JP2013240870A - Gripping device - Google Patents

Abstract

A gripping device capable of simplifying a structure and a control configuration is provided.
An adsorbent 3 projects from an abutment surface 5K toward an object through an abutment portion 5 having an abutment surface 5A that abuts an object 2 and a through hole 5K formed in the abutment portion 5. The projecting portion 6 that is biased to the projecting position and can be switched to the retracted position retracted from the projecting position to the contact surface side by contact with the object 2, and the through hole 5K is closed at the projecting position. In addition, the valve portion 7 integrated with the projection portion 6 to open the through-hole 5K at the retracted position of the projection portion 6 and the position spaced radially from the through-hole 5K are provided to the suction pump 4. And a communication hole 7 </ b> K communicating with the suction flow path 8.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a gripping device including an adsorbent for adsorbing an object and an adsorption pump connected to the adsorbent to generate an adsorption force.

  Such a gripping device is often used for a robot hand that sucks an object with a suction force from a suction pump. The robot hand includes, for example, a device that includes a device that generates negative pressure by supplying compressed air to a plurality of ejectors, and a suction port that sucks an object by the negative pressure generated by the device. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). When this apparatus is used for a robot hand, an opening / closing valve is built in each suction port, and the opening / closing of these valves can be controlled to hold or release the object.

  Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose a configuration in which an object is sucked and held by a suction cup by bringing the suction cup into contact with the object and sucked by a vacuum device. The suction cup is integrated with a trumpet-shaped suction part that expands toward the lower side, and a cylinder formed with a suction port for supplying vacuum air from a vacuum device so as to make the suction part a vacuum. Department. An opening / closing valve for opening and closing the suction port is provided at the suction port, and by controlling the opening / closing of the valve, the suction port can be switched between the suction state and the non-suction state, and the object can be held by suction or released. it can.

JP 2008-507649 A (see FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-230550 (see FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-226684 (see FIG. 1)

  In the configuration of the above three patent documents, in addition to the valve for opening and closing the suction port, it is necessary to provide an electrical configuration such as wiring for controlling the opening and closing of the valve. There is a disadvantage that the control configuration for controlling the opening and closing timing of each valve becomes complicated. In particular, the more the suction ports are, the more the inconvenience becomes.

  In view of the above-described situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a gripping device capable of simplifying the structure and the control configuration.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the gripping device of the present invention includes an adsorption body for adsorbing an object, and an adsorption pump that is connected to the adsorption body and generates an adsorption force by suction through the suction channel. The adsorbing body includes an abutting portion having an abutting surface that abuts on the object, and an object side from the abutting surface through a through-hole formed in the contacting portion. A projecting portion that is biased to a projecting position projecting toward the object and can be switched to a retracted position retracted from the projecting position to the contact surface side by contact with the object, and the through hole is closed at the projecting position. And a valve portion integrated with the protrusion to open the through-hole in the retracted position, and a position spaced radially from the through-hole, to the suction pump A communication hole communicating with the suction flow path, and the valve portion includes the through hole. In a state where the release was, communicated with said communication hole and said through-hole, in a state where the closed through-hole, is characterized in that it is configured to the disconnected and the communication hole and the through hole.

  According to the said structure, a projection part is automatically switched from a protrusion position to a retraction position by contact | abutting with a target object. Along with this switching, the valve portion opens the through hole, and the open through hole and the communication hole are in a communication state. Thereby, the suction force from the suction pump acts on the object through the through hole, and the object is sucked and held.

  In the gripping device of the present invention, the valve portion is formed of a polymer material having an elastic restoring force such as PDMS, silicone, polyurethane, and the protruding portion is brought into the protruding position by the elastic restoring force of the valve portion. The configuration may be such that the valve portion is biased and is positioned at the retracted position by elastic deformation of the valve portion due to contact with the object.

  If the valve part is formed of a polymer material having an elastic restoring force as described above, a member for urging the valve part to be closed becomes unnecessary, and as a result, the assembly work can be performed quickly and the apparatus can be downsized. It is easy to plan.

  In the gripping device of the present invention, the communication hole includes a through hole formed in the valve portion, and a plurality of the protrusions are provided around the communication hole. The protruding portion may be in contact with the object, whereby the valve portion may be elastically deformed and the specific protruding portion may be positioned at the retracted position.

  If a plurality of projections are provided around the communication holes as in the above configuration, the configuration can be simplified as compared with the configuration in which the communication holes are provided in the respective projections, and the apparatus can be easily downsized.

  Since the projecting portion is automatically switched from the protruding position to the retracted position by utilizing the contact force with the object, an electrical valve such as a wiring for controlling the opening / closing of the valve in addition to the opening / closing valve is provided. It is possible to provide a gripping device that can eliminate the need for a control structure such as a simple structure and opening / closing timing, and can simplify the structure and the control structure.

