Multi-Directional Gripping Apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-directional gripping apparatus, adapted for fetching and positioning workpieces, which is primary comprised of a grabber and a driving mechanism. The grabber is further comprised of a rotation shaft and a plurality of gripping arms; wherein the plural gripping arms are positioned centering around the rotation shaft while extending toward different directions in respective. The driving mechanism includes a vertical driver, a horizontal driver and a rotation driver, by which the grabber can be driven to rotate and perform a vertical movement and a linear horizontal movement. By orientating the plural gripping arms to extend toward different directions in respective, more than one workpieces can be fetched and positioned to be processed simultaneously, such that the operation efficiency of the mechanical platform as well as the gripping apparatus are optimized, thereby the manufacturing process is shortened and the throughput is increased.

1 . A multi-directional gripping apparatus, comprising: 
 a grabber, having a rotation shaft and a plurality of gripping arms being positioned centering around the rotation shaft while extending toward different directions in respective; and    a driving mechanism, for driving the grabber to rotate, to move vertically, and to move horizontally.    
   
   
       2 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a sensing unit, for detecting the position of a workpiece.    
   
   
       3 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit is arranged on the grabber.  
   
   
       4 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a detection signal is generated by the sensing unit, for controlling a corresponding gripping arm of the plural gripping arms to fetch the workpiece as soon as the position of the workpiece is detected by the sensing unit.  
   
   
       5 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing unit further comprises two sensors, being orientated for enabling the sensing directions of the two to be perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       6 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein two gripping arms of the grabber are positioned symmetrically to the rotation shaft of the grabber while extending horizontally toward directions opposite to each other.  
   
   
       7 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each gripping arm is connected to a vacuuming device for enabling the gripping arm to exert a suction force.  
   
   
       8 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein at least a hole is arranged on a surface of each gripping arm contacting to the workpiece fetched thereby while connecting each hole to the vacuuming device for enabling the gripping arm to exert a suction force on the fetched workpiece.  
   
   
       9 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each gripping arm is a horizontal-extending plate.  
   
   
       10 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a notch is formed at the extending end of each gripping arm for enabling the extending end to be shaped like a “U” shape  
   
   
       11 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism further comprises: 
 a vertical driver, for driving the grabber to perform a linear vertical movement;    a horizontal driver, for driving the grabber to perform a linear horizontal movement; and    a rotation driver, for driving the grabber to rotate.    
   
   
       12 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the vertical driver further comprises: 
 a rail device, composed of a vertically arranged rail, being adapted for the grabber to be arranged at the top end of the rail, and a seat, mounted on the rail for enabling the same to slide up and down the rail; and    a power device, for providing power to the rail and thus driving the rail to move up and down while bring along the grabber to move vertically.    
   
   
       13 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the rail device is a ball spline, as the rail is a spline shaft and the seat is a spline sleeve.  
   
   
       14 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the horizontal driver further comprises: 
 a screw device, composed of a horizontally arranged screw and a follower, adapted for the grabber to be arranged thereon while being mounted on the screw for enabling the same to be driven by the screw to move reciprocatively along the axial direction of the screw; and    a driving motor, for driving the screw to rotate and thus bringing the grabber arranged on the follower to move accordingly as the follower is driven to move reciprocatively with respect to the rotation of the screw.    
   
   
       15 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the rotation driver further comprises: 
 a transmission part, connected to the rotation shaft of the grabber; and    a power output device, for outputting power to the transmission part for enabling the transmission part to drive the rotation shaft to rotate.    
   
   
       16 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the power output device is a motor reducer.  
   
   
       17 . The multi-directional gripping apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the transmission part is a belt.