A wiring structure for a robot arm includes a pair of arm members that each have a hollow shaft shape including a first end section and a second end section, and that are arranged to be parallel to each other. A wire-shaped body is introduced into the arm member from the first end section and led out of the arm member through the second end section so as to penetrate at least one of the pair of arm members in an axis direction of the arm member. A regulating member is provided at least in an intermediate region of the arm member in the longitudinal direction to regulate a displacement of the wire-shaped body within the arm member in a radial direction of the arm member.

A system for identifying and transferring parcels includes a robot singulator configured to engage and transfer individual parcels in a bulk flow of multiple parcels on a first conveyor to a singulated stream of parcels on a second conveyor. The system further includes a vision and control subsystem, with a first camera for acquiring image data of the bulk flow of multiple parcels, and a computer that receives and processes the image data to identify and segment individual parcels, and then communicates instructions to the robot singulator to engage and transfer each of the individual parcels to the second conveyor. The system may further include a second camera for acquiring image data of the individual parcels to confirm placement on the second conveyor. The system may further include first and second indexing conveyors controlled by the vision and control subsystem for delivering parcels to the robot singulator.

A case packing system for loading articles into containers includes an article conveyor for conveying articles, a case conveyor for conveying containers, and first, second, and third bins. A first robotic mechanism moves articles on the article conveyor to the