An end effector for a robotic arm is disclosed. The end effector includes a grasping apparatus having a gripping member and an appendage extending from the gripping member forming a channel between the griping member and the appendage. The channel is configured to receive at least a portion of an article, such as a latch for a container, to be manipulated by the end effector.

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 gripper finger for grasping objects includes a gripper jaw and a gripper tip which extends with a gripper axis along a longitudinal direction. The gripper tip is detachably connected to the gripper jaw by a connecting element. The connecting element can be locked with a connecting socket extending in the longitudinal direction in the form of a plug-in connection in such a manner that in the locked state it is impossible for the gripper tip to tilt away in relation to the gripper axis and simultaneously the gripper tip is locked against the gripper jaw in relation to the longitudinal direction by a predefinable longitudinal locking force.

A component mounting apparatus for mounting a component on a substrate includes a pair of chuck claws that sandwich and grip the component; and adapters that are detachably mounted on the chuck claws and grip the component in place of the chuck claws. The adapters are mounted on the chuck claws in accordance with the component that is an object to be mounted and the component is gripped by using the adapters.

An articulatable member includes a distal end, a proximal end, an actuation member, and a constraint member. The actuation member extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The actuation member transmits force to bend the articulatable member from a neutral position. The constraint member extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The constraint member may have opposite ends that are fixed to the distal end and the proximal end. In one embodiment, the constraint member follows a helical path along at least a portion of the articulatable member from the proximal end to the distal end. In another embodiment, the actuation member follows a helical path along at least a portion of the articulatable member.

A method for operating a gripper includes determining a first transport attachment of a plurality of transport attachments to use for moving a piece good and determining whether the first transport attachment is fixed in a first gripping jaw of the gripper, wherein the gripper includes a drop table having at least one storage and dispensing end face; the first gripping jaw and a second gripping jaw each arranged above the drop table and fastened to a gripping jaw guide arrangement, wherein the first gripping jaw has a gripper coupler at an end portion opposite the gripping jaw guide arrangement; and a transport attachment of the plurality of transport attachments with an attachment coupler, wherein the gripper coupler and the attachment coupler interact with one another so that the transport attachment is releasably fixed at the end portion of the first gripping jaw. Grippers and transport systems are also provided.

Method for handling or treating an umbilical cord using a device, which includes a head having at least one actuator and at least two attachment elements, two working parts, each being capable of engaging by a reversible attachment with an attachment element to form with the head a tool capable of being actuated by the at least one actuator, and a device for moving the head in space. The method involves the steps of attaching a working part onto a first attachment element by moving the head, attaching the other working part onto a second attachment element by moving the head, using the tool on the umbilical cord by actuating the actuator, and separating at least one of the working parts from the corresponding attachment element.

A robot head for withdrawing and transferring glass containers between two different conveyor groups includes a series of gripping members for withdrawing the glass containers carried by a first conveyor and releasing the containers on a second conveyor, wherein the gripping members of the robot head withdraw together all the glass containers carried by the first conveyor when the movement of the conveyor is stopped so as to enable a withdrawal of the containers. The robot head further includes a mechanism for the movement and variation in position of the gripping members with respect to each other, wherein the mechanism moves the gripping members of the glass containers from a first distance corresponding to the extraction distance from the first conveyor to a second depositing distance of the containers on the second conveyor.

A robotic system includes a robotic manipulator having one or more contact pads. The contact pads have features therein that are detectable to determine or measure a degree to which they have worn down. Such features may include fluorescent materials, colorful materials, and/or RFID tags. A robotic environment may include one or more sensors to detect such features, and may be configured to generate a signal indicating that one or more contact pads are in need of maintenance.

A modular dexterous multi-fingered manipulator system with reconfigurable joint angles and a design method therefor are disclosed. Each finger has an independent control transmission assembly, and includes an electric motor, a variable transmission unit, a metacarpophalangeal joint driving unit, and an interphalangeal joint driving unit. The variable transmission unit is connected to an output end of the electric motor, the metacarpophalangeal joint driving unit, and the interphalangeal joint driving unit separately, and the variable transmission unit switches a state to control an output force of the electric motor to be transmitted to the metacarpophalangeal joint driving unit such that angle adjustment of a first knuckle is implemented, or transmitted to the interphalangeal joint driving unit such that angle adjustment of a second knuckle is implemented.