Pivoted Jaws Patents (Class 294/106)
  • Patent number: 11865720
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a handling device includes: a holding part that includes two or more supporting parts and is capable of holding an object by gripping the object with the two or more supporting parts; a calculation part configured to calculate a safety factor indicating safety of a state of the holding part holding the object; and a controller configured to cause the holding part to hold the object according to the safety factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Haruna Eto, Seiji Tokura, Kazuma Komoda, Ping Jiang, Akihito Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11850731
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a robot unit for a technical apparatus comprising: a base connecting the robot unit to the technical apparatus; a first member pivot-mounted on the base; and a second member pivot-mounted on the base or the first member. The first member and the second member are each movable in one direction relative to a degree of freedom by a separate actuator. The first member and the second member are only movable together counter to the direction relative to the degree of freedom by a single counter actuator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Georg Bachmaier, Christian Bachmann, Guillaume Pais, Iason Vittorias, Wolfgang Zöls
  • Patent number: 11794343
    Abstract: Systems and method for grasp execution using height maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Bhaskara Mannar Marthi, Nan Rong
  • Patent number: 11745359
    Abstract: A coupling device is described herein for coupling two objects. The coupling device includes a body having a receiving member, a bore, and a locking pin situated inside the bore. The locking pin is translatable beyond the bore to intercept a portion of an attachment region of an object to removably couple the object to the coupling device. A lever connected to the locking pin allows a user to rotate the locking pin. Upon rotation of the lever, components in the body cause the locking pin to rotate and translate towards the object to intercept the portion of the attachment region of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Think Surgical, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Dixon
  • Patent number: 11666995
    Abstract: In one aspect there is provided a pipe spinner and lifter for supporting and rotating a cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis. The pipe spinner and lifter comprises a pair of jaws that pivot about a pivot member, to allow the pipe spinner and lifter to actuate between an open configuration and a closed configuration. A plurality of rollers are mounted on the jaws, each rotatable about a rolling axis. When the pipe spinner and lifter is in the closed configuration, the cylindrical member can be rotatably captured by the pipe spinner and lifter, allowing the cylindrical member to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Preferably, the plurality of rollers are arranged in a substantially mirrored arrangement on the jaws. More preferably, the rolling axis of each of the rollers is substantially parallel to the cylindrical member's longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PRECISION FIBERGLASS PIPING INC.
    Inventors: Colin Twerdocleb, Nathan Ristau
  • Patent number: 11654564
    Abstract: A grasp generation technique for robotic pick-up of parts. A database of solid or surface models is provided for all objects and grippers which are to be evaluated. A gripper is selected and a random initialization is performed, where random objects and poses are selected from the object database. An iterative optimization computation is then performed, where many hundreds of grasps are computed for each part with surface contact between the part and the gripper, and sampling for grasp diversity and global optimization. Finally, a physical environment simulation is performed, where the grasps for each part are mapped to simulated piles of objects in a bin scenario. The grasp points and approach directions from the physical environment simulation are then used to train neural networks for grasp learning in real-world robotic operations, where the simulation results are correlated to camera depth image data to identify a high quality grasp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yongxiang Fan
  • Patent number: 11590649
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a grip manipulator used in a robot to eliminate an inefficient and power consumable operation caused by the use of multiple manipulators when gripping an object or handling the gripped object. The grip manipulator includes a manipulator body, a support rod of a first group and a support rod of a second group provided to protrude from the manipulator body in a direction, a longitudinal drive unit configured to discharge or introduce the support rod of the first group or the support rod of the second group in the protruding direction, and a transverse drive unit configured to spread or gather the support rod of the first support group or the support rod of the second group in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Wonhee Lee
  • Patent number: 11565357
    Abstract: In one aspect there is provided a pipe spinner and lifter for supporting and rotating a cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis. The pipe spinner and lifter comprises a pair of jaws that pivot about a pivot member, to allow the pipe spinner and lifter to actuate between an open configuration and a closed configuration. A plurality of rollers are mounted on the jaws, each rotatable about a rolling axis. When the pipe spinner and lifter is in the closed configuration, the cylindrical member can be rotatably captured by the pipe spinner and lifter, allowing the cylindrical member to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Preferably, the plurality of rollers are arranged in a substantially mirrored arrangement on the jaws. More preferably, the rolling axis of each of the rollers is substantially parallel to the cylindrical member's longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Precision Fiberglass Piping Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Twerdocleb, Nathan Ristau
  • Patent number: 11504145
    Abstract: Surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument is capable of being operated manually or automatically for use in laparoscopic surgery or various surgeries and includes a locking device capable of locking and/or unlocking at least one operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: LIVSMED INC.
