JP2016078152A - Gripping device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gripping device that comprises an electric driving source, reduces the number of peripheral equipment and is decreased in size and weight.SOLUTION: The gripping device comprises: a solenoid; a connecting member having a first receiving part and a second receiving part; a moving member that is provided between the first receiving part and the second receiving part in the connecting member and can move along the connecting member; an elastic member that is provided between the first receiving part and the moving member in the connecting member and can apply elastic force to a mutual interval between the connecting member and the first receiving part; and a gripping part that is opened and closed in a direction different from a moving direction of the moving member accompanying movement of the moving member, and can grip an object to be gripped while being closed. Force by which a movable iron core is moved to one side of a moving end is converted into force in an opening direction in which the gripping part is opened from the second receiving part through the moving member and then transmitted to the gripping part; and force by which the movable iron core is moved to the other side of the moving end is converted into force from the first receiving part through the elastic member and the moving member toward a closing direction in which the gripping part is closed and then transmitted to the gripping part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a gripping device that can grip a gripping object by opening and closing a gripping portion.

  For example, as a device attached to the hand portion of an industrial robot, there is a gripping device called a so-called chuck. The gripping device includes a gripper that can be opened and closed. When the gripper is closed, the gripping object can be gripped. In general, as such a gripping device, there are a pneumatic type using an air cylinder and an electric type using a motor. The pneumatic gripping device is easy to handle because the configuration of the gripping device itself is relatively simple and lightweight. However, when the pneumatic gripping device is employed, peripheral devices such as a pipe for supplying compressed air as a power source, a speed controller for controlling the compressed air, and a regulator are required. For this reason, the pneumatic gripping apparatus requires many peripheral devices and requires a large space for installing these peripheral devices.

  On the other hand, for example, many robot controllers that control a robot have a function capable of controlling a drive axis other than the drive axis that the robot originally has, that is, a so-called additional axis. Therefore, such a robot controller can control the motor of the electric gripping device. Therefore, the electrical gripping device can easily reduce peripheral devices, and as a result, the space for installing the peripheral devices can also be reduced. However, the electric gripping device needs to be equipped with a motor as a drive source in the gripping device itself. Therefore, the gripping device itself tends to be larger than the pneumatic device.

JP 2011-230228 A

  Therefore, an electric drive source is provided to reduce peripheral devices, and a gripping device that is easy to handle is provided by reducing the size and weight of the gripping device itself.

  A gripping device according to a first aspect includes a solenoid, a connecting member, a moving member, an elastic member, and a gripping portion. The solenoid has a movable iron core that can linearly reciprocate between two moving ends by switching between electric power interruptions. The connecting member is connected to one end side of the movable iron core, and has a first receiving portion provided on the movable iron core side and a second receiving portion provided on the opposite side to the movable iron core. The moving member is provided between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion in the connecting member, and is movable along the connecting member. The elastic member is provided between the first receiving portion and the moving member in the connecting member, and an elastic force can be applied between the connecting member and the first receiving portion. The gripping part is opened and closed in a direction different from the moving direction of the moving member as the moving member moves, and can hold the gripping object in the closed state.

  In this gripping device, the force by which the movable iron core moves to one side of the moving end is converted from the second receiving portion to the force in the opening direction that the gripping portion opens through the moving member, and the gripping portion. It is transmitted to. According to this, the holding part can be opened by moving the movable iron core to one side of the moving end. When opening the gripping portion, the moving member receives a force from the second receiving portion on the side opposite to the first receiving portion. Therefore, when opening the gripping part, the elastic member provided between the first receiving part and the moving member is not compressed. Therefore, large energy that compresses the elastic member when opening the gripping portion is not required. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the force, that is, the energy required for the opening operation for opening the gripping portion. As a result, the solenoid does not need to have a high output that overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member, so that the solenoid can be prevented from being enlarged. That is, according to the above configuration, the energy required for driving the drive unit can be suppressed as compared with the conventional configuration, and thus a gripping force equivalent to the conventional one can be exhibited even with a small-sized drive unit with a small output. . As a result, the solenoid can be reduced in size and energy saving performance can be improved.

  Further, since the gripping device includes a solenoid as an electric drive source, the gripping device itself can be reduced in size as compared with a case where a motor is provided as the drive source. And since the holding | grip apparatus is equipped with the solenoid as an electric drive source, peripheral devices, such as piping, become unnecessary compared with the case where a pneumatic drive source is provided. As a result, necessary peripheral devices can be reduced.

  In addition, the force by which the movable iron core moves to the other side of the moving end is converted from the first receiving portion to the closing force that closes the holding portion via the elastic member and the moving member. Transmitted to the club. According to this, a holding part can be closed by moving a movable iron core to the other side of a movement end. And according to this, when closing a grasping part and grasping a grasping subject, the force by movement of a movable iron core is efficiently transmitted to a grasping subject via an elastic member.

