The Handling of Constrained Objects by Active Elastic Fingers and Its Application to Assembly Jobs

Abstract

A robot hand with three elastic fingers which are independently driven by individual motors is applied to assembling jobs of two-dimensional mechanical parts.Firstly, the handling force of the active elastic fingers in the prehension situation is analyzed by introducing the potential of the prehension system. Then the parameters of the prehension system with the specified handling force are determined by solving the inverse problems.Next, assembling jobs of two-dimensional mechanical parts are explained with an example. The active elastic fingers handle one objects so as to fit its position and orientation with those of the another object, keeping specified contact forces. The force balance condition during such a positioning process is discussed. Then the control scheme to the required handling force is made clear.Finally, experiments are carried out for verifying the theoretical results and the feasibility of the practical application. Representative forces during the assembly process are measured and the feasible region of the positioning process is determined.