Gripping device for mechanical fasteners

1. A robot end effector for installing mechanical fasteners, the robot end effector comprising:

a frame;

a gripping device supported on the frame, the gripping device comprising:

a housing, and

a pair of jaws arranged on a holder, the pair of jaws adapted to grip a mechanical fastener therebetween,

wherein the holder is arranged rotatable inside of the housing and wherein the jaws are shaped to facilitate a self-centering of a gripped mechanical fastener,

wherein each jaw is pivotally arranged on a free end of a respective lever arm, and wherein the respective lever arms are pivotally supported by the holder; and

a feeder mechanism supported on the frame for feeding mechanical fasteners, to the gripping device;

wherein the gripping device is rotatably movable on the frame between a first position where the gripping device grips a mechanical fastener from the feeder mechanism, and a second position where the gripping device provides a gripped mechanical fastener to an installation mechanism.

2. The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the jaws has a concave gripping surface that facilitates the self-centering.

3. The gripping device of claim 2 , wherein the concave gripping surface comprises one of a V-shaped or U-shaped gripping surface.

4. The gripping device of the claim 1 , wherein the respective lever arms are supported such that during a pivoting movement of the lever arms, the free ends of the lever arms move toward or away from each other.

5. The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein pivot axes of the two lever arms are parallel.

6. The gripping device of claim 5 , wherein the pivot axes of the two lever arms are not identical and define a plane that is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the holder.

7. The gripping device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuating piston that actuates the lever arms.

8. The gripping device of claim 7 , wherein:

at least one of the lever arms comprises an actuating projection that is offset from the pivot axis of the lever arm;

the actuating piston is linearly movable inside the holder and is adapted to interact with the actuating projection; and

the actuating piston is arranged such that it rotates with the holder.

9. The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein the jaws are actuated pneumatically.

10. The gripping device of claim 1 , wherein the holder has a cylindrical hollow shape.

11. The robot end effector of claim 1 , wherein the gripping device is linearly movable on the frame.

12. A robot comprising a robot end effector in accordance with claim 1 .