Patent ID: 7370897

Claim:
An article gripping device comprising: a device body; a first ring extending circumferentially about and radially from a center point, the first ring fixed to the device body; a plurality of gripping members arranged in a circumferential direction on an inner periphery side of the first ring, said gripping members operative to rectilinearly move along a radial direction relative to the center point and to and between a non-gripping state and a gripping state, each of said gripping members as viewed in the circumferential direction having convex portions in a form of fingers at one end and concave portions in a form of recesses at an opposing end so that consecutive ones of the gripping members engage with each other by the convex portions of one gripping member being slidably received by the concave portions of a next gripping member when in and moving between the non-gripping state and the gripping state; a support mechanism for supporting each of said gripping members so that said gripping members can be moved in the radial direction, said support mechanism including a fixed member fixed to said first ring and a movable member fixed to the gripping members, said movable member engaged with a groove provided in the fixed member so as to be slidable in the radial direction, the groove is formed to guide said movable member in the radial direction to extend to the radial direction; and a linking mechanism connected to each support mechanism, each of said linking mechanisms being configured and arranged for moving one of said movable members in the radial direction.