Direct clamp tooling for robotic applications

Abstract

A direct clamp robotic finishing system is provided including a robot, a gripper secured to the robot, and a pair of fingers secured to the gripper. A tray assembly is also provided for supporting a plurality of implants for picking up by the fingers. An implant reorientation station is provided for supporting the implant being maneuvered by the robot as the robot re-grips the implant from a new direction. The fingers directly clamp the implant thereby eliminating the need for dedicated implant support bars.

1 . A pair of fingers adapted to be coupled to a robotic system for finishing a part, the pair of fingers comprising: 
 a first finger including: 
 a first mounting surface adapted to be coupled to said robotic system; and  
 a first working surface adapted to engage said part; and  
   a second finger including: 
 a second mounting surface adapted to be coupled to said robotic system; and  
 a second working surface adapted to engage said part;  
   wherein said first working surface includes a first clamping channel and said second working surface includes a second clamping channel, said first and second clamping channels having a shape corresponding to a shape of at least one projection of said part.    
   
   
       2 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first finger further comprises: 
 a first mounting leg including said first mounting surface; and  
 a first clamping leg including said first working surface, said first clamping leg being substantially orthogonal to said first mounting leg; and  
   said second finger further comprises: 
 a second mounting leg including said second mounting surface; and  
 a second clamping leg including said second working surface, said second clamping leg being substantially orthogonal to said second mounting leg.  
   
   
   
       3 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein said first working surface and said second working surface face one another and cooperate when converged to grip said at least one projection.  
   
   
       4 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein said first finger includes a pair of pins extending substantially orthogonally relative to said first working surface and said second finger includes a pair of openings for receiving said pins.  
   
   
       5 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein said first working surface and said second working surface face opposite directions and cooperate when diverged to grip said part by engaging at least two of said projections.  
   
   
       6 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a guide pin coupled to said first finger and slidably engaging said second finger to maintain said first and second fingers in a preselected orientation relative to one another.    
   
   
       7 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second fingers includes an opening to accommodate a non-engaged surface of said part.  
   
   
       8 . The pair of fingers of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second fingers comprise a pre-hardened alloy steel.  
   
   
       9 . A pair of fingers adapted to be coupled to a robotic system for finishing a part, the pair of fingers comprising: 
 a first finger including: 
 a first mounting surface adapted to be coupled to said robotic system; and  
 a first working surface extending generally orthogonally relative to said first mounting surface and adapted to engage said part; and  
   a second finger including: 
 a second mounting surface adapted to be coupled to said robotic system; and  
 a second working surface extending generally orthogonally relative to said first mounting surface and adapted to engage said part;  
   wherein each of said first working surface and said second working surface includes a clamping surface engageable with at least one clampable surface of said part.    
   
   
       10 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , wherein said clamping surfaces face one another and cooperate when converged to grip said at least one clampable surface.  
   
   
       11 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , wherein said first finger includes a pair of pins extending substantially orthogonally relative to said first working surface and said second finger includes a pair of openings for receiving said pins.  
   
   
       12 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , wherein said clamping surfaces face opposite directions and cooperate when diverged to grip said part by engaging at least two of said clampable surfaces.  
   
   
       13 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a guide pin coupled to said first finger and slidably engaging said second finger to maintain said first and second fingers in a preselected orientation relative to one another.    
   
   
       14 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said first and second fingers includes an opening to accommodate a non-engaged surface of said part.  
   
   
       15 . The pair of fingers of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second fingers comprise a pre-hardened alloy steel.