A tool system including a housing fastened to a tool, the housing being formed of a non-magnetic material, a magnet module embedded in the housing, a pair of mounting grooves in the housing and located below the magnet module, a changer body provided on a manipulator, the changer body being formed a non-magnetic material, a metal bar mounted on the changer body, a pair of terminals provided at both ends of the metal bar, the pair of terminals being formed of magnetic material, the pair of terminals facing the magnet module, a fixing bar outside the housing, the fixing bar being formed of a magnetic material, and a pair of mounting pins extending vertically from both ends of the fixing bar, the pair of mounting pins being formed of magnetic materials, and the pair of mounting pins are inserted into the pair of mounting grooves is provided.

A process and tool for installing and removing various kinds of wear parts used with earth working equipment. The process and tool allows the operator to remove and install the wear parts at a safe distance so that the operator is physically remote from the potential risks of the removal and installation process. The tool may be manually operated via an operator or the tool may be a semi-automated or fully automated.

The invention relates to a slim and long multifunctional gripping mechanism with bending- and torsion-resistant structure, on which several finger, suction, magnetic head and other mechanisms for a multitude of tasks are arranged.

The gripper arm is composed in sandwich configuration of several cages placed on top of each other, like a multi-stage tower. The individual cages consist of two plates in parallel in lightweight construction, with their mutual distance being ensured by several rods, spokes, wires, ropes and strings. Most of the drives are contained within the first cage after the flange. From that position, all mechanisms participating in the action of the gripper are driven by rods, shafts, ropes, chains or belts traversing the cages. Further cages are used to attach and accommodate the components of finger mechanisms. Movable cages are used as drives for finger, suction or magnetic head mechanisms. Several finger mechanisms perform a different task each, individually or in groups (FIG. 12).

A fixturing system for processing components includes a work surface, such as a table formed from a ferromagnetic material, a tool fixture having a magnet operable for securing the tool fixture to the work surface and having at least one alignment surface to hold and/or align a component to the tool fixture and to the work surface. The system further includes a storage location spaced from the work surface for storing the tool fixture when not in use on the work surface, a work piece, and optionally a robotic arm with a controller to move the work piece and robotic arm, and a computer having stored therein component location data. The computer is configured to control the work piece to retrieve the tool fixture from the storage location and to place the tool fixture on the work surface at a tool fixture location based on the component location data for aligning, and optionally holding the two components with the tool fixture while being processed.

Systems and methods for automated assembly of a B.sub.0 magnet assembly for use in a point-of-care MRI system are provided herein. A gripper capable of gripping a permanent magnet with a high clamping force is provided for positioning the permanent magnet in the B.sub.0 magnet assembly in accordance with a permanent magnet layout. A robot having multiple degrees of freedom is provided for positioning the gripper. Components of the system described herein have been developed to withstand the effects of strong magnetic forces generated by high-strength magnetic fields surrounding the B.sub.0 magnet assembly.

An automatic feeding device allows automated access by a pet to wet food based on specific criteria, such as a lapsed time, so the pet is taken care of during of an extended absence of the pet owner. The apparatus has at least one holder that stores portion containers containing the wet food which are then opened as needed. In one aspect, the automatic feeding device transfers a cut-off lid using a gripping element having two clamping jaws that can be moved relative to one another for gripping a tear tab formed on a lid of the portion container. The gripping element is accommodated on a carriage which can be moved on a rail arrangement that traverses the portion container to be opened. Alternatively, an endless punching knife has a blade for punching a portion container lid and the holder has a retrieval device for retrieving the separated lid.

High precision end effectors for robots and adapters that provide attachment of the end effectors to a variety of robotic arms are disclosed. The combination provides for harmless break-away of the end effector on collision, and autonomous tool changer capability for mobile robots.

Magnetic coupling devices are disclosed having magnetic field sensors. The magnetic coupling device may include a calibration module for calibrating the magnetic coupling devices.

A process and tool for installing and removing various kinds of wear parts used with earth working equipment. The process and tool allows the operator to remove and install the wear parts at a safe distance so that the operator is physically remote from the potential risks of the removal and installation process. The tool may be manually operated via an operator or the tool may be a semi-automated or fully automated.

A workpiece holding device includes a plurality of holding claws configured to hold a workpiece, and holding cylinders as claw opening/closing members configured to displace the holding claws in a direction closer to or away from a first workpiece. The holding cylinders are provided for the holding claws, respectively. Therefore, the plurality of holding claws can be opened/closed individually. The holding cylinders are held on a support disk as a holding member in a movable manner. That is, by moving the holding cylinders to arbitrary positions on the support disk, the holding cylinders are positioned fixedly.