    Inventors: Jung Joo Lee, Heejin Kim, Dongkyu Jang
  • Patent number: 11505404
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle comprises a chassis, a body assembly, a power source, and a side-loading lift assembly. The chassis is coupled to a plurality of wheels. The body assembly is coupled to the chassis and defines a refuse compartment configured to store refuse material. The side-loading lift assembly comprises a refuse container engagement mechanism and at least one electrically-driven actuation mechanism. The refuse container engagement mechanism is powered by the power source and is configured to selectively engage a refuse container. The at least one electrically-driven actuation mechanism is powered by the power source and is configured to selectively actuate the side-loading lift assembly between an extended position, a retracted position, and a refuse-dumping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua D. Rocholl, Derek A. Wente, John T. Kellander, Cody D. Clifton, Vincent Hoover, Zachary L. Klein, Clinton T. Weckwerth, Skylar A. Wachter, Andrew Kotloski, Wallace Buege, Caleb Binder, Martin J. Schimke
  • Patent number: 11434109
    Abstract: A clamping device configured to handle large and fragile objects can include large jaws extended outside a smaller jaw support. The extended areas of the second jaw can be up to 4× of the jaw support, and can contain reinforced ridges configured so that a force applied from the second body portion to the second jaw spreads to the extended areas of the second jaw outside the second body portion, for example, to at least 80%. The clamping device can include an automatic locking mechanism for open and close the jaws from an operator far away from the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Nhon Hoa Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11413722
    Abstract: An apparatus for chemically mechanically polishing includes an arm configured to move a conditioner module. The conditioner module is configured to contact a pad so as to change a degree of roughness of the pad. The pad is configured to contact and polish a semiconductor wafer. The arm has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end has an electromagnetic module. The conditioner module is detachably magnetically coupled to the arm by means of the electromagnetic module. The second end is coupled to a knob and configured to pivot at the knob. The arm moves the conditioner module through the pivoting of the second end at the knob. The conditioner module is disconnected from the arm when a magnetic polarity at the electromagnetic module is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.'
    Inventor: Bo-I Lee
  • Patent number: 11389951
    Abstract: A hand mechanism grips an object more favorably, regardless of the attitude and surrounding conditions of the object. When an object is to be gripped by a hand mechanism having three or more finger portions, at least one finger portion among the three or more finger portions functions as a state-altering finger portion for altering the attitude or the position of the object while contacting the object, and at least two finger portions among the finger portions other than the finger portion functioning as the state-altering finger portion function as gripping finger portions for gripping the object in a state where the attitude or the position has been altered by the state-altering finger portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Kawabata, Yoshimasa Endo, Fumiya Koizumi, Yoshikazu Matsuo, Yuki Nomura, Toshiya Watanabe, Kenji Hidaka
  • Patent number: 11370130
    Abstract: The present invention improves the stability while suppressing increases in the size and heat generation amount of motors used in a hand mechanism. The hand mechanism includes a first driving mechanism for driving a first joint portion of each finger portion and a second driving mechanism for driving a second joint portion of each finger portion, the second joint portion being positioned further away from a tip end portion of the finger portion than the first joint portion. Further, the second driving mechanism is a mechanism having smaller back-drivability than the first driving mechanism. When pressing force is to be exerted on the object from gripping finger portions that are in contact with the object, the motors of the first driving mechanisms are driven to rotate in a direction for bending the first joint portions while the motors of the second driving mechanisms are held in a stopped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Endo
  • Patent number: 11358276
    Abstract: A robot includes: a wrist unit including a plurality of wrist joints; and a plurality of basic joints configured to determine the position of the wrist unit in a three-dimensional space. Only the basic joints are provided with torque sensors configured to detect torque of the basic joints about axis lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka Nakayama, Kenichiro Oguri
  • Patent number: 11345049
    Abstract: A grasping mechanism includes a base and at least two linkage grasping assemblies. Each linkage grasping assembly includes a grasping member, a first rod and a second rod. The grasping member includes a grasping portion and a connecting portion. The first rod has a first end rotatably connected to the connecting portion and a second end rotatably connected to the base. The second rod has a first end rotatably connected to the connecting portion and a second end rotatably connected to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: SHANGHAI FLEXIV ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., FLEXIV LTD.