  That is, when the gripping portion is closed, the force that the movable iron core moves is transmitted from the first receiving portion of the connecting member to the moving member via the elastic member. When the gripping part grips the gripping object, the movement of the gripping part in the closing direction is restricted. Then, the movement of the moving member is restricted along with the restriction of the movement of the gripping portion. Here, the moving member is movable along the connecting member. Therefore, when the movable iron core moves to the other side in a state where the movement of the moving member is restricted, the connecting member connected to the movable iron core moves relative to the moving member. Then, the 1st receiving part of a connection member and a movement member move relatively in the direction which approaches mutually, and, thereby, an elastic member is compressed.

  Thus, when the gripping part is closed and the gripping target is gripped, the force due to the movement of the movable iron core to the other end side is efficiently transmitted to the gripping part as gripping force. And the solenoid can be made into a low output thing by raising the efficiency of transmission of the force which occurs with a movable iron core. As a result, the solenoid can be reduced in size and energy saving performance can be improved. As described above, the gripping device can be easily handled while being equipped with an electric drive source and reducing the size and weight of the gripping device itself.

  In addition, it is difficult to control the moving speed of the movable core of the normal solenoid, and the movement of the movable core tends to be rapid. For this reason, when the force generated by the movement of the movable iron core is directly transmitted to the gripping portion, the movement of the gripping portion also becomes rapid. In such a gripping device, when gripping the gripping object, there is a risk that the gripping part may come into contact with the gripping object so that the gripping object is damaged. However, according to the present invention, when the object to be grasped is grasped, the force due to the rapid movement of the movable iron core is transmitted to the grasping portion after the elastic member is once compressed. That is, the elastic member can exhibit a function as a so-called shock absorber. Thereby, since the holding device can absorb the impact due to the rapid movement of the movable iron core and hold the holding object, it is possible to suppress damage to the holding object.

  In the gripping device according to claim 2, the gripping portion has a guide groove portion formed in a groove shape inclined with respect to both the moving direction of the movable iron core and the moving direction of the gripping portion. The moving member is provided so as to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable iron core, and has a guide portion inserted into the guide groove portion. And a movement of a moving member is transmitted to a holding part because a guide part slides along a guide groove part. According to this, when the moving member moves along with the movement of the movable iron core, the moving portion of the moving core changes into the moving direction of the gripping portion by sliding the guide portion of the moving member along the guide groove portion. Thus, the movement of the movable iron core is transmitted to the gripping portion. Thereby, a holding part can be opened and closed by movement of a movable iron core. That is, a mechanism for transmitting the movement of the moving member to the gripping portion can be configured relatively easily by the guide portion and the guide groove portion. Therefore, an increase in the number of unnecessary parts can be reduced, and as a result, an increase in size of the gripping device can be suppressed.

1A and 1B show a gripping device in a state where a gripping portion is opened, in which FIG. 1A is a front view, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1B-1B in FIG. 1A, and FIG. Sectional view along line 1C-1C 1 shows a gripping device in a state in which a gripping portion is closed according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B in (A). 1A and 1B show a gripping device in a state immediately after a gripping unit starts gripping a gripping object, in which FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3B-3B in FIG. 1A and 1B show a gripping device in a state where a gripping part grips a gripping object according to an embodiment, where FIG. 4A is a front view and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B in FIG. The comparative example shows the gripping device in a state where the gripping portion is open, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5B-5B in (A). About a comparative example, it shows a grasping device in the state where a grasping part was closed, (A) is a front view, (B) is a sectional view which meets a 6B-6B line of (A). About a comparative example, a grasping part shows a grasping device in the state where a grasping object was grasped, (A) is a front view and (B) is a sectional view which meets a 7B-7B line of (A). It is a graph which shows the elastic force which arises in an elastic member in each state of a grasping part of a grasping device, (1) is a figure showing a grasping device of a comparative example, and (2) is a figure showing a grasping device of one embodiment.

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4 includes a substrate case 11 and a well-known solenoid 20 as a drive source. The board case 11 is configured as a block having an L-shaped cross section, and a circuit board for operating the solenoid 20 is accommodated therein, although details are not shown. The solenoid 20 is fixed to the L-shaped inner surface of the substrate case 11. The solenoid 20 is, for example, a self-holding type, and is driven when electric power is supplied from the outside. The solenoid 20 includes a case 21, a permanent magnet 22, a first coil 23, a second coil 24, a first stopper 25, a second stopper 26, a movable iron core 27, and a shaft 28.

  The case 21 constitutes the outer shell of the solenoid 20 and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is long in one direction and has a space inside. In this case, the case 21 has, for example, a rectangular outer shape and a cylindrical shape on the inner side. In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the longitudinal direction of the case 21 is defined as the vertical direction of the gripping device 10. In addition, a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is defined as a horizontal direction. Further, of the horizontal directions, the direction along the surface of the substrate case 11 shown in FIG. The posture of the gripping device 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the like is, for example, a posture in which the gripping device 10 is mounted on a robot (not shown) and is normally used. However, the posture of the gripping device 10 when used is limited to that shown in FIG. I can't.

  The permanent magnet 22, the first coil 23, the second coil 24, the first stopper 25, and the second stopper 26 are provided inside the case 21. The permanent magnet 22, the first coil 23, and the second coil 24 are formed in an annular shape. The first coil 23 is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the case 21, in this case, on the upper end side. The second coil 24 is provided on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the case 21, in this case, on the lower end side.