1A and 1B show a first embodiment of a gripping device of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, and FIG. 1B is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an object is sucked and held. (A) is a top view of the valve part by which the projection part was integrally formed, (b) is a top view of the state which covered the contact part on the valve part of (a) from the top. It is a perspective view of the holding | gripping apparatus of this invention in which the vacuum gauge was provided between the adsorption body and the vacuum pump. 2nd Embodiment of the holding | grip apparatus of this invention is shown, (a) is the longitudinal cross-sectional view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state which hold | gripped the target object. The other embodiment of the holding | gripping apparatus of this invention is shown, (a) is the longitudinal cross-sectional view which abbreviate | omitted a part, (b) is the longitudinal cross-sectional view which abbreviate | omitted a part which shows the state which hold | gripped the target object.

  FIGS. 1A and 1B show a first embodiment of a gripping device 1 used for a robot hand or the like, for example. The gripping device 1 includes an adsorbing body 3 for adsorbing an object 2 and a vacuum pump 4 as an adsorbing pump that is connected to the adsorbing body 3 and generates an adsorbing force by being sucked through a suction channel 8. I have.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and FIGS. 2A and 2B, the adsorbent 3 is in contact with a contact portion 5 having a contact surface 5A that contacts the object 2. It is urged to a protruding position protruding from the contact surface 5A of the contact portion 5 toward the object side through a large number (36 in the figure) of through holes 5K formed in the portion 5, and is in contact with the object 2 And a large number (36 in the figure) of projections 6 that can be switched from the projecting position to the retracted position retracted to the contact surface 5A side, and the through hole 5K is closed at the projecting position of the projecting portion 6 A valve portion 7 integrated with the projection 6 to open the through-hole 5K at the retracted position of the portion 6, and a position spaced radially from the through-hole 5K, and a suction flow path to the vacuum pump 4 A communication hole 7 </ b> K communicating with 8, a casing 9 for supporting the contact portion 5 and accommodating the valve portion 7, and the rear of the casing 9 Rubber having a flexible synthetic resin lid 10 for closing the side opening 9S and a cylindrical portion 10A formed at the center of the lid 10 and one end connected to the vacuum pump 4 A hose 11 made of metal and a metal mesh member 12 provided in the casing 9 for allowing suction air to pass between the valve portion 7 and the casing 9 are provided. The metal mesh member 12 is provided to cause suction air to act on the through hole 5K through a gap H formed between the inner side surface 9G of the casing 9 and the outer (lateral) side surface 5G of the valve portion 7. .

  The contact portion 5 is made of a flexible material such as copper foil (which may be rubber or synthetic resin), and is formed in a disk shape slightly larger than the valve portion 7 as shown in FIG. Has been. Each through hole 5 </ b> K of the contact portion 5 is formed to have a diameter larger than the diameter of the protruding portion 6. Further, the four through holes 5K are arranged along the circumferential direction so as to surround each communication hole 7K at a predetermined interval.

  Each protrusion 6 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is provided so as to protrude upward on the upper end surface of the valve portion 7 formed in a disk shape, as shown in FIG. The protrusion 6 and the valve 7 are integrally formed of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) which is an example of a polymer material having elastic restoring force, and the protruding part 6 is biased to the protruding position by the elastic restoring force of PDMS. Then, it is elastically deformed by the contact with the object 2 and moves to the retracted position. The polymer material may be PDMS, silicone or polyurethane.

  The valve portion 7 allows the communication hole 7K to communicate with the through hole 5K in a state where the through hole 5K is opened, and allows the communication hole 7K and the through hole 5K to communicate with each other when the through hole 5K is closed. It is comprised so that it may be interrupted.

  The communication hole 7K is composed of nine through holes formed in the valve portion 7. As described above, a plurality (four) of the protrusions 6 are provided around each communication hole 7K. It is configured to be elastically deformed by contact with the object 2 and to naturally move from the protruding position to the retracted position.

  The casing 9 is made of vinyl chloride so as to be flexible, and includes a cylindrical side wall portion 9A and an extending portion 9B extending radially inward from the rear end portion of the side wall portion 9A.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1A, in a state where the object 2 is not in contact with the protruding portion 6, the protruding portion 6 is biased to the protruding position by the elastic restoring force of PDMS. In this state, since the upper surface 7U of the valve part 7 is in contact with the back surface 5B of the contact part 5, the through hole 5K of the contact part 5 is closed by the valve part 7. From this state, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), when the object 2 comes into contact with the specific protrusion 6, the protrusion 6 is elastically deformed and pushed down. Thereby, the upper surface 7U of the valve part 7 is also pushed down, a gap S is generated between the back surface 5B of the contact part 5 and the upper surface 7U of the valve part 7, and the through hole 5K is opened. By opening the through-hole 5K, the through-hole 5K and the communication hole (through-hole) 7K are in communication with each other through the gap S, and the suction force from the vacuum pump 4 acts on the through-hole 5K through the suction flow path 8, and the object 2 Can be adsorbed and held.

