Patent ID: 8651543

Claim:
A grasping apparatus comprising: a grasping portion for grasping a workpiece, the grasping portion including i) pawl portions having a plurality of squeezing portions that squeeze the workpiece, and ii) contact portions, each of which has a bag member made of elastic material, and a granular substance that is filled in the bag member, the contact portions being attached to portions of the squeezing portions that contact the workpiece, and hardening the granular substance while keeping the granular substance in an appropriate shape by increasing a volume ratio of the granular substance to an inner volume of the bag member, wherein a retaining portion that has a concave or convex shape is formed at a portion of each of the pawl portions, to which the corresponding contact portion attaches; and the pawl portions squeeze the workpiece, the contact portions are pressed against the workpiece, and the granular substance is hardened in a state where the contact portions are deformed following the workpiece and the retaining portions, thereby hardening the contact portions in a state conformed to the workpiece and the retaining portions to grasp the workpiece.