US Patent 9925799 Air pressure loaded membrane and pin array gripper

A universal gripper of objects includes two elastomer membranes separating a bed of rounded tipped nails that allow for object conformation. The object is pushed into a membrane that contacts the object with a known air pressure behind an inner membrane inside the gripper. The air pressure provides conformance and maximum resolution of object curvature to the bed of nails. At least one pin guide and locking plate having flexure fingers is actuated causing a small displacement which clamps each nail in its deformed position. The air pressure on the inner membrane is now removed and afterwards, a vacuum blower is turned ON causing the object to be gripped for removal from a staging platen and moved to a position to receive an image from a printer.