ELECTROTHERMAL CAPTURING DEVICE Russian patent published in 1995 - IPC

FIELD: robotics. SUBSTANCE: device has a stationary member, that is housing 1 with a flange for fastening to the manipulator. Flexible bendable members 3 made of the material with the invertible thermal storage of the form in the shape of straight bands-plates are rigidly fixed on the housing. Members 3 are located symmetrically to each other and to the device center. Resilient members 4 ("fingers") made of the insulating material are rigidly mounted on the loose ends of members 3. Heating element 5 is set up in the housing, in the device center, along its longitudinal axis. The switching on and switching off of the capturing device are exercised by external switch 8. In the initial state the device has the minimum diameter and can capture and hold articles of a little bit greater diameter for the outer surface. When during the operation switch 3 locks the power supply circuit of heating element 5, the temperature of flexible members 3 rises and each of them arches to the side opposite to element 5, and the captured object is released. The device having the maximum diameter can embrace and hold articles for the inner surface. EFFECT: enhanced reliability of capturing. 4 dwg