US20100218464A1

US20100218464A1 - Gripper for an automated manipulator and method for operation of the gripper

Info

Publication number: US20100218464A1
Application number: US12/715,445
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Baumann
Original assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
Current assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 2009-03-02
Filing date: 2010-03-02
Publication date: 2010-09-02
Also published as: DE102009011301B4; DE102009011301A1

Abstract

A manipulator gripper in particular for palletizing and/or depalletizing bundles by means of a robot, has a tool flange for connection to a manipulator; a clamp stop and a counter-stop. Both extend along a lowering axis. A support base extends toward the counter-stop in an insertion plane. The counter-stop and/or the clamp stop can be shifted toward the insertion plane of the support base along the lowering axis, relative to the tool flange.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a manipulator gripper, in particular for palletizing and/or depalletizing bundles by means of a robot, as well as a method for handling a bundle by means of an automated manipulator with such a gripper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many fields, one or more layers of goods bundles—that, for example, can be bound in containers, on trays or by packing means or packing aids (such as films)—of individual goods are stacked on conveyors (for example belt, chain or roller conveyors) as well as on transport aids (in particular pallets, table shelves or the like) and are therefore assembled, for example for transport, storage or sale. A layer or partial layer of such individual goods and/or goods bundles (in particular also an individual good or a goods bundle alone) is subsequently uniformly designated as a bundle.
Typical examples are homogeneous or mixed stacks of drink cases, Tetrapaks or the like. A widespread application is the assembly of a mixed pallet of goods based on an order of a retail store at a wholesaler: the goods ordered by the retailer are assembled from a storage [warehouse] of the wholesaler. The desired goods are thereby taken from homogeneous pallets and individually assembled on a delivery pallet according to the customer order. The mixed, consigned pallet is then delivered to the retailer.
A multi-axis manipulator gripper for depalletizing of stacked bundles is known from WO 2007/131668 A1. This has two movable support bases that drive under a layer in a closing motion and lift the layer with a positive fit by rollers that are rotated by a motor on the front sides of the support bases that face one another. By means of a movable clamping stop, the layer can be braced against a fixed counter-stop after being supported on the support bases that have been slid together. At right angles to this, the layer can be centered by additional, movable mechanical stops on the support bases and be pinned down.
A disadvantage of this known gripper is that the bundle take-up and placement possibilities of this gripper are limited. For example, due to the insertion movement of the support bases from the outside on both sides a bundle standing on a stop cannot be accepted and placed, in particular a bundle that is arranged without any or only with a small, distance from adjacent bundles or other boundaries in the layer cannot be accepted and placed. Only freestanding layers can be picked up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to improve the handling of bundles by means of a manipulator.
A manipulator gripper according to the invention is particularly suited for palletizing and/or depalletizing bundles, i.e. to place or take up layers or partial layers of individual goods and/or goods bundles on or from a supporting surface (in particular a conveyor, a conveyor means or an additional layer or partial layer of individual goods or goods bundles) by means of a manipulator, in particular an articulated or portal robot.
The manipulator gripper has a tool flange for connection to the manipulator that is preferably connected in a detachable manner with a robot hand or, respectively, a tool holding fixture of the manipulator or is fashioned integrally with this. Arranged on the tool flange are a clamp stop and a counter-stop that both extend with a stop surface along a lowering axis as well as a support base that extends in an insertion plane toward the counter-stop.
According to the invention, the counter-stop and/or the clamp stop can be slid along a first movement axis (designated in the following as a lowering axis) relative to the tool flange toward the insertion plane of the support base, wherein a movement toward the insertion plane is generally designated as “lowering” in the following (without limitation of the generality); a movement away from the insertion plane is designated as “raising”.
