, where each zone includes chambers which are pressurizable by a fluid input. The selective pressurization of the hollow section allows the flexible gripper element to grip the object.

A grasper can include a first pantograph cell and a second pantograph cell coupled with the first pantograph cell. The first and second pantograph cells can be coupled together at a first pivot and a second pivot. The grasper can also include a finger extendable in a direction extending between the first pivot and the second pivot. The grasper can include a support base, where one or more links of the first pantograph cell can be slidably coupled with the support base for extending the grasper. In some embodiments, the grasper can be configured to extend along a curved path. In some embodiments, the finger can be biased in a direction away from an object to be grasped by the grasper, and also biased in a direction toward an object to be grasped by the grasper when the grasper is extended.

A method and apparatus for transporting single and multiple reaction vessels. At least one reaction vessel is provided and at least one tray includes at least two seats for the at least one reaction vessel, and at least one gripper. One of the reaction vessel or the tray is engaged with the gripper at a first position. The gripped element is transported to a second position wherein the gripper is released. A gripping collar is provided both on the reaction vessel and the tray for the gripper to engage. At one transport stage one of the reaction vessel or the tray is engaged with the gripper at a first position by pushing the gripper from above to engage with the gripping collar and in a second stage the transported element is disengaged from the gripper by moving the gripper sideways in relation to the center axis of the gripping collar.