US 12,434,393 B2
Gripper and a method of using a robot with the gripper
Jens Kongensholm Dalgaard, Arhus (DK)
Assigned to MAREL A/S, Arhus N (DK)
Appl. No. 18/564,690
Filed by MAREL A/S, Arhus (DK)
PCT Filed Jun. 3, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/065240
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 28, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/254030, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 8, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 21177791 (EP), filed on Jun. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253247 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B25J 15/02 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 15/0253 (2013.01) [B25J 11/0045 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gripper for gripping an item, the gripper comprising:
a base,
a first jaw member and a second jaw member, at least one jaw member being movable towards the other jaw member to define a closed jaw position and away from the other jaw member to define an open jaw position, and
a guard structure comprising a first guard and a second guard extending in an upright direction between a free end and the base and each forming a contact surface facing a contact surface of the other guard,
wherein the jaw members are arranged, in response to movement to the closed jaw position, to lift the item in the upright direction to a position located between the contact surfaces of the guards, and
wherein the jaw members are movable along a linear bearing structure and wherein each jaw member defines an inner surface facing an inner surface of the other jaw member and
wherein the inner surfaces, by movement of the jaw members from the open jaw position to the closed jaw position, move from a distal position where a distance between the inner surfaces exceeds a distance between the contact surfaces, to a proximal position where the distance between the contact surfaces exceeds the distance between the inner surfaces;
wherein each of the first guard structure and the second guard structure defines a tapered surface extending from a free end to the contact surface, wherein a distance between tapered surfaces of the first guard structure and the second guard structure is reduced in a direction from each free end towards the base.