Patent ID: 9038255
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: B25J,B68G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A gripper for use in a seat trim application process comprising: a sleeve; a plurality of prongs retractably retained within and moveable relative to the sleeve for selectively gripping a component, wherein at least one spring biases at least one end of the prongs toward one another when the prongs are in a neutral position such that the prongs are allowed to move relative to each other if the bias is overcome, wherein each of the plurality of prongs includes at least one chamfered surface adjacent the one end and facing another of the plurality of prongs, the chamfered surface being configured to facilitate insertion of the component between the prongs when the prongs are in the neutral position; the sleeve comprises a channel having a contour that controls whether the prongs are in the neutral, a closed or a released position based on a location of the prongs relative to an end of the sleeve; the contour includes a portion having a reduced dimension inside the sleeve near an open end of the sleeve; the prongs include an outside surface near a more inward end of the prongs; and the outside surface interacts with the portion of the contour to urge the at least one end of each prong away from each other to position the prongs in the released position.