A gripper mechanism for use with a robotic positioning system. The gripper mechanism includes a housing, a gripper arm and a retention projection. The gripper arm extends from the housing. The gripper arm has a gripper finger provided at a distal end thereof The retention projection is provided on the housing and cooperates with the gripper arm to exert a retention force on the gripper arm. Wherein when an external force is applied to the gripper finger in a direction which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing, the gripper arm will move relative to the housing if the external force is greater than the retention force.

The invention relates, inter alia, to an apparatus for connecting a gripper to a handling device. The apparatus has at least one compensating element for the purpose of compensating for position inaccuracies, with a toolholder for holding the gripper, a frame for connecting the compensating element to the handling device, and a plurality of elastically deformable connectors which connect the toolholder inside the frame to the frame in an elastically movable manner. The toolholder, the frame and the plurality of connectors are integrally connected as a single piece to one another.

According to one embodiment, a holding device includes: holding parts; a holding part opening/closing part that opens and closes the holding parts; a first sensor that detects a load received by the holding part; and a controller that controls an operation of the holding part. At least one of the plurality of holding parts includes a claw member displaceable along a length direction of the holding part, a second sensor that detects a displacement amount of the claw member, and a reaction force applying part that applies a reaction force corresponding to the displacement amount of the claw member to the claw member. The controller controls the operation of the holding part, based on a detection value of the second sensor when the displacement amount is equal to or less than a threshold value, and based on a detection value of the first sensor when the displacement amount exceeds the threshold value.

A clutch comprising a hub and a cam connected to the hub, said cam comprising a ring-shaped part having grooves formed on a bottom surface of the ring-shaped part; a spring plate having recesses formed on a top surface of the spring plate; an output flange and a part of a roller bearing connected to each other, said output flange comprising a ring-shaped part configured to accommodate the spring plate, a plurality of transmission elements arranged in an angular direction between the spring plate and the cam; a plurality of springs arranged in the angular direction between the spring plate and the output flange; and a sliding bearing provided at an interface between the hub and the output flange, wherein the clutch is configured to be changed between first and second states. A high-speed industrial robot capable of moving on a plurality of axes, and use thereof.

A safety system for allowing a robot having a controller and at least one movable member to be manually guided by a user includes a sensor module is disposed on a surface of the robot that comprises a user-interaction sensor that produces a sensing signal. The sensor module further includes a resilient member having an outer surface. A motion control module is adapted to move the robot through the controller according to a first threshold of the sensing signal. A safety module is adapted for stopping movement of the robot through the controller according to a second threshold of the sensing signal and represents a potential threat of harm to the user.

A safety coupling for connecting an end effector to a manipulator, comprising a manipulator coupling portion for connecting the safety coupling to the manipulator, an end effector coupling portion for connecting the safety coupling to the end effector, a lowering device, which connects the manipulator coupling portion and the end effector coupling portion to one another in a way that the end effector coupling portion and an end effector optionally coupled to the end effector coupling portion can descend relative to the manipulator coupling portion, with control, in particular with automatic braking, as a result of gravity, and a securing device, which can assume a normal configuration and an emergency configuration, the securing device blocking the lowering device when the securing device is in the normal configuration and releasing the lowering device when the securing device is in the emergency configuration.

Provided is an information processing device including a measured torque value acquisition section and a contact event detection section. The measured torque value acquisition section acquires a first measured torque value measured by a motor that drives a joint of a housing. In a case where a threshold range is exceeded by the first measured torque value or by a value based on the first measured torque value, the contact event detection section detects a contact event that has occurred on a part of the housing that is coupled by the joint.

A safety system for allowing a robot having a controller and at least one movable member to be manually guided by a user includes a sensor module is disposed on a surface of the robot that comprises a user-interaction sensor that produces a sensing signal. The sensor module further includes a resilient member having an outer surface. A motion control module is adapted to move the robot through the controller according to a first threshold of the sensing signal. A safety module is adapted for stopping movement of the robot through the controller according to a second threshold of the sensing signal and represents a potential threat of harm to the user.

A flexible force measurement film is provided for detecting a contact force acting on the force measurement film, the force measurement film including a top tier to absorb the contact force; an attachment tier; and a sensor tier including an electrical resistance of the sensor tier that changes as a function of the contact force acting on the force measurement film, the sensor tier configured to provide at least one measurement signal based on the electrical resistance can be tapped.