SELF-PROPELLED ROBOTIC HAND

• US 20130331991A1
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: HORINOUCHI, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US13/961,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A self-propelled robotic hand includes: a base capable of self-propulsion; an arm attached to the base; a hand attached to the arm for grasping an object; and a base securing unit attached to the base and configured to secure the base in place by electrostatic adhesion to a surface of a structure external to the self-propelled robotic hand.

Claims

1. A self-propelled robotic hand comprising:

a base capable of self-propulsion;

an arm attached to the base;

a hand attached to the arm, the hand being for grasping an object; and

a base securing unit attached to the base and configured to secure the base in place by electrostatic adhesion to a surface of a structure external to the self-propelled robotic hand.

2. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein the base propels itself on a travel surface, and

the base securing unit is attached to a bottom or a side of the base, the bottom being a portion of the base nearest the travel surface.

3. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein when the self-propelled robotic hand is used inside a building, the surface of the structure to which the base securing unit electrostatically adheres is a surface of a floor of the building, a surface of a wall of the building, or a surface of an object installed inside the building.

4. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein the base securing unit is retractable from the base.

5. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein the base includes a wheel for propelling itself on a travel surface, the wheel being adjustable in a vertical direction, and

the base securing unit is attached to the base in a position which allows the base securing unit to be separated from the travel surface when the wheel is set in a lower end position in the vertical direction and electrostatically adherable to the travel surface when the wheel is set in an upper end position in the vertical direction.

6. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein the base includes a storage space for storing the arm and the hand.

7. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 1,

wherein the base includes a control unit configured to turn on and off the electrostatic adhesion of the base securing unit.

8. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 7, further comprising

an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a travel surface on which the base propels itself,

wherein the control unit is configured to confirm whether the travel surface is flat by analyzing the image captured by the imaging unit.

9. The self-propelled robotic hand according to claim 8,

wherein when the control unit confirms that the travel surface is not flat, the control unit is configured to determine whether an obstacle is present on the travel surface and, when an obstacle is determined to be present, remove the obstacle using the arm and the hand.