    Inventors: Ran An, Shiquan Wang
  • Patent number: 11312023
    Abstract: A coupling device is described herein having a body situated between a mounting member and a receiving member. The mounting member mounts to a portion of a machine and the receiving member receives a tool to couple the tool to the machine. The body includes a housing having a locking pin disposed therein. The locking pin includes a plurality of teeth radially positioned about an outer surface of the locking pin. A plurality of pawls disposed in the body engage with the plurality of teeth to lock a rotational position of the locking pin. A lever connected to the locking pin allows a user to rotate the locking pin. Upon rotation of the lever, components in the body cause the locking pin to rotate and translate towards the tool to impose a force on a portion of the tool to rigidly connect the tool to the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Think Surgical, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Dixon
  • Patent number: 11298785
    Abstract: A method of servicing a pipe bundle or riser bundle employs a specially configured hoist having a rail that supports multiple lifts. A selected satellite pipe/conduit of the pipe bundle is both lifted and pulled horizontally in order to remove it from a plurality of supports that hold the satellite pipes together in spaced apart positions. During removal of a satellite pipe, the lifts elevate, then travel with and hold the pipe as it moves horizontally away from the bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Coastal Cargo Company, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Don M. Zemo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11279046
    Abstract: A workpiece holding device includes a plurality of holding claws configured to hold a workpiece, and holding cylinders as claw opening/closing members configured to displace the holding claws in a direction closer to or away from a first workpiece. The holding cylinders are provided for the holding claws, respectively. Therefore, the plurality of holding claws can be opened/closed individually. The holding cylinders are held on a support disk as a holding member in a movable manner. That is, by moving the holding cylinders to arbitrary positions on the support disk, the holding cylinders are positioned fixedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Seo
  • Patent number: 11267139
    Abstract: A method of (and an associated device for) applying or measuring the force applied to a sample tube is disclosed. The method includes the steps of driving a plurality of gripping fingers from an open position to a gripping position against a tube, while measuring the movement of first and second coaxial gears driving the fingers before the fingers grip the tube, stopping the movement of the first coaxial gear when the fingers grip the tube, and allowing and measuring a further limited movement of the second coaxial gear after the fingers grip the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Scinomix
    Inventors: Edward E King, Nigel Malterer, Michael Chrisco
  • Patent number: 11259941
    Abstract: A prosthesis or an orthosis and method of operating the same. The prosthesis or orthosis comprising a moveable component, a motor operable to move the component, wherein the motor has at least one operating parameter, the application of which to the motor results in the component having at least one operating condition; and an electronic device operable to: determine at least one operating parameter of the motor and determine at least one instantaneous operating condition of the component from a predetermined operating profile of the motor and component and the determined at least one operating parameter of the motor, the predetermined operating profile of the motor and component being based on one or more operating parameter inputs to the motor and one or more resulting operating condition outputs of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Touch Bionics Limited
    Inventors: Hugh Gill, Sethu Vijayakumar, Ian Saunders
  • Patent number: 11254015
    Abstract: A lab automation robot is provided including a stationary base, a swiveling tower rotatably mounted to the stationary base about a first vertical axis, an arm vertically translatably mounted to the tower, an articulating forearm coupled to the arm at an elbow joint and pivotal relative thereto about a second vertical axis, and a wrist assembly including a multi-axis gripper operatively coupled to the forearm at a wrist joint and rotatable relative thereto about a third vertical axis. The gripper is further rotatable relative to at least the forearm about a first horizontal axis and about a second horizontal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo CRS Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Riff, Jonathan Wittchen, Gary Darnel, Stephen Wayne Johnson
  • Patent number: 11241801
    Abstract: A robotic end-effector to provide an anthropomorphic hand with a dorsal actuation system. The hand has a substantially planar palm and fingers extending from the palm and capable of flexion and extension relative to the palm. The dorsal actuation system is supported on the palm and fingers, with actuators positioned at a dorsal side of the palm and links positioned at a dorsal side of the fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Sarcos Corp.
