WO2018230729A1 - Finger structure, gripping device, robot hand, and industrial robot - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a finger structure, a gripping device, a robot hand, and an industrial robot which are simple to manufacture and have excellent versatility. This finger structure is characterized by being provided with: a finger main body 52 in which a first phalanx portion 60 and a second phalanx portion 62 are provided arranged in a row; a linking portion 54 which links opposing end portions of the first phalanx portion 60 and the second phalanx portion 62 together with a prescribed gap therebetween, and which is arranged on one side in a surface direction of the end portions; a finger portion 34 serving as an elastically deformable film for hermetically sealing a gap between the end portions; and a flow passage 56 which communicates with a joint chamber 64 enclosed by the end portions and an inner surface of the finger portion 34, through the first phalanx portion 60 which is provided on a base end side of the finger main body 52.

Description

Finger structure, gripping device, robot hand, and industrial robot

The present invention relates to a finger structure, a gripping device, a robot hand, and an industrial robot.

A gripping device that grips a workpiece with multiple fingers is used as an industrial robot hand for producing products in a factory, and supports human work in various work environments such as homes, offices, and hospitals. Used for robots. As described above, a gripping device used for various purposes is required to have versatility for gripping a wide variety of workpieces.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a gripping device provided with a plurality of flexible finger portions. In this finger, a plurality of aggregates are arranged in a row, a pneumatic actuator for changing the interval between the aggregates is provided on one side of the aggregate surface, and the other side of the aggregate surface is a connecting member It is connected with. Each finger portion has a proximal end fixed to the fixing portion in a state where the other surfaces of the aggregate face each other. Each finger is bent so as to close toward the other side as the pneumatic actuator extends.

The gripping device described in Patent Document 2 includes a plurality of fingers having a plate-like aggregate, a piping member laminated on one side of the surface of the aggregate, and a bending deformation member laminated thereon. It has. The aggregate is formed by a plurality of aggregate main body portions arranged in a row and a hinge portion connecting the aggregate main body portions. The piping member has piping connected to the pneumatic driving source. The bending deformation member forms a pneumatic operation chamber in cooperation with the piping member. The pneumatic operating chamber expands when compressed air flows from a pneumatic driving source through a pipe. The finger portion configured as described above bends at the hinge portion toward the other side when the pneumatic operation chamber expands.

International Publication No. 2004/000508 International Publication No. 2005/000538

However, although the gripping devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a certain versatility, the number of parts is large and the structure is very complicated. ing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a finger structure, a gripping device, a robot hand, and an industrial robot that have a simple structure and excellent versatility.

The finger structure according to the present invention connects a finger body having a plurality of phalanxes arranged in a row and ends facing each other among the plurality of phalanxes with a predetermined interval, Via a connecting portion disposed on one side in the surface direction of the end portion, an elastically deformable film that seals between the end portions, and the phalanx portion provided on the proximal end side of the finger body And a flow path leading to the joint chamber surrounded by the end portion and the inner surface of the coating.

A gripping device according to the present invention includes a gripping body having a palm portion and a plurality of finger portions projecting around the palm portion, and a plurality of fingers provided in the finger portion and arranged in a row. A finger body having a knot portion, a connecting portion arranged on one side in a surface direction of the end portion, the end portions facing each other among the plurality of knot portions being connected with a predetermined interval; and the finger And a flow path leading to the joint chamber surrounded by the end portion and the inner surface of the finger portion through the phalanx portion provided on the proximal end side of the portion.

The industrial robot according to the present invention is characterized in that the gripping device is provided.

In the robot hand according to the present invention, a palm part and a structure that tilts toward the palm part by deforming the palm part in the thickness direction can be freely attached and detached, and a plurality of attachments and detachments provided around the palm part. A member, a side opposite to the side where the detachable member is formed, is formed at a position surrounding the outer edge of the palm, and is provided between the palm and the connection, connected to a case, A high-strength portion that has a predetermined length in the thickness direction of the palm portion from the outer edge of the palm portion and is less likely to be deformed than the palm portion.

According to the finger structure, gripping device, and industrial robot of the present invention, the finger body is bent by increasing / decreasing the pressure in the joint chamber surrounding the facing ends of the plurality of phalanx portions, so the structure is simple. Yes, excellent versatility.
According to the robot hand of the present invention, a gripping operation can be performed by deforming the palm portion in the thickness direction, and the structure can be attached and detached, so that the structure is simple and excellent in versatility. .

It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the industrial robot to which the holding | gripping apparatus of 1st Embodiment is applied. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a holding | gripping apparatus. It is a fragmentary end view which shows the structure of a holding | grip apparatus and a finger structure. It is a fragmentary end view which shows the use condition of a holding | gripping apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the use condition of a holding | grip apparatus. It is a graph which shows the simulation result of the deformation amount of the finger structure which made the hardness of the finger part 60. It is a graph which shows the simulation result of the deformation amount of the finger structure which made the hardness of the finger part 90. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where the connection part of a connection part is formed wide. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where an inclined surface and a curved surface are formed in the edge part of a finger joint part. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where the inclined surface of a 1st phalanx part and the inclined surface of a 2nd phalanx part are asymmetrical. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where it bends in several places. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the bending state of the finger structure bent in multiple places. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where it bends in multiple directions. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the bending state of the finger structure bent in multiple directions. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a finger structure, and is a case where a film | membrane is provided separately from a finger part. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the bending state of the finger | toe structure provided with the film | membrane separately from the finger part. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the holding | gripping apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the finger | toe part support body formed combining a some coupling member. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the robot hand of 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 20A is a schematic diagram showing a finger part of Modification Example (1), FIG. 20B is a finger part of Modification Example (2), and FIG. 20C is a schematic diagram showing a finger part of Modification Example (3). It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the robot hand which concerns on the modification (1) of 3rd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the robot hand which concerns on the modification (2) of 3rd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(overall structure)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an industrial robot 12 to which a gripping device 10 according to this embodiment is applied. The industrial robot 12 is an orthogonal robot, and includes a rail 14, a moving body 16 that moves along the rail 14, and an air cylinder 18 that is fixed to the moving body 16. The rail 14 is provided so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction in the drawing.

The air cylinder 18 has a cylinder tube 19 and a piston rod 20 provided so as to be movable forward and backward with respect to the cylinder tube 19. The cylinder tube 19 is provided with air cylinder pipes 21 and 22. By supplying and exhausting gas through the air cylinder pipes 21 and 22, the piston rod 20 can advance and retreat with respect to the cylinder tube 19. A gripping device 10 is attached to the tip of the piston rod 20.

The industrial robot 12 can grip the workpiece W placed on the horizontal base 23 with the gripping device 10 and move in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions.

The gripping device 10 includes a case 30 connected to the piston rod 20 and a grip body 32 fixed to the case 30. The case 30 side is the upper side (Z direction side in the figure), and the grip body 32 side is the lower side (the opposite side to the Z direction in the figure). Details of the gripping device 10 will be described later with reference to another drawing.

The case 30 is connected to external pipes 24 and 25 that communicate with the inside of the gripping body 32. Although not shown, the external pipe 24 is connected to a pressurizing pump and a three-way valve via, for example, a switching valve. Although not shown, the external pipe 25 is connected to, for example, a three-way valve. The three-way valve connected to the external pipe 24 and the three-way valve connected to the external pipe 25 are separate. Each three-way valve has a vacuum port, a supply / exhaust port, and an atmosphere release port (all not shown), the vacuum port is connected to the vacuum pump, the supply / exhaust port is connected to the gripping device 10, and the atmosphere release port is connected to the outside. . Although not shown, the pressurization pump, vacuum pump, three-way valve, and switching valve are electrically connected to a controller, for example, and are controlled by this controller. When gas flows through the external pipe 24, a palm 33 described later is deformed, and when gas flows through the external pipe 25, a plurality of fingers 34 described below are deformed. In the present embodiment, an external pipe 25 is provided for each finger portion 34 in order to individually deform the plurality of finger portions 34. In FIG. 1, only one external pipe 25 is shown for simplification of the drawing, and the other external pipes 25 are not shown.

The grip body 32 is provided below the case 30. The grip body 32 is made of a material having airtightness and elasticity. The grip body 32 is preferably formed of a material having a restoring force. As a material of the grip body 32, for example, natural rubber or synthetic rubber is used. The hardness of the grip body 32 may be appropriately designed according to the application. The hardness of the grip body 32 is measured with a type A durometer in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard JIS K6253. The gripping body 32 preferably has a hardness of about 60 to 90. In this embodiment, the gripping body 32 has a hardness of 60.

