Split rail parallel gripper
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gripper comprising:
- a frame;
a parallel rack and pinion drive subassembly comprising a pinion rotatably mounted on said frame, a first elongate rail and a second elongate rail mounted parallel to each other in operable engagement on corresponding sides of said pinion, said rails having an inner bearing surface along at least part of the lengths thereof on the inner sides thereof facing said pinion and an outer bearing surface on the outer sides opposite said rail inner sides;
a first gripper finger mounted to said first rail;
a second gripper finger mounted to said second rail;
a first linear bearing mounted on said frame for engaging one of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said first rail;
a second linear bearing mounted on said frame for engaging one of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said second rail; and
bearing means mounted on said frame for engaging the other of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said first and second rails.
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Abstract
A wide-throw parallel-action gripper of the split-rail design is disclosed. The gripper includes a pair of preloaded linear bearings which engage the outward surfaces of each rail and two roller bearings spaced on either side of a pinion, all mounted onto a pinion shaft, which engage the inward sides of each rail. A single finger is mounted at opposed ends of each rail and an actuator is connected either to one of the rails or to the central pinion. The actuators can include a pneumatic cylinder of electrical stepping motors or D.C. servo motors.
70 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gripper comprising:
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a frame; a parallel rack and pinion drive subassembly comprising a pinion rotatably mounted on said frame, a first elongate rail and a second elongate rail mounted parallel to each other in operable engagement on corresponding sides of said pinion, said rails having an inner bearing surface along at least part of the lengths thereof on the inner sides thereof facing said pinion and an outer bearing surface on the outer sides opposite said rail inner sides; a first gripper finger mounted to said first rail; a second gripper finger mounted to said second rail; a first linear bearing mounted on said frame for engaging one of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said first rail; a second linear bearing mounted on said frame for engaging one of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said second rail; and bearing means mounted on said frame for engaging the other of said inner and outer bearing surfaces of said first and second rails. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A gripper for engaging an article comprising:
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a frame; first and second elongate rails defining a longitudinal axis, said rails mounted along side each other in a transverse plane in said frame for reciprocal movement in said longitudinal axis, said first and second rails comprising respectively first and second rack portions in a mutually opposing relationship in the transverse plane, and said rails comprising respectively first and second gripper means for together mutually engaging an article;
said rails thus having outsides and insides in said transverse direction;a pinion rotatably mounted in said frame between and in operable engagement with said rack portions, the axis of said pinion being perpendicular to both said longitudinal axis and said transverse axis; and first, second and third bearing means mounted on said frame along said transverse direction for engaging said outsides and said insides of said first and second rails. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification