This specification relates generally to a gripper for use, e.g., with an automated system, such as, but not limited to, a robotic test system.
Robot grippers may be custom-developed for specific applications. General purpose robot grippers exist, which mimic the human hand, use jamming technology, or use vacuum pick-up. Mechanical hand-like grippers and jamming grippers may, in some cases, be too large to pick-up small objects. Vacuum pick-up may be limited by the amount of smooth area available on an object and the object's weight.
An example gripper comprises: a base; two or more fingers attached to the base; and one or more ports located on the base or on at least one of the two or more fingers to provide suction through a vacuum. The example gripper may include one or more of the following features, either alone or in combination.
Each of the two or more fingers may comprise multiple parts interconnected at, and movable about, one or more joints. Each of the two or more fingers may have an inner surface facing one or more others of the fingers and an outer surface facing away from one or more others of the fingers. The one or more ports may be located on inner surfaces of the fingers. The one or more ports may be located on outer surfaces of the fingers. At least one of the two or more fingers may have a tip that can be configured to face away from the base, and at least one of the one or more ports may be located on the tip. At least one of the ports may be on the base.
Each of the two or more fingers may have an inner surface facing others of the fingers, an outer surface facing away from others of the fingers, and a tip that can be configured to face away from the base. For each of the fingers, at least one of the ports may be located on at least two of: the inner surface, the outer surface, and the tip. At least one of the ports may also be on the base.
The gripper may further comprise: one or more vacuum sources to produce vacuum for the one or more ports; and one or more controllers to control the vacuum sources to produce the vacuum. The one or more controllers may be configured (e.g., programmed or designed) to control the one or more vacuum sources to apply vacuum to individual ports independently.
The gripper may comprise a cannula disposed in the base that is extendible from the base, and retractable into the base. A port may be on the cannula (e.g., the tip of the cannula) to provide suction through a vacuum. A cannula may be in at least one of the fingers, that is extendible from the at least one of the fingers, and that is retractable into the at least one of the fingers. A port on the cannula (e.g., on the tip of the cannula) may provide suction through a vacuum. Each finger may be bendable towards, and away from, an interior of the gripper.
Example automatic test equipment (ATE) may comprise: one or more instruments to test a device under test (DUT); and a gripper to grasp the DUT during movement of the DUT relative to an interface to the one or more instruments. The gripper may comprise: a base; two or more fingers attached to the base, with each finger being interconnected at, and movable about, one or more joints; and one or ports at the base or at one or more of the fingers to provide suction through a vacuum.
An example gripper may include: a base; two or more fingers attached to the base, with each finger being movable towards, and away from, one or more others of the fingers; and one or ports at the base or at one or more of the fingers to provide suction through a vacuum. The example gripper may include one or more of the following features, either alone or in combination.
Each of the fingers may have an inner surface facing one or more others of the fingers and an outer surface facing away from one or more others of the fingers. The one or more ports may be located on inner surfaces of the fingers. The one or more ports may be located on outer surfaces of the fingers.
At least one of the fingers may have a tip that is movable to face away from the base, and at least one of the one or more ports may be located on at least one tip. The gripper may also include one or more vacuum sources to produce vacuum for the one or more ports, and one or more controllers to control the vacuum sources independently.
Any two or more of the features described in this specification can be combined to form implementations not specifically described herein.
Automated systems and techniques, with which the implementations described herein may be used, or portions thereof, can be implemented as/controlled by a computer program product that includes instructions that are stored on one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media, and that are executable on one or more processing devices to control (e.g., coordinate) the operations described herein. The automated systems and techniques including the gripper described herein, or portions thereof, can be implemented in an apparatus, method, or electronic system that can include one or more processing devices and memory to store executable instructions to implement various operations.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference numerals in different figures indicate like elements.
Robot grippers, also known as End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) or End Effectors, may be used to pick-up objects for transportation or assembly. For example, in automatic test equipment (ATE), a robot gripper may pick-up a device under test (DUT), and a robotic arm to which the gripper is attached may move the DUT between a loading station and a test slot or test head. At that point, the gripper may let go of the object, and the arm may move the gripper to another device. Grippers may be custom-designed to be specific to the object to be moved. For example, a gripper may be designed, both in structure and size, to pick-up a DUT in ATE.
Although the grippers presented herein are described in the context of testing and ATE, the grippers described herein may be used in any appropriate robotic or automated process, including non-test applications.
A vacuum gripper may employ a vacuum to lift an object. The object being lifted typically has a smooth surface area against which a vacuum is applied.
A general-purpose mechanical gripper may use a grasping or pinching motion to grab an object. A mechanical gripper uses friction to maintain its grasp on an object. The use of resilient materials, such as rubber, at a contact surface of the mechanical gripper (e.g., the surface that contacts the object to be picked-up) may allow some conformation of the contact surface to the shape of the object to be lifted, increasing friction. A vise gripper is an example of a mechanical gripper.