    Inventors: Fraser M. Smith, Brian J. Maclean
  • Patent number: 11192263
    Abstract: A robot hand is provided and includes a robot hand control unit that has at least three gripping fingers on a base and controls the robot hand, a plurality of drive mechanisms that brings the three gripping fingers independently close to or separate from each other, a plurality of drive control units that individually controls each of a plurality of drive sources of the plurality of drive mechanisms, and a distribution control unit that is disposed on the base and distributes an instruction value from the robot hand control unit to the plurality of drive control units associated with the plurality of gripping fingers. At least one of the gripping fingers includes an integrally formed drive source and drive control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masamichi Ueno
  • Patent number: 11185995
    Abstract: A robot gripper includes a first gripper finger and at least one second gripper finger, a gripper main body, a base element mounted for rotation about a first rotational axis relative to the gripper main body by a first rotary joint, and an intermediate element mounted for rotation relative to the base element by a second rotary joint. The gripper further includes a finger carrier carrying the first gripper finger and mounted for rotation relative to the intermediate element by a third rotary joint, namely about a third rotational axis, and a drive device that is separate from the first, second, and third rotary joints. The drive device is supported against the gripper main body and is configured to adjust the finger carrier relative to the second gripper finger with a drive force that is introduced into the finger carrier by the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Sven Brudniok
  • Patent number: 11173615
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SOFT ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Rosenstein, Jeff Curhan, Joshua Aaron Lessing, Ryan Knopf, Daniel Harburg, Mark Chiappetta
  • Patent number: 11148295
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a three-dimensional perception and object manipulation robot gripper configured for connection to and operation in conjunction with a robot arm. In some embodiments, the gripper comprises a palm, a plurality of motors or actuators operably connected to the palm, a mechanical manipulation system operably connected to the palm, a plurality of fingers operably connected to the motors or actuators and configured to manipulate one or more objects located within a workspace or target volume that can be accessed by the fingers. A depth camera system is also operably connected to the palm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Robotics Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolaus J. Correll, Austin K. Miller, Branden Romero
  • Patent number: 11148300
    Abstract: A robotic gripping device includes a base part attached to a tip of a wrist of a robot; finger parts, at least one of which is movably supported on the base part so that the finger parts can move toward and away from each other; and a driving mechanism that drives the finger parts. In at least one of the finger parts, flexibility of at least a gripping surface is switchable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinsuke Sakakibara, Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11141867
    Abstract: The invention discloses a robotic dexterous hand including a plurality of finger mechanisms, the finger mechanisms comprises: an actuator; a connecting element with one end fixed to the actuator; a plurality of fingers including a plurality of knuckles, the knuckle includes a fixed knuckle positioned at the other end of the connecting element, the fixed knuckles are arranged in parallel and jointly form a palm of the robotic dexterous hand; wherein the actuator drives the flexion of the fingers to perform the gripping of a target object. The fingers and the palm are built from the multiple knuckles having a same structure. Design is required merely for the structure of a single knuckle, the need for discretely designing the structure of the fingers and that of the palm is obviated, thus greatly reducing the types of components, at the same time, simplifying the structure, and favoring the production and management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventor: Zhi-Kang Wang
  • Patent number: 11117268
    Abstract: A robot hand including a set of carpal bones, each of the carpal bones having at least one adjacent bone; and each carpal bone defining at least one socket. For each pair of adjacent carpal bones, at least one connector having a first and second end and wherein the first end and the second end are each in the form of a ball, and wherein the balls are joined by a connective element. Wherein the ball at the first end of the connector is fitted conformally into the socket of a first one of the pair of adjacent carpal bones and the ball at the second end of the connector is fitted conformally into the socket of a second one of the pair of adjacent bones, thereby joining the carpal bones together, but permitting limited relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventor: Timothy R. Beevers
  • Patent number: 11104010
    Abstract: A workpiece gripping hand includes a first movable member and a second movable member which cooperate with each other to grip an object, a first drive unit which linearly moves the first movable member, a support unit which rotatably supports the second movable member, a link member which is linked to the first movable member and the second movable member, and which rotates the second movable member by transmitting a linear motion of the first movable member to the second movable member, and a second drive unit which moves the support unit to change a position of a center of rotation of the second movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Dohi
  • Patent number: 11058499
