A gripping device comprises an electric linear motor having a motor stator and a motor slider which is movable in a longitudinal direction, a first gripper finger and a second gripper finger, a redirecting mechanism which is coupled to the motor slider as well as to at least one of the first and second gripper fingers, and a constant force generator having a stator and a slider which is movable relative to the stator in the longitudinal direction. The stator has a magnetically conductive or permanently magnetic stator region, and the slider has a permanently magnetic or magnetically conductive slider region. In a gripping position, the slider region and the stator region only partly overlap in the longitudinal direction, while in an open position, the slider region and the stator region do not overlap in the longitudinal direction.

Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated manner. A material handling system suitable for use in an automated shoe-manufacturing process has a guide rail and first and second moveable holding elements, each of the holding elements having gripping elements for engaging a part or part stack during the manufacturing process.

An air chuck includes: a finger support part including a pair of fingers and a pair of lock shafts; a chuck main body part including an operation mechanism operable to open and close the fingers; and linking mechanisms that detachably link the finger support part to the chuck main body part. Each of the linking mechanisms causes the corresponding lock shaft to shift to a non-lock position so as to render the pair of fingers capable of being opened and closed when the finger support part is linked to the chuck main body part. Each of the linking mechanisms causes the corresponding lock shaft to shift to a lock position and locks the pair of fingers so as to render the pair of fingers incapable of being opened and closed when the finger support part is detached from the chuck main body part.

An air chuck includes: a finger support part including a pair of fingers; a chuck main body part including an operation mechanism operable to open and close the pair of fingers; and linking mechanisms that detachably link the finger support part to the chuck main body part. The linking mechanisms each include: a linking shaft that extends from the finger support part; a shaft insertion hole formed in a body of the chuck main body part; a catch body that becomes elastically caught on a catch surface of the linking shaft when the linking shaft is inserted into the shaft insertion hole; and a delinking member that is manually operated so as to release the catch body caught on the catch surface when the finger support part is detached from the chuck main body part.

The present invention recites a scissor arm for an unmanned robotic system such as a UAV, also known as a drone. This arm would typically be installed on the underside of a UAV with hover capability. The arm is designed to simultaneously vertically lower and horizontally extend a payload, permitting a person to interact with the payload without risk of injury by the UAV's propellers. This arm is practical for applications such as a routine police traffic stop, wherein an officer can safely remain in their vehicle and interact with the driver via a drone equipped with communication equipment and such an arm. The drone's arm can present the driver with a box for gathering documents from the driver without risk of injuring the driver or damaging the driver's vehicle. This is accomplished by two inventive “L”-shaped trusses that offset the arm's payload horizontally as the arm is extended downward.

The invention relates to a twin gripper (1) for gripping two round-profile portions (2, 3) simultaneously, having a first mount (6) with a first bearing means (6a) and a further first bearing means (6b), and having a second mount (7) with a second bearing means (7a) and a further second bearing means (7b), wherein the first and second bearing means (6a, 7a) are connected to one another in a fixed position, and the first and second further bearing means (6b, 7b) are connected to one another in a resilient manner, and the two bearing means (6a, 7a) can be displaced back and forth in a displacement direction (V) in relation to the two further bearing means (6b, 7b).

A chuck mechanism operates a piston in a cylinder tube by using action of compressed air and opens and closes, by using a rod coupled to the piston, a pair of fingers, thereby gripping work W. The locking mechanism locks the fingers at work grip positions. The locking mechanism includes a first locking member, a second locking member, and a drive device. The first locking member is displaced when the pair of fingers are opened or closed. The second locking member retains the first locking member so as to lock the fingers at the work grip positions. The drive device relatively displaces the first locking member and the second locking member to locking positions and non-locking positions.

A gripper may be provided that includes a motor, a jaw guide, a wedge head, a jaw, and a finger. The jaw guide is disposed on the motor and has a guide hole and a plurality of guide grooves. The wedge head is disposed in the guide hole and is able to perform up and down reciprocating movement by the motor. The jaw is disposed in the plurality of guide grooves respectively and is connected to the wedge head. When the wedge head moves in an up and down direction, the jaw is able to perform a reciprocating movement in a direction perpendicular to the up and down direction. The finger is disposed on the jaw. When the jaw moves in the direction perpendicular to the up and down direction, the finger moves together with the jaw, so that the movement of an object is limited.

A gripper may be provided that includes a motor, a jaw guide, a wedge head, a jaw, and a finger. The jaw guide is disposed on the motor and has a guide hole and a plurality of guide grooves. The wedge head is disposed in the guide hole and is able to perform up and down reciprocating movement by the motor. The jaw is disposed in the plurality of guide grooves respectively and is connected to the wedge head. When the wedge head moves in an up and down direction, the jaw is able to perform a reciprocating movement in a direction perpendicular to the up and down direction. The finger is disposed on the jaw. When the jaw moves in the direction perpendicular to the up and down direction, the finger moves together with the jaw, so that the movement of an object is limited.

A gripper including: an orientation sensor configured to generate an orientation reading for a target object; a first grasping blade and a second grasping blade configured to secure the target object in conjunction with the first grasping blade and at an opposite end of the target object relative to the first grasping blade; a first position sensor, of the first grasping blade, configured to generate a first position reading of the first grasping blade relative to the target object; a second position sensor, of the second grasping blade, configured to generate a second position reading of the second grasping blade relative to the target object; and a blade actuator configured to secure the target object with the first grasping blade and the second grasping blade based on a valid orientation of the orientation reading and based on the first position reading and the second position reading indicating a stable condition.