  The permanent magnet 22 is provided between the first coil 23 and the second coil 24. The first stopper 25 and the second stopper 26 are formed with holes through which the shaft 28 can pass through the center. The first stopper 25 is provided at one end side in the longitudinal direction of the case 21, in this case, at the upper end side, and is provided inside the annular shape of the first coil 23. The second stopper 26 is on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the case 21, in this case, on the lower end side, and is provided inside the annular shape of the second coil 24.

  The movable iron core 27 is formed in a columnar shape that is long in the longitudinal direction of the case 21 in this case, for example, in the vertical direction, by a magnetic material such as steel. The movable iron core 27 is provided inside the case 21 inside the annular shape of the permanent magnet 22, the first coil 23, and the second coil 24. The movable iron core 27 is slidable between the first stopper 25 and the second stopper 26. The shaft 28 is formed in a bar shape that is long in the longitudinal direction of the case 21, in this case, the vertical direction. The shaft 28 is provided so as to protrude from both ends of the movable iron core 27 to the outside of the movable iron core 27, for example, and can move integrally with the movable iron core 27. Both end portions of the shaft 28 are exposed to the outside of the case 21 through holes in the center portions of the first stopper 25 and the second stopper 26, respectively.

  When the first coil 23 is energized, a magnetic force is generated in the first coil 23. Thereby, the movable iron core 27 moves to one side, in this case, the first stopper 25 side, that is, the upper side, until it is attracted to the first coil 23 and locked to the first stopper 25. The position where the movable iron core 27 is locked to the first stopper 25 is defined as a first moving end. Similarly, when the second coil 24 is energized, a magnetic force is generated in the second coil 24. Thereby, the movable iron core 27 is attracted to the second coil 24 and moves to the other side, in this case, the second stopper 26 side, that is, the lower side until it is locked to the second stopper 26. The position where the movable iron core 27 is locked to the second stopper 26 is defined as a second moving end. As described above, the solenoid 20 can perform linear reciprocating motion in the vertical direction between the two moving ends by switching between energization and disconnection of the first coil 23 and the second coil 24. Further, the movable iron core 27 is held at the current position by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 22 when the energization of the coils 23 and 24 is interrupted when the movable iron core 27 is located at either the first moving end or the second moving end. Is done.

  The gripping device 10 includes a base 31, a gripping part 32, and an opening / closing guide mechanism 33. The base 31 is configured in a plate shape, and is fixed to the case 21 of the solenoid 20 with screws or the like (not shown). The base 31 has a wide portion 311 at one end, in this case, the lower end. The wide portion 311 extends downward from the case 21 of the solenoid 20 and is set to a width wider than the width of the case 21 in the left-right direction. A plurality of through hole portions 312 are formed in the wide portion 311. For example, the gripping device 10 is attached to the robot by passing a screw or the like (not shown) through the through hole portion 312 and screwing the screw into an attachment portion of the robot (not shown).

  The gripping part 32 is for gripping a gripping object, and includes a right claw member 321 and a left claw member 322. The grip portion 32 is configured to be openable and closable by moving in a direction in which the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 are separated from each other. In this case, the grip portion 32 can be opened and closed in a direction different from the moving direction of the movable iron core 27, that is, in the left-right direction. In the following description, an operation in which the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 move in a direction in which they approach each other is referred to as a closing operation of the grip portion 32. An operation in which the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 move in a direction away from each other is referred to as an opening operation of the grip portion 32. The gripping device 10 grips the gripping object by the closing operation of the gripping unit 32.

  The right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 are configured symmetrically. Each of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 is formed by cutting, for example, a single rectangular plate, and includes a main portion 323, a tip portion 324, and a guide groove portion 325. The front end portion 324 protrudes downward from the lower end portion of the main portion 323. The width of the front end portion 324 in the left-right direction is narrower than the width of the main portion 323 in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the tip 324 contacts the gripping object and transmits gripping force to the gripping object. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, another member is attached to the tip 324 and the other part is attached. The member may be in contact with the grasped object.

  The guide groove 325 is a groove formed in the main part 323. In the case of the present embodiment, the guide groove 325 is a so-called long hole formed through the main portion 323 in the thickness direction. Note that the guide groove 325 does not necessarily have to penetrate the main portion 323. The guide groove 325 is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 of the solenoid 20, that is, the vertical direction. The guide groove 325 is also inclined with respect to the opening / closing direction of the grip 32, that is, the left-right direction. That is, the guide groove portion 325 extends so as to be inclined with respect to both the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 and the moving direction of the grip portion 32.

  Moreover, the guide groove part 325 is formed so that it may spread to the outer side of the left-right direction, so that it goes below. That is, the guide groove portion 325 formed in the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 is set so that the distance between both increases as it goes downward. In this case, the angle formed by the direction in which the guide groove 325 extends, that is, the longitudinal direction of the guide groove 325, and the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 is set to be less than 45 °. That is, the angle formed by the longitudinal directions of the two guide groove portions 325 formed in the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 is set to be less than 90 °.

