GRIPPER DEVICE FOR A ROBOT GRIPPER AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A GRIPPER DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripper device for a robot gripper, wherein the gripper device comprises a mechanical actuation with at least two contact elements guided linearly and in parallel in a direction of actuation, at least one mechanically activatable and/or deactivatable functional portion for objects to be gripped, and a transmission with at least two levers for converting a mechanical actuation power, and wherein the at least two contact elements on the one hand and the at least two levers on the other hand are each articulated to each other with a degree of freedom f=2. The invention also relates to a gripper device for a robot gripper with a mechanical actuation with at least two contact elements guided linearly and in parallel in a direction of actuation, at least one mechanically activatable and/or deactivatable functional portion for objects to be gripped, and a transmission for converting a mechanical actuation power, in which the transmission comprises a shaft for transferring a rotary motion and/or a torque, and to a method for operating gripper devices of this kind, wherein a gripper device is initially selected, then picked up from a predetermined position, then used and subsequently deposited at a predetermined position.

Claims

1. A gripper device for a robot gripper, the gripper device having a mechanical actuation with at least two contact elements guided linearly in parallel in an actuation direction, at least one mechanically activatable and/or deactivatable active section for gripping objects, and a transmission with at least two levers for converting a mechanical actuating power, wherein the at least two contact elements and the at least two levers are each connected to one another in an articulated manner with a degree of freedom f=2.

2. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two contact elements and the at least two levers are each connected to one another by means of a rotational sliding joint.

3. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the gripper device comprises a first support element and a second support element displaceable relative to one another, and the at least two levers are each supported directly on the first support element and directly on the second support element.

4. The gripper device according to claim 3, wherein the at least two levers are each connected by articulation to the second support element with a degree of freedom f=2.

5. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two levers are each configured in one piece or as multiple parts.

6. A gripper device for a robot gripper, the gripper device having a mechanical actuation with at least two contact elements guided linearly in parallel in actuation direction, at least one mechanically activatable and/or deactivatable active section for gripping objects, and a transmission for converting a mechanical actuating power, wherein the transmission has a shaft for transmitting a rotary movement and/or a torque.

7. The gripper device according to claim 6, wherein the transmission has cranks arranged on the shaft and coupling links connected in an articulated manner to the cranks.

8. The gripper device according to claim 6, wherein the transmission has at least one toothing.

9. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one active section is mechanically form-fitting, mechanically force-fitting, pneumatically, magnetically and/or adhesively active.

10. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one active section comprises at least one permanent magnet, at least one elastic element and/or at least one suction element.

11. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the gripper device is configured as a surface gripper, as an individual gripper, as an internal gripper or as an external gripper.

12. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the gripper device has a spring device acting between the first support element and the second support element.

13. A method for operating a gripper device according to claim 1, wherein a gripper device is firstly selected, then picked up from a predetermined position, then used and then deposited in a predetermined position.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a gripping state is assessed on the basis of an actuating force.

15. The gripper device according to claim 1, further including at least two gripping sections which can be displaced relative to one another in a gripper-opening/closing direction to apply an actuating force to the at least two contact elements.

16. The gripper device according to claim 2, wherein the gripper device comprises a first support element and a second support element displaceable relative to one another, and the at least two levers are each supported directly on the first support element and directly on the second support element.

17. The gripper device according to claim 16, wherein the at least two levers are each connected by articulation to the second support element with a degree of freedom f=2.

18. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two contact elements are guided coaxially.

19. The gripper device according to claim 1, further including a first support element and a second support element displaceable relative to one another, wherein the at least two contact elements are guided on the first support element.

20. The gripper device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one active section is activated and/or deactivated by an activation/deactivation movement performed in a direction that is perpendicular to the actuation direction of the at least two contact elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] In the following embodiments of the invention are described in more detail with reference to the figures, which show schematically and by way of example:

[0025] FIG. 1 a magnetically acting gripper device for a robot gripper in sectional view from the front,

[0026] FIG. 2 a magnetically acting gripper device for a robot gripper in sectional view from the rear.

