Influence of the Dynamic Effects and Grasping Location on the Performance of an Adaptive Vacuum Gripper

A rigid in-plane matrix of suction cups is widely used in robotic end-effectors to grasp objects with flat surfaces. However, this grasping strategy fails with objects having different geometry e.g., spherical and cylindrical. Articulated rigid grippers equipped with suction cups are an underinvestigated solution to extend the ability of vacuum grippers to grasp heavy objects with various shapes. This paper extends previous work by the authors in the development of a novel underactuated vacuum gripper named Polypus by analyzing the impact of dynamic effects and grasping location on the vacuum force required during a manipulation cycle. An articulated gripper with suction cups, such as Polypus, can grasp objects by adhering to two adjacent faces, resulting in a decrease of the required suction action. Moreover, in the case of irregular objects, many possible grasping locations exist. The model explained in this work contributes to the choice of the most convenient grasping location that ensures the minimum vacuum force required to manipulate the object. Results obtained from an extensive set of simulations are included to support the validity of the proposed analytical approach.