A magnetic device for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic body, comprises a housing having a central bore. A plurality of pole sectors arranged within an envelope of the central bore and forming a workpiece contact interface of the magnetic device, each of the plurality of pole sectors comprising a plurality of spaced-apart pole portions arranged at respective distances, wherein a recess of a plurality of recesses separates each pole portion of the plurality of pole portions, wherein a first sector forms a first pole of the magnetic device and a second sector forms a second pole of the magnetic device. A first permanent magnet. A second permanent being moveable relative to the first permanent magnet. And, an actuator operatively coupled to the at least one second permanent magnet to move the at least one second permanent magnet relative to the at least one first permanent magnet.

A transport tool for transporting a laboratory article using a pipette of a pipetting system and having a plug-in sleeve at a top end, an article holder at a bottom end, and a connecting part which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder. The plug-in sleeve has a side sleeve wall and a bottom which surround an interior space of the plug-in sleeve having a cylindrical and conically tapering shape. The plug-in sleeve further has an upward-facing opening for receiving an end of a pipette of an automated pipetting system. The connecting part has a top surface which defines the bottom of the plug-in sleeve, is positioned between the interior space of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder. The article holder has a holding plate which is flat and faces downward away from the plug-in sleeve, and further has a flatly acting magnet on the holding plate.

The present invention relates to a self-moving device (100). The self-moving device (100) includes a body (20), a walking mechanism (40) disposed on the body (20) and configured to drive the self-moving device (100) to walk, a connecting arm (60) connected to the body (20), and a control module (11) configured to control the walking mechanism (40) to drive the self-moving device (100) to walk within a defined area. The connecting arm (60) is selectively connected to at least one of at least two working heads (200) configured to perform different work tasks. The connecting arm (60) includes a connecting structure (64) configured to be connected to the working head (200) and a connecting component (62) configured to connect the connecting structure (64) to the body (20).

A magnetic device for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic body, comprises a housing having a central bore. A plurality of pole sectors arranged within an envelope of the central bore and forming a workpiece contact interface of the magnetic device, each of the plurality of pole sectors comprising a plurality of spaced-apart pole portions arranged at respective distances, wherein a recess of a plurality of recesses separates each pole portion of the plurality of pole portions, wherein a first sector forms a first pole of the magnetic device and a second sector forms a second pole of the magnetic device. A first permanent magnet. A second permanent being moveable relative to the first permanent magnet. And, an actuator operatively coupled to the at least one second permanent magnet to move the at least one second permanent magnet relative to the at least one first permanent magnet.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an electromagnetic shaft, an expandable balloon coupled to a first end of the shaft, and a fluid reservoir. A conduit also extends between the fluid reservoir and an interior of the balloon. The apparatus also includes a selectively magnetizable fluid, at least a portion of which is contained in the fluid reservoir, and a pump for selectively transferring the magnetizable fluid from the fluid reservoir to the balloon. A pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the magnetizable fluid, and a controller for controlling the pump are further included. Moreover, at least a portion of the shaft is flexible. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

A magnetic device for magnetically coupling to a ferromagnetic body, comprises a housing having a central bore. A plurality of pole sectors arranged within an envelope of the central bore and forming a workpiece contact interface of the magnetic device, each of the plurality of pole sectors comprising a plurality of spaced-apart pole portions arranged at respective distances, wherein a recess of a plurality of recesses separates each pole portion of the plurality of pole portions, wherein a first sector forms a first pole of the magnetic device and a second sector forms a second pole of the magnetic device. A first permanent magnet. A second permanent being moveable relative to the first permanent magnet. And, an actuator operatively coupled to the at least one second permanent magnet to move the at least one second permanent magnet relative to the at least one first permanent magnet.

A magnetic chuck has a piston assembly that contains a cylindrical permanent magnet and a core yoke. The piston assembly is movable inside a cylinder tube. The permanent magnet is provided on the outer periphery of the core yoke and is magnetized in the radial direction.

Provided is a device, comprising: a barrier configured to impeded or prevent particles shed by a robot in a first volume of space from entering a second volume of space in which the robot manipulates a workpiece; and a robot having three or more degrees of freedom, the robot comprising: a first portion disposed on a first side of the barrier in the first volume, the first portion comprising an actuator of the robot, the actuator being configured to drive movement of the robot to manipulate the workpiece; and a second portion disposed on a second side of the barrier in the second volume, the second portion comprising an end-effector of the robot by which the robot makes contact with the workpiece.

A system for placing a composite ply includes a transfer end effector that is movable relative to a carrier transfer device, configured to convey a ply carrier that supports the composite ply, and a placement end effector that is movable relative to the transfer end effector and to a forming tool. The transfer end effector is configured to remove the ply carrier, supporting the composite ply, from the carrier transfer device and to position the ply carrier for removal by the placement end effector. The placement end effector is configured to remove the ply carrier from the transfer end effector and to apply the composite ply to the forming tool.

An inanimate magnetically attractable object retrieval apparatus configured to retrieve small, inanimate, magnetically attractable objects from confining spaces with magnetic forces. The apparatus comprises a head comprising magnetic material permanently attached to a first end region of a flexible body that has a tail with a width and a length. The length is able to be reversibly bent in a 180 degree arc with a diameter of 1 inch only in a plane perpendicular to a plane containing the width and the length of the tail and unable to be reversibly bent in a 180 degree arc with a diameter of 1 inch in a plane parallel to the plane containing the width and the length of the tail.