[0027] FIG. 3 a gripper device designed as an internal gripper for a robot gripper with a deactivated elastic active section,

[0028] FIG. 4 a gripper device designed as an internal gripper for a robot gripper with an activated elastic active section,

[0029] FIG. 5 a robot gripper and a gripper device designed as a surface gripper with suction elements in a view from above,

[0030] FIG. 6 a robot gripper and a gripper device designed as a surface gripper with suction elements in a view from below,

[0031] FIG. 7 a gripper device designed as a suction litter for a robot gripper with a deactivated active section,

[0032] FIG. 8 a gripper device designed as a suction lifter for a robot gripper with an activated active section,

[0033] FIG. 9 a gripper device designed as a suction litter for a robot gripper with a deactivated active section in sectional view,

[0034] FIG. 10 a gripper device designed as a suction lifter for a robot gripper with an activated active section in sectional view,

[0035] FIG. 11 a gripper device designed as a suction lifter for a robot gripper with a deactivated active section in sectional view,

[0036] FIG. 12 a gripper device designed as a suction lifter for a robot gripper with an activated active section in sectional view,

[0037] FIG. 13 a robot with a robot gripper and a gripper device designed as a suction lifter,

[0038] FIG. 14 a gripper device with two levers designed as toggle levers,

[0039] FIG. 15 a gripper device with a shaft, cranks and coupling links,

[0040] FIG. 16 a gripper device with a shaft and toothing,

[0041] FIG. 17 a gripper device with a shaft, cranks, coupling links and levers,

[0042] FIG. 18 a gripper device with a rotatable magnet arrangement in a deactive position and

[0043] FIG. 19 a gripper device with a rotatable magnet arrangement in an active position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a magnetically acting gripper device 100 in sectional view from the front. FIG. 2 shows the gripper device 100 in sectional view from the rear. The gripper device 100 is used for arrangement on a robot gripper, can be actuated by means of a robot gripper and is used for picking up, holding and/or depositing gripping objects.

[0045] The gripper device 100 has a mechanical actuation, two mechanically activatable and/or deactivatable active sections 102, 104 with permanent magnets for gripping objects and a transmission for converting a mechanical actuation power.

[0046] The mechanical actuation is used for arranging the gripper device 100 on a robot gripper and for actuating the gripper device 100 by means of the robot gripper. The mechanical actuation is activatable on two sides and is self centring when actuated.

[0047] The gripper device 100 has a first support element 106 used as a base and second support element 108 used as a lifting element, which are displaceable towards one another and away from one another.

[0048] The gripper device 100 has levers, such as 110, 112, acting between the first support element 106 and the second support element 108. The levers 110, 112 are configured as angled levers having two ends and an angled portion. The levers 110, 112 are each rotatable with their angled portion on the second support element 108 by means of a bearing pin and are otherwise mounted fixed and loosely in a simply supporting manner with one end on the first support element 106.

[0049] The actuation has two linearly guided contact elements 114, 116 with at least approximately parallel contact surfaces for the robot gripper. The contact elements 114, 116 are each arranged at one end of a lever 110, 112 by means of a rotational sliding joint.

[0050] The gripper device 100 has a scraper 118. The scraper 118 has a flat underside with openings for the permanent magnets. The permanent magnets are securely connected to the first support element 106. The scraper 118 is securely connected to the second support element 108.

[0051] For gripping a gripping object a robot gripper grips the gripper device 100 at the actuation and brings the gripper device 100 into operative contact with the gripping object by means of its active sections 102, 104. Then the contact elements 114, 116 are pressed towards one another by, means of the robot gripper. In doing so the levers 110, 112 pivot, the support elements 106, 108 move away from one another the permanent magnets move through the openings of the scraper 118 out of the underside, so that the active sections 102, 104 are activated. For deactivating the active sections 102, 104 conversely the permanent magnets are retracted back into the openings of the scraper 118 so that a gripping object is scraped.

[0052] The gripper device 100 is used for contacting a robotic parallel gripper for picking up the tool and symmetrically actuating the tool on both sides; friction-fitting and form-fitting, as well as centring. A parallel guide is used for transmitting force to levers 110, 112 via a pin. The levers 110, 112 are used for absorbing force and transmitting force from the contact elements 114, 116 to the first support element 106 via floating bearings, which can alternatively also be fixed bearings. Floating bearings enable a simple mounting and manufacturing via floating bearing bushes in the first support element 106. A force return or transmission of force takes place via pins into the second support element 108. A force is generated via a torque of the levers 110, 112, which is transmitted sinusoidally into the first support element 106 depending on the angle, which means that theoretically at an angle of about 90° enormously high forces can be transmitted. Thus e.g. the linearly increasing force of a spring is compensated and singularities are made possible. This means that the force on the scraper 118 is enabled and maintained even without further force transmission via the gripper device 100.