  The opening / closing guide mechanism 33 supports the grip portion 32 by making it impossible to move in the vertical direction with respect to the base 31 and allowing movement in the horizontal direction. The opening / closing guide mechanism 33 includes, for example, one guide rail 331 and two sliding portions 332. The guide rail 331 is provided on the surface of the wide portion 311 of the base 31 on the gripping portion 32 side so as to extend in the left-right direction. The sliding portion 332 can move smoothly on the guide rail 331 along the guide rail 331. The two sliding portions 332 are provided on the surface on the base 31 side in the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322, respectively. Thereby, the left claw member 322 of the right claw member 321 can smoothly move in the left-right direction while the movement in the up-down direction with respect to the base 31 is restricted.

  The opening / closing guide mechanism 33 may have another configuration as long as the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 can be smoothly moved in the left-right direction while restricting the movement in the vertical direction with respect to the base 31. For example, the sliding portion 332 may be provided on the base 31 and the guide rail 331 may be provided on each of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322. The opening / closing guide mechanism 33 may be configured as follows, for example. That is, a long hole or a groove extending in the left-right direction is provided in each of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322. Further, the wide portion 311 of the base 31 is provided with a pin protruding in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the base 31, that is, in the left-right direction. Then, the pins provided on the base 31 are inserted into the respective long holes or grooves formed in the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322. Thereby, the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 can be moved in the left-right direction while being supported by the pins.

  The gripping device 10 includes a transmission mechanism 35. The transmission mechanism 35 converts the movement of the movable iron core 27 in the vertical direction to a direction different from the vertical direction, in this case, the horizontal direction, and transmits the movement to the gripping part 32, thereby opening and closing the gripping part 32. The transmission mechanism 35 includes a connecting member 36, a moving member 37, and an elastic member 38. Further, the guide groove portions 325 of the claw members 321 and 322 also constitute the transmission mechanism 35.

  The connecting member 36 is formed in a columnar shape that is long in the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 in this case, in this case, the vertical direction. The connecting member 36 is provided at one end of the shaft 28, in this case, the lower end. Thereby, the connecting member 36 is connected to one end side of the movable iron core 27 via the shaft 28, in this case, the lower end side. The connecting member 36 can move integrally with the movable iron core 27 and the shaft 28.

  The connecting member 36 has a main shaft portion 361, a first receiving portion 362, and a second receiving portion 363. The main shaft portion 361 is configured in a columnar shape that is long in the vertical direction. The first receiving portion 362 is provided on the upper end portion of the main shaft portion 361, that is, on the movable iron core 27 side. The second receiving portion 363 is provided on the lower end portion of the main shaft portion 361, that is, on the side opposite to the movable iron core 27. The outer shape, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the first receiving portion 362 and the second receiving portion 363 is, for example, circular, and is larger than the outer shape of the main shaft portion 361, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the main shaft portion 361.

  The moving member 37 is provided between the first receiving portion 362 and the second receiving portion 363 and is configured to be movable with respect to the connecting member 36. The moving member 37 is formed in a so-called flange shape, for example. The moving member 37 has a plate-like part 371, a cylindrical part 372, and two guide parts 373. The plate-like portion 371 is a plate-like member having a plane perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable iron core 27, in this case, a horizontal plane. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1C, the plate-like portion 371 is formed in a hexagonal shape in which two corners on the opposite side to the grip portion 32 are cut out in a rectangular plate that is long in the left-right direction. .

  The cylindrical portion 372 is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends in the same direction as the moving direction of the movable iron core 27. That is, the cylindrical portion 372 is provided so as to protrude from the surface of the plate-like portion 371 in a direction perpendicular to the solenoid 20 side, that is, upward. A through hole 374 is formed at the center of the plate-like portion 371 and the cylindrical portion 372 so as to penetrate the plate-like portion 371 and the cylindrical portion 372 in a circular shape in the vertical direction.

  The moving member 37 is provided between the first receiving portion 362 and the second receiving portion 363 of the connecting member 36 through the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36 through the through hole 374. The inner diameter of the through hole 374 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36. Therefore, the moving member 37 can move in the axial direction of the main shaft portion 361, that is, in the vertical direction, along the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36. Note that the inner shape of the through hole 374 of the connecting member 36 and the outer shape of the main shaft portion 361 are not necessarily circular because the moving member 37 only needs to move smoothly and slide in this case with respect to the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36. Not necessarily.

  The guide part 373 is configured in, for example, a cylindrical shaft shape. The two guide portions 373 are provided corresponding to the guide groove portions 325 of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322, respectively. The two guide portions 373 protrude from the side surface of the plate-like portion 371, that is, the surface in the thickness direction, toward the grip portion 32, and are inserted into the guide groove portions 325 of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322.

  The elastic member 38 is provided between the first receiving portion 362 of the connecting member 36 and the plate-like portion 371 of the moving member 37. The elastic member 38 is, for example, a compression coil spring, and the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36 and the cylindrical portion 372 of the moving member 37 are passed through the elastic member 38. Thereby, the elastic member 38 can transmit the force acting on the connecting member 36 by the movement of the movable iron core 27 to the moving member 37.

