Gripper Designs

By
Pragnay Choksi
 INTRODUCTION

• Hands of robots referred to as Grippers

• No single design is ideal for all

applications
 TYPES OF GRIPPERS
• 6 different types described here

– The Clapper

– Two-Pincher Gripper
• Basic Model
• Advanced Model Number 1
• Advanced Model Number 2

– Flexible Finger Grippers

– Wrist Rotation
 The Clapper
• Can be built using
– Metal
– Plastic
– Wood

• This section describes a metal and plastic

clapper
 The Clapper
• Parts List

2 1.5” x 2.5” x (1/16)” thick acrylic plastic

sheet
2 1” x (3/8)” corner angle bracket

1 1.5” x 1” brass aluminum hinge

1 Small 6-vdc or 12-vdc spring-loaded

solenoid
8 ½” x (6/32)” stove bolts, nuts
 The Clapper
• Consists of a wrist joint (assume
permanently attached to forearm of robot)

• Connected to the writ are 2 plastic plates

– Bottom plate is secured to the wrist
– Top plate is hinged

• Small spring-loaded solenoid is positioned

between the two plates
– When solenoid is active, gripper is closed
– When solenoid is not active, gripper is open
 The Clapper (construction)
• Cut both acrylic plastic to 1.5” x 2.33”
pieces
• Attach the lower flap to both corner
brackets
– Place bracket ~ (1/8)” from either side of the
flap
– Secure the pieces using (6/32)” bolts
 The Clapper
• Choice of solenoid is important
– Must fit between the 2 flaps
– Must have a flat bottom to facilitate mounting
– Must operate within the voltage used in your
robot (usually 6V or 12 V)
– If solenoid doesn’t have mounting flanges
opposite the plunger, mount it in the center of
the bottom flap using household cement
 Two-Pincher Gripper
• Two movable fingers
• Three types:
– Basic
– Advance model # 1
– Advance model # 2

• Basic Model:
– Made from extra Erector Set (similar
construction kits may be used)
 Two-Pincher Gripper
Basic Model (parts)
2 4.5” Erector Set grinder

1 3.5” length Erector Set grinder

4 ½” x (6/32)” stove bolts, fender washer,

tooth lock washer, nuts
Mics. ¼” to 16 gauge insulated wire ring lugs,
aircraft cable, rubber tabs, ½” x ½” corner
angle brackets
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Basic Model) construction
• Connect the 4.5” grinders and the 3.5”
grinder using (6/32)” x ½” bolts and nuts to
make two pivoting joints
– Shown on page 407
• Cut two 3” lengths and mount them
– Sand off the ends at an angle to prevent them
from touching
• Cut through two or three holes on one end
to make a slot
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Basic Model) construction
• (6/32)” x ½” bolts and nuts to make
pivoting joints in the fingers

• You can actuate it in a number of ways

– Mount a small eyelet between the two pivot
joints on the angle grinder.
– Thread two small cables through the eyelet
and attach the cable
– Connect to other end of the cables to a
solenoid or a motor shaft
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 1)
• Use a readily available plastic toy and
convert it into a useful two-pincher gripper
for your robot arm
• Toy is a plastic “extension arm”
• Inexpensive contraption
– Usually under $10.00
– Available at many toy stores
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 1) construction
• Chop off the gripper three inches below
the wrist
• Cut through the aluminum cable
• Cut another 1.5” of tubing
– Just the arm not the cable
• Fashion a 1.5” length of ¾” diameter
dowel to fit into the rectangular arm
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 1) construction
• Drill a hole in the dowel for the cable to go
through
– Cable maybe of center, compensate for that
• Place the cable through the hole then
push the dowel at least ½” into the arm
• Drill 2 small mounting holes to keep the
dowel in place
– Use (6/32)” x ¾” bolts and nuts to secure it
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 1) construction
• Use the dowel to mount the gripper on an
arm assembly
• Flatten one end of the dowel and attach it
directly to the arm
• Gripper opens with only (7/16)” pull
• Attach one end of the cable to a 1/8” round
aircraft cable
• Crimp-on connector designed for 14 to 16
gauge electrical wire to connect them end to
end
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 1) construction
• Attach the aircraft cable to a motor or
rotary solenoid shaft
• Activate the motor or solenoid to pull the
gripper closed
• Spring built into the toy arm opens the
gripper when power is turned off
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2)
• Uses a novel worm gear approach
– Without requiring a hard-to-find worm gear
• Worm is a length of ¼” 20 bolt
– Gears are standard 1” diameter 64-pitch
aluminum spur gears
• Hobby stores have these for about $1 a piece
• Turning the bolt opens or closes the
fingers of the grippers
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2) Parts
2 3” lengths (41/64)” x ½” x (1/16)” aluminum channel

2 1” diameter 64-pitch plastic or aluminum spur gear

1 2” flat mending “T”

1 1.5” x ½” corner angle iron
1 3.5” x ¼” 20 stove bolts
2 ¼” 20 locking nuts, nuts, washers, tooth lock
washers
2 ½” x (8/32)” stove bolts, nuts, washers
1 1” diameter 48 pitch spur gear
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2) construction
• Cutting two 3” aluminum channel stock
• Use the 3” flat mending “T” plates as the
base
• Attach the fingers and gears to “T” plates
as shown on page 410
– The distance of the holes is critical
• It depends entirely on the diameter of the gears
you use
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2) construction
• Secure the shaft using a 1.5” x ½” corner
angle bracket
• Mount it to the stem of the “T” using
(8/32)” x 1” bolt and nut
• Add # 10 washer between the “T” and the
bracket to increase the height of the bolt
shaft
• Mount a 3.5” long ¼” 20 machine bolt
through the bracket
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2) construction
• Use double nuts or locking nuts to form a
free spinning shaft

• Reduce the play as much as possible

without locking the bolt to the bracket

• Align the finger gears to the bolt so they

open and close at the same angle
 Two-Pincher Gripper
(Advanced Model 2) construction
• To actuate the fingers
– Attach a motor to the base of the bolt shaft
– The prototype gripper used a ½” diameter 48-
pitch spur gear
– a matching 1” 48-pitch spur gear on the drive
motor
• Operate the motor in one direction the
fingers open
• the motor spins in the opposite direction, the
fingers close
 Flexible Finger Grippers
• Clapper and two-pincher grippers are not like
human fingers
• They lack a compliant grip
– The capacity to contour the grasp to match the object
• You can approximate the compliant grip by making
articulated fingers for your robot
• At least one toy id available that uses this
technique
– Opposing thumb is not articulated, but you can make a
thumb that moves in a compliant griper of your own
design
 Flexible Finger Grippers
• Use the same method as for the two-pincher
gripper
 Wrist Rotation
• Human hand has three degrees of
freedom:
– Twist on the forearm
– Rock up and down
– Rock side to side
• Can add all or some of these degrees of
freedom to the robotic hand
 Wrist Rotation
• Most arm designs just want to rotate the
gripper at the wrist
– Usually preformed by a motor attached at the end
of the arm or at the base
– A cable or chain joins the motor shaft to the wrist
• The gripper motor shaft are outfitted with
mating spur gears
– Can also use chains or timing belts to link the
gripper to the drive motor
 Wrist Rotation
• You can also use a worm gear on the motor
shaft
• Another approach is to use a rotary solenoid
– Have a plate that turns 30 to 50 degrees in one
direction when the power is applied
– It return to its normal position when the power is
removed
• Mount the solenoid on the arm and attach the
plate to the wrist of the gripper
EXPERIMENT WITH GRIPPER
DESIGNS