Robot hand and robot

• US 9,248,575 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US14/199,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20140284951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 294/106
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0009 comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/004 Rectangular vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/103 by pressing one or more vibrators against the rotor

Abstract

A second member having an elongated shape is attached to a first member via a connecting member. The connecting member is rotatable around a first shaft in a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of the second member with respect to the first member and rotatable around a second shaft intersecting both the longitudinal direction and a direction along the first shaft with respect to the second member. Further, a first drive part that rotationally drives the connecting member around the first shaft is provided in the first member and a second drive part that rotationally drives the connecting member around the second shaft is provided in the second member. In this manner, a robot hand that can rotate the first member and the second member not only around the first shaft but also around the second shaft may be realized with a simpler and smaller structure.

Claims

1. A robot hand comprising:

a first member;

a second member having an elongated shape;

a connecting member attached to the first member so as to rotate around a first shaft intersecting a longitudinal direction of the second member and attached to the second member so as to rotate around a second shaft intersecting the longitudinal direction and a direction along the first shaft;

a first drive part provided in the first member and rotationally driving the connecting member around the first shaft; and

a second drive part provided in the second member and rotationally driving the connecting member around the second shaft,

wherein the first drive part and the second drive part are vibrators containing a piezoelectric material.

2. The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal direction of the second member, a longitudinal direction of the first shaft, and a longitudinal direction of the second shaft are orthogonal to one another.

3. The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein one of the first shaft and the second shaft is provided in a position offset from a centroid of a section set by a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction in the second member.

4. The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a member having an elongated shape.

5. The robot hand according to claim 1, further comprising a first reduction mechanism that decelerates rotation from the first drive part.

6. The robot hand according to claim 1, further comprising a second reduction mechanism that decelerates rotation from the second drive part.

7. A robot comprising the robot hand according to claim 1.

8. A robot hand comprising:

a first member;

a second member having an elongated shape;

a connecting member that connects the first member and the second member;

the first shaft that connects the first member and the connecting member and intersects a longitudinal direction of the second member;

the second shaft that connects the second member and the connecting member and intersects both the longitudinal direction and the first shaft;

a first drive part provided in the first member and rotationally drives the connecting member around the first shaft; and

a second drive part provided in the second member and rotationally drives the connecting member around the second shaft,

wherein the first drive part and the second drive part are vibrators containing a piezoelectric material.

9. A robot comprising the robot hand according to claim 8.

10. A robot hand comprising:

a first member;

a second member having an elongated shape;

a connecting member that connects the first member and the second member;

a first vibrator provided in the first member and vibrating in a bending direction and a stretching direction;

a first shaft that connects the first member and the connecting member and intersects the stretching direction of the first vibrator;

a second shaft that connects the second member and the connecting member and intersects both the longitudinal direction and the stretching direction of the first vibrator; and

a second vibrator provided in the second member and vibrating in the bending direction and the stretching direction, the bending direction and the stretching direction intersecting the second shaft,

wherein the first vibrator rotationally drives the connecting member around the first shaft, and

the second vibrator rotationally drives the connecting member around the second shaft.

11. A robot comprising the robot hand according to claim 10.