  The moving member 37 and the elastic member 38 can be attached to the connecting member 36 as follows. For example, the main shaft portion 361 and the second receiving portion 363 are integrally formed. Further, the first receiving portion 362 is configured separately from the main shaft portion 361 and the second receiving portion 363. Then, after passing the main shaft portion 361 through the through hole 374 of the moving member 37 and the inside of the elastic member 38, the first receiving portion 362 is attached to the main shaft portion 361.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 1 shows the gripping device 10 when the gripping portion 32 is in an open state. When the grip portion 32 is in the open state, the movable iron core 27 is located on the first coil 23 side, that is, the first moving end. FIG. 2 shows the gripping device 10 when the gripping portion 32 is in a closed state without any load, that is, without gripping anything. When the first coil 23 is disconnected and the second coil 24 is energized in the open state shown in FIG. 1, the movable iron core 27 moves to the second coil 24 side, that is, the second moving end as shown in FIG. To do. Accordingly, the connecting member 36 moves downward integrally with the movable iron core 27 via the shaft 28. At this time, the connecting member 36 applies a downward force, that is, a force for pressing the moving member 37 to the second receiving portion 363 side, via the elastic member 38.

  The moving member 37 transmits the downward force received from the movable iron core 27 to the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 via the guide portion 373 inserted in the guide groove portion 325. In this case, the moving member 37 converts the downward force due to the movement of the movable iron core 27 into a direction in which the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 approach each other, that is, a closing direction. In this case, the force by which the movable iron core 27 moves to the second moving end side is converted from the first receiving portion 362 to the force in the closing direction in which the holding portion 32 is closed via the elastic member 38 and the moving member 37, thereby holding the holding portion. 32. When the grip portion 32 is in an unloaded state, movement of the grip portion 32 in the opening direction is not restricted, and the grip portion 32 can freely open.

  That is, when the grip portion 32 is in an unloaded state, the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 can freely move along the guide rail 331 in a direction approaching each other in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the movable iron core 27 moves to the second moving end side, that is, downward while the gripping portion 32 is in an unloaded state, the moving member 37 moves downward together with the connecting member 36 and the elastic member 38.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the gripping apparatus 10 grips a gripping target object 100 (hereinafter referred to as a workpiece 100), first, the gripping device 10 is placed between two distal end portions 324 of the gripping portion 32 in an open state. Position. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the gripping device 10 moves the movable iron core 27 to the second end side, that is, downward by energization of the second coil 24, thereby closing the gripping portion 32. At this time, when the left and right tip portions 324 come into contact with the workpiece 100, the claw members 321 and 322 are restricted by the workpiece 100 from moving in the left-right direction, that is, in a direction approaching each other. As the movement of the claw members 321 and 322 is restricted, the downward movement of the moving member 37 is also restricted.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the movable iron core 27 is further attracted to the second coil 24 and moves downward. The connecting member 36 transmits the force generated by the downward movement of the movable iron core 27 to the moving member 37 via the elastic member 38. In this case, since the downward movement of the moving member 37 is restricted, the first receiving portion 362 of the connecting member 36 approaches the moving member 37 while compressing the elastic member 38. At this time, as the amount of compression of the elastic member 38 increases, the force transmitted from the moving member 37 to the grip portion 32 also increases, thereby increasing the grip force of the workpiece 100 by the grip portion 32. When the movable iron core 27 reaches the second moving end, the movement of the moving member 37 is restricted. Thereby, the gripping part 32 is in a state of firmly gripping the workpiece 100.

  Further, the gripping device 10 cuts off the second coil 24 and energizes the first coil 23 when the gripper 32 is opened. Then, the movable iron core 27 moves to the first end side, that is, in the upward direction by the attractive force of the first coil 23. The moving member 37 transmits the upward force received from the movable iron core 27 to the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 via the guide portion 373 inserted in the guide groove portion 325. In this case, the moving member 37 converts the upward force generated by the movement of the movable iron core 27 into a direction in which the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 are separated from each other, that is, in an opening direction. That is, the force by which the movable iron core 27 moves to the first moving end is converted from the second receiving portion 363 to the force in the opening direction in which the grasping portion 32 opens via the moving member 37 and is transmitted to the grasping portion 32. At that time, the elastic member 38 moves together with the connecting member 36 and the moving member 37 without being compressed.

  Here, in order to explain the operational effects of the present embodiment, a comparative example of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The gripping device 90 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 does not have a configuration corresponding to the moving member 37 of the gripping device 10. In this case, the gripping device 90 includes a connecting member 91. The connecting member 91 has a configuration that is partially similar to each other of the connecting member 36 and the moving member 37 of the gripping device 10. That is, the connecting member 91 has a main shaft portion 911, a plate-like portion 912, and two guide portions 913. The main shaft portion 911 is formed in a columnar shape that is long in the vertical direction. In this case, the length dimension of the main shaft portion 911 of the connecting member 91 is shorter than the length dimension of the main shaft portion 361 of the connecting member 36.

  The plate-like portion 912 is formed in the same shape as the plate-like portion 371 of the moving member 37 of the gripping device 10. The main shaft portion 911 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the plate-like portion 912, that is, toward the shaft 28 side. The main shaft portion 911 is fixed to the lower end portion of the shaft 28. Thereby, the connecting member 91 and the movable iron core 27 are connected to each other via the shaft 28 so as to be integrally movable. The guide part 913 is configured, for example, in the shape of a cylindrical shaft, similarly to the guide part 373 of the gripping device 10. The two guide portions 373 are provided corresponding to the guide groove portions 325 of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322, respectively, and are inserted into the guide groove portions 325 of the claw members 321 and 322, respectively.

