A tool attachment (200) for a robotic manipulator (100), comprising: a housing (202), an input shaft (208) configured to be engaged by an end effector (105) of the robotic manipulator (100), an output shaft (210), and a tool (214) coupled to the output shaft (210). The housing (202) comprises means (206) for preventing relative rotational movement between the housing (202) and a housing of the robotic manipulator (100). Upon engagement of the end effector (105) of the robotic manipulator (100) with the input shaft (208), the tool attachment (200) is retained on the robotic manipulator (100), and rotational movement of the end effector (105) of the robotic manipulator (100) acts to rotate said input shaft (208) and drive said tool (214).

A robotic end effector quick change coupling apparatus employs a drive motor assembly having a center drive interface. A coupling component having a magnetic element extends from the drive motor assembly concentric with the center drive interface. An end effector tool has a drive connection adapted to removably receive the center drive interface. A mating coupling component having a mating magnetic element extends from the end effector tool concentric with the drive connection. The magnetic element and mating magnetic element are separably engaged by mutual magnetic attraction to couple the end effector to the drive motor assembly.

Robotic device configuration methods and systems. The methods described herein may involve operably positioning a robotic device with respect to a storage rack, wherein the storage rack holds at least one first coupling member configured with a first tool, and the robotic device includes a second coupling member; operably connecting the second coupling member to the first coupling member; and removing the first coupling member configured with the first tool from the storage rack.

A workpiece conveying apparatus includes: two SCARA robots each including a first arm supported on a raising and lowering frame through intermediation of a first joint, a second arm supported through intermediation of a second joint, a first arm driving mechanism configured to drive the first arm to rotate, and a second arm driving mechanism configured to drive the second arm to rotate; a raising and lowering mechanism for the two SCARA robots; a cross arm configured to couple distal ends of the second arms; a workpiece holding unit configured to releasably hold the workpiece; shifting devices provided to the cross arm and configured to shift a drive-side shifting member; and sliding devices provided to the workpiece holding unit and configured to shift the tool holder by an operation of causing the driven-side shifting member to be driven by the drive-side shifting member.

A hand at a robot arm leading end is provided with a mounting portion for a finger. The mounting portion includes a guiding unit that guides a supported portion of the finger so as to enable the supported portion to pass through from one end part of the guiding unit 31 to another end part thereof. The mounting portion further includes a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism moves the supported portion from any of end parts of the guiding unit 31 toward a mount position between the end parts, to thereby bring the supported portion of the finger into a restricting state at the mount position. Moreover, the lock mechanism moves the supported portion toward any of the end parts from the restricting state, to thereby bring the supported portion from the restricting state into a releasing state.

To provide a hand stocker with a simple structure. A hand stocker housing a hand for attaching on an actuator includes a housing board that houses the hand in a hung state and includes a hanging mechanism hanging the hand on a board surface facing the hand. The hanging mechanism includes: a hooking member that extends in a horizontal direction from the board surface to engage with a hanging portion disposed in the hand; a pressing member that prevents the hand hung on the hooking member from moving to a direction separating from the board surface; and a supporting member that restricts the hand hung on the hooking member from moving to a direction approaching the board surface. The hand is sandwiched between the pressing member and the supporting member and housed.

A tool changer 30 with a master half 32 and tool half 34. Mating member 60, 138 enables the master half 32 and tool half to mesh with one another. A securing mechanism has a clasp 70 and a cam 72. The clasps 70 move between a release position and a grasping position. In the grasping position, the master 32 and tool halves 34 are secured together with one another. The cam 72 moves the clasps 70 between the release and grasping positions. From a release position, the master half 32 engages the tool half 34. The master half 32 moves horizontally with respect to the tool half 34. This, in turn, moves the cam 72 from its release position to its grasping position. In the grasping position, the clasps 70 grasp the tool half 34, the cam locks 72 in its grasping position and the master 32 and tool 34 halves secure with one another.

The positions of the tools in an automatic milking arrangement are determined by registering, via a camera at an origin location, three-dimensional image data representing the tools whose positions are to be determined. Using an algorithm involving matching the image data against reference data, tool candidates are identified in the three-dimensional image data. A respective position is calculated for the tools based on the origin location and data expressing respective distances from the origin location to each of the identified tool candidates. It is presumed that the tools are arranged according to a spatially even distribution relative to one another. Therefore, any tool candidate is disregarded, which is detected at such a position that the position for the candidate deviates from the spatially even distribution.

A gripping system is provided comprising: gripping fingers of a first type, gripping fingers of a second type, a gripping device for handling sample containers, wherein the gripping device comprises base portions, wherein a gripping finger of the first type and a gripping finger of the second type are releasably fixable to the base portions, and a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move at least one of the base portions relative to the other base portions to cause a gripping or a releasing of a sample container, and a gripping finger change device, wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to store gripping fingers of the first type and gripping fingers of the second type, and wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to replace a gripping finger of the first type fixed to a base portion by a gripping finger of the second type.

A tool changing system for an industrial robot, the tool changing system including a tool; a base member for arrangement in a manipulator of the industrial robot and for holding the tool; and a tool storage for holding the tool when released from the base member; and a base member force device configured to force the tool to the base member in any orientation of the base member when the tool is held by the base member; and a tool storage force device configured to force the tool to the tool storage in any orientation of the tool storage when the tool is held by the tool storage. A method of handling a tool by an industrial robot is also provided.