[0053] The second support element 108 is pulled back to its starting state by a spring element (rubber, silicone, metal spring, etc.) and also returns the levers 110, 112 back to their initial position.

[0054] A form closure connects the contact elements 114, 116 and the second support element 108 to one another so that the whole gripper device 100 is fixed and stabilised.

[0055] The gripper device 100 is a mechanically actuated magnetic gripping system. The permanent magnets are arranged at the end on column-shaped fixed connected spacers. The compression of the mechanism causes the lifting of the scraper 118 and causes the permanent magnets to protrude downwards and thus grip metallic/magnetic objects. The scraper 118 is moved downwards by a spring, which for example is located between the spacers and pushes the first support element 106 and the scraper 118 apart. This means that the distance between the permanent magnets and magnetic object is increased and thus the force of attraction also approaches 0. In this way a magnetic object can be picked up and put down again by pushing together and letting it rise up.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a gripper device 200 designed as an internal gripper for a robot gripper with a deactivated elastic active section 202. FIG. 4 shows the gripper device 200 with the activated elastic active section 202.

[0057] When the first support element 204 and the second support element 206, as shown in FIG. 4, are moved away from one another, the elastic active section 202 is pushed together axially and deflects radially, so that there is an increase in diameter and the active section 202 is activated for example in order to grip a bottle. When the first support element 204 and the second support element 206, as shown in FIG. 3, are moved towards one another, the elastic active section 202 is relaxed axially and the diameter decreases again so that the active section 202 is deactivated. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to Ft 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0058] By actuating the mechanism a silicone is compressed via an internal guide. This expands and thus makes it possible to grip e.g. bottles or other bores from the inside.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a robot gripper 300 and a gripper device 302 designed as a surface gripper with suction elements in a view from above, FIG. 6 shows the robot gripper 300 and the gripper device 302 in a view from below.

[0060] The robot gripper 300 is used as an effector of a robot. Robot gripper 300 is a two-finger gripper with two gripping fingers 304, 306, The gripping fingers 304, 306 cooperate with the actuation of the gripper device 302.

[0061] The suction elements are arranged in a plane and are used as active sections, such as 308. When the first support element and the second support element are moved away from one another, the suction elements are evacuated or pressured with negative pressure and the active sections 308 are activated. When the first support element and the second support element are moved towards one another the suction elements are released again and the active section 308 is deactivated. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a gripper device 400 designed as a suction lifter for a robot gripper with a deactivated active section 402. FIG. 8 shows the gripper device 400 with an activated active section 402. FIG. 9 shows the gripper device 400 with a deactivated active section 402 in sectional view. FIG. 10 shows the gripper device 400 with an activated active section 402 in sectional view. FIG. 11 shows the gripper device 400 with a deactivated active section 402 in a further sectional view. FIG. 12 shows the gripper device 400 with activated active section 402 in a further sectional view.

[0063] A suction element is used as an active section 402. The suction element has a plunger-like form and is securely connected to the second support element 406. When the first support element 404 and the second support element 406 are moved away from one another, the suction element is evacuated or subjected to negative pressure and the active section 402 is activated. When the first support element 404 and the second support element 406 are moved towards one another the suction element is released again and the active section 402 is deactivated. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0064] By extending a two-jaw gripper attached to a robot with the gripper device 400 a plate for example, that cannot be gripped with the two-jaw gripper, can be transported or handled. Afterwards the gripper device 400 can be put down again.

[0065] FIG. 13 shows a robot 500 with a robot gripper 502 and a gripper device 504 designed as a suction lifter. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and FIG. 7 to FIG. 12 and the associated description. The following steps can be performed: start up; grip gripper device 504; actuate gripper device 504, position gripping object; put gripper device 504 back down.

[0066] FIG. 14 shows a gripper device 600 with two multi-part levers 602, 604 designed as toggle levers. The levers 602, 604 each have two legs that are rod-shaped. The legs are each connected to each other by means of a swivel joint 606, 608. The levers 602, 604 each have a first end, which is connected by articulation to the first support element 610, and a second end, which is connect by articulation to the second support element 612. The contact elements 614, 616 are guided linearly on the first support element 610 in an actuating direction. The swivel joints 606, 608 each have an axis of rotation which is guided linearly on the contact elements 614, 616 in an activation/deactivation direction perpendicular to the actuating direction. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 7 to FIG. 12 and the associated description.