  Even if the object 2 has a curved surface 2A as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the contact portion 5 has a flexible structure, so that the object 2 is in contact with the curved surface 2A. The contact portion 5 is curved so that the object 2 can be reliably sucked and held.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a pressure gauge may be measured by connecting a vacuum gauge 13 between the vacuum pump 4 and the adsorbent 3. If it does in this way, the control part which is not illustrated controls the drive of the vacuum pump 4 so that the pressure value measured with the vacuum gauge 13 may become a predetermined pressure value, and the target object 2 is adsorb | sucked reliably. There is an advantage that can be retained.

  As described above, when the object 2 comes into contact with the specific protrusion 6, the protrusion 6 is elastically deformed and pushed down, and a gap is formed between the back surface 5 </ b> B of the contact part 5 and the upper surface 7 </ b> U of the valve part 7. S is generated. Accordingly, the object 2 can be sucked and held by being sucked from the vacuum pump 4 through the through hole 5K, the gap S, the communication hole (through hole) 7K, and the suction flow path 8. As described above, since the protrusion 6 is automatically switched from the protruding position to the retracted position by using the contact force with the object, a valve for opening and closing each through-hole 5K becomes unnecessary. As a result, an electrical configuration such as a valve for opening and closing, wiring for controlling opening and closing of the valve, and a control configuration such as timing of opening and closing can be eliminated, and the structure and the control configuration can be simplified. . In addition, by performing such simplification, there is an advantage that the gripping device 1 can be easily reduced in size.

  4 (a) and 4 (b) show a second embodiment of the gripping device 1, and the gripping device 1 will be described. The gripping device 1 has a configuration in which the protruding portion 6 and the valve portion 7 are separately formed, and the protruding portion 6 and the valve portion 7 that are separately formed are integrated.

  Specifically, the protrusions 6 are made of a metal columnar member, the valve parts 7 are made of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), and a part of each protrusion 6 is embedded in the valve part 7. It is fixed in the state. This fixing can be performed using a locking means, a connecting means, a screwing means, an adhesive means and the like. If the locking means or the connecting means is used, the protrusion 6 can be fixed to the valve 7 without embedding a part of the protrusion 6 in the valve 7.

  Further, the contact portion 5 and the casing 9 are integrally formed of vinyl chloride. The casing 9 has flexibility, and a covering member 14 made of urethane resin having flexibility is attached to the upper surface 5U of the contact portion 5 of the casing 9. Since the covering member 14 is provided in this way, the covering member 14 is deformed corresponding to the small unevenness of the target object 2, thereby reliably attracting and holding the target object 2 regardless of the shape of the target object 2. Can do. The covering member 14 is also formed with a through hole 14K for projecting the protrusion 6.

