Patent ID: 8485576

Claim:
A robotic gripping apparatus, comprising: at least two constraining plates arranged in parallel one on top of another with a space therebetween, each of the at least two constraining plates having a plurality of holes formed therethrough such that respective ones of the holes formed in each of the at least two constraining plates are aligned with each other; and a plurality of elongate members, the elongate members being independently movable in an axial direction relative to one another, and each of said elongate members extending through respective ones of the holes formed in each of the at least two constraining plates; wherein a distal end portion of at least one of the elongate members is configured to exert an attraction force on an object to be gripped so as to cause the object to be gripped to be temporarily held by the at least one of the elongate members; and wherein the elongate members protrude from an outermost surface of an outermost constraining plate of the robotic gripping apparatus which opposes the object to be gripped.