The vise gripper 15 of
Referring to
Jamming grippers may require that the object be thick enough to have a side on which to exert some frictional force, or to have a protrusion that the gripper can mostly surround. Jamming grippers also may require that the object be large in proportion to the granules, so that the granules can flow when not jammed. Jamming grippers also may require that the gripper be significantly wider than the object to be grasped, so that the gripper membrane and granules can surround the object on at least two sides. As such, jamming grippers may not be suitable for picking up relatively small objects (e.g., small screws, small electronic components), objects of different sizes, or flat objects (e.g., sheet metal, paper). Finally, jamming grippers can, in some cases, generate electrostatic discharge (ESD) due to the large volume of air generally used for jamming and unjamming, and the triboelectric transfer of charge between the granules as they rub past each other.
The use of resilient materials to increase friction may also be problematic. The materials may wear and need to be replaced. They also can limit the dexterity of a gripper, e.g., a gripper with a resilient pad may not be able to grasp a relatively small or thin object. The part may become embedded (stuck) in the pad, or the pad may deform too much before sufficient friction is obtained to achieve lift.
An example grasping gripper 26 is shown in
In the example of
In the example of
In the example of
As shown in the example of
Thus, as explained above, the fingers may have a rigid shape, or they may be articulated. The gripper may be actuated electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or using any other appropriate mechanism(s). For example, two or more (e.g., all) of the fingers may be controlled individually, or in concert, to generate motion appropriate to grasp, and to pick-up, an object. As described herein, each finger part may be controlled to pivot about and/or rotate around its corresponding joint to implement the movements described herein. In some implementations, each finger part is controllable individually. As noted, in some implementations, control over the parts may be coordinated, as appropriate, to achieve a desired configuration. Control may be implemented via one or computer programs (comprised of instructions/code) that are executable on one or more computers remote to the grasping gripper, or via one or more computer programs that are executable on one or more controllers or other processing devices that resides locally on the grasping gripper itself, on a robotic arm to which the grasping gripper is attached, or on a robot to which the grasping gripper is attached. Control signals from the computer(s) or other processing devices may be sent to the grasping gripper (or parts thereof) via wired or wireless connections or a combination of wired and wireless connections.
In operation, grasping gripper 26 picks-up objects by friction generated between two or more fingers, e.g., by surrounding the object with the fingers and clamping the object. In some implementations, an entire finger or individual part(s) thereof may be bent back, e.g., away from, the base. For example, part 31 may be bent back along the direction of arrow 40 so that part 31 is substantially parallel to base 30, or bent back beyond that position. In some implementations, various parts of the grasping gripper may be controllable to bend back in this manner. For example, each finger may be bent so that it is parallel or substantially parallel to base 30, thereby resembling an open hand with the palm/base exposed.
In the example of
The vacuum force is analogous to a human wetting their finger to generate surface tension to lift an object prior to grasping the object by pressing it against a second finger or the palm of the hand for subsequent movement under higher acceleration. Here, vacuum is used instead of surface tension. In some implementations, subsequent grasp may not be necessary if the object is light enough and the vacuum force is high enough. However, in some implementations, subsequent grasp may be necessary if the object is not light enough and/or the vacuum force is not high enough. The vacuum force may be a function of the size of the object and the grasping force that is applied by the fingers. For example, assuming a same size object, a higher vacuum force is required if no grasping force is used, whereas a lower vacuum force may be used if grasping force is also used. In this regard, the terms “high” and “low” used herein do not have any specific numerical connotations, but rather are used to denote relative size.
By folding several fingers out of the way, a single fingertip vacuum port may be used to selectively lift an object from a confined space, or when surrounded by other objects. In this example, “out of the way” may refer, e.g., to the bending back of a finger away from the finger that is performing the lifting. In this example, vacuum force alone is used to generate sufficient force to pick-up an object; grasping through opposable fingers is not used. In some implementations, as appropriate given the structure of the grasping gripper, different parts of each finger may be operated in this manner to pick-up objects. For example, in some implementations, two or more fingertips may be moved relative to an object to enable the vacuum ports on those fingertips to operate in concert and together generate enough force to lift the object absent grasping force.
When the grasping gripper is used for non-vacuum-assisted grasping, fingertip vacuum ports (e.g., port 42 of
In some implementations, the fingers can be folded out of the way (rotating so as to be at or beyond the plane of the base). In this configuration, a flat object can be lifted off of a surface via vacuum force generated through the one or more vacuum ports on the base. The fingers may then be folded around the object for subsequent movement under higher acceleration. Thus, much like fingers on a human hand can be extended leaving the open palm free to contact a surface, the fingers of grasping gripper can be controlled so as to allow the base 59, and thus one or more vacuum ports (e.g., 47) on the base, to contact a surface.
