A new tube gripper from Techno-Sommer Automatic is designed to hold a wide variety of shapes, including such products as fluorescent tubes, incandescent bulbs, bottles, glasses, cheese and eggs. The gripper's internal bladder conforms to any shape, producing a gripping force that can even hold heavy parts. The operating principle involves a laminated membrane around the I.D. of the gripper. A change in air pressure adjusts the sensitivity of the unit to hold odd shapes with a high degree of friction closure.
Briefly stated, a probe controller is integral with a gripper for the probes's insertion tube. The gripper is easily operated with one hand, permitting a user to hold, release, and insert the insertion tube with the same hand that operates the controls on the controller, thus freeing the user's other hand to feed the insertion tube into the opening, perform other operations, or optionally to operate the controls.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a tube gripper for a probe includes a tube channel running lengthwise through the tube gripper for receiving an insertion tube of the probe; control means, integral with the tube gripper, for controlling at least one function of the probe; and gripping means for frictionally connecting the tube gripper to the insertion tube.
Referring to FIGS. 1-2 , an embodiment of an insertion tube gripper 10 includes a tube channel 12 running throughout its length. Tube channel 12 is preferably sized to accommodate a typical insertion tube 11 of a probe. A front portion 14 of tube gripper 10 contains various probe controls such as a joystick 20 and control buttons 22 . Other possible controls include a track ball, mouse, touch screen, etc. A rear portion 16 of tube gripper 10 optionally includes a wired connection 24 to a probe base station 29 . Alternatively, rear portion 16 contains a small radio transceiver 26 with an antenna 27 for wireless communication to probe base station 29 . Connector 24 or transceiver 26 is preferably connected to a joystick 20 and control buttons 22 via a cable or cables 28 . Power may be provided to the probe controls via wired connection 24 or using a battery.
