A robot having a shaft extending in vertical directions at an end of an arm pivoting in horizontal directions around a pivot axis parallel to the vertical directions and performing work using an end effector attached to a lower end of the shaft, the shaft having a helical groove and a longitudinal groove to enable upward and downward motion in the vertical directions and pivot around an axis of the shaft, includes a ring-shaped packing having a convex portion to engage with the longitudinal groove, fitted on the shaft, and sandwiched and fixed by a stopper portion and a collar portion in an extension direction of the shaft.

A robot having a shaft extending in vertical directions at an end of an arm pivoting in horizontal directions around a pivot axis parallel to the vertical directions and performing work using an end effector attached to a lower end of the shaft, the shaft having a helical groove and a longitudinal groove to enable upward and downward motion in the vertical directions and pivot around an axis of the shaft, includes a ring-shaped packing having a convex portion to engage with the longitudinal groove, fitted on the shaft, and sandwiched and fixed by a stopper portion and a collar portion in an extension direction of the shaft.

A hermetically sealed multi-axis articulated arm apparatus for use within a sealable isolator chamber comprises a rotational shaft that passes through an opening in the chamber, a sealing member disposed within the chamber for sealing the shaft to an inner surface of the chamber, a plurality of interconnected hermetically sealed arm segments, operably attached to the linear motion shaft; an end effector operably attached to a terminal arm segment among the plurality of arm segments, and at least one fully enclosed drive system for driving and controlling the shaft and the plurality of arm segments. The linear motion shaft may have a sealing member in the form of a bellows. The materials for the parts of the apparatus exposed to the atmosphere of the chamber are compatible with an aseptic and cleanable environment and the surfaces of the arm segments are shaped to avoid pooling of contaminants.

A hermetically sealed multi-axis articulated arm apparatus for use within a sealable isolator chamber comprises a rotational shaft that passes through an opening in the chamber, a sealing member disposed within the chamber for sealing the shaft to an inner surface of the chamber, a plurality of interconnected hermetically sealed arm segments, operably attached to the linear motion shaft; an end effector operably attached to a terminal arm segment among the plurality of arm segments, and at least one fully enclosed drive system for driving and controlling the shaft and the plurality of arm segments. The linear motion shaft may have a sealing member in the form of a bellows. The materials for the parts of the apparatus exposed to the atmosphere of the chamber are compatible with an aseptic and cleanable environment and the surfaces of the arm segments are shaped to avoid pooling of contaminants.

A magnetically controllable robotic device including a body having a first body part and a second body part movably connected with the first body part. The first body part and the second body part are both rigid. The first body part is magnetically-responsive such that the first body part can be controlled by an external magnetic field generated by an magnetic control system. The first body part may be controlled such that the magnetically controllable robotic device is moved by the external magnetic field.

A magnetically controllable robotic device including a body having a first body part and a second body part movably connected with the first body part. The first body part and the second body part are both rigid. The first body part is magnetically-responsive such that the first body part can be controlled by an external magnetic field generated by an magnetic control system. The first body part may be controlled such that the magnetically controllable robotic device is moved by the external magnetic field.

In one variation, a pulley arrangement includes a base pulley portion rotatable within a driving plane, an adjustable pulley portion coupled to the base pulley portion wherein the adjustable pulley portion is rotatable relative to the base pulley portion within the driving plane, and a driving member including an end coupled to the adjustable pulley portion wherein at least a portion of the driving member is wrapped at least partially around the adjustable pulley portion. In another variation, a pulley arrangement includes a base pulley portion rotatable around an axis, an adjustable pulley portion coupled to the base pulley portion and movable in a first direction parallel to the axis, and a sliding block engaged with the adjustable pulley portion, wherein the sliding block moves in a second direction different from the first direction, in response to compression of the adjustable pulley portion against the base pulley portion.

Disclosed are a robot and a method of controlling the same, wherein a robot arm is moved until a pressure sensor provided at the robot arm senses a predetermined pressure, and the quantity of products arranged on a shelf is counted based on the operation of the robot arm.

Disclosed are a robot and a method of controlling the same, wherein a robot arm is moved until a pressure sensor provided at the robot arm senses a predetermined pressure, and the quantity of products arranged on a shelf is counted based on the operation of the robot arm.

A control device controlling a robot including a robot arm, a drive section causing the robot arm to pivot around a pivot axis, a shaft that is provided at a position of the robot arm different from the pivot axis and that moves parallel to the pivot axis, and an angular velocity sensor that is provided in the robot arm and that detects angular velocity around an axis orthogonal to an axial direction of the pivot axis and parallel to a plane including the pivot axis and an axis of the shaft, the control device includes a processor that is configured to control the robot, wherein the processor is configured to perform feedback control on the drive section based on the angular velocity.