  Inside the elastic member 38, the main shaft portion 911 of the shaft 28 and the connecting member 91 is passed. The elastic member 38 is compressed and elastically deformed between the bottom surface of the case 21, that is, the surface on the connecting member 91 side, and the plate-like portion 912 of the connecting member 91 as the connecting member 91 moves upward. That is, when the movable iron core 27 is located at the first end portion and the gripping portion 32 is in the open state, the elastic member 38 has a plate shape of the bottom surface of the case 21 and the connecting member 91 as shown in FIG. Compressed with the unit 912. Therefore, when the grip portion 32 is in the open state, an elastic force is applied to the movable iron core 27 by the elastic member 38 via the connecting member 91 and the shaft 28.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the first coil 23 is disconnected and the second coil 24 is energized in the unloaded state where the gripping portion 32 is not gripping the workpiece 100, the movable iron core 27 becomes an elastic member. Due to the elastic force of 38 and the attractive force of the second coil 24, it moves to the second end side. Then, the connecting member 91 transmits the force received from the movable iron core 27 to the claw members 321 and 322 via the guide portion 913 inserted into the guide groove portion 325. As a result, the claw members 321 and 322 move in a direction approaching each other, and the grip portion 32 is closed.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, when the grip portion 32 grips the workpiece 100, when the tip portions 324 of the claw members 321 and 322 come into contact with the workpiece 100, the claw members 321 and 322 are respectively Movement in directions approaching each other is restricted. As the movement of the claw members 321 and 322 is restricted, the downward movement of the connecting member 91 is also restricted. In this case, the connecting member 36 moves downward integrally with the movable iron core 27 via the shaft 28. Therefore, when the downward movement of the connecting member 36 is restricted, the downward movement of the movable iron core 27 is also restricted. Is done. Therefore, the movable iron core 27 is held during the downward movement without reaching the second end.

  In general, the solenoid 20 is designed to exhibit its original holding force when the movable iron core 27 is located at the moving end. Therefore, the holding force when holding the movable iron core 27 in the middle of movement is significantly smaller than the holding force at the moving end. That is, when the grip portion 32 of the gripping device 90 grips the workpiece 100, the movable iron core 27 is held in the middle of movement, and thus cannot exhibit the original holding force. Therefore, the gripping force generated when the gripping portion 32 of the gripping device 90 grips the workpiece 100 is mainly exhibited by the elastic force of the elastic member 38.

Next, the transition of the elastic force of the elastic member 38 generated during the gripping operation of the grip portion 32 in the gripping device 10 of the present embodiment and the gripping device 90 as a comparative example will be described by comparing the two. In addition, the horizontal broken line in the graphs of FIGS. 8A and 8B indicates the force required when the gripping devices 10 and 90 grip the workpiece 100.
The elastic member 38 of the gripping device 90 is slightly compressed with respect to the natural length when the gripping portion 32 is in the closed state, as indicated by a broken line a in FIG. Therefore, a slight elastic force is generated on the elastic member 38 of the gripping device 90 even when the gripping portion 32 is in the closed state. The amount of compression of the elastic member 38 in the closed state is minimized during the opening / closing operation of the gripping device 90.

  Further, the elastic member 38 of the gripping device 90 is compressed when the gripping portion 32 is in an open state, as indicated by a broken line b in FIG. The amount of compression of the elastic member 38 in the open state is maximized during the opening / closing operation of the gripping device 90. Therefore, in the gripping device 90, the elastic force of the elastic member 38 is maximized when the gripping portion 32 is in the open state. In this case, the gripping device 90 must generate a force that overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 38 every time the gripping portion 32 opens. That is, the gripping device 90 requires a large amount of energy for compressing the elastic member 38 to the maximum value every time the gripping portion 32 is opened. Further, the first coil 23 also requires a strong force to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 38. As a result, the entire solenoid 20 is increased in size and power consumption.

  On the other hand, the elastic member 38 moves together with the movable iron core 27, the shaft 28, and the connecting member 36 when the holding unit 32 is opened in the holding device 10. Accordingly, the elastic member 38 of the gripping device 10 is not compressed by the opening operation, as indicated by the broken lines a and b in FIG. Therefore, the elastic member 38 of the gripping device 10 does not generate an elastic force due to the opening operation of the gripping portion 32. Therefore, the gripping device 10 does not require large energy for compressing the elastic member 38 when opening the gripping portion 32. Therefore, the gripping device 10 of the present embodiment can reduce the force, that is, the energy required for the opening operation of the gripping portion 32 compared to the gripping device 90 of the comparative example. Since the first coil 23 does not need to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 38, only a small force is required. As a result, the solenoid 20 can be miniaturized and energy saving performance can be improved.

  Further, when the gripping portion 32 of the gripping device 90 grips the workpiece 100, as shown by the broken line c in FIG. 8A, when the claw members 321 and 322 come into contact with the workpiece 100, as described above, Since the downward movement is restricted, the compression amount of the elastic member 38 does not change. Therefore, in the gripping device 90, when the gripping portion 32 grips the workpiece 100, the elastic force of the elastic member 38 is constant as shown by the broken lines c and d in FIG.