  The casing 9 includes a main body portion 9a that includes the abutting portion 5 and is open at the rear, and a donut-shaped lid portion 9b that includes a through hole 9K in a central portion that is fixed inside the rear side of the main body portion 9a. It is composed of A connecting member 15 for connecting the other end of the hose 11 having one end connected to the vacuum pump 4 is attached to the through hole 9K of the lid portion 9b. Further, by providing the metal mesh member 12 between the valve portion 7 and the lid portion 9b, the communication hole 7K is not blocked by the lid portion 9b, and passes through the metal mesh member 12 to the suction flow path 8. The communication state can be maintained. In addition, the other structure which was not demonstrated is the same structure as FIG. 1 (a), (b), and attaches | subjects the same code | symbol.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4A, in a state where the object 2 is not in contact with the protrusion 6, the protrusion 6 is biased to the protruding position by the elastic restoring force of the PDMS. In this state, since the upper surface 7U of the valve portion 7 is in contact with the back surface 5B of the contact portion 5, the through hole 5K of the contact portion 5 is in a closed state. From this state, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the object 2 comes into contact with the specific (second from the left in the figure) projection 6, the projection 6 is elastically deformed and pushed down. A gap S is generated between the rear surface 5B of the part 5 and the upper surface 7U of the valve part 7. The gap S causes the through hole 5K and the communication hole (through hole) 7K to communicate with each other, and the suction force is applied to the through hole 5K from the vacuum pump 4 through the suction flow path 8, thereby holding the object 2 by suction. Can do.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  In the said embodiment, by comprising the valve part 7 by PDMS, the projection part 6 is pushed down by contact | abutting with the target object 2, and the valve part 7 elastically deforms, and the back surface 5B of the contact part 5 and valve | bulb Although the case where the gap S is generated between the upper surface 7U of the portion 7 is shown, the valve portion 7 is made of a material that is not elastically deformed, for example, a hard synthetic resin or metal, and the protruding portion 6 and the valve portion 7 are It may be configured such that a gap S is generated between the back surface 5B of the contact portion 5 and the upper surface 7U of the valve portion 7 by moving as a whole. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a coil spring 16 (which may be a leaf spring) is provided between the valve portion 7 formed of a material that does not elastically deform and the casing 9. The protruding portion 6 is biased to move toward the protruding side. From this state, the protrusion 6 and the valve part 7 are moved to the opposite side (downward side) from the protruding side as a whole by the contact with the object 2, so that the valve part on the back surface 5 </ b> B of the contact part 5. A gap S is generated between the upper surface 7 </ b> U and the upper surface 7 </ b> U. The through hole 5K and the communication hole 17 are in communication with each other through the gap S, and the suction force is applied to the target object 2 from the vacuum pump 4 through the suction flow path 8, whereby the target object 2 can be adsorbed and held. . Instead of the coil spring, for example, a configuration in which the protruding portion 6 is moved and urged to the protruding side by a magnetic force (including a case where an attractive force due to static electricity in addition to electromagnetic force is used) may be employed. The communication hole 17 refers to a gap formed between the lateral side surface 7G of the valve portion 7 and the inner side surface 9G of the casing 9.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the metal mesh member 12 for allowing air to pass was provided between the casing 9 and the valve part 7, the ring-shaped member was provided so that the communication hole 7K of FIG. Thus, the communication hole 7K and the suction channel 8 may be maintained in a communication state. Further, by configuring the casing 9 in a shape that does not block the communication hole 7K, members such as the metal mesh member 12 for allowing air to pass through can be omitted.

  Moreover, although the case where the four through-holes 5K were provided with respect to one communication hole (through-hole) 7K was shown in the said embodiment, one piece is provided with respect to one communication hole (through-hole) 7K. The through hole 5K can be provided.

  In addition to being used for a robot hand, the gripping device of the present invention can also be used for a robot's limbs or an arm that lifts a transported object transported by a transport device by a suction force.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Gripping device, 2 ... Object, 2A ... Curved surface, 3 ... Adsorption body, 4 ... Vacuum pump, 5 ... Contact part, 5A ... Contact surface, 5B ... Back surface, 5K ... Through-hole, 5K ... Through-hole 5U ... Upper surface, 6 ... Projection, 7 ... Valve part, 7K ... Communication hole, 7U ... Upper surface, 8 ... Suction channel, 9 ... Casing, 9S ... Opening, 9A ... Side wall part, 9B ... Extension part, 9K DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Through-hole, 9a ... Main-body part, 9b ... Lid part, 10 ... Lid body, 10A ... Cylindrical part, 11 ... Hose, 12 ... Metal mesh member, 13 ... Vacuum gauge, 14 ... Cover member, 15 ... Connection member, 16 ... coil spring, S ... gap

Claims (3)

A gripping device comprising: an adsorbent for adsorbing an object; and an adsorption pump that is connected to the adsorbent and generates an adsorption force by suction through a suction channel;
The adsorbent is urged to a projecting position projecting from the abutting surface to the object side through a through hole formed in the abutting portion, and a contact portion that abuts on the object, And a projection that can be switched to a retracted position retracted from the protruding position to the contact surface side by contact with the object, the through hole being closed at the protruding position, and at the retracted position. A valve portion integrated with the protrusion to open the through-hole, and a communication hole provided at a position spaced radially from the through-hole and communicating with a suction flow path to the suction pump; Prepared,
The valve portion is configured to allow the communication hole and the through hole to communicate with each other when the through hole is open, and to prevent the communication hole and the through hole from communicating with each other when the through hole is closed. A gripping device characterized by being made.   The valve portion is formed of a polymer material having elastic restoring force such as PDMS, silicone, polyurethane, and the protrusion is urged to the protruding position by the elastic restoring force of the valve portion, and the object The gripping device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is positioned at the retracted position by elastic deformation of the valve portion due to contact with the valve.   The communication hole is a through-hole formed in the valve portion, and a plurality of the protrusions are provided around the communication hole, and a specific protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is in contact with the object. The gripping device according to claim 2, wherein the valve portion is elastically deformed by contact and the specific protrusion is positioned at the retracted position.

Images