STROKE ENHANCEMENT ADAPTER FOR ELECTRIC PARALLEL GRIPPER EQUIPPING A MOBILE X-Y-Z ROBOTIC SYSTEM

Abstract

The general purpose is to build a mobile robotic system, carrying a x-y-z robotic manipulator equipped with an electric parallel gripper. The gripper is intended to collect waste objects from the ground and to manipulate them to a box container placed on the mobile robot. Unfortunately, grippers with both long stroke and sufficient gripping force are much too heavy. In fact, the admissible load for the x-y-z robotic manipulator carrying the gripper is quite limited, due to its actuation using only 24 VDC. The simple and reliable electric parallel gripper EHPS-25 provided by FESTO, has the following technical characteristics: total stroke 32 mm, gripping force 125 N, gripper mass 0.9 kg. To meet the technical requirements of larger stroke, we propose a stroke enhancement adapter, actuated by the electric parallel gripper at one side by 125 N for a total stroke of 32 mm, and providing to its other side 50 N for an increased stroke of 80 mm.