As shown in FIG. 2, the gripping main body 32 includes a palm portion 33 and a plurality of finger portions 34 provided so as to protrude around the palm portion 33. The palm 33 has a disc shape. The finger part 34 has a columnar shape. The finger part 34 is formed integrally with the palm part 33. A predetermined interval is provided between the finger portions 34. In the present embodiment, five finger portions 34 are provided. The outer shape of the finger portion 34 can be selected as appropriate, and may be, for example, a cylinder, a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a cone, a triangular pyramid, a quadrangular pyramid, a truncated cone, a quadrangular pyramid, a plate shape, or the like. The outer diameter shapes of the finger portions 34 may all be the same, or some or all of them may be different.

The gripping device 10 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, the drawing is performed in a state where the finger portion 34 extends in the vertical direction. The grip body 32 has a bag shape with an upper side opened, and the opening is closed by the case 30. The thickness of the grip body 32 is 1 mm in this embodiment, but may be designed as appropriate.

The case 30 is connected to the piston rod 20 and integrated with the support 38. The case 30 shown in FIG. 3 is an example, and the configuration of the case is not limited to this, and may be appropriately designed.

The case 30 has a case main body 36 and a support body 38. The case main body 36 has a disc shape, and includes a first joint portion 42 to which the external pipe 24 is connected and a second joint portion 43 to which the external pipe 25 is connected. The first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 are respectively provided in a plurality of through holes (not shown) formed in the case main body 36. One end of the first joint portion 42 communicates with the outside of the grip body 32 via the external pipe 24, and the other end communicates with the inside of the grip body 32.

The second joint portion 43 has one end connected to the outside of the grip body 32 via the external pipe 25 and the other end connected to an internal pipe 66 described later. In the present embodiment, although not shown, the first joint portion 42 and the five second joint portions 43 are provided so as to surround the piston rod 20.

The support body 38 includes a support portion 38a for supporting the grip body 32, a flange portion 38b provided at the upper end of the support portion 38a, and a disk portion 38c provided at the lower end of the support portion 38a. In the present embodiment, the support body 38 is formed by integrally forming a support portion 38a, a flange portion 38b, and a disk portion 38c. The support body 38 may be formed by bonding a support part 38a, a flange part 38b, and a disk part 38c, which are separately formed, using an adhesive or the like. The support 38 is made of a hard material that is not deformed by pressure or reduced pressure. As a material of the support 38, for example, hard resin or metal is used.

The support portion 38a is accommodated in the grip body 32 and supports the grip body 32 on the outer peripheral surface. As a method of attaching the grip body 32 to the support portion 38a, for example, an adhesive is applied to the entire circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 38a, and the grip body 32 is adhered to the support portion 38a via this adhesive. Is used. This prevents the gripping main body 32 from falling off from the support portion 38a and the flow of gas between the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 38a and the inner surface of the gripping main body 32. The outer diameter of the support portion 38a may be slightly larger than the opening diameter of the gripping main body 32, and using the elasticity of the gripping main body 32, the outer peripheral surface of the support portion 38a and the inner surface of the gripping main body 32 may be attached. . The shape of the support portion 38a is cylindrical in this embodiment, but is not limited to this and may be designed as appropriate. When using the attachment method using the elasticity of the grip body 32, the support portion 38a is preferably formed in a cylindrical shape.

The flange portion 38b protrudes outward in the radial direction of the support portion 38a, and is fixed to the lower surface of the case body 36 through a packing (not shown) using a fastening means (not shown) such as a screw.

An opening 41 is formed in the center of the disk portion 38c. The opening 41 is for allowing gas to flow between the support 38 a and the grip body 32. An internal pipe 66 described later is passed through the opening 41. The position where the opening 41 is formed is not limited to the center of the disk portion 38c, and may be designed as appropriate.

Below the case 30, a shape holding portion 46 is provided as a high strength portion that holds the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the palm portion 33. The shape holding part 46 is disposed in an internal space 44 formed between the disk part 38 c and the palm part 33. The shape holding part 46 allows deformation of the palm part 33 in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) and restricts deformation of the palm part 33 in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The shape holding part 46 is formed of a material that is hard enough not to be deformed by pressure or reduced pressure. As a material of the shape holding part 46, for example, hard resin or metal is used. The material of the shape holding portion 46 is not necessarily a kind of material, and may be a composite material in which different materials are combined.

The shape holding part 46 is a cylindrical member having a guide hole 48 for receiving the palm part 33 deformed upward and a holding surface 49 for holding the outer peripheral surface of the palm part 33. The guide hole 48 is provided in the center of the shape holding part 46 corresponding to the palm part 33. The size of the guide hole 48 may be appropriately designed, but is preferably substantially the same size as the palm portion 33. The shape of the guide hole 48 can be selected as appropriate, such as a circular shape or a polygonal shape, and is circular in this example. The holding surface 49 is an outer peripheral surface of the shape holding unit 46. The holding surface 49 is formed in a size that can hold the outer peripheral surface of the palm 33. The holding surface 49 is curved in a convex shape toward the outside so that the shape holding part 46 is tapered toward the tip in the axial direction. The distal end of the shape holding part 46 is in contact with a base end part 60b of the first phalanx part 60 described later. A curved surface is formed at the tip of the shape holding portion 46 by chamfering, for example, in order to suppress damage such as chipping at the tip and a load on the finger main body 52. For the chamfering process, a process of cutting the tip of the shape holding portion 46 to form a square or round surface can be applied.

The shape holding part 46 has a plurality of ring bodies arranged concentrically. The plurality of ring bodies are movable in the axial direction and detachable. Of the plurality of ring bodies, the hole of the ring body arranged on the innermost side is the guide hole 48. The shape holding portion 46 can change the size of the guide hole 48 and the size of the outer shape by appropriately combining a plurality of ring bodies. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the ring body, the size of the outer peripheral surface of the gripping main body 32 and the size of the palm 33 can be adjusted to a target size. In the present embodiment, the shape holding portion 46 has two ring bodies 46a and 46b, and the ring body 46a is disposed on the inner side of the ring body 46b. In FIG. 3, a curved surface is formed at the tip of the ring body 46a. In addition, a curved surface may be formed at the tip of the ring body 46b.

The gripping device 10 includes a flexible finger structure 50A. The finger structure 50A includes a finger main body 52 in which a plurality of phalanxes are arranged in a line, a connection part 54 provided on one side in the surface direction of the facing end of the plurality of phalanges, It has the finger | toe part 34 which seals between the said edge parts, and the flow path 56 provided in the proximal phalanx part. The finger part 34 functions as an elastically deformable film in the present embodiment. In the case of the present embodiment, five finger structures 50A are provided in accordance with the number of finger portions 34, and they all have the same configuration. Hereinafter, only one finger structure 50A will be described, and description of the other four finger structures 50A will be omitted.

The finger body 52 is accommodated in the finger portion 34, and the tip and outer periphery are covered with the inner surface of the finger portion 34. The finger body 52 is formed of a material harder than the grip body 32. As a material of the finger body 52, for example, resin or rubber is used. The material of the finger body 52 may be a kind of material or a composite material in which different materials are combined.

The finger body 52 has a first phalanx part 60 and a second phalanx part 62 in order from the proximal end to the distal end as a plurality of phalange parts. In FIG. 3, the upper side (Z direction side) is the base end of the finger main body 52, and the lower side (side opposite to the Z direction) is the front end of the finger main body 52. Accordingly, the distal end portion 60a of the first phalangeal portion 60 and the proximal end portion 62a of the second phalangeal portion 62 face each other. A predetermined interval is provided between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a. The phalanx part of this embodiment has a columnar shape. The external shape of the phalanx portion can be designed as appropriate, and may be, for example, a cylinder, a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a cone, a triangular pyramid, a quadrangular pyramid, a truncated cone, a quadrangular pyramid, or a plate shape. The shape of the base end portion 60 b of the first phalanx portion 60 can be designed as appropriate, for example, a curved surface shape or a planar shape. In the present embodiment, the shape is a curved surface shape that matches the curve of the holding surface 49. The proximal end portion 60 b of the first phalanx portion 60 is provided between the holding surface 49 and the inner surface of the grip body 32 and is in surface contact with the holding surface 49. For this reason, there is no space between the holding surface 49 and the inner surface of the gripping main body 32.

