A handling appliance, in particular a robot, includes at least one handling device that is movable in at least one direction of movement, a collision protection device configured for limiting contact forces due to collisions of the handling device with objects, and an acquisition device. The collision protection device includes a kinematic system that mechanically enables a relative movement of the handling device relative to the carrier of the handling device and that can be inhibited by at least one actuator device. The acquisition device determines forces acting on the actuator device and/or the handling device and on components of the collision protection device decoupled by the actuator device, and the collision protection device accounts for the forces and, via the actuator device, in the absence of a collision prevents, and in the case of a collision triggers and/or enables, relative movement of the handling device relative to the carrier.

A torque restriction mechanism is provided by which torque cutoff and torque transmission can be reliably performed without being affected by a rotation state of the drive unit, and damage to a collision object can be reduced even with a simple configuration. The torque restriction mechanism includes a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch cuts off torque to a driven unit when reaction torque at a stationary portion of a motor equals or exceeds a first value. The second clutch that transmits torque in accordance with a rotation state of a rotor of the motor, cuts off torque to the driven unit when the reaction torque equals or exceeds a second value larger than the first value.

A robot with an impact buffering member on the surface of a robot arm for alleviating the impact when the arm contacts an object; and a contact detection unit for detecting a contact between the robot arm and object. The unit has a soft porous member on the front surface side of the impact buffering member and softer than the member; a housing member including the soft porous member and formed of a flexible material; a fluid discharge pipe for discharging a fluid inside the housing member when the object makes contact so the volume of the housing member decreases; and a volume change detection portion for detecting a change in volume of the housing member by utilizing the discharged fluid. It is possible to secure sufficient safety in a cooperative work between a person and a robot or the like, even when the person contacts the robot arm.

A robot with an impact buffering member on the surface of a robot arm for alleviating the impact when the arm contacts an object; and a contact detection unit for detecting a contact between the robot arm and object. The unit has a soft porous member on the front surface side of the impact buffering member and softer than the member; a housing member including the soft porous member and formed of a flexible material; a fluid discharge pipe for discharging a fluid inside the housing member when the object makes contact so the volume of the housing member decreases; and a volume change detection portion for detecting a change in volume of the housing member by utilizing the discharged fluid. It is possible to secure sufficient safety in a cooperative work between a person and a robot or the like, even when the person contacts the robot arm.

Provided is a robot system that can accurately sense contact between an arm of a robot or an instrument attached to the arm and another object. The robot system includes: a robot main body 22 and a robot control unit 21, the robot main body 22 including: a motor 8; a deceleration device 19 connected to a motor shaft 17 of the motor 8; an arm 15 connected to an output shaft 16 of the deceleration device 19; a motor shaft-side angular sensor 1 capable of detecting an angle of rotation of the motor shaft 17 of the motor 8; and an output shaft-side angular sensor 2 capable of detecting an angle of rotation of the output shaft 16 of the deceleration device 19, and the robot control unit 21 being configured to detect a contact state between the arm 15 or an instrument attached to the arm 15 and another object, based on a motor shaft-side rotation angle detected by the motor shaft-side angular sensor 1, an output shaft-side rotation angle detected by the output-side angular sensor 2, and an angular sensor misalignment correction value for the motor shaft-side angular sensor 1 and the output shaft-side angular sensor 2.

A rotary joint, including: a hydraulic follow-up mechanism and a rotary transmission mechanism. The hydraulic follow-up mechanism includes a cylinder body, a valve sleeve, a valve core, a valve body, a left end cover and a right end cover. The rotary transmission mechanism includes a tray, a stabilizing ring, a follow-up disk, a torque transfer disk and a stable supporting wheel mechanism. The left end cover and the right end cover are arranged at the left and right ends of the cylinder body, respectively. The valve body is concentrically mounted in a cylindrical hollow chamber of the cylinder body. The output shaft at the right end of the valve body projects out of the right end cover. The right end of the valve core is provided with a valve core torque transfer shaft extending rightwards through the right end of the valve body.

An automated device has a movable structure covered at least in part by a sensorised covering. The sensorised covering comprises a plurality of covering modules, which includes one or more sensorised covering modules. Each sensorised covering module includes a plurality of distinct layers stacked on top of one another and including a load-bearing layer and at least one cushioning layer. Each sensorised covering module integrates at least one contact sensor device (C), which includes a first lower electrically conductive layer (61) and a second upper electrically conductive layer (63), set between which is an electrically insulating layer (62).

A tool carrier including a base and a tool mount. The tool mount is separated from the base in a first direction and has a first orientation with respect to the base. The tool mount is arranged to be compliant in second and third directions that are transverse to the first direction while remaining substantially in the first orientation.

A device for controlling a handling device comprising a carrier housing which can be arranged on the handling device with a tactile sensor body arranged on the outside of the carrier housing and a tool carrier movably mounted on the carrier housing, wherein the sensor body can be actuated by the tool carrier when load is acting on the tool carrier, wherein the sensor body is formed by a gas-filled chamber which is surrounded by a flexible shell, which can be deformed by collision with an obstacle, and further comprises a pressure sensor for measuring the gas pressure prevailing inside the chamber.

A system for robot and human collaboration. The system comprises: a multi-axis robot; one or more torque sensors, each torque sensor being configured to measure a torque about a respective axis of the multi-axis robot; and a controller configured to: receive one or more torque measurements taken by the one or more torque sensors; compare the one or more torque measurements or a function of the one or more torque measurements to a threshold value; and control the multi-axis robot based on the comparison.