  Here, in the gripping device 90, when the gripping part 32 grips the workpiece 100, the elastic force accumulated in the elastic member 38 is from the maximum value indicated by the broken line b in FIG. Since the claw members 321 and 322 collide with the work 100, the gripping operation is performed. Therefore, in the gripping device 90, the impact applied to the workpiece 100 when the gripping portion 32 grips the workpiece 100 is increased.

  On the other hand, in the gripping device 10 of the embodiment, when the gripping part 32 grips the workpiece 100, as shown by the broken line c in FIG. 38 is not compressed, and no elastic force is generated in the elastic member 38. 8 (2), when the claw members 321 and 322 come into contact with the workpiece 100, the elastic members 38 are compressed to accumulate elastic force, and the claw members 321 and 322 are accumulated. The workpiece 100 is gripped. Thereby, the elastic member 38 of the holding apparatus 10 can absorb the impact when the claw members 321 and 322 collide with the workpiece 100. That is, the transmission mechanism 35 including the connecting member 36, the moving member 37, the elastic member 38, and the guide groove portions 325 of the claw members 321 and 322 is a shock absorbing mechanism so-called shock that cushions the impact when the gripping portion 32 grips the workpiece 100. Also functions as an absorber.

  According to this, since the gripping device 10 includes the solenoid 20 as an electric drive source, the gripping device 10 itself can be reduced in size as compared with a case where a motor is included as the drive source. In addition, since the gripping device 10 includes the solenoid 20 as an electric drive source, peripheral devices such as piping are not required as compared with a case where a pneumatic drive source is provided. As a result, necessary peripheral devices can be reduced.

  In the gripping device 10, the force that the movable iron core 27 moves to one side of the moving end, in this case the second end side, is a force in the opening direction that the gripping portion 32 opens from the second receiving portion 363 via the moving member 37. It is converted and transmitted to the grip portion 32. According to this, the holding part 32 can be opened by moving the movable iron core 27 to one side of the moving end. When opening the grip portion 32, the moving member 37 receives a force from the second receiving portion 363 on the side opposite to the first receiving portion 362. Therefore, when opening the gripping part 32, the elastic member 38 provided between the first receiving part 362 and the moving member 37 is not compressed. Therefore, large energy that compresses the elastic member when opening the gripping portion is not required. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the force, that is, the energy required for the opening operation for opening the grip portion 32. As a result, it is not necessary to make the solenoid 20 have a high output that overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 38, so that the enlargement of the solenoid 20 is also suppressed. Accordingly, the gripping device 10 can be reduced in size and energy saving performance can be improved.

  Similarly, since the first coil 23 does not need to have a high output that overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 38, an increase in the size of the first coil 23 is also suppressed. As a result, the solenoid 20 can be miniaturized and energy saving performance can be improved. As described above, the gripping device 10 can be easily handled while being equipped with an electric drive source and reducing the size and weight of the gripping device itself.

  Further, the force that the movable core 27 moves to the second end side is from the first receiving portion 362 through the elastic member 38 and the moving member 37 to the closing direction in which the grip portion 32 is closed in the guide portion 373 and the guide groove portion 325. It is converted into a force and transmitted to the grip portion 32. According to this, the holding part 32 can be closed by moving the movable iron core 27 to the second end side. According to this, when the gripping portion 32 is closed and the workpiece 100 is gripped, the force generated by the movement of the movable iron core 27 is efficiently transmitted to the workpiece 100 via the elastic member 38.

  That is, when closing the grip portion 32, the force that the movable iron core 27 moves is transmitted from the first receiving portion 362 of the connecting member 36 to the moving member 37 via the elastic member 38. When the gripping part 32 grips the workpiece 100, the movement of the gripping part 32 in the closing direction is restricted. Then, the movement of the moving member 37 is restricted along with the restriction of the movement of the grip portion 32. Here, the moving member 37 is movable along the connecting member 36. Therefore, when the movable iron core 27 moves to the second end side in a state where the movement of the moving member 37 is restricted, the connecting member 36 connected to the movable iron core 27 moves relative to the moving member 37. Then, the 1st receiving part 362 of the connection member 36 and the moving member 37 move relatively in the direction which mutually approaches, and, thereby, the elastic member 38 is compressed.

  As described above, when the gripping portion 32 is closed and the workpiece 100 is gripped, the force generated by the movement of the movable iron core 27 below the second end portion in this case is efficiently transmitted to the gripping portion 32 as a gripping force. And the solenoid 20 can be made into a thing of a low output by raising the efficiency of transmission of the force which generate | occur | produces in the movable iron core 27. FIG. As a result, the solenoid 20 can be miniaturized and energy saving performance can be improved. As described above, the gripping device 10 can be easily handled while being equipped with an electric drive source and reducing the size and weight of the gripping device 10 itself.