The distance between the front end portion 60a and the base end portion 62a is larger on the other side than on one side in the surface direction of the end portion. The “surface direction of the end portion” is the surface direction of the distal end portion 60a or the surface direction of the proximal end portion 62a. “One side” is outside the palm portion 33. The “other side” is inside the palm 33. In the finger structure 50A shown in FIG. 3, the left side in the horizontal direction of the paper, which is the width direction of the finger structure 50A, is one side, and the right side is the other side.

One or both ends of the distal end portion 60a and the base end portion 62a are inclined with respect to the width direction of the finger structure 50A. That is, the distance between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a is gradually increased toward the other side. In the present embodiment, both the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a are inclined. The distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a are symmetrically inclined with respect to a straight line L that passes through the center of a connecting portion 54 described later and is parallel to the width direction of the finger structure 50A. In the state where the finger part 34 extends in the vertical direction, the angle θ formed by the distal end part 60a and the base end part 62a may be appropriately designed according to the size and use of the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, the angle θ is 90 degrees.

The finger main body 52 is preferably accommodated in the finger portion 34 in a state where the outer peripheral surface of the first phalanx portion 60 and the inner surface of the finger portion 34 are in close contact with each other. For example, by making the outer periphery of the first phalanx 60 slightly larger than the inner periphery of the finger 34 and utilizing the elasticity of the finger 34, the outer periphery of the first phalanx 60 and the inner surface of the finger 34 are used. You may attach so that may adhere. From the viewpoint of preventing displacement of the finger main body 52, it is more preferable that the outer peripheral surface of the second phalanx portion 62 and the inner surface of the finger portion 34 are also in close contact with each other.

The connecting portion 54 is disposed on the outer side, that is, on one side with respect to the palm portion 33 in order to bend the finger main body 52 toward the inside of the palm portion 33. The connection part 54 connects the front-end | tip part 60a and the base end part 62a at predetermined intervals.

The connecting part 54 is formed integrally with the first phalanx part 60 and the second phalanx part 62 in this embodiment. The length of the connecting portion 54 in the width direction of the finger structure 50A is preferably such a length that the finger structure 50A can be bent. From the viewpoint of easy bending of the finger structure 50A, it is preferable that the length of the connecting portion 54 is short. The connecting part 54 may be provided separately from the first phalanx part 60 and the second phalanx part 62. When the connecting portion 54 is provided as a separate body, it is preferable that the connecting portion 54 is formed in a hinge shape, for example, and the axis is aligned with the tangential direction of the palm portion 33. The connecting portion 54 may have a function as a spring that gives a force for separating the first phalangeal portion 60 and the second phalangeal portion 62 in the vertical direction.

The flow path 56 is formed in the phalanx part provided on the proximal end side of the finger part 34, that is, the first phalanx part 60. The channel 56 communicates with the joint chamber 64 surrounded by the distal end portion 60 a, the proximal end portion 62 a, and the inner surface of the finger portion 34 via the first phalanx portion 60. The gas in the joint chamber 64 flows through the flow path 56. In the present embodiment, the flow path 56 is a circular through-hole penetrating from the proximal end portion 60b of the first phalanx portion 60 to the distal end portion 60a. The diameter of the flow path 56 is 3 mm in this embodiment, but may be appropriately designed according to the outer diameter, material, hardness, etc. of the first phalanx 60. From the viewpoint of easy bending of the finger structure 50A, the diameter of the flow path 56 is preferably large. The shape of the through hole is not limited to a circular shape, and may be an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape. The flow path 56 is not limited to a through hole. For example, a groove communicating with the joint chamber 64 may be provided on the surface of the first phalanx 60, and a portion surrounded by the groove and the inner surface of the finger 34 may be used as the flow path.

One end of an internal pipe 66 is connected to the flow path 56. One end of the internal pipe 66 is inserted into the flow path 56. In order to prevent gas from flowing between the outer peripheral surface of the internal pipe 66 and the inner peripheral surface of the flow path 56, the internal pipe 66 and the flow path 56 may be bonded using, for example, an adhesive. Instead of inserting the internal pipe 66 into the flow path 56, a joint member for connecting the internal pipe 66 and the flow path 56 may be separately provided. The other end of the internal pipe 66 is connected to the second joint part 43 through the opening 41. The flow path 56 and the external pipe 25 are connected by the internal pipe 66. In the present embodiment, five internal pipes 66 are provided, and each internal pipe 66 is connected to each of the flow paths 56 of the five finger structures 50A. The internal pipe 66 corresponds to “pipe” recited in the claims.

(Operation and effect)
The operation and effect of the industrial robot 12 provided with the gripping device 10 configured as described above will be described. The industrial robot 12 has the origin when the piston rod 20 is retracted into the cylinder tube 19 and the air cylinder 18 is contracted. In the initial state, the gripping device 10 is configured such that the external pipe 24 and the external pipe 25 are connected to the atmosphere release port via the three-way valves, and the pressure in the internal space 44 of the grip body 32 and the pressure in the joint chamber 64 are atmospheric pressure. .

The industrial robot 12 positions the gripping device 10 on the vertical line of the workpiece W placed on the base 23 as the moving body 16 moves along the rail 14 (FIG. 1). Next, the industrial robot 12 extends the air cylinder 18 until the finger portion 34 reaches the side surface of the workpiece W when the piston rod 20 advances from the cylinder tube 19.

Next, each three-way valve is switched to a state where the air release port is shut off and the air supply / exhaust port is connected to the vacuum port. In the gripping device 10, the gas in the internal space 44 is sucked through the external pipe 24, and the pressure in the internal space 44 is reduced to, for example, −0.03 MPa or less.

The grip main body 32 maintains a state in which the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the palm 33 is held by the shape holding unit 46. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the palm portion 33 is deformed in the thickness direction so as to be sucked into the guide hole 48 of the shape holding portion 46. The finger part 34 is pulled toward the center of the palm part 33, and the contact part between the distal end of the shape holding part 46 and the proximal end part 60 b of the first phalanx part 60 is a fulcrum toward the palm part 33 from the proximal end. Deforms to fall down.

The gripping device 10 sucks the gas in the joint chamber 64 through the external pipe 25 and the internal pipe 66, and the pressure in the joint chamber 64 is reduced to, for example, −0.01 MPa or less. The finger structure 50 </ b> A is elastically deformed so that a portion of the finger portion 34 that seals between the distal end portion 60 a and the proximal end portion 62 a enters the joint chamber 64, and bends at the connecting portion 54.

As a result, the finger 34 comes into contact with the surface of the workpiece W. In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the work W is gripped by the five finger portions 34 coming into contact with the side surface of the cylindrical work W.

Next, the industrial robot 12 lifts the workpiece W from the base 23 by retracting the piston rod 20 into the cylinder tube 19 and contracting the air cylinder 18. Furthermore, the industrial robot 12 moves the workpiece W in the horizontal direction by moving the moving body 16 and the rail 14.

After that, the industrial robot 12 extends the air cylinder 18 until the workpiece W comes into contact with the base 23 when the piston rod 20 advances from the cylinder tube 19. Next, each three-way valve is switched to a state in which the vacuum port is shut off and the supply / exhaust port is connected to the atmosphere release port. Gas flows into the internal space 44 via the external pipe 24, and the pressure in the internal space 44 returns to atmospheric pressure. The palm 33 is pushed out from the guide hole 48 and returns to the original state. As the palm 33 returns to its original state, the finger 34 rises from the proximal end.

The gas flows into the joint chamber 64 through the external pipe 25 and the internal pipe 66, and the pressure in the joint chamber 64 returns to atmospheric pressure. In the finger structure 50A, the portion of the finger portion 34 that seals between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a is elastically deformed toward the outside of the joint chamber 64 and returns to the extended state. As a result, the finger part 34 releases the work W.

Next, the industrial robot 12 retracts the piston rod 20 into the cylinder tube 19 and contracts the air cylinder 18 to separate the gripping device 10 from the workpiece W. As described above, the industrial robot 12 can grip the workpiece W placed on the base 23 with the gripping device 10 and move it to a desired position.

As described above, the grasping apparatus 10 has a simple structure because the joint chamber 64 for increasing or decreasing the pressure includes the distal end portion 60a, the proximal end portion 62a, and the connecting portion 54. Moreover, since the finger unit 34 bends toward the inside of the palm 33, the gripping device 10 can grip a wide variety of workpieces W and is excellent in versatility.

