A gripping mechanism which grips an object includes a main body section, a first gripping section, and a second gripping section. The first and second gripping sections are connected, with a space therebetween, to the main body section. The first gripping section includes a first roller and a first frame. The first frame houses the first roller. The first gripping section grips a first portion of an object between an outer surface of the first roller and an inner surface of the first frame using gravity acting on the first roller. The second gripping section includes a second roller and a second frame. The second frame houses the second roller. The second gripping section grips a second portion of the object, differing from the first portion, between an outer surface of the second roller and an inner surface of the second frame using gravity acting on the second roller.

A cooking system including an end effector and a cooking utensil configured for being maneuvered about a kitchen station through the end effector, the cooking utensil including a body and a grip. The body is configured for maneuvering food items. The grip is fixed with the body and extended from the body in a longitudinal direction of the cooking utensil. The grip includes a grip body, a knob disposed on a proximal end of the grip body, and a stop disposed on a distal end of the grip body such that the grip body is interposed between and separates the knob and the stop in the longitudinal direction of the cooking utensil. The knob and the stop extend beyond the grip body in a first lateral direction of the cooking utensil perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cooking utensil.

A robot comprising: a chopstick, configured for at least four degrees of freedom of movement, a stiff body of shape and proportions approximate to a pool cue; an electromagnetic actuator, comprising a motor, for each degree of freedom of movement coupled with the stiff body, wherein the functional mapping from each actuator's motor current to torque output along an axis of motion is stored, and used in concert with a calibrated model of the robot for effective impedance control; and a 6-axis force/torque sensor mounted inline between the actuators and each chopstick.

A grip apparatus is provided. The grip apparatus includes: a housing formed therein with an accommodation space opened downward to accommodate an object; an elastic membrane provided in the accommodation space and surrounding the object; a fastening member at least partially positioned between an inner periphery of the housing and the elastic membrane to fasten the elastic membrane; and a winder configured to pull the fastening member by winding the fastening member.

An end effector for engaging flexible packaging materials includes a frame, along with a first and second wheel mounted for rotation with respect to the frame. The first wheel and the second wheel are mounted to the frame relative to each other so that the outer surfaces of the two wheels are positioned opposite of each other. The first wheel and the second wheel can be driven in opposing directions to effectively define a roller intake which can be used to draw the flexible packaging materials of a target parcel between the first wheel and the second wheel. The end effector of the present invention can be combined with a robot to provide an improved system for engaging the flexible packaging materials of a parcel.

A robotic gripper may be configured to dexterously manipulate an article. The robotic gripper may include two or more fingers containing one or more rotatable contacts each. The rotatable contact may transition between a rotation mode and a braking mode such that the contacts are free to rotate in the rotation mode and are prevented from being rotated in the braking mode. In some instances, the robotic gripper may make contact with the article via the contact pads. Thus, the robotic gripper may dexterously manipulate the article via the contact pads and brake.

A robot hand includes holding members radially receiving a tape reel between flat-plate-shape main bodies facing each other, and an actuator configured to open and close the holding members. The holding members are openable and closable between a reel hold position and a tape pull-out position, the reel hold position is a position at which a distance between inner surfaces of the main bodies is greater than a distance between outer surfaces of pair of side plates of the tape reel, the tape pull-out position is a position at which a distance between outer surface of the main bodies is smaller than a distance between inner surfaces of the pair of side plates. The holding members include rail portions and cut-outs provided in the rail portions.

The present invention relates to a gripping device for picking up, conveying, and delivering a product, the gripping device including: a base structure which may be attached to a handling device by means of a coupling element, preferably so in a non-destructively detachable manner; at least two gripper members having each at least one bottom surface and at least one top surface, said top surface of the gripper members facing towards the coupling element and said bottom surfaces of the gripper members facing away from the coupling element; at least one drive means for reversibly moving the gripper members between a first position, in which the gripper members may be positioned on opposite sides of the product to be picked up, and a second position, in which the gripper members seize the product to be picked up; and an abutment plate which is at least approximately supported by the top surfaces of the gripper members.

An operating device for placing or retrieving bottle-like piece goods onto or from storage places of a picking device is provided. The operating device includes a gripping jaw assembly having two profile-rod shaped gripping jaws with opposite lying inner surfaces extending in a first horizontal direction corresponding to a direction for placing and retrieving piece goods. The gripping jaws are configured so that the distance of the inner surfaces from each other tapers in the downward direction at least in sections and the bottle-like piece goods can be lifted from below. The operating device also includes an actuation unit coupled to the gripping jaw assembly for moving the gripping jaw assembly in the first horizontal direction.

A device for handling a shaft forming a pivoting link between two parts, including a body configured to be inserted into the shaft, and blocked in translation with respect to the shaft along a longitudinal axis in a first direction, a compression nut screwed onto a threaded outer portion of the body along the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, a bearing member positioned against one of the parts, and a return member configured to be compressed between the compression nut and the bearing member by the screwing of the compression nut and to be decompressed in the second direction under the action of the compression nut. This device allows the shaft of the pivoting link to be handled rapidly, and makes it possible to control the load applied onto the shaft during the handling thereof.