[0067] FIG. 15 shows a gripper device 700 with a shaft 702, cranks 704, 706 and arc-shaped coupling links 708, 710. The shaft 702 is mounted rotatably on a base 712. The cranks 704, 706 are arranged securely on the shaft 702. The coupling links 708, 710 are articulated on the one hand to a crank 704, 706 and on the other hand to a contact element 714, 716. The contact elements 714, 716 are guided linearly on the base 712 in an actuating direction. The transmission converts a linear movement of the contact elements 714, 716 into a rotational activation/deactivation movement. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0068] FIG. 16 shows a gripper device 800 with a shaft 802 and a toothing. The toothing is formed by means of a gear 804, which is securely connected to the shaft 802, and two racks, such as 806, which are each securely connected to a contact element 810, 812. The contact elements 810, 812 are guided linearly on the base 814 in an actuating direction. The transmission converts a linear movement of the contact elements 810, 812 into a rotational activation/deactivation movement. Furthermore, reference is also made in particular to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0069] FIG. 17 shows a gripper device 900 with a shaft 902, cranks 904, 906, 908, coupling links 910, 912, 914 and levers 916, 918, 920. The shaft 902 is mounted rotatably on a base 922. The cranks 904, 906, 908 are fixed onto the shaft 902. The coupling links 910, 912, 914 are each pivotably connected on the one hand to a crank 904, 906, 908 and on the other hand to a lever 916, 918, 920. The transmission converts a rotational activation/deactivation movement into spreading movement. Furthermore, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 16 and the associated description.

[0070] FIG. 18 shows a gripper device 1000 with a rotatable magnet arrangement 1002 in a deactivated position. FIG. 19 shows the gripper device 1000 in an active position. The gripper device 1000 has a shaft 1004, which is rotatably mounted on a base 1006. The magnet arrangement 1002 is fixed to the shaft 1004 and has permanent magnets arranged in a stack. Magnetic field conducting elements 1010, 1012 are arranged between the active section 1008 and the magnet arrangement 1002. In the active position a magnetic field of the magnet arrangement 1002 is conducted to the active section 1008 via the magnetic field conducting element 1010, 1012. In the deactivated position the magnetic field of the magnet arrangement 1002 is decoupled from the magnetic field conducting elements 1010, 1012 and its magnetic field is diverted by means of ferromagnetic elements so that the active section 1008 is free of magnetic force.

[0071] The term “can” denotes in particular optional features of the invention. Accordingly, there are also developments and/or embodiments of the invention, which additionally or alternatively have the respective feature or the respective features.

[0072] From the combinations of features disclosed here, if necessary also individual features can also be picked out and used in combination with other features to delimit the subject matter of the claims while resolving any structure and/or functional relationship between the features.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0073] 100 gripper device [0074] 102 active section [0075] 104 active section [0076] 106 first support element [0077] 108 second support element [0078] 110 lever [0079] 112 lever [0080] 114 contact element [0081] 116 contact element [0082] 118 scraper [0083] 200 gripper device [0084] 202 active section [0085] 204 first support element [0086] 206 second support element [0087] 300 robot gripper [0088] 302 gripper device [0089] 304 gripping finger [0090] 306 gripping finger [0091] 308 active section [0092] 400 gripper device [0093] 402 active section [0094] 404 first support element [0095] 406 second support element [0096] 500 robot [0097] 502 robot gripper [0098] 504 gripper device [0099] 600 gripper device [0100] 602 lever [0101] 604 lever [0102] 606 swivel joint [0103] 608 swivel joint [0104] 610 first support element [0105] 612 second support element [0106] 614 contact element [0107] 616 contact element [0108] 700 gripper device [0109] 702 shaft [0110] 704 crank [0111] 706 crank [0112] 708 coupling link [0113] 710 coupling link [0114] 712 base [0115] 714 contact element [0116] 716 contact element [0117] 800 gripper device [0118] 802 shaft [0119] 804 gear [0120] 806 rack [0121] 810 contact element [0122] 812 contact element [0123] 814 base [0124] 900 gripper device [0125] 902 shaft [0126] 904 crank [0127] 906 crank [0128] 908 crank [0129] 910 coupling link [0130] 912 coupling link [0131] 914 coupling link [0132] 916 lever [0133] 918 lever [0134] 920 lever [0135] 922 base [0136] 1000 gripper device [0137] 1002 magnet arrangement [0138] 1004 shaft [0139] 1006 base [0140] 1008 active section [0141] 1010 magnetic field control element [0142] 1012 magnetic field control element