The finger structure 50A is particularly effective when applied to the gripping device 10. However, the finger structure 50A can also be applied to, for example, a pressing device that presses a button or the like or a hook device that hooks a workpiece. Furthermore, in a box with a lid, the finger structure 50A may be applied to the connection portion between the box body and the lid, and the lid may be opened and closed using bending. As described above, the finger structure 50A can be used for various applications. Therefore, the finger structure 50A has a simple structure and excellent versatility.

The gripping device 10 pressurizes the internal space 44 when the external pipe 24 is connected to a pressure pump. In this case, the gripping main body 32 is elastic so that the palm portion 33 is pulled in the peripheral direction, that is, the outside of the palm portion 33, and each finger portion 34 falls from the proximal end toward the outside of the palm portion 33. Deform. As described above, the gripping device 10 can open the finger portion 34 in accordance with the size of the workpiece W, and thus is superior in versatility.

The gripping device 10 is elastically deformed so that each finger 34 falls from the proximal end toward the inside of the palm 33 when the gas is circulated only through the external pipe 24. On the other hand, when the gas is circulated only through the external pipe 25, the gripping device 10 is elastically deformed so that each finger 34 is bent toward the inside of the palm 33. In this way, the gripping device 10 is excellent in versatility because each finger part 34 can be deformed in accordance with the shape, size, etc. of the workpiece W.

The gripping device 10 can deform the palm 33 and the finger 34 step by step by controlling the timing of changing the pressure in the internal space 44 and the timing of changing the pressure in the joint chamber 64. Excellent.

The gripping device 10 can adjust the deformation amount and gripping force of the finger portion 34 by changing one or both of the pressure in the internal space 44 and the pressure in the joint chamber 64. Therefore, the gripping device 10 can change the gripping force in accordance with the size, hardness, weight, and the like of the workpiece W, and thus is excellent in versatility.

The gripping device 10 may be not only in a state where the tip of the finger part 34 is downward, but also in a sideways or upward state. Accordingly, the gripping device 10 is superior in versatility because it can not only lift the workpiece W on the base 23 but also grip the workpiece W suspended on a vertical wall surface or ceiling.

The gripping device 10 can replace only the damaged finger structure 50A with a new finger structure 50A when any of the plurality of finger structures 50A is damaged. For this reason, the finger structure 50A and the grip body 32 that are not damaged can be used without being replaced.

The finger main body 52 and the connecting portion 54 may be disposed on any one of the plurality of finger portions 34. It is preferable to fill the finger part 34 in which the finger main body 52 and the connecting part 54 are not disposed with an elastic member formed of, for example, resin or rubber. From the viewpoint of ease of deformation of the palm 33, the finger main body 52 is preferably arranged so that the proximal end of the finger main body 52 is within the finger portion 34. This is because when the base end of the finger body 52 protrudes outside the finger portion 34, that is, into the internal space 44, the palm portion 33 is difficult to deform in the thickness direction.

Since the holding surface 49 of the shape holding portion 46 is curved outwardly, the palm portion 33 is deformed in the thickness direction while being in contact with the holding surface 49, so that the finger portion 34 is continuous, And it deforms gently. Therefore, the gripping device 10 can grip the workpiece W softly. Incidentally, in a gripping device in which the holding surface of the shape holding part is not curved, the finger part is deformed so as to buckle.

By filling the space between the holding surface 49 and the inner surface of the gripping body 32 with the base end portion 60b of the first phalanx 60, partial dents in the gripping body 32 during decompression can be prevented. Therefore, the gripping device 10 can elastically deform the finger portion 34 more stably and improve the durability of the grip body 32.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

The adhesive may be applied to the entire circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the first phalanx part 60, and the first phalanx part 60 may be adhered to the finger part 34 via the adhesive. Thereby, the position shift in the finger part 34 of the finger main body 52 and the circulation of gas between the outer peripheral surface of the first phalanx part 60 and the inner surface of the finger part 34 are more reliably prevented.

The grip body 32 may be formed of one kind of material, or may be formed by laminating films formed of a plurality of different materials. The grip body 32 may be formed of partially different materials. The thickness of the gripping main body 32 may not be constant, and a thick part or a thin part may be provided. For example, the ease of bending of the finger structure 50A is improved by making the portion of the finger portion 34 that seals between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a a thin portion.

The shape holding portion 46 may be formed with a through hole for allowing the internal pipe 66 to pass therethrough. In this case, the internal pipe 66 can be connected to the flow path 56 through the through hole formed in the shape holding portion 46.

In the above embodiment, the case where the angle θ formed by the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 62a is 90 degrees has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the angle θ may be 60 degrees or 30 degrees. By changing the angle θ, the maximum deformation amount of the finger structure can be adjusted.

In the above embodiment, the case where the hardness of the gripping main body 32, that is, the hardness of the finger part 34 as a film is 60, has been described, but instead, the hardness of the finger part 34 may be 90 or 30, for example.

FIG. 6 shows the result of the simulation of the deformation amount with respect to the degree of vacuum for three finger structures in which the hardness of the finger part 34 is 60 and the angle θ is 90 degrees, 60 degrees, and 30 degrees. FIG. 7 shows the result of a simulation of the deformation amount with respect to the degree of vacuum for three finger structures in which the hardness of the finger part 34 is 90 and the angle θ is 90 degrees, 60 degrees, and 30 degrees. Each simulation was performed by the finite element method. In the simulation, the first phalanx is fixed so that the second phalanx is bent with respect to the first phalanx, and the second phalanx is changed while the degree of vacuum in the joint chamber 64 is changed. The position of the measurement point determined on the tip side of is calculated. The amount of deformation of the finger structure is the distance between each measurement point before and after bending, and has only a component in the width direction of the finger structure (the left-right direction in the drawing in FIG. 3).

According to the results of these simulations, it can be seen that the finger structure having a low hardness of the finger portion 34 tends to be smoothly deformed according to the degree of vacuum (see FIG. 6). On the other hand, it can be seen that the finger structure having a high hardness of the finger portion 34 does not substantially deform at a predetermined degree of vacuum or higher and tends to be deformed when the degree of vacuum is lower than the predetermined degree of vacuum (see FIG. 7). Therefore, the ease of bending of the finger structure can be adjusted by changing the hardness of the finger portion 34.

In the above-described embodiment, the length of the connecting portion 54 in the width direction of the finger structure 50A is shortened from the viewpoint of ease of bending, but as in the finger structure 50B shown in FIG. Therefore, the length of the connecting portion 70 that connects the first phalanx portion 72 and the second phalanx portion 74 may be increased. The length of the connecting portion 70 is the length in the left-right direction on the paper surface, which is the width direction of the finger structure 50B shown in FIG. Since the finger structure 50B is more reliably prevented from being displaced between the first phalanx part 72 and the second phalanx part 74, it is reliably prevented that variations occur in the bending direction.

Like the finger structure 50 </ b> C shown in FIG. 9, chamfering is performed on each of the outer edge of the distal end portion 76 a of the first phalangeal portion 76 and the outer edge of the proximal end portion 78 a of the second phalangeal portion 78. Also good. As the chamfering process, a plane process or a curved surface process can be performed. In the finger structure 50C, a convex curved surface 79 is formed by the curved surface process. In the finger structure 50C, since the inner surface of the finger portion 34 is in surface contact with the curved surface 79 when bent, the finger portion 34 is more reliably prevented from bursting. The curvature or radius of curvature of the curved surface 79 may be designed as appropriate. The curved surface 79 may be a spherical surface or an aspherical surface. The curved surface 79 may be formed only on one of the facing ends of the first phalanx part 76 and the second phalanx part 78.

The end portions of the plurality of phalanxes facing each other are not limited to those having an inclined surface or a curved surface as described above, and for example, the longitudinal section may be a concave shape or a polygonal shape.

Like the finger structure 50D shown in FIG. 10, the distal end portion 80a of the first phalangeal portion 80 and the proximal end portion 82a of the second phalangeal portion 82 are asymmetrically inclined with respect to the straight line L. Also good. That is, the angle θ ₁ formed by the distal end portion 80a and the straight line L may be different from the angle θ ₂ formed by the proximal end portion 82a and the straight line L. In FIG. 10, θ ₁ > θ ₂ is set, but instead, θ ₁ <θ ₂ may be set.