In that a stop is lifted away upon taking up an acceptance or, respectively, placement position of the bundle away from the insertion plane of the support floor along the lowering axis, bundles standing on the stop can also be handled, wherein the stop can advantageously be lowered along the lowering axis and thus the bundle can be fixed when it is not standing on the stop. In addition to this, an approach with different gripper orientations relative to the bundle is also advantageously possible.
The support base can be slid behind (in particular under) the bundle via a corresponding insertion movement of the gripper. In a preferred embodiment, however, the manipulator gripper is fashioned in a multi-axis design in that the support base can be shifted towards the counter-stop along a second movement axis (subsequently designated as the insertion axis) in the insertion plane, relative to the tool flange. A bundle can hereby also be gripped with the support base from behind, even given a gripper standing still relative to it, advantageously from the side facing away from the tool flange. The lowering axis preferably stands essentially at a right angle to the insertion plane.
Corresponding recesses (clearances; gaps) for the support base at the side of the bundle and/or the supporting surface are advantageously provided for the insertion of the support base behind one side of the bundle. For example, a fork-shaped support base can be slid into interstices of a conveyor chain or recesses of a pallet on which the bundle rests.
In a preferred embodiment, the bundle can be fixed (in particular clamped) positively or non-positively between the pusher stop and the counter-stop. For this the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop is reduced along a clamp axis. This can ensue in that the clamp stop is formed by the support base, in particular an angle flange of the support base. In that the support base is shifted towards the counter-stop along the insertion axis, relative to the tool flange, the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop is reduced. Additionally or alternatively, the counter-stop can also be fashioned so as to be shiftable towards the clamp stop, relative to the tool flange.
In a preferred embodiment, the clamp stop is a component separate from the support base and which can be shifted towards the counter-stop along the clamp axis, relative to the tool flange and the support base. Insertion axis and clamp axis (which clamp axis thus forms a third movement axis of the manipulator gripper, which then has at least three axis) are preferably oriented essentially aligned parallel to one another or aligned with one another.
To release the bundle fixed non-positively and/or positively by counter-stop and the clamp stop, in reverse the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop is increased along the clamp axis, in particular in that the clamp stop is slid away from the counter-stop along the clamp axis.
If support base and clamp stop are slid apart from one another by shifting the support base along the insertion axis and/or sliding the clamp stop along the clamp axis, the bundle can be slid down from the support base (“pushed off”, so to speak).
By means of an (in particular three-axis) gripper according to the invention, a bundle can be handled in many ways, in particular be picked up from a supporting surface or be placed on it. Different basic patterns can thereby be advantageously combined with one another:
By reducing the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop, in particular by sliding the clamp stop along the clamp axis towards the counter-stop, the bundle can be fixed non-positively and/or positively between clamp stop and counter-stop, wherein the counter-stop and/or the clamp stop is lowered along the lowering axis.
Both a take-up that is free of play (in particular a non-positive take-up) and a securing that is subject to play are thereby designated as “fixing”. If the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop is smaller than the corresponding outer dimension of the undeformed bundle, this is clamped positively under a (possibly slight) deformation of bundle, clamp stop and/or counter-stop. By contrast, if the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop corresponds to at least the corresponding outer dimension of the undeformed bundle, this is secured against falling off on the support base.