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system comprising a supporting column, a plurality of manipulator arms, a control device and a boom. The boom is connected at one end to the supporting column and at the other end includes a plurality of coupling devices for coupling the manipulator arms to the booms Depending on the position of the respective manipulator arm on the boom, some manipulator arms may be connected via first coupling devices with first coupling mechanisms to the boom, and other arms may be connected via second coupling devices to the boom. The first coupling mechanism comprises a first pivot joint. The second coupling mechanism comprises a second pivot joint, a third pivot joint and a linkage part connecting the pivot joints. The axes of rotation of the second and third pivot joints are spaced apart by the linkage part and lie parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: avateramedical GmbH
    Inventors: Leander Hille, Tobias Luksch, Ricardo A. Tauro, Christian Trommer
  • Patent number: 11054322
    Abstract: A tool for fixing a tension clamp including a pair of levers pivotable about parallel axes and carrying at their ends plier jaws that can be moved toward each other and act on the clamp. To monitor the forces occurring during the locking of a buckle and a clamping band of the tension clamp, use is made of a device that has a housing fixed with respect to the tool and power transmission arms. Each power transmission arm is at one end elastically articulated to the housing, has at the other end a contact surface for a force sensor (18) attached to the housing and has, between its ends, a bore, in which the axis of the relevant tool lever is supported. A force/time or force/path curve obtained from the sensor signals is used as a measure of the quality of the locking between the buckle and the clamping band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Oetiker Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Peter Steiner
  • Patent number: 11034029
    Abstract: A joint structure for a robot including a four-link mechanism, in which an elastic member expands and its restoring force increases as a finger is bent, and a distance between a second straight line passing through a center of a second rotation shaft and a fixed point at which the other end of the elastic member is fixed to the third link is equal to or longer than a distance between a fourth straight line passing through a center of a first rotation shaft and a fixed point at which one end of the elastic member is fixed to the second link, the second straight line being perpendicular to a first straight line passing through centers of second and fourth rotation shafts, and the fourth straight line being perpendicular to a third straight line passing through centers of first and third rotation shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 11027930
    Abstract: A side-loading robotic arm for use with rear or mid-body mounted refuse containers. The robotic arm is configured for disposition forward of a container, but may be disposed behind or otherwise oriented relative to the container. The robotic arm includes a tipping arm pivotingly attached to and carried by a carriage body disposed on lateral rails. The tipping arm has a generally right-angle configuration. A lifting arm is pivotingly attached to the tipping arm distal from the carriage body. A pair of gripper arms is disposed on the lifting arm distal from the tipping arm. The right-angle configuration of the tipping arm facilitates pivoting and inversion of bins to be emptied into the refuse containers. The fixed shape of the tipping arm eliminates a mechanical movement operation of the prior art and minimizes potential mechanical interference with other parts of the robotic arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventor: Anthony Stephen Kouri
  • Patent number: 11014250
    Abstract: A gripping device includes a rotating member having a pinion and rotating about a center axis of the pinion, a drive piezoelectric unit having a vibrating portion that vibrates with expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric material, and a convex portion provided in the vibrating portion, being in contact with the rotating member, and transmitting vibration of the vibrating portion to the rotating member, a rack meshing with the pinion and moving with rotation of the pinion, and a gripping part coupled to the rack, wherein a contact portion in which the convex portion and the rotating member are in contact is located outside of an outer circumference of the pinion in a plan view from a direction of a rotation axis of the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventors: Tomohisa Iwazaki, Yutaka Arakawa
  • Patent number: 11000957
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a mechanical hand of a dual-driven special-shaped super-flexible elastic framework. The mechanical hand includes a top plate and a base plate. The top plate and the base plate are fixed into a whole through two groups of guide connection rods. Two lead screw shaft servo motors are disposed on the top plate at an interval. Lead screws of the two lead screw shaft servo motors are respectively connected to a hollow finger front section driving plate and a finger root portion driving plate. Tail ends of the two lead screws are respectively supported on the base plate through two mounted bearings. The mechanical hand further includes flexible fingers. A tip portion of each of the flexible fingers is fixed on the hollow finger front section driving plate. A special-shaped super-flexible leaf spring of the flexible finger is connected to the base plate through a finger root hinge seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jun Zhang, Dingfeng Xu, Qiang Wang, Bing Lv
  • Patent number: 10981282
    Abstract: An attaching-detaching mechanism (23, 63) of a gripping device includes: a tubular support member (44, 84) provided to a movable member (3, 4) to protrude in the guide hole (24, 64); engagement members (46, 86) respectively inserted in support holes (45, 85) of the support member (44, 84) so as to be radially movable; an operation portion (49, 89) inserted in a guide hole (24, 64); wedge portions (50, 90) provided on an inner peripheral wall of the operation portion (49, 89); a connecting rod (53, 93) provided to protrude from a claw member (22, 62) and configured to be insertable into a tubular hole (51, 91) of the support member (44, 84); and a lock portion (56, 96) provided on an outer peripheral wall of the connecting rod (53, 93).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: KOSMEK LTD.