Two places that bend like the finger structure 50E shown in FIG. 11 may be provided. The finger structure 50E includes a finger body 87 having an intermediate phalanx part 84 between the first phalanx part 60 and the second phalanx part 62, and the first phalanx part 60 and the intermediate phalanx part 84. The first connecting portion 88 to be connected, the second connecting portion 89 for connecting the intermediate finger segment 84 and the second finger segment 62, and the first flow path provided in the first finger segment 60. 90 and a second flow path 91 provided in the intermediate phalanx part 84.

1st connection part 88 is arrange | positioned at the one side of the surface direction of the edge part which the 1st phalanx part 60 and the intermediate phalanx part 84 face. The second connecting portion 89 is disposed on one side in the surface direction of the end portions of the intermediate phalange portion 84 and the second phalangeal portion 62 that face each other. About the structure of the 1st connection part 88 and the 2nd connection part 89, since it is the same as that of the connection part 54, description is abbreviate | omitted.

The distance between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 84a of the intermediate phalanx portion 84 is larger on the other side than on the one side. Specifically, the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 84a are inclined with respect to a straight line L1 that passes through the center of the first connecting portion 88 and is parallel to the width direction of the finger structure 50E in FIG. . That is, the distance between the distal end portion 60a and the proximal end portion 84a is gradually increased toward the other side.

The interval between the distal end portion 84b and the proximal end portion 62a of the intermediate phalangeal portion 84 is larger on the other side than the one side. Specifically, the distal end portion 84b and the proximal end portion 62a are inclined with respect to a straight line L2 that passes through the center of the second connecting portion 89 and is parallel to the width direction of the finger structure 50E in FIG. . That is, the distance between the distal end portion 84b and the proximal end portion 62a is gradually increased toward the other side.

The tip and outer periphery of the finger body 87 are covered with the finger part 34. Therefore, the finger part 34 seals between the front-end | tip part 60a and the base end part 84a, and seals between the front-end | tip part 84b and the base end part 62a.

The first flow path 90 communicates with the first joint chamber 92 surrounded by the distal end portion 60a, the proximal end portion 84a, and the inner surface of the finger portion 34 via the first phalanx portion 60. The second flow path 91 communicates with the second joint chamber 93 surrounded by the distal end portion 84b, the proximal end portion 62a, and the inner surface of the finger portion 34 via the intermediate phalange portion 84. In this example, the first and second flow paths 90 and 91 are circular through holes. Although not shown in FIG. 11, the internal pipe 66 is connected to the first flow path 90.

The channel cross-sectional area of the second channel 91 is smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the first channel 90. In this example, the diameter of the second flow path 91 is smaller than the diameter of the first flow path 90.

In the initial state, the finger structure 50E configured as described above is in a state in which the pressure in the first joint chamber 92 and the pressure in the second joint chamber 93 are atmospheric pressures and extend in the vertical direction ( FIG. 11).

Next, the atmosphere release port of the three-way valve connected to the external pipe 25 and the internal pipe 66 is shut off, and the supply / exhaust port is switched to a state connected to the vacuum port. As shown in FIG. 12, the gas in the first joint chamber 92 is sucked through the first flow path 90, and the gas in the second joint chamber 93 is in the first flow path 90 and the second flow path. Is sucked through the first flow path 91 and the first joint chamber 92. At this time, the amount of gas flowing out from the second joint chamber 93 is smaller than the amount of gas flowing out from the first joint chamber 92 in unit time. For this reason, the second connecting portion 89 deforms later than the first connecting portion 88. In FIG. 12, the gas flowing out from each of the first joint chamber 92 and the second joint chamber 93 is represented by an arrow line, and the difference in the amount of the flowing gas is represented by the size of the arrow. By adjusting the cross-sectional areas of the first flow path 90 and the second flow path 91, the timing at which the first connecting portion 88 is deformed and the timing at which the second connecting portion 89 is deformed are appropriately changed. be able to.

As described above, since the finger structure 50E is bent at a plurality of locations along the outer shape of the workpiece W, the finger structure 50E is more excellent in stability of gripping the workpiece W and versatility.

The ratio between the channel cross-sectional area of the second channel 91 and the channel cross-sectional area of the first channel 90 may be appropriately designed. By adjusting this ratio, it is possible to adjust the bending speed of each of the first and second connecting portions 88 and 89.

The position where the first connecting portion 88 and the second connecting portion 89 are provided may be appropriately designed. For example, like the finger structure 50 </ b> F shown in FIG. 13, the first connecting portion 88 may be disposed on one side and the second connecting portion 89 may be disposed on the other side. Compared to the finger structure 50E, the finger structure 50F is different from the finger structure 50E in the position where the second connecting portion 89 is provided, and the second flow path 91 includes the first finger segment 60 and the intermediate finger segment. The difference is that the tube 94 is passed through the first flow path 90 and the tube 95 is passed through the second flow path 91. In order to prevent gas from flowing between the outer peripheral surface of the tube 94 and the inner peripheral surface of the first flow path 90, it is preferable to bond the surfaces with an adhesive or the like. In order to prevent gas from flowing between the outer peripheral surface of the tube 95 and the inner peripheral surface of the second flow path 91, it is preferable to bond the surfaces with an adhesive or the like. Each tube 94 and 95 has flexibility to such an extent that the bending of the finger structure 50F is not hindered. Internal piping (not shown) is connected to each of the tubes 94 and 95.

As shown in FIG. 14, in the finger structure 50F, the gas in the first joint chamber 92 and the gas in the second joint chamber 93 are sucked independently. Since the finger structure 50F can be bent independently at each location of the first connecting portion 88 and the second connecting portion 89, it is more versatile. Since the finger structure 50F expands and contracts in the length direction due to the bending at each of the above locations, the button or the like can be pressed using the expansion and contraction.

15, a film 96 may be provided separately from the finger portion 34 as in the finger structure 50G illustrated in FIG. 15, and the space between the distal end portion 60a and the base end portion 62a may be sealed with the film 96. The film 96 is made of a material having airtightness and elasticity, and can be elastically deformed. As a material of the film 96, for example, natural rubber or synthetic rubber is used. The thickness of the film 96 may be designed as appropriate, but in this example, it is 1 mm. The film 96 may cover the tip and outer periphery of the finger body 52. The film 96 is attached to, for example, a film attachment part 97 provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the first phalanx part 60 and the second phalanx part 62. The film attachment portion 97 is preferably a concave shape having a depth corresponding to the thickness of the film 96. In this example, the depth of the film attachment portion 97 is 1 mm.

As shown in FIG. 16, the finger structure 50 </ b> G has the coating 96 in the joint chamber 64 by sucking the gas in the joint chamber 64 surrounded by the distal end portion 60 a, the base end portion 62 a, and the inner surface of the coating 96. It is elastically deformed so as to enter and bends at the connecting portion 54.

In the finger structure 50G, the joint chamber 64 is hermetically sealed by a coating 96 provided separately from the finger portion 34. Therefore, even if there is a hole due to the rupture of the grasping body 32 or the like, the gas from the joint chamber 64 Leakage is prevented, and the bent state is maintained.

The finger structure 50G is easy to attach to the grasping body 32 because the joint chamber 64 is sealed by the coating 96.

The film 96 may be attached to each inclined surface of the distal end portion 60a and the base end portion 62a using, for example, an adhesive instead of being attached to the film attachment portion 97.

The gripping device 10 may be used by appropriately combining the finger structures 50A to 50G. The gripping device 10 may be provided with a claw portion on the outer peripheral surface of the finger portion 34. A plate-shaped member made of synthetic resin, a conical member, or a sac-shaped member can be used for the claw portion.

The case 30 may be provided with a camera for photographing the workpiece W, a weigh scale for measuring the weight of the gripped workpiece W, a proximity sensor for measuring the distance between the workpiece W and the grip body 32, and the like.

The size of the palm 33 and the length and number of the finger 34 may be appropriately changed according to the application.

The second joint portion 43 and the internal piping 66 may be provided according to the number of finger portions 34 to be individually deformed. In addition, without allowing the second joint portion 43 and the internal pipe 66 to be provided, the palm portion 33 and the finger portion 34 are connected to the pressure of the internal space 44 by allowing the gas to flow between the internal space 44 and the flow path 56. You may make it change in connection with increase / decrease.

The shape holding part 46 may have one ring body, or may have three or more ring bodies. The shape holding portion 46 is not limited to a cylindrical member, but may be a frame-shaped member, for example, a polygonal column having a guide hole 48. The outer shape of the shape holding unit 46 can be selected as appropriate, such as an oval, an ellipse, or a polygon, and may be matched to the outer shape of the grip body 32 or the support 38.