In order to release the fixing, the distance between clamp stop and counter-stop is enlarged, in particular in that the clamp stop is shifted away from the counter-stop along the clamp axis.
By an at least partial insertion of the support base behind one side of the bundle (which can ensue by shifting the support base relative to the tool flange and/or shifting the tool flange along the insertion axis), the bundle can be fixed positively on the support base. If an underside of the bundle is thereby engaged from behind or below, the gripper (also) acts as a fork-type grabber.
The bundle is slid down from the support base by sliding apart support base and clamp stop, which can ensue by shifting the support base along the insertion axis and/or shifting the clamp stop along the clamp axis.
By shifting the gripper or tool flange in the insertion plane towards the support base with opposite shifting of the support base relative to the tool flange, a bundle can be shifted by the lowered counter-stop from a supporting surface onto the support base arranged next to this. In reverse, a bundle can be released by shifting the gripper away from the support base in the insertion plane with opposite sliding apart of support base and clamp stop.
A bundle can analogously be shifted by the lowered support base from a supporting surface onto the counter-stop arranged next to this if, given a rotated gripper, the lowering plane of the counter-stop (in which this extends and can be shifted) is positioned behind the side of the bundle facing away from the support base given a counter-stop that is not completely lowered along the lowering axis, by shifting the gripper or tool flange away from the insertion plane of the support base in the lowering plane of the counter-stop with opposite lowering of the counter-stop toward the insertion plane of the support base along the lowering axis.
If the bundle is fixed non-positively and/or positively between damp stop and counter-stop, it can be reoriented relative to the manipulator by rotating the gripper.
The clamp stop, the counter-stop and/or the support base can respectively exhibit an essentially continuous, in particular essentially flat or offset (stepped) plate for placement on the bundle. Additionally or alternatively, clamp stop, counter-stop and/or support base can exhibit a single-pronged or multi-pronged fork whose prongs can advantageously drive into recesses between bundle and supporting surface, for example into the receptacles of a pallet or the interstices of a chain conveyor.
The clamp stop, the counter-stop and/or the support base can advantageously be shifted independent of one another along the respective movement axis by a respective, separate, advantageously pneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic and/or electromotorized drive actuator). Two or three of the clamp stop, the counter-stop and the support base can also be similarly coupled with one another and moved by a common drive. The clamp stop, the counter-stop and/or the support base are preferably shifted actively or driven, which increases the reliability of the movements and in particular also enables a targeted (for example successive) movement sequence.
In a preferred embodiment, the tool flange is fashioned for a rotating motion connecting the gripper to a manipulator. For this it can in particular possesses a tracking device for pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electrical connections between the gripper and the manipulator, for example a trailing cable installation that advantageously enables rotation movements by at least 180°. Trailing pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical connections or autonomous drives for clamp stop, counter-stop and/or support base are also similarly possible.
To detect a position of the gripper relative to a bundle and/or a supporting surface for the bundle, according to a preferred embodiment a manipulator gripper possesses a sensor arrangement with one or more sensors (in particular distance sensors or imaging sensors).
In a preferred embodiment, an angle flange of the support base is arranged along the insertion axis on the side of the clamp stop facing away from the counter-stop so that the clamp stop is accommodated between counter-stop and angle flange. A support plate of the support base that is bent counter to the angle flange can then advantageously be shifted toward the counter-stop along the insertion axis, behind the side of the clamp stop facing away from the tool flange. This enables a compact design of the gripper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a manipulator gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention, in perspective view.

