Apparatus and method for handling articles in automated assembly processes

摘要

An accurate high speed gripper assembly for use in handling articles in an automated manufacturing process. The gripper assembly includes a pair of movable fingers which depend from movable carriages mounted in a housing rotatably mounted on the end of a robot arm. A pair of stepper motors are mounted in the housing and are connected to rotary actuators which displace the fingers in discrete incremental steps toward or away from one another when rotated. Compliant elements provided on each finger cooperate with force/torque sensors for determining the proximity of the fingers to an article to be gripped and the gripping force applied by the fingers. The sensors generate signals which are processed in a controller that regulates operation of the stepper motors so as to achieve desired finger movements and gripper forces.