The shape holding part 46 preferably has a ratio of the outer diameter of the shape holding part 46 to the inner diameter of the guide hole 48 of 1.0: 0.93 to 1.0: 0.5. For example, when the outer diameter of the shape holding portion 46 is 80 mm and the inner diameter of the guide hole 48 is in the range of 60 to 70 mm, the finger portion 34 is elastically deformed more reliably toward the center of the palm portion 33.

The position of the distal end of the shape holding part 46 is preferably located outside the center position of the base end part 60 b of the first phalanx part 60 in the radial direction of the shape holding part 46. Thereby, the contact portion between the distal end of the shape holding portion 46 and the proximal end portion 60 b of the first phalange portion 60 is the center of the proximal end portion 60 b of the first phalangeal portion 60 in the radial direction of the shape holding portion 46. Located outside the position. As a result, the finger portion 34 is easily elastically deformed toward the center of the palm portion 33 with the contact portion as a fulcrum.

In the above embodiment, the space formed between the holding surface 49 of the shape holding unit 46 and the inner surface of the gripping main body 32 is filled with the base end 60b of the first phalanx 60, but the shape holding unit 46 is devised. You may make it not produce said space. For example, a shape holding part (not shown) having a protrusion protruding toward the finger part 34 at a position corresponding to the first phalanx part 60 may be used. When the shape holding portion having such a protrusion is assembled in the gripping main body 32, the distal end of the protrusion comes into contact with the base end portion 60b and the side surface is in close contact with the inner surface of the gripping main body 32. It is possible to prevent a partial dent of the grip body 32 at the time.

[Second Embodiment]
The gripping device 10 of the first embodiment includes a bag-shaped gripping body 32 in which the palm portion 33 and the finger portion 34 are integrally formed, but the gripping device 100 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. A grip body 104A in which a palm 101 and a finger 102 are formed separately is provided. The finger part 102 has the same configuration as the finger part 34 of the first embodiment except that the finger part 102 is formed separately from the palm part 101. That is, the finger portion 102 is not shown in the figure, but is provided with a finger main body 52, a connecting portion 54, and a flow path 56 therein. For this reason, the finger structure 50 </ b> H of the second embodiment includes a finger main body 52, a connecting portion 54, a finger portion 102 as a film, and a flow path 56. Hereinafter, the same members and the like as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The gripping device 100 has two finger portions 102 in this example. The two finger parts 102 are arranged at a predetermined interval with the palm part 101 in between. In this example, the two finger portions 102 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a central axis C that passes through the center of the palm portion 101 and extends in the vertical direction. In the gripping device 100, the palm portion 101 is formed of hard resin, metal, or the like, and the workpiece W is gripped by deforming only the finger portion 102 without deforming the palm portion 101.

The grip body 104 </ b> A is provided with a palm part 101 at the center and has a finger part support 106 that supports the finger part 102 around the palm part 101. The outer shape of the finger support 106 can be appropriately selected from, for example, a perfect circle, an oval, an ellipse, and a polygon. The finger support 106 is integrally formed with the palm 101 in this example. The finger support 106 has an attachment hole 106 a for attaching the finger 102 to a portion around the palm 101. The mounting hole 106a penetrates the finger support 106 in the vertical direction. The attachment hole 106a has, for example, an internal thread portion.

The grip body 104A has an attachment / detachment member 107 that removably couples the finger 102 to the finger support 106. The detachable member 107 has one end connected to the flow path 56 and the other end connected to the mounting hole 106a. The detachable member 107 has, for example, male screw portions at both ends. The detachable member 107 is attached to the attachment hole 106a from below, and connects the flow path 56 and the attachment hole 106a. In this case, the flow path 56 preferably has a female screw portion. As the detachable member 107, for example, a pipe taper screw or a pipe parallel screw can be used. In order to ensure airtightness, the detachable member 107 is preferably a seal tape in the case of a taper screw for a pipe, and is preferably a packing or a metal seal in the case of a parallel screw for a pipe.

A joint 108 that connects to the external pipe 25 is provided on the upper surface of the finger support 106. One end of the joint portion 108 is connected to the external pipe 25 and the other end is connected to the mounting hole 106a. The joint portion 108 is attached to the attachment hole 106a from above. Thereby, the external pipe 25 and the flow path 56 are connected via the finger support 106, the detachable member 107, and the joint 108. As the joint part 108, for example, a one-touch joint in which the external pipe 25 is attached and detached with one touch can be used.

The gripping device 100 is provided with a camera 105 in the palm portion 101, and the camera 105 captures an image of the finger portion 102 gripping the workpiece W. The camera 105 is disposed at the center position of the palm 101 and is fixed to the finger support 106. In the camera 105, the optical axis of a lens (not shown) coincides with the central axis C. A frame 112 provided on the opposite side of the finger support 106 from the finger 102 is connected to the piston rod 20 via a flange plate 110. The camera 105 is provided with a cord 114 for connecting to an image processing apparatus (not shown). In the image processing apparatus, image recognition of an image taken by the camera 105, analysis of a gripping operation based on the result of image recognition, and the like are performed.

As described above, the gripping device 100 can integrate the palm portion 101 and the finger portion 102 by connecting the detachable member 107 to the finger support 106. Further, the finger 102 can be separated from the palm 101 by releasing the connection of the detachable member 107. Thereby, exchange of the finger part 102 can be performed easily. Since the gripping device 100 can easily change the layout of the finger portions 102 necessary for the gripping operation simply by changing the position and number of the attachment holes 106a of the finger support 106, the degree of freedom in design is high.

Since the gripping device 100 is provided with the camera 105 in the palm 101, the gripping device 100 can photograph the workpiece W without disturbing the gripping operation. In particular, since the camera 105 is arranged at the center position of the palm portion 101, it is not necessary to finely adjust the gripping position after the camera 105 recognizes the position of the workpiece W, and calibration that eliminates the positional deviation. There is no need to perform

As the detachable member 107, a pneumatic one-touch joint and a member corresponding thereto may be used. May be used. By using the one-touch joint, a rigid mechanical connection and securing of the flow path can be simultaneously performed with one touch.

18 has a finger support 120 formed by combining a plurality of joint members, instead of the finger support 106 of the gripping main body 104A. The finger support 120 can be assembled into an arbitrary shape depending on how the joint members are combined. The finger support 120 shown in FIG. 18 is an example.

In the present embodiment, the finger support 120 includes pipe joints 121a and 121b and block joints 122a and 122b as a plurality of joint members. The pipe joints 121a and 121b and the block joints 122a and 122b are detachably connected to each other. In the case of this embodiment, the block joint 122b arrange | positioned in the center corresponds to a palm part.

The pipe joints 121a and 121b have a pipe taper screw, a pipe parallel screw, and the like. The pipe joint 121b is formed longer than the pipe joint 121a.

The block joints 122a and 122b have passages through which gas flows. The passage of the block joint 122a is formed in an L shape. The passage of the block joint 122b is formed in a T shape. The shape of the passage may be appropriately selected such as a Y shape or a cross shape in addition to an L shape or a T shape. The outer shape of the block joints 122a and 122b can be selected as appropriate, and can be, for example, a polyhedron or a sphere. The block joints 122a and 122b may be of a universal type.

The finger support 120 can be assembled to include joints of various shapes such as elbow shape and tee shape by a combination of the pipe joints 121a and 121b and the block joints 122a and 122b.

The finger support 120 is detachably connected to any of the plurality of joint members with the detachable member 107. In this example, the finger joint support 120 is connected to the detachable member 107 by the block joint 122a. The block joint 122a and the detachable member 107 are detachable from each other. The block joint 122a is connected to the block joint 122b via the pipe joint 121b. The block joint 122b is connected to the pipe joint 121a. Although not shown, the pipe joint 121a is connected to the external pipe 25. Thereby, the external piping 25 and the flow path 56 are connected.

As described above, since the finger support 120 can be assembled into an arbitrary shape by combining the pipe joints 121a and 121b and the block joints 122a and 122b, the degree of freedom in the layout of the finger 102 is improved. Further, since the finger support 120 replaces the manifold, it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated manifold according to the layout of the finger 102, and the labor for manufacturing the manifold can be reduced.

For the finger support 120, it is preferable to use a seal tape, packing, a metal seal or the like between the pipe joints 121a and 121b and the block joints 122a and 122b so as to ensure airtightness.

