Object manipulation space optimization is a challenging task and used in applications such as heat treatment operation and transport packaging. Traditionally manual intervention is involved to grasp and place the objects for ensuring multi object stacking with zero gap between adjacent objects. This leads to higher cost infrastructure and low productivity. Further, conventional gripper devices fail to optimize object manipulation space and are unable to handle objects of different cross sections with larger lengths. The present disclosure provides a gripper apparatus addressing a single gripper design comprising an adaptor holding unit with a provision for different modular object holding units which are varied in accordance with size, shape and length of the object to be grasped and placed by the gripper apparatus. The modular object holding unit comprises a plurality of fingers which are actuated for grasping and stacking one or more objects such that object manipulation space is optimized.

The present invention provides a work piece chuck of manipulator in the field of mechanical technology. The chuck comprises a chuck sleeve and an ejector pin set within the chuck sleeve. An elastic clamping element is provided at the front end of the chuck sleeve. The ejector pin could move between a first position and a second position along the axial direction of the chuck sleeve. When the ejector pin is in the first position, the outer circumference of the ejector pin extrudes the clamping element to distort and expand outward to form an expansion state. When the ejector pin is in the second position, the outer circumference of the ejector pin is out of contact with the clamping element to restore the clamping element. The chuck has a number of advantages including firm connection, high reliability and high use value.

A gripper capable of lifting a work piece includes: a body including a sliding direction and a lifting axis defining a first angle relative to the sliding direction; a plurality of sliding blocks slidably mounted on the body and located at two sides of the lifting axis to move in the sliding direction toward or away from each other, wherein the sliding blocks each include a receiving hole at a second angle relative to the sliding direction; and a plurality of fingers slidably disposed in the receiving holes, and each including: a nose portion disposed in the receiving holes, and a finger portion to grip the work piece. When the sliding blocks are in the lifting position, the fingers are retracted into the receiving holes to make the finger portions move up along the lifting axis toward the body by a certain distance while clamping the work piece.

A device for holding a container in a container treatment device, for example for holding a bottle at the bottle neck thereof, includes a first clasp arm, which is arranged on a clasp carrier so as to be pivotable about a first pivot axis, and a second clasp arm, which is arranged on the clasp carrier so as to be pivotable about a second pivot axis. The first clasp arm is of longer design than the second clasp arm. The first clasp arm and the second clasp arm are pivotally coupled to one another via a coupling arrangement, wherein the clasp arms are magnetically preloaded into a closed position, and the clasp arms can be opened to receive a container passively by inserting the container. A treatment device for treating a container is also described.

A spout holding device for holding a spout part having a communication hole, includes an elastic part capable of elastically deforming in a direction orthogonal to a first direction when compressive force or tensile force is applied to the elastic part in the first direction, wherein the elastic part applies elastic force to the spout part in three or more different directions orthogonal to the first direction to hold the spout part.

A cable terminal end detection method includes a gripping step for gripping, using a hand including a first gripping section and a second gripping section disposed to be separated on an X axis and configured to open and close in a direction along a Z axis, a cable in two places separated in a longitudinal direction with the first gripping section and the second gripping section, a moving step for, in a state in which the cable is gripped by the hand, moving the cable to the first gripping section side in a direction along the X axis relatively to the hand, and a detecting step for detecting, with a tactile sensor disposed in the second gripping section to be in contact with the cable, that the cable has slipped out from the second gripping section and detecting that a terminal end of the cable is located between the first gripping section and the second gripping section.

Systems and methods for automated wire pickup using image-based robot guidance. The machine vision-based system includes: a robot arm; a tool head coupled to the distal end of the robot arm and including a wire gripper motor; a wire gripper movably coupled to the tool head and operatively coupled to the wire gripper motor; a wire holder configured for clamping a wire; camera means mounted to the distal end of the robot arm and having first and second fields of view which intersect in a volume of space that includes the tip of the wire gripper and the wire holder; and a computer system configured to control operation of the robot arm motors and wire gripper motor. More specifically, the computer system is configured for visually estimating the position and orientation of a contact-equipped wire being held by the wire holder and then generating robot guidance to enable automated pickup of the end section of the wire by the wire gripper.

An artificial epidermis structure capable of using a gel substance to adjust a frictional property with high precision is provided. When a front surface of a lid member comes into contact with a target object and pressure acts on the lid member, a part of the gel substance can escape into a space that is formed by concave portions on a front surface of a gel substance. Therefore, reduction in a repulsion force of the gel substance is achieved. Accordingly, the pressure can be appropriately transmitted to the gel substance via the lid member, and convex portions of the gel substance can be caused to easily bulge out over the front surface of the lid member via holes of the lid member.

A retainer gripping device, configured to grip a retainer accommodating a set of cotters inside the retainer, includes a retainer gripping unit, a retainer supporting portion, and a cotter supporting portion. The retainer gripping unit is configured to grip the retainer. The retainer supporting portion is configured such that the retainer gripped by the retainer gripping unit is placed in a state in which the set of cotters are accommodated inside the retainer. The cotter supporting portion is configured to support lower end edge portions of the cotters accommodated inside the retainer in a state in which the lower end edge portions are lifted upward higher than a lower end edge portion of the retainer.

There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.