For standard, non-vacuum-assisted grasping, vacuum ports on the backs of the fingers (e.g., port 50 of finger 44 in
Some implementations of the grasping gripper described herein may include one or more of the following features, either alone in combination with the features described elsewhere herein. Some implementations of the grasping gripper described herein may also include one or more features of the grippers shown in
In some implementations, the vacuum ports may be individually actuated, or a single actuation may be performed to control the vacuum force generated through the vacuum ports. For example, all vacuum ports may be connected to a single vacuum source to achieve vacuum force through the ports. The sizes of the ports may influence the amount of vacuum force achieved. In some implementations, different vacuum sources may be connected to the different vacuum ports, thereby allowing different vacuum ports having the same size to generate different vacuum force. Various control methods may be used for shutting off the suction to ports that are not in contact with an object. For example, in the cases of separately controllable vacuum sources, the source(s) to different ports may be shut-off or reduced in suction. In some implementations, including those that use a single vacuum source for example, electromechanical switches may be controllable to open or close the vacuum ports individually and independently.
One or more of the vacuum ports may have a cannula that may be selectively extended and retracted, for enhanced selectivity and clearance when extended, and for enhanced protection and flexibility when retracted. The cannula may include a tube or the like, that is extendible, that is hollow, and that includes a port at a tip thereof to enable vacuum force to be created at the end of the cannula. As a result, the cannula can be used in small spaces to pick-up objects using vacuum force, and then retract when not needed. For example, a cannula may be extended from the base of the hand to pick-up a flat object, and then be retracted while carrying the object, as the fingers close around the object. In some implementations, a relatively small cannula may be extended from the tip of a finger to allow greater selectivity without restrictions resulting from finger size in a confined space. Each cannula, and the vacuum force generated therethrough, may be separately and individually controlled via one or more computer programs, as described herein.
Different size and shapes of vacuum ports may be used in different parts of the grasping gripper. The sizes and shapes of the vacuum ports may be dependent upon the size of the grasping gripper and on the size of object(s) that the grasping gripper is intended to pick-up. Generally, for the same amount of vacuum suction, a larger port will produce less vacuum force than a smaller port. In this regard, the terms “larger/larger” and “small/smaller” used herein do not have any specific numerical connotations, but rather are used to denote relative size.
The vacuum ports described herein, and associated features, may also be incorporated into a vise-type gripper, such as that shown in
In some implementations, a single grasping gripper of the type described herein is capable of lifting large objects (e.g., a standard-sized brick), small objects (e.g., a 0603 resistor), porous objects (e.g., a square of cotton cloth), irregular and delicate objects (e.g., a piece of coral), and/or thin objects (e.g., a 100×50 mm piece of 0.15 mm thick aluminum). Grasping grippers having different sizes and shapes may be usable to lift different sized and shaped objects.
The grasping gripper described herein can be used in any appropriate factory or warehouse applications including, but not limited to, test applications, such as automatic test equipment (ATE) used to test various components that need to be grabbed and moved.
Devices tested by such ATE may include any appropriate semiconductor or other testable device that can be contacted and lifted by the grasping gripper described herein. The devices may include, but are not limited to, devices at the integrated circuit (IC) package level, which may be used in various applications, such as solid state drives. A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. The grasping gripper described herein may be used to lift a device to be tested by the system, as described herein.
Referring to
In some implementations, the test system also includes at least one computer in communication with robot 60. The computer may include one or more processing devices (e.g., multiple computers or devices) and may be configured to provide inventory control of the devices under test and/or an automation interface to control the device test system, including robot 60. Test electronics that are part of the test system may include one or more processing devices to execute test processes and monitor the status (e.g., temperature, performance, etc.) of the devices under test.
The example grippers described herein, or automated systems that use those grippers, may be controlled using hardware or a combination of hardware and software. For example, a system that includes the gripper described herein may include various controllers and/or processing devices located at various points. A central computer may coordinate operation among the various controllers or processing devices. The central computer, controllers, and processing devices may execute various software routines to effect control and coordination of system operation.
System, including gripper, operations can be controlled, at least in part, using one or more computer program products, e.g., one or more computer program tangibly embodied in one or more information carriers, such as one or more non-transitory machine-readable media, for execution by, or to control the operation of, one or more data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, multiple computers, and/or programmable logic components.
A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a network.
Actions associated with implementing all or part of the testing and calibration can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform the functions described herein. All or part of the testing and calibration can be implemented using special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and/or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).
Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only storage area or a random access storage area or both. Elements of a computer (including a server) include one or more processors for executing instructions and one or more storage area devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from, or transfer data to, or both, one or more machine-readable storage media, such as mass PCBs for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Machine-readable storage media suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile storage area, including by way of example, semiconductor storage area devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash storage area devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
Any “electrical connection” as used herein may imply a direct physical connection or a connection that includes intervening components but that nevertheless allows electrical signals (including wireless signals) to flow between connected components. Any appropriate “connection” involving electrical circuitry mentioned herein, unless stated otherwise, is an electrical connection and not necessarily a direct physical connection regardless of whether the word “electrical” is used to modify “connection”.
Elements of different implementations described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically set forth above. Elements may be left out of the structures described herein without adversely affecting their operation. Furthermore, various separate elements may be combined into one or more individual elements to perform the functions described herein.
Priority is hereby claimed to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/056,092, filed on Sep. 26, 2014. The contents of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/056,092 are incorporated herein by reference.
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