Patent ID: 6846029

Claim:
A mechanical gripper for gripping and releasing objects of random size and orientation, comprising: a first and second substantially torus shaped membrane each having a symmetric axis, wherein the first and second torus shaped membranes are elongated parallel to their respective symmetric axis, each torus with a front end, a rear end, an expanded exterior portion and a central channel portion, wherein the symmetric axis of the first torus shaped membrane is substantially parallel with the symmetric axis of the second torus shaped membrane; said first and second torus shaped membranes enclosing an interior volume filled with a fluid material; said first and second torus shaped membranes being sufficiently flexible to allow the central channel portion of each torus shaped membrane to be rotated to the position of the exterior portion of the torus; wherein the second torus shaped membrane is positioned substantially inside the first torus shaped membrane, wherein the expanded exterior portion of the second torus shaped membrane is substantially connected to the central channel portion of the first torus shaped membrane, and a control means attached to said first and/or second torus shaped membrane for mechanically moving said central channel portion and said expanded exterior portion of said first and/or second torus shaped membrane in opposite directions with respect to each other and parallel to the symmetric axis, thereby generating a radial sliding motion of the membrane at said front end of each tori for gripping and releasing objects.