A rotary axis module includes an actuator that includes a first member and a second member, the actuator relatively driving the second member so as to rotate about a predetermined axis with respect to the first member, a DC power source, and a switch. The actuator includes a brake that is releasable by supplying a DC voltage. A first brake circuit that is connected to a control device that controls the actuator, and a second brake circuit that is provided in parallel with the first brake circuit and connected to the DC power source via the switch, are connected to the brake.

A control device includes: a casing; a communication board configured in a plate shape; a control board configured in a plate shape and having one side attached to the communication board; an amplifier board configured in a plate shape and having one side attached to the communication board and provided with a power module for driving an actuator of a robot; and a brake power supply unit disposed opposite the communication board across the amplifier board and configured to drive an electromagnetic brake of the actuator.

An end-effector assembly comprising a master boom, a crossbar coupled to the master boom, at least one branch rail, and a swing arm is provided. The at least one branch rail is movably coupled to the crossbar by a branch lock. The at least one branch rail has a driving groove formed longitudinally therealong for telescopic movement relative to the crossbar. The branch lock comprises a crossbar clamp and a branch rail clamp. The crossbar clamp is slidably and pivotally disposed about the crossbar for slidable and pivotal movement therealong. The branch rail clamp comprises a body having a primary telescoping lock including a receiving bore formed therethrough and a wedging collet disposed in the receiving bore. The body further comprises a secondary telescoping lock having a ball and a plunger disposed in a ball-plunger cavity of the body.

A gripper includes at least one tooling member including: a base; a distal segment coupled to the base and configured to grip a workpiece; a series of identical intermediate segments coupling the base to the distal segment, each of the intermediate segments being coupled to at least one other intermediate segment; and a fastener coupling two adjacent intermediate segments together. The fastener defines a first position where the coupled adjacent intermediate segments are articulationally and translationally locked to one another and a second position where the coupled adjacent intermediate segments are translationally locked to and articulationally unlocked from one another.

A robot system includes a robot having a base, a robot arm coupled to the base, a motor that drives the robot arm, a supply unit that supplies electric power to the motor, and a switch mechanism that switches between a conduction state in which the motor and the supply unit are conducting and a non-conduction state in which the motor and the supply unit are not conducting, and a vehicle having a movement mechanism that transports the robot and an operation portion that operates the switch mechanism and turns the conduction state to the non-conduction state, and being configured to take a coupled state in which the vehicle is coupled to the base and a decoupled state in which the vehicle is decoupled from the base, wherein the operation portion operates the switch mechanism in the coupled state.

A brake release device and a robot manipulator employing the same are provided. The robot manipulator includes a housing and a brake element. The housing defines an inner space and has an opening, and the inner space is in communication with a space outside the housing through the opening. The brake element is disposed within the inner space. The robot manipulator stops or is allowed to actuate according to a position of the brake element. The brake release device is connected with the brake element. The brake release device is partially located in the inner space, and the brake release device partially penetrates through the opening and is exposed from the housing. When the part of the brake release device exposed from the housing is moved by an external force so as to drive the brake element to move synchronously, the robot manipulator is allowed to actuate.

A system and method of providing feedback during manual joint positioning includes a computer-assisted device having an articulated structure including a joint and a control unit coupled to the articulated structure. To provide feedback to a user during manual positioning of the joint by a user, the control unit is configured to determine a first target position for the joint, release a brake associated with the joint when the joint is moving toward the first target position, apply the brake when the joint is moving away from the first target position, and change the first target position to a second target position when the joint is at the first target position.

An exoskeleton glove (2) comprising an individual linkage mechanism (4, 5, 6, 7) for each finger, wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a series of linkages (8, 11, 15, 19) concatenated through joints (10, 17, 20), a first link-age being attached to the glove (2), and a last linkage (19) farthest from the glove being provided with a thimble (18), wherein a cable (21) guided within or alongside the linkage mechanism connects the last linkage (19) and/or the thimble (18) to the first linkage (8) so as to transfer a force through the cable (21) acting on the last linkage (19) and/or the thimble (18).

The present invention relates to a joint assembly (1) for a robot (100), comprising a housing (26) connected with an output part (8), the housing comprising a housing wall (26A), a strain wave gearing system (90) comprising a wave generator (7), a flexspline (13), and a circular spline (36) connected to the output part (8), wherein the wave generator (7) is rotated by a rotor shaft (3), the rotor shaft being driven by an electric motor (140) comprising a stator (15) and a rotor magnet (16), the rotor magnet (16) being affixed to the rotor shaft (3), and wherein the joint assembly (1) further comprises a rotor brake (30) configured to stop/prevent relative movement between the rotor shaft (3) and the flexspline (13), and sensors arranged to measure the position of the housing (26) in relation to the output part (8). Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a robotic arm (100) comprising a joint assembly according to the present invention and to the use of the joint assembly according to the present invention.

A robot system and method for conditionally stopping a robot, wherein a maximum stopping time and/or distance are defined by a user or integrator through a user interface as safety limits based on the risk assessment. The method provides the continuous calculation of the time and/or distance, which the robot would need to stop under maximum motor torque and/or brake appliance. The robot is stopped or the speed of the robot is reduced, if the calculated time and/or distance exceeds the maximum limit values set by the user or integrator. The method may also be used to program or generate the trajectories of the robot as not to exceed the speed of the movement under the condition of keeping the set maximum stopping time and/or distance as defined by a use.