A structure of a robot includes: a first member having a hollow portion in the vicinity of a horizontal axis; a second member rotatably supported on a side surface of the first member and having a hollow portion in the vicinity of the horizontal axis; a drive motor producing power for rotating the second member; and a speed reducer reducing the rotation speed of the drive motor and transmitting the rotation to the second member. The speed reducer includes: an output hypoid gear formed of a ring gear disposed coaxially with the horizontal axis and fixed to the first member; an input hypoid gear engaged with the output hypoid gear; and a transmission mechanism transmitting rotation from the drive motor to the input hypoid gear while reducing the speed. The drive motor, the input hypoid gear, and the transmission mechanism are supported in the second member in an accommodated state.

A device includes a tube and a sleeve configured to at least partially encircle a portion the tube along its length. The tube is flexible and airtight and defines a longitudinal axis along a center of the tube, and is configured to bend along the longitudinal axis upon at least partial evacuation of the tube to form a joint. The joint defines a joint angle relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby approximating a revolute joint with torsional stiffness. Actuating a joint includes partially evacuating a flexible tube defining a longitudinal axis, thereby forming a bend in the tube at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis at a perimeter of a rigid sleeve at least partially encircling the tube, and restoring a neutral pressure to the tube, thereby removing the bend in the tube.

A piece of equipment for on-demand food preparation, for instance on an assembly line, that can use an end-of-arm tool to retrieve and deposit food items on a horizontal surface, such as the surface of a conveyor. The end-of-arm tool may include a peel, in which the peel can be translated from a retracted position to an extended position to transfer food items. The piece of equipment may translate the peel quickly into the extended position to facilitate the retrieval of food items from the horizontal surface. The piece of equipment may be rotated to position the robotic appendage and the peel in a desired direction. The peel may include a push bar that may be movable between a withdrawn position and a push position to selectively push items off of the peel.

A torque sensor device includes a circular body having an annular inner flange, an annular outer flange, and a circular intermediate portion between the annular inner flange and the annular outer flange. The annular inner flange is closer to a center of the circular body than the annular outer flange. The circular intermediate portion is a continuously solid portion.

A swiveling device includes a housing, an output shaft mounted in the housing and led out of the housing, a drive arranged in the housing for swiveling the output shaft, a swiveling element connected for conjoint rotation to the output shaft in the region thereof which is led out of the housing, and with a receptacle mounted in the swiveling element and connected thereto, wherein the receptacle can be arranged at different angular positions. The swiveling device provides that the swiveling element has a receiving profile for the receptacle, and the receptacle has a mating profile which corresponds to the receiving profile, wherein the receiving profile and the mating profile are configured so that the profiles can be arranged in different positions of receptacle and swiveling element with respect to each other.

A swing mechanism according to the present invention includes: a first swing member that swings about a first swing shaft; a second swing member that is provided in the first swing member and that swings about a second swing shaft; a traction pulley that is supported by the second swing member and that rotates about a rotational shaft; a fixed pulley that rotates about the second swing shaft; and a wire that is looped around the fixed pulley and the traction pulley. On both sides of the traction pulley, tensions are generated in the same directions by a traction force applied to the other end of the wire. The traction pulley is disposed at a position at which the tensions in the wire acting on the rotational shaft brings about a moment for causing the second swing member to swing.

A variable stiffness actuator comprises a flexure plate which comprises a first cantilevered beam that extends inwards from an outer periphery of the flexure plate. A housing and the flexure plate rotatable about a common joint axis. A first contactor is pivotably secured at a revolute joint to the housing. The first contactor rotates about the revolute joint at a first rotation axis. The first rotation axis offset on the housing from the joint axis. The first contactor engages the first cantilevered beam at a variable angle about the rotation axis to adjust a stiffness of a mechanical connection between the flexure plate and the housing.

The invention relates to an improved robotic arm apparatus and associated method which improves a robot configured in a delta arrangement. The robotic arm apparatus is arranged with three substantially identical movable arm assemblies connected together with three linear actuators in a triangular configuration such that each end of each linear actuator has at least one translational degree of freedom.

An example robot includes: a leg having an upper leg member and a lower leg member coupled to the upper leg member at a knee joint; a screw actuator disposed within the upper leg member, where the screw actuator has a screw shaft and a nut mounted coaxial to the screw shaft such that the screw shaft is rotatable within the nut; a motor mounted at an upper portion of the upper leg member and coupled to the screw shaft; a carrier coupled and mounted coaxial to the nut such that the nut is disposed at a proximal end of the carrier; and a linkage coupled to the carrier, where the linkage is coupled to the lower leg member at the knee joint.

A deployable multi-section boom comprising a first hinge assembly including a base section adapted to be attached to a structure, a movable section that is pivotably attached to the base section and a first boom attached to the movable section. The first hinge assembly is configured to allow the first boom to pivot in a first direction to a first predetermined maximum angle with respect to the base section. A first constant torque assembly constantly urges the first boom to pivot in the first direction and includes a component attached to the base section of the first hinge assembly. The multi-section boom includes a second hinge assembly that includes a first section attached to the first boom and a second section that is pivotably attached to the first section. A second boom is attached to the second section of the second hinge assembly wherein the second hinge assembly allows the second boom to pivot in a second direction to a second predetermined maximum angle with respect to the first boom. A second constant torque assembly constantly urges the second boom to pivot in the second direction and includes a component that is attached to the first section of the second hinge assembly. The first constant torque assembly and second constant torque assembly cooperate to configure the multi-section boom in a fully deployed state wherein the constant torque applied to the first boom causes the entire multi-section boom to pivot in the first direction while the constant torque applied to the second boom causes the second boom to simultaneously pivot in the second direction with respect to the first boom while the entire multi-section boom continues to pivot in the first direction. The multi-section boom is fully deployed when the first boom pivots to the first predetermined maximum angle and the second boom pivots to the second predetermined angle.