Permanent-Magnetically Amplified Robotic Gripper With Less Clamping Width Influence on Compensation Realized by a Stepless Width Adjustment Mechanism

Machines such as robotic grippers use powerful actuators or gearboxes to exert large loads at the expense of energy consumption, volume, and mass. We propose a stepless force amplification mechanism that assists clamping by a pair of permanent magnets, in which the external control force required to adjust their distance, and thus the output force, is suppressed by compensation springs. For further sophistication, we invented a new width adjuster using a lever. By separating the actuation of fingers and compensated magnets temporarily, the adjuster eliminated the nonlinear influence of the object width on the clamping force. The prototype gripper for proof of concept revealed that the adjuster successfully linearized the width-force characteristic with an inclination of 0.15 N/mm, which is sufficiently insignificant compared to the major output force of approximately 50 N. The force amplification effect coexisted with this phenomenon, such that the clamping force was amplified to 137.5% while maintaining the energy consumption of a DC motor, and the force-energy efficiency was multiplied by 1.39. Thus, able to be driven by a weaker, smaller, and lighter actuator, the gripper contributes to extension of the operation time of robots with limited power.