    Inventor: Yosuke Haruna
  • Patent number: 10976032
    Abstract: The invention relates to a luminaire comprising a removable LED chip as an illuminant, a tool for transporting and replacing the removable LED chip, and a combination kit encompassing the luminaire and the tool for transporting and replacing the removable LED chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SLS Superlight Solutions UG
    Inventors: Michael Gilbert, Peter Gilbert, Olaf Heinrich König
  • Patent number: 10893957
    Abstract: A mechanical grasping device where each of the segments of the finger assemblies, are individually sizeable. This allows for both a proportionately scalable grasping device as well as individual customization of geometric configurations tailored to specific use patterns. The mechanical grasping device is crushable since it has flexible and pivotable connections between digits along its length and width. It has a hollow member construction that imparts a strong lightweight design. It is modular so individual parts can be replaced for quick repair. From an aesthetics point, it is visually pleasing and can be offered in different colors, and with custom digit sleeves for specific applications. Finger assemblies can be operated individually or in groups via pairs of cables which allow operation in either voluntary open or voluntary closed modes of control. The flexible construction allows gripping of irregularly shaped objects and deforms before failing giving indication of overload prior to failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Inventor: Ryan William Glasgow
  • Patent number: 10821233
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for gripping a syringe utilizes four gripping members advanceable in different corresponding directions toward a predetermined axis to supportably engage a barrel of a syringe at corresponding circumferentially offset locations. A first motor may be utilized for co-driven advancement of the gripping members in tandem in the different corresponding directions toward the predetermined axis, and for retraction of the gripping members. The gripping members may include corresponding rollers, wherein a single one of the rollers may be rotated in an automated manner during supportive engagement of a syringe by the gripping members. A second motor may be utilized for driven rotation of the single roller. The disclosed embodiments may be utilized for supportive engagement of syringes having a range of syringe diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BAXTER CORPORATION ENGLEWOOD
    Inventors: James Robert Hutchison, Joshua Nathan Aumiller, Michael Dickson Olichney, Yuriy Konstantinovich Umanskiy, Brian William Ward, Robert Mitchell Clark
  • Patent number: 10821601
    Abstract: A kinematic chain comprises a first pulley, arranged to rotate about a rotation axis x, and a second pulley arranged to rotate about a rotation axis y. The kinematic chain comprises then at least one connecting element comprising at least one passage having at least one rotating element, said or each connecting element also comprising at least one interface arranged to connect the connecting element to an adjacent connecting element or to a pulley, generating a rotational constraint about a rotation axis z. The kinematic chain also comprises a transmission element arranged to develop along a determined path for transmitting a rotational motion between the first pulley and the second pulley. The transmission element is adapted to be, in use, fixedly in contact with said or each rotating element by a constraint of rolling friction, in order to allow a modelling the determined path according to a predetermined geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO SANT'ANNA, IUVO S.R.L.