FIGS. 2A-2C show pick-up and placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A-3D show pick-up and placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A-4C show pick-up and placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A-5E show pick-up and placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A-6F show pick-up of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A-7D show placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 8A-8E show a pickup and placement of a bundle with the manipulator gripper of FIG. 1 according to a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a manipulator gripper 10 for palletizing and depalletizing bundles 20 by means of an articulated arm robot (not shown). It comprises a tool flange 6 for connection to the articulated arm robot. A trailing cable installation enables rotation movements by ±225°.
A bent support base 3 with its angle flange 3.1 is borne on the tool flange 6 such that said support base 3 can be shifted, and extends with a support plate 3.2 in an insertion plane E (see FIG. 2B) towards a counter-stop 2. This can be shifted on a lowering axis a towards the insertion plane E of the support base 3. A clamp stop 1 extends parallel to the counter-stop 2 along the lowering axis a and can be shifted relative to the tool flange 6 and the support base 3 along a clamp axis k towards the counter-stop 2. The support base 3 can be shifted, relative to the tool flange 6, towards the counter-stop 2 in the insertion plane E along an insertion axis essentially parallel to the clamp axis k.
Lowering axis a, insertion axis e and clamp axis k thus form the movement axis of the three-axis manipulator gripper 10 and are driven independent of one another, for example pneumatically, hydraulically, electromagnetically or in an electromotorized manner. The lowering axis is thereby essentially at a right angle to the insertion plane E. Since the angle flange 3.1 of the support base 3 is arranged on the side of the clamp stop 1 facing away from the counter-stop 2, the support plate 3.2 can be slid through behind the side of the clamp stop (below in FIG. 1, 2) facing away from the tool flange 6.
Sensors 4, 5 detect the lateral position of the gripper 10 relative to the bundle 20 and the height at the supporting surface 30 for the bundle.
The Figure sequence FIG. 2A→FIG. 2B→FIG. 2C shows a pick-up of the bundle 20 with the manipulator gripper 10, wherein movements in the axis a, e and k are indicated by solid arrows.
First, counter-stop 2 and clamp stops 1 are positioned on both sides of the bundle 20, wherein counter-stop 2 is lowered beforehand, during this or subsequently along the lowering axis a (FIG. 2A). Clamp stop 1 is then shifted along the clamp axis k onto the counter-stop 2 in order to positively clamp the bundle 20 between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 (FIG. 2B) before the bundle 20 (now gripped by clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2) is raised from the supporting surface 30 (FIG. 2C).
The Figure sequence FIG. 2C→FIG. 2B→FIG. 2A shows in reverse the placement of the bundle 20 by the manipulator gripper 10, wherein movements in the axis a, e and k are indicated by dashed arrows.
In a first step, the bundle 20 gripped by clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 is lowered onto the supporting surface 30 (FIG. 20). Alternatively, this step can also be omitted, such that the bundle 20 is dropped onto the supporting surface 30.
Clamp stop 1 is then shifted away from the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis k (FIG. 2B) and the bundle 20 is thereby released, such that gripper 10 can subsequently be positioned away from the bundle 20 (FIG. 2A).
The Figure sequence FIG. 3A⇄FIG. 3B⇄FIG. 3C⇄FIG. 3D shows a pick-up or placement of the bundle 20 with the manipulator gripper 10 in a manner corresponding to FIG. 2A through 2C.
For pick-up, the gripper 10 is positioned next to the bundle 20 such that the insertion plane E of the support base 3 is arranged below the underside of the bundle 20 (FIG. 3A). In order to enable an approach from the right side in FIG. 3A, counter-stop 2 is raised.
Support base 3 is now inserted under the underside of the bundle 20 facing away from the tool flange 6 (FIG. 3B). For this, corresponding recesses (not shown) are fashioned on the supporting surface 30 or the underside of the bundle 20.
The counter-stop 2 (raised for approach) is lowered (FIG. 3C).
Clamp stop 1 is then shifted towards the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis k in order to positively damp the bundle 20 between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 (FIG. 3D), wherein the support base 3 can possibly also be shifted further towards the counter-stop 2 along the insertion axis e.
The bundle 20 (positively clamped by clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2) can now be raised from the supporting surface 30.
The placement can ensue analogously in the reverse order FIG. 3D→FIG. 3C→FIG. 3B→FIG. 3A indicated by dashed arrows. The bundle 20 can thereby be pushed away from the support plate 3.2 by sliding apart support base 3 and clamp stop 1 by means of shifting the support base 3 away from the clamp stop 1 along the insertion axis e (FIG. 3A).
The Figure sequence FIG. 4A⇄FIG. 4B⇄FIG. 4C shows a pick-up or, respectively, placement of the bundle 20 with the manipulator gripper 10 in a manner corresponding to FIG. 2 a through 2C, which is particularly advantageous when no recesses for the support base 3 are fashioned on the support surface 30 and the underside of the bundle 20.