The finger support 120 may use, as a joint member, a one-touch joint, a barb-type joint member having an insertion portion inserted into the external pipe 25, or the like.

In the above embodiment, an example of an orthogonal robot is shown as the industrial robot 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a SCARA robot, a vertical articulated robot, and the like. That is, the gripping devices 10 and 100 can grip the workpiece W and maintain the gripped state even when the industrial robot rotates about the X, Y, and Z axes.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a robot hand according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. About the same member as the said embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted. A robot hand 200A shown in FIG. 19 includes a case 30, a gripping main body 202A, and a finger portion 206A as a structure. The finger part 206A shown in this figure has a columnar shape without internal piping.

The grip body 202A has a plurality of, for example, five detachable members 204A provided around the palm 33. The detachable member 204A fixes the finger portion 206A to the grip body 202A so as to be detachable. The attaching / detaching member 204 </ b> A shown in the drawing is a bolt, the head is integrally formed with the base end portion 60 b, and the male screw at the tip protrudes from the surface of the palm portion 33. The length of the base end portion 60b protruding from the palm portion 33 can be selected as appropriate.

The finger part 206A includes a receiving part 208 connected to the detachable member 204A, and a finger main body 210 formed integrally with the receiving part 208. The receiving portion 208 is formed with a female screw into which a male screw of a bolt is screwed. Finger body 210 is solid and formed of a material harder than grip body 202A. As a material of the finger body 210, for example, resin or rubber is used. The material of the finger body 210 may be a kind of material or a composite material in which different materials are combined.

The robot hand 200A can integrate the palm portion 33 and the finger portion 206A by connecting the detachable member 204A to the grip body 202A. Also, by releasing the connection between the detachable member 204A and the receiving portion 208, the finger portion 206A can be separated from the gripping main body 202A. Thereby, the finger part 206A can be easily replaced. The robot hand 200A has a high degree of design freedom because the layout of the finger 206A can be easily changed simply by changing the position and number of the fingers 206A.

When the gas in the internal space 44 is sucked through the external pipe 24, the palm 33 is sucked into the guide hole 48 of the shape holding part 46 while the shape holding part 46 maintains the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the palm 33. As described above, the film is deformed in the thickness direction. The finger part 206A is pulled toward the center of the palm part 33 and deforms so as to fall from the base end toward the palm part 33 with the contact portion between the tip of the shape holding part 46 and the base end part 60b as a fulcrum.

In the case of this embodiment, the finger part 206A can be detachably fixed to the grip body 202A via the detachable member 204A. Therefore, the robot hand 200A can perform a desired operation by selecting the number of finger portions 206A to be attached according to the application. The robot hand 200A can grip a workpiece by deforming the palm portion 33 in the thickness direction, and can detachably fix the finger portion 206A. Therefore, the structure is simple and the versatility is excellent.

The operation of the robot hand 200A is not limited to the operation of gripping the workpiece. The entire robot hand to which the finger part 206A is attached may be covered with a cover (not shown). By covering with a cover, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the gap between the finger portion 206A and the gripping main body 202A. Further, a cover (not shown) may be attached to the detachable member 204A to which the finger part 206A is not attached.

Detachable member 204A may be a female screw. In this case, a male screw is provided on the receiving portion 208 of the finger portion 206A. By making the detachable member 204A a female screw, the male screw does not protrude from the gripping body 202A. When the detachable member is a female and the receiving portion is a male, when the finger portion 206A is not attached, the protrusion protruding on the surface is small, and the usability is improved.

The attachment / detachment member 204A is not limited to a bolt, and for example, a pneumatic one-touch joint and a member corresponding thereto may be used. Although not shown, a shaft with a hole fixed to the base end portion 60b and protruding toward the palm portion 33 may be used as a detachable member. The holed shaft has a hole opened in the radial direction. In this case, a hole for receiving the shaft and an insertion hole for inserting the fixing pin in the radial direction are formed in the receiving portion 208 of the finger portion 206A. The finger part 206A can be fixed to the grip body 202A by inserting the shaft into the hole and inserting a fixing pin into the hole of the shaft through the insertion hole. Further, the detachable member 204A may be structured to be installed outside the finger portion 206A.

The structure may be hollow or may be formed of a softer material than the grip body 202A. When the structure is hollow, an internal pipe (symbol 66 in FIG. 4) may be connected to the structure, and the internal pressure of the structure may be different from the internal pressure of the internal space 44. When the air in the structure moves freely, the structure can be easily deformed according to the shape of the workpiece. Further, the inside of the structure may be depressurized through the internal piping. The structure is not limited to the columnar finger part 206A. For example, as shown in FIG. 20A, a finger part 206B having a finger body 212 having a shape whose tip is bent in one direction can be applied. The finger 206B is attached with its tip directed toward the center of the palm 33, so that a smaller workpiece can be gripped more reliably. Further, as shown in FIG. 20B, a finger portion 206C having a finger body 214 in which a spherical body 216 is formed at a tip bent in one direction may be applied. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20C, a finger part 206D having a light bulb-like finger body 218 may be used. The outer shape of the finger can be selected as appropriate, and may be, for example, a cylinder, a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a cone, a triangular pyramid, a quadrangular pyramid, a truncated cone, a quadrangular pyramid, a plate shape, or the like. The outer diameter shape of each finger part may be all the same, or part or all may be different. The structure may be a spatula-shaped member, a fork-shaped member, or the like. The structure attached to the gripping body may be fixed to the gripping body with an adhesive or the like.

(Modification (1))
Next, a robot hand according to a first modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. A robot hand 200B shown in FIG. 21 includes a case 30, a gripping main body 202B, and a finger structure 50H as a structure. The detachable member 204B provided on the gripping main body 202B is a pipe joint, and one end is connected to the flow path 56 of the finger structure 50H and the other end is connected to the internal pipe 66. One end of the detachable member 204B protrudes from the surface of the palm portion 33. For example, a pipe taper screw or a pipe parallel screw can be used. In order to ensure hermeticity, it is preferable to use a seal tape in the case of a taper screw for a pipe, and it is preferable to use a packing or a metal seal in the case of a parallel screw for a pipe, in order to ensure airtightness. The other end of the detachable member 204B is integrally formed with the base end portion 60b.

¡Pneumatic one-touch joints and corresponding members may be used as the detachable member 204B. By using the one-touch joint, a rigid mechanical connection and securing of the flow path can be simultaneously performed with one touch.

When the gas in the internal space 44 is sucked through the external pipe 24, the palm 33 is sucked into the guide hole 48 of the shape holding part 46 while the shape holding part 46 maintains the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the palm 33. As described above, the film is deformed in the thickness direction. The finger structure 50H is pulled toward the center of the palm 33, and deforms so as to fall from the proximal end toward the palm 33 with the contact portion between the distal end of the shape holding portion 46 and the proximal end 60b as a fulcrum.

In the robot hand 200B, the gas in the joint chamber 64 is sucked through the external pipe 25 and the internal pipe 66, and the pressure in the joint chamber 64 is reduced to, for example, −0.01 MPa or less. The finger structure 50 </ b> H is elastically deformed so that a portion of the finger portion 102 that seals between the distal end portion 60 a and the proximal end portion 62 a enters the joint chamber 64, and bends at the connecting portion 54. Since the robot hand 200B includes the finger structure 50H, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments.

(Modification (2))
Next, a robot hand according to a second modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. A grip body 202C shown in FIG. 22 includes a palm portion 33 and a plurality of finger portions 206A provided so as to protrude around the palm portion 33. A connecting portion 220 is integrally formed at a position surrounding the outer edge of the palm portion 33 on the side opposite to the side where the finger portion 206A is formed. The connection part 220 is cylindrical, and in the case of this figure, has a circular opening at the upper end. The gripping main body 202C has an outer peripheral surface 222 that is curved in a direction that protrudes outward from the palm portion 33 toward the connection portion 220. The opening of the gripping main body 202 </ b> C is sealed by the case 30.

A through hole 224 is provided at the center of the case body 36. A power cylinder 226 is fixed to the through hole 224 as an actuator. The power cylinder 226 includes a cylinder tube 227 and a piston rod 229 provided so as to be able to advance and retract with respect to the cylinder tube 227. The cylinder tube 227 is provided with a pipe (not shown). The piston rod 229 can advance and retract with respect to the cylinder tube 227 by supplying and discharging a liquid such as gas or oil as a power source through the pipe. The tip of the piston rod 229 is connected to a support plate 231 fixed to the back surface of the palm 33.

