OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION
OT-2026-000010673

Two finger electric gripper

Published: 2026-09-17T08:11:52.445886Z
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000010673
Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Mechanical Grippers

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ABSTRACT

A mechanical finger gripper comprising one mounting flange, two gripper
fingers and one contact detector. When the gripper reaches the gripping
position, the gripper fingers are closed by the electric actuator. The
arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of
mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001] This disclosure describes a mechanical finger gripper: two gripper
fingers carried on a mounting flange. It is arranged for starting the cycle at
the moment of contact. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection
is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as
conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and
presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003] Two gripper fingers. The fingers close onto the workpiece and hold it
by form closure; they need access to opposed surfaces of the workpiece. The
count of two follows from the arrangement: the count is the one the source
module states. The fingers are driven by an electric actuator.

[0004] One contact detector. The contact detector reports the moment a
workpiece is present at the gripping face; its sensing technology is not fixed
by this arrangement. The contact detector is mounted on the frame.

[0005] The gripper fingers are carried on the tool side of the mounting
flange.

[0006] The contact detector is mounted on the frame and reports the moment a
workpiece is present between the fingers.

[0007] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0008] The electric finger actuator is supplied from the electrical supply of
the cell.

[0009] The contact detector reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0010]
  - After the contact detector has detected the workpiece, the closing cycle is actuated by the cell controller.

[0011]
  - When the gripper reaches the gripping position, the gripper fingers are closed by the electric actuator.

[0012]
  - While the gripper fingers are in the closed state, the workpiece is clamped by the gripper fingers.

[0013]
  - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the gripper fingers are opened by the electric actuator.

[0014] The cell controller reads the contact detector (on the frame) and
commands the gripper fingers; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0015] Parameter values of this embodiment: drive medium of the gripper
fingers: electric (sets which supply the cell has to provide to the actuator
and how the closing force is set); placement of the contact detector: on the
frame (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected).

5. Provenance and status

[0016] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library
of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and
carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own
construction and operating description. The combination described here is
proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the
blocks used in this arrangement are US-10549431-B2, US-2022339798-A1,
US-2023381975-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is
generated from the structure of the combination.

6. Correction notice

[0017] This publication supersedes OT-2026-000006420, whose text described
this arrangement with defects recorded in the quality register at
https://opentechnical.org/qa/. The earlier publication is unchanged and
remains public. Changes made to reach a consistent configuration:
external_supply removed: a mechanical fingers carries no vacuum circuit.

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OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000010673
Published 2026-09-17T08:11:52.445886Z
https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000010673