An adaptable end effector useful to accommodate a wide variety of components, component geometries and variations in component geometries. In one example, the end effector includes a movable arm and at least three fingers each having a gripping tool for engagement of the component with variable and/or programmable holding force preventing relative movement.

A tool stocker for holding a tool is equipped with a stocker-inclining member that inclines the tool stocker and also equipped with a mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which an interchangeable tool is attached to and detached from a robot arm. The attaching/detaching position can be adjusted by using the tool stocker so as to fit moving paths of the robot arm appropriately.

Some embodiments provide a magnet gripper system, comprising: a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face; at least two slide plate retaining systems; and two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position.

This invention concerns an effector unit (1) for a robot, which can be locked and unlocked via a relative movement of the robot, so that several effectors (3) can be used in the effector unit (1). In addition, the invention concerns a corresponding method for automatically changing effectors.

A mounting device includes a mounting rail with a base carriage and a distance carriage for replacing a gripper tip of a gripper finger for a robot system. The base carriage includes a first fixing agent for fastening a gripper jaw of the gripper finger and the distance carriage includes a second fixing agent for fastening the gripper tip such that the gripper jaw can be fastened by the first fixing agent to the base carriage and the gripper tip can be fastened by the second fixing agent to the distance carriage. The base carriage and the distance carriage are arranged movably against each other between a locked position and an unlocked position along the longitudinal direction such that the gripper tip is locked at the gripper jaw in the locked position and unlocked from the gripper jaw in the unlocked position.

A method of making an actuator having a complex internal shape includes providing a core of a shape that defines an internal cavity of an actuator; molding an actuator around the core, wherein the core occupies the internal cavity of the actuator, the cavity having an opening; generating a pressure differential between an exterior surface of the actuator and the internal cavity of the actuator, wherein the external pressure is less than the internal pressure, to expand the actuator cavity; and removing the core through the opening of the expanded actuator cavity.

Even with a simple structure, tool exchange can be efficiently performed. Provided is a tool switching/holding device including: a base; a Y-axis slide base; a Y-axis actuator that moves the Y-axis slide base in a Y-axis direction; X-axis slide bases that are provided on the Y-axis slide base; tool mounting members that are provided on the X-axis slide bases and on which a tool is mounted; an X-axis actuator that selectively holds one of the tool mounting members and that moves the held tool mounting member in the X-axis direction; and a retreating/locking sections that cause the tool mounting member other than the tool mounting member that is selectively held by the X-axis actuator to retreat to a position away from the X-axis actuator in the Y-axis direction or the X-axis direction and that lock the retreating tool mounting member.

A robot gripper has a housing having at least one flexible chamber, at least one finger channel, and at least one column channel; a finger configured to insert within the finger channel; and at least one column having a base with one or more ports, a conduit in communication with the ports, and one or more column apertures for access to the conduit; wherein the at least one column is configured to insert within the at least one column channel with the one or more column apertures aligning with the one or more flexible chambers such that the flexible chambers are in fluid communication with the conduit.

As fluid enters a first set of chambers, the chambers expand, thereby pivoting the fingers attached thereto on a pivot point, bringing the working end of the fingers closer together.

An air chuck includes: a finger support part including a pair of fingers; a chuck main body part including an operation mechanism operable to open and close the pair of fingers; and linking mechanisms that detachably link the finger support part to the chuck main body part. The linking mechanisms each include: a linking shaft that extends from the finger support part; a shaft insertion hole formed in a body of the chuck main body part; a catch body that becomes elastically caught on a catch surface of the linking shaft when the linking shaft is inserted into the shaft insertion hole; and a delinking member that is manually operated so as to release the catch body caught on the catch surface when the finger support part is detached from the chuck main body part.

The invention relates to a gripping device (12) comprising a main body (58) which can be coupled to a robot, at least one adapter portion (66, 67) which is movable on the main body along a gripping axis (42), and at least one gripping element (38, 39) which can be detachably locked to the adapter portion, wherein the adapter portion comprises a locking mechanism (68a, 68b) having at least one locking element (70a, 70b) which, in a locking position, locks the gripping element to the adapter portion, wherein an unlocking element (76a, 76b) is arranged on the main body, and wherein the locking mechanism can be moved along the gripping axis into an unlocking position in which the unlocking element transfers the locking element from its locking position into a release position in which the gripping element can be detached from the adapter portion.