For pick-up, as in FIG. 3A the gripper 10 is initially positioned (with raised counter-stop 2) next to the bundle 20 such that the insertion plane E of the support base 3 is arranged below the underside of the bundle 20 (FIG. 4A).
Now the counter-stop 2 is lowered and the clamp stop 1 is shifted towards the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis k in order to clamp the bundle 20 positively between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 (FIG. 4B).
Via a displacement of the gripper 10 towards the support base 3 in the insertion plane E (to the right in FIG. 4) with simultaneous, opposite displacement of the support base 3 relative to the tool flange 10 (to the left in FIG. 4), the bundle 20 clamped between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 is shifted from the support surface 30 onto the support base 3 positioned next to it (FIG. 4C).
The placement can ensue analogously in the reverse order FIG. 4C→FIG. 4B→FIG. 4A (indicated by dashed arrows).
The Figure sequence FIG. 5A⇄FIG. 5B⇄FIG. 50⇄FIG. 5D⇄FIG. 5E shows a pick-up or placement of the bundle 20 with the manipulator gripper 10 in a manner corresponding to FIG. 3A through 3D. Only the differences from the method according to FIG. 3A through 3D are explained in the following.
In FIG. 5A the support base 3 is not inserted into recesses between support surface 30 and bundle 20 but rather is inserted below the plastic conveyor chain 30 that thus opposes a raising of the bundle 20 upward with the support base 3.
Therefore, in FIG. 3D, 3D or FIG. 5C, 5D the bundle 20 damped between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 can be shifted from the plastic conveyor chain 30 via a movement of the gripper 10 laterally in the insertion plane E (to the right in FIG. 5E) before it can then be raised along the lowering axis a, for example.
The placement can ensue analogously in the reverse order FIG. 5D→FIG. 5C→FIG. 5B→FIG. 5A (indicated by dashed arrows).
The Figure order FIG. 6A, 6B→FIG. 6C→FIG. 6D→FIG. 6E→FIG. 6F shows a pick-up of a bundle 20 standing on a stop in a manner corresponding to FIG. 2A through 20, wherein FIG. 6B shows a plan view of FIG. 6A along the insertion or, respectively, clamp axis e or, respectively, k.
The gripper is initially positioned with counter-stop 2 raised along the lowering axis a, as described with relation to FIG. 3A, 3B, wherein its support base 3 is inserted into corresponding recesses on the supporting surface 30 or the underside of the bundle 20 (not shown) (FIG. 6A→6C).
The gripper 10 is then raised away from the insertion plane E of the support base 3 along the lowering axis a (FIG. 6D) so that the bundle 20 is raised by the support base 3 and comes clear against an adjacent bundle or another stop. Optionally, the counter-stop 2 that was raised to approach the bundle 20 standing on the stop can then subsequently be lowered (FIG. 6A), as described with reference to FIG. 3C, 3D, before the clamp stop 1 is shifted towards the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis k in order to additionally positively clamp the bundle 20 between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 (FIG. 6F).
The Figure sequence FIG. 7A→FIG. 7B→FIG. 7C→FIG. 7D shows a placement of a bundle 20 on a stop in a manner corresponding to FIG. 6A through 6F.
Insofar as the bundle 20 is clamped between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2, the clamp stop 1 is initially shifted away from the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis 2, and the counter-stop 2 is raised away from the insertion plane E of the support plane 3 (FIGS. 7A, 7B).
The gripper 10 can then be lowered with the bundle 20 resting only on the support base 3 (FIG. 7C). By shifting the support base 3 away from the clamp stop 1 along the insertion axis e (to the right in FIG. 7), the bundle 20 is pushed off the support base 3 onto the supporting surface 30.
The Figure sequence FIG. 8A⇄FIG. 8B⇄FIG. 80⇄FIG. 8D⇄FIG. 8E shows a pick-up or placement of the bundle 20 with the manipulator gripper 10 in a manner corresponding to FIG. 3A through 3D.
When the counter-stop 2 is raised along the lowering axis a, the gripper 10 (accordingly rotated by the robot) is thereby positioned next to the supporting surface 30 so that the lowering plane A of the counter-stop 2 is arranged below the underside of the bundle 20 that faces away from the support base 3 (FIG. 8A).
The support base 3 is shifted beforehand, simultaneously or subsequently towards the lowering plane A of the counter-stop 2 (FIG. 8B).
The gripper 10 or the tool flange 6 is now shifted away from the insertion plane E of the support base 3 in the lowering plane A of the counter-stop 2 (to the right in FIG. 8C), wherein at the same time the counter-stop 2 is lowered in the opposite direction towards the insertion plane E of the support base 3 along the lowering axis a (to the left in FIG. 8C). The bundle 20 is thereby shifted by the support base 3 from the supporting surface 30 onto the counter-stop 2.
By shifting the clamp stop 1 toward the counter-stop 2 along the clamp axis K, the bundle can now be clamped between clamp stop 1 and counter-stop 2 (FIG. 8D), in particular, it can then be reoriented by a rotation of the gripper 10 relative to the manipulator (FIG. 8E).
Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his or contribution to the art.