    Inventors: Andrea Baldoni, Francesco Giovacchini, Nicola Vitiello
  • Patent number: 10814478
    Abstract: A joint module has a base, a motion mechanism, a linear driving mechanism, a driving motor assembly, and a transmission. The motion mechanism, the linear driving mechanism, and the driving motor assembly are disposed on the base. The transmission is disposed between the linear driving mechanism and the driving motor assembly. A first transmitting assembly and a second transmitting assembly of the motion mechanism are disposed on the base in parallel. A first linear driving assembly and a second linear driving assembly of the linear driving mechanism are non-coaxial and are disposed on the base in parallel. A first wheel transmitting assembly of the transmission is connected to the driving motor assembly and the first linear driving assembly. A second wheel transmitting assembly of the transmission is connected to the driving motor assembly and the second linear driving assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: National Cheng Kung University
    Inventor: Chao-Chieh Lan
  • Patent number: 10799372
    Abstract: The present invention provides a prosthetic finger. The prosthetic finger includes a finger mounting rack, a worm gear, a rotating shaft, a base joint rack, a finger base knuckle, a finger proximal knuckle, a finger distal knuckle, a tension spring, and a transmission rope, a grommet, a motor reducer assembly, a first bevel gear, a worm, a second bevel gear. The prosthetic finger can ensure that the connection of all the parts is reliable, the rotation of the worm gear is smooth, the tension spring is protected, and the transmission rope is not easy to fall off, so that the working reliability of the whole prosthetic finger can be improved and the possibility of failure can be reduced on the whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: ZORPIA ROBOT CO. LTD
    Inventor: Jinshi Bai
  • Patent number: 10786909
    Abstract: A swing mechanism according to the present invention includes: a first swing member that swings about a first swing shaft; a second swing member that is provided in the first swing member and that swings about a second swing shaft; a traction pulley that is supported by the second swing member and that rotates about a rotational shaft; a fixed pulley that rotates about the second swing shaft; and a wire that is looped around the fixed pulley and the traction pulley. On both sides of the traction pulley, tensions are generated in the same directions by a traction force applied to the other end of the wire. The traction pulley is disposed at a position at which the tensions in the wire acting on the rotational shaft brings about a moment for causing the second swing member to swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriaki Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10773392
    Abstract: A gripping device comprises multiple flexures configured to couple predetermined linkages, a fixed linkage, and an input linkage disposed partially above the fixed linkage. The input linkage comprises a first end portion and a second end portion. Each end portion comprises an output linkage comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, a jaw disposed on the first end portion of the output linkage, and an initial damper linkage disposed below the fixed linkage. The initial damper linkage is coupled with the fixed linkage, the corresponding end portion of the input linkage, and the second end portion of the output linkage. At least one auxiliary damper linkage is disposed below the fixed linkage and adjacent to the initial damper linkage. The at least one auxiliary damper linkage is coupled to the fixed linkage and the second end portion of the output linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Multiply Labs Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Zachary Bright, Jeffrey Ackerman Curhan, Kameron C. Chan, Federico Parietti
  • Patent number: 10772740
    Abstract: A digit mechanism for an artificial hand comprises: a lower digit (44) arranged to be rotatably coupled to a palm unit (12) of the artificial hand; an upper digit (48) rotatably coupled to the lower digit (44); a lower digit rotation mechanism (34, 46, 52, 58) for applying a moment to the lower digit (44) to rotate the lower digit (44) relative to the palm unit (12); an upper digit rotation mechanism (50, 54, 56) for applying a moment to the upper digit (48) to rotate the upper digit (48) relative to the lower digit (44); and a force balancing mechanism (60, 58) for mechanically adjusting the magnitude of the moment applied by the lower digit rotation mechanism (34, 46, 52, 58) and/or the upper digit rotation mechanism (50, 54, 56) in accordance with the magnitude(s) of outside forces resisting rotation of the upper digit (48) and/or the lower digit (44) in order to preferentially apply movement to the digit experiencing lower resistance to movement; wherein the force balancing mechanism is arranged to increa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HY5PRO AS
    Inventor: Josephus Martinus Maria Poirters
  • Patent number: 10766148
    Abstract: A hand mechanism includes three-dimensional cams and claw portions configured to open and close in association with a rotary motion of the three-dimensional cams and achieves a compact and multifunctional configuration. A rotor shaft is a hollow shaft provided with a hollow shaft hole, is assembled in communication with a through hole formed in a cam base portion of a cam pedestal member, and is provided with a functional part in the hollow shaft hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SHINANO KENSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sadaaki Watanabe, Kimihiro Takehana, Yutaka Nagai
  • Patent number: 10744654
    Abstract: A gripper control device includes a controller, the controller is configured to conduct: a grasp quality evaluation process to obtain a grasp quality contribution degree for each of a plurality of contact positions at which fingers that support the object are in contact with the object; a finger-to-be-moved determination process configured to determine, as a finger-to-be-moved, the finger corresponding to one of the contact positions at which the grasp quality contribution degree is low; and a finger movement control process configured to send a control command to a finger driving apparatus, wherein the grasp quality contribution degree for each of the multiple contact positions is defined using at least one of the following elements: relative positions of the plurality of contact positions related to the object; and friction coefficients between the object and the fingers at the plurality of contact positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Weijia Li, Wenjie Chen, Hiroshi Nakagawa, Takafumi Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 10730704
    Abstract: A robotic transport device for small components comprising transport mechanism being suspended at two suspension elements, wherein the two suspension elements are distanced from each other in the direction of transport and wherein the two suspension elements are constructed in such a way that each of them is, independently from each other, be shifted in a direction vertical or substantially vertical to the direction of transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventor: Melvin Haas