Robot hand
A robot gripper including: a base section; a first finger connected to the base section by a base section joint and n phalanxes; a second finger connected to the base section by a base section joint and n+m phalanxes, each phalanx of the second finger being connected to an adjacent phalanx by a phalanx joint and the first and second fingers being opposable to one other; wherein n and m are positive integers.
1 . A robot gripper comprising:
a base section;
a first finger comprising a first phalanx connected to the base section by a first base section joint; and
a second finger connected to the base section by a second base section joint and comprising first and second phalanxes, wherein the first phalanx of the second finger is connected to the base section by the second base section joint, wherein the second phalanx is connected to the first phalanx of the second finger by a phalanx joint, wherein the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint are pivotable joints, and the first and second fingers being opposable to one other,
wherein the base section comprises a surface extending between the first and second base section joints, a distance between the first and second base section joints being substantially the same length as the first phalanx of the second finger such that the first and second fingers may be brought parallel to one another such that the first phalanx of the first finger is adjacent to the second phalanx of the second finger.
2 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint is rotatable about an axis and the respective axes of the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint within the robot gripper are parallel to one another.
3 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint comprises a motor.
4 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the respective motors associated with the first phalanxes are located within the base section.
5 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the motor associated with the second phalanx is located within the second finger.
6 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising an arm section which is rotatably connected to the base section via a wrist connection and wherein each motor is located within the wrist connection remote from the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint, each motor being connected to a corresponding one of the first and second base section joints and the phalanx joint by a tendon linkage.
7 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second fingers comprises a tip portion and the first and second fingers are configured to move between an open configuration and a pinch configuration where the respective tip portions of the first and second fingers are in contact.
8 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second fingers comprise a fingernail protrusion.
9 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising further fingers opposing the first finger, each further finger comprising at least two phalanxes.
10 . A robot comprising the robot gripper according to claim 1 .
11 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second fingers are configured to move between an open configuration and a pinch configuration, wherein when the first and second fingers are in the pinch configuration, the surface of the base section is disposed adjacent and faces the first phalanx of the second finger.
12 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the surface of the base section lies on an imaginary plane, and wherein each of the first and second base section joints is offset from the imaginary plane.
13 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first and second base section joints are offset from the imaginary plane in opposite directions normal to the imaginary plane.
14 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first and second fingers are in the open configuration, the first and second fingers are oriented perpendicular relative to one another.
15 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first and second fingers are in the pinch configuration, the first and second fingers are oriented parallel relative to one another.
16 . The robot gripper as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base section includes a projection standing proud from the surface of the base section, wherein the second base section joint is provided on the projection.