Claims

1. A gripper for an automated manipulator for palletizing or depalletizing bundles, comprising:

a gripper assembly having a tool flange configured for connection to an automated manipulator;

a support base movable by said gripper assembly toward and away from a bundle, said support base comprising engagement elements configured to engage and disengage said bundle, said engagement elements defining an engagement plane located at a distance from said tool flange;

a stop and a counter-stop mounted on said gripper assembly relative to said support base to brace said bundle therebetween during engagement or disengagement of said bundle by said engagement elements; and

said gripper assembly comprising a mechanism that interconnects said stop and said counter-stop and said support base and configured to selectively change respective distances between said stop and said counter-stop, and said insertion plane, in a direction substantially normal to said insertion plane.

2. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gripper assembly comprises a shifter mechanism connected to at least one of said clamp stop and said counter-stop that changes a distance between said clamp stop and said counter-stop substantially parallel to said insertion plane.

3. A gripper as claimed in claim 2 wherein said shifting mechanism is connected to said clamp stop and is configured to displace said clamp stop relative to said counter-stop along said direction substantially parallel to said insertion plane.

4. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support base comprises a support base flange connecting said support base to said gripper assembly that proceeds substantially perpendicular to said insertion elements in said insertion plane.

5. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said clamp stop, said counter-stop and said support base has a shape selected from the group consisting of plates and forks.

6. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mechanism is selected from the group consisting of pneumatically operated mechanisms, hydraulically operated mechanisms, electro-magnetically operated mechanisms, and electromotor operated mechanisms.

7. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tool flange is configured for rotationally movable connection thereof to said automated manipulator.

8. A gripper as claimed in claim 1 comprising a sensor arrangement configured to detect a position of at least said insertion plane relative to said bundle.

9. A method for operating an automated manipulator for palletizing or depalletizing bundles, comprising a gripper assembly having a tool flange configured for connection to an automated manipulator, a support base movable by said gripper assembly toward and away from a bundle, said support base comprising engagement elements configured to engage and disengage said bundle, said engagement elements defining an engagement plane located at a distance from said tool flange, and a stop and a counter-stop mounted on said gripper assembly relative to said support base to brace said bundle therebetween during engagement or disengagement of said bundle by said engagement elements, said method comprising the steps of:

providing said gripper assembly with a mechanism that interconnects said stop and said counter-stop and said support base; and

operating said mechanism to selectively change respective distances between said stop and said counter-stop, and said insertion plane, in a direction substantially normal to said insertion plane.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising providing said gripper assembly with a shifter mechanism connected to at least one of said clamp stop and said counter-stop, and operating said shifter mechanism to change a distance between said clamp stop and said counter-stop substantially parallel to said insertion plane.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 comprising connecting said shifting mechanism to said clamp stop, and operating said shifting mechanism to displace said clamp stop relative to said counter-stop along said direction substantially parallel to said insertion plane.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising providing said support base with a support base flange that connects said support base to said gripper assembly, and orienting said support base flange substantially perpendicular to said insertion elements in said insertion plane.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising providing each of said clamp stop, said counter-stop and said support base with a shape selected from the group consisting of plates and forks.

14. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising selecting said mechanism from the group consisting of pneumatically operated mechanisms, hydraulically operated mechanisms, electro-magnetically operated mechanisms, and electromotor operated mechanisms.

15. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising configuring said tool flange to produce a rotationally movable connection thereof to said automated manipulator.

16. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising, with a sensor arrangement, detecting a position of at least said insertion plane relative to said bundle.