The grip body 202C includes a high-strength portion 228 that is less likely to deform in the thickness direction than the palm portion 33 between the connection portion 220 and the palm portion 33. The high-strength portion 228 is formed integrally with the palm portion 33 and the connection portion 220. The high-strength portion 228 has a proximal end 230 that contacts the support 38 and a distal end 232 that is separated from the proximal end 230 toward the finger portion 206 </ b> A and connected to the palm portion 33. The high-strength portion 228 is harder to deform than the palm portion 33, but is not a perfect rigid body and is microscopically deformed with the base end 230 as a fulcrum toward the center of the palm portion 33.

The base end 230 is provided at a position away from the outer edge of the palm portion 33 in the thickness direction of the palm portion 33, that is, at a position away from the palm portion 33 toward the upper opening side of the connection portion 220. In the case of this embodiment, the base end 230 has a contact surface 236 that contacts the outer peripheral portion of the bottom surface 234 of the case 30. The high-strength portion 228 has an inner peripheral surface 238 that is in contact with the internal space 44 on the center side of the palm portion 33 that is continuous with the contact surface 236. The inner side of the palm 33 has a substantially flat inner surface 240 and a curved surface 242 that is provided around the inner surface 240 and protrudes outward. The inner peripheral surface 238 and the inner surface 240 of the palm 33 are connected by a curved surface 242. Between the bottom surface 234 of the case 30 and the inner surface of the palm portion 33, an internal space 44 for receiving the palm portion 33 deformed in the thickness direction is formed.

The tip 232 of the high-strength portion 228 is disposed between the inner peripheral surface 238 and the curved surface 242. The tip 232 becomes a fulcrum when the palm 33 is deformed in the thickness direction.

The high-strength portion 228 is formed in accordance with the shape of the connection portion 220 so as to surround the palm portion 33, and is annular in the case of this figure. The contact surface 236 is the upper surface of the high strength portion 228. The outer peripheral portion of the bottom surface 234 of the case 30 contacts the contact surface 236 of the high strength portion 228.

The high-strength portion 228 is formed integrally with the palm portion 33 and the finger portion 206A, and deforms microscopically in accordance with the deformation of the palm portion 33 in the thickness direction. Thereby, the finger part 206A is continuously and gently deformed by the deformation of the palm part 33. Therefore, the robot hand 200C can grip the workpiece W softly. Incidentally, in the gripping main body that does not have the high strength portion 228, the finger portion is deformed so as to buckle.

The piston rod 239 is retracted into the cylinder tube 227 and the power cylinder 226 is contracted. The robot hand 200 </ b> C maintains a state in which the shape of the outer peripheral surface 222 of the palm 33 is held by the high-strength portion 228. Then, the palm part 33 is deformed in the thickness direction so as to be sucked into the internal space 44 of the high-strength part 228.

As the palm 33 is deformed in the thickness direction, the finger 206 </ b> A is pulled to the center of the palm 33. Then, the finger part 206 </ b> A is elastically deformed so as to fall toward the palm part 33. As described above, the robot hand 200 </ b> C grips the work by contracting the power cylinder 226.

In the case of this modification, the case where the high-strength portion is provided has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a shape holding portion may be provided instead of the high-strength portion.

Although the case where the actuator is a power cylinder has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a mechanism having a screw may be applied to the actuator. Although not shown, one end of a screw fastened to a female screw provided in the case body 36 is rotatably fixed to the support plate 231 and the other end of the screw is connected to a motor. By rotating the screw, the palm 33 can be deformed in the thickness direction.

A motor, rack, or pinion may be used as the actuator. The rack is passed through the through hole 224 of the case main body 36, one end is fixed to the support plate 231, and the pinion is rotationally driven by a motor. By converting the rotational movement of the pinion into the linear movement of the rack, the palm 33 can be deformed in the thickness direction.

An electromagnet may be used as the actuator. An electromagnet provided in the case main body 36 and a DC power source for supplying electric power to the electromagnet are provided. The support plate 231 is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. By supplying electric power, the electromagnet is magnetized and a magnetic force is generated. With the magnetic force, the support plate 231 is attracted to the electromagnet, the palm 33 can be deformed inward in the thickness direction, and the finger 206A can be closed. On the other hand, when the power supply is stopped, the magnetic force is lost. Then, the palm 33 is deformed outward in the thickness direction by its own weight, and the finger 206A can be opened. A coil spring may be provided between the support plate 231 and the case body 36. When the coil spring pushes the palm portion 33 outward in the thickness direction, the finger portion 206A can be opened more quickly.

Needless to say, the first to third embodiments and the modifications may be applied in appropriate combination.

10, 100 Grasping device 12 Industrial robot 32, 104A, 104B, 202A to 202C Grasping body 33, 101 Palm part 34, 102, 206A, 206B Finger part 42 First joint part 43 Second joint part 50A to 50H Finger Structure 52, 87, 210, 212, 214, 218 Finger body 54, 70 Connecting portion 56 Channel 60, 72, 76, 80 First finger segment 62, 74, 78, 82 Second finger segment 64 Joint chamber 66 Internal piping 84 Intermediate phalanx portion 88 First connection portion 89 Second connection portion 90 First flow path 91 Second flow path 92 First joint chamber 93 Second joint chamber 96 Film 105 Camera 106, 120 Finger support 107, 204A, 204B Detachable member 121a, 121b Pipe joint (joint member)
122a, 122b Block joint (joint member)
200A, 200B, 200C Robot hand

Claims (15)

1. A finger body having a plurality of phalanxes arranged in rows;
   A connecting portion disposed on one side in the surface direction of the end portion, which connects the facing end portions of the plurality of phalanx portions at a predetermined interval;
   An elastically deformable film that seals between the ends, and
   A flow path leading to the joint chamber surrounded by the end and the inner surface of the coating through the phalanx provided on the base end side of the finger body;
   A finger structure characterized by comprising:
2. 2. The finger structure according to claim 1, wherein the coating covers a tip and an outer periphery of the finger body.
3. 3. The finger structure according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the end portions is larger on the other side than on one side in the surface direction.
4. The finger body has, as the phalanx part, a first phalanx part, an intermediate phalanx part, and a second phalanx part in order from the proximal end to the distal end,
   As the flow path, a first flow path that leads to the first joint chamber as the joint chamber between the first phalanx part and the intermediate phalanx part via the first phalanx part. And a second flow path that leads to a second joint chamber as the joint chamber between the intermediate phalanx and the second phalanx through the intermediate phalanx,
   With
   The finger structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a channel cross-sectional area of the second channel is smaller than a channel cross-sectional area of the first channel.
5. A gripping body having a palm and a plurality of fingers provided projecting around the palm;
   A finger body provided in the finger and having a plurality of phalanxes arranged in a row;
   A connecting portion disposed on one side in the surface direction of the end portion, which connects the facing end portions of the plurality of phalanx portions at a predetermined interval;
   A flow path leading to the joint chamber surrounded by the end portion and the inner surface of the finger portion via the phalanx portion provided on the proximal end side of the finger portion;
   A gripping device comprising:
6. The gripping device according to claim 5, wherein the gripping main body is formed in a bag shape.
7. The gripping device according to claim 6, further comprising a pipe connected to the flow path.
8. The gripping device according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a shape holding portion that holds the gripping body, allows deformation of the palm portion in the thickness direction, and prevents contraction of an outer periphery of the palm portion. .
9. 6. The gripping apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the grip body is provided with the palm portion in the center and has a finger support body that supports the finger portion around the palm portion.
10. 10. The gripping device according to claim 9, wherein a camera is provided on the palm.
11. The gripping device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the gripping main body includes a detachable member that detachably connects the finger portion to the finger support.
12. The finger support is formed by combining a plurality of joint members,
    The gripping device according to claim 11, wherein any one of the plurality of joint members is detachably connected to the detachable member.
13. An industrial robot comprising the gripping device according to any one of claims 5 to 12.
14. The palm,
    A structure that falls toward the palm by deforming the palm in the thickness direction is detachable, and a plurality of detachable members provided around the palm,
    A connection part formed on the opposite side of the side on which the detachable member is formed and surrounding the outer edge of the palm part and connected to the case;
    A robot hand comprising a high-strength portion that is provided between the palm portion and the connection portion and has a predetermined length from the outer edge of the palm portion in the thickness direction of the palm portion and is less likely to deform than the palm portion. .
15. The robot hand according to claim 14, comprising the structure provided on at least one of the detachable members.

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