  Further, since the gripping device 90 of the comparative example grips the workpiece 100 during the movement of the movable iron core 27, it cannot obtain the maximum force that can be generated by the solenoid 20 when gripping. On the other hand, since the gripping device 10 of the present embodiment grips the workpiece 100 at the end of the movable iron core 27, the maximum force that can be generated by the solenoid 20 when gripping can be obtained. Therefore, when the gripping force of the gripping device 10 and the gripping device 90 is the same, the coils 23 and 24 of the gripping device 10 are reduced in output and small compared to the coils 23 and 24 of the gripping device 90. can do. In addition, when the outputs of the coils 23 and 24 of the gripping device 10 and the coils 23 and 24 of the gripping device 90 are the same, the gripping force of the gripping device 10 is larger than the gripping force of the gripping device 90. can do.

  Further, when the gripping apparatus 10 of the present embodiment grips the workpiece 100, the force due to the rapid movement of the movable iron core 27 is transmitted to the gripping portion 32 after the elastic member 38 is once compressed. That is, the elastic member 38 can exhibit a function as a so-called shock absorber. Thereby, since the holding apparatus 10 can absorb the impact caused by the rapid movement of the movable iron core 27 and can hold the workpiece 100, the workpiece 100 can be prevented from being damaged.

  In addition, the gripping device 10 includes a guide groove portion 325 formed in a groove shape that is inclined with respect to both the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 and the moving direction of the gripping portion 32. The moving member 37 is provided so as to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable core 27, and has a guide portion 373 inserted into the guide groove portion 325. Then, the movement of the moving member 37 is transmitted to the grip portion 32 as the guide portion 373 slides along the guide groove portion 325.

  That is, when the moving member 37 moves along with the movement of the movable iron core 27, the guide portion 373 of the moving member 37 slides along the guide groove portion 325, so that the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 is changed by the gripping portion 32. It is converted into the moving direction, and the movement of the movable iron core 27 is transmitted to the grip portion 32. Thereby, the holding part 32 can be opened and closed by the movement of the movable iron core 27. That is, a mechanism for transmitting the movement of the moving member 37 to the grip portion 32 can be configured relatively easily by the guide portion 373 and the guide groove portion 325. Therefore, an increase in the number of unnecessary parts can be reduced, and as a result, an increase in size of the gripping device 10 can be suppressed.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following modifications or expansions are possible.
For example, the opening / closing guide mechanism 33 may be configured such that the guide rail 331 is provided in the grip portion 32 and the sliding portion 332 is provided in the base 31. The opening / closing guide mechanism 33 is not limited to the guide rail 331 and the sliding portion 332 as long as it can guide the movement of the right claw member 321 and the left claw member 322 in the left-right direction. The base 31 may be configured integrally with the substrate case 11. That is, the lower end portion of the substrate case 11 may be provided so as to extend downward from the case 21, and the opening / closing guide mechanism 33 may be provided in the extended portion.
Further, the moving direction of the gripping part 32 is not necessarily perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable iron core 27. For example, the moving direction of the grip portion 32 may be inclined upward or downward with respect to the horizontal direction in FIG.

  In the above embodiment, the two guide groove portions 325 are formed so as to spread outward in the left-right direction toward the lower side, but are not limited thereto. For example, the two guide groove portions 325 may be formed so as to spread outward in the left-right direction toward the upper side. In this case, the opening and closing of the grip portion 32 with respect to the moving direction of the movable iron core 27 is the reverse of the above embodiment. That is, in this case, when the movable iron core 27 moves upward, the grip portion 32 is closed, and when the movable iron core 27 moves downward, the grip portion 32 opens. In this case, the first end portion and the second end portion can be appropriately changed according to the relationship between the moving direction of the movable core 27 and the opening / closing direction of the grip portion 32.

  In the drawings, 10 is a gripping device, 20 is a solenoid, 32 is a gripping portion, 325 is a guide groove portion, 36 is a connecting member, 362 is a first receiving portion, 363 is a second receiving portion, 37 is a moving member, and 373 is a guiding portion. , 38 indicate elastic members.

Claims (2)

A solenoid having a movable iron core that is capable of linear reciprocating movement between two moving ends by switching between power interruptions;
A connecting member connected to one end side of the movable core, and having a first receiving portion provided on the movable core side and a second receiving portion provided on the opposite side of the movable core;
A moving member provided between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion in the connecting member and movable along the connecting member;
An elastic member provided between the first receiving portion and the moving member in the connecting member, and capable of applying an elastic force between the connecting member and the first receiving portion;
A gripping part that is opened and closed in a direction different from the moving direction of the moving member as the moving member moves, and is capable of gripping a gripping object in a closed state;
The force by which the movable iron core moves to one side of the moving end is converted from the second receiving portion through the moving member to the force in the opening direction in which the gripping portion opens, and is transmitted to the gripping portion. The force by which the iron core moves to the other side of the moving end is transmitted from the first receiving portion to the closing portion through the elastic member and the moving member, and is transmitted to the holding portion.
Gripping device. The gripping portion has a guide groove portion formed in a groove shape inclined with respect to both the moving direction of the movable iron core and the moving direction of the gripping portion,
The moving member is provided to project in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable iron core, and has a guide portion inserted into the guide groove portion,
When the guide part slides along the guide groove part, the movement of the moving member is transmitted to the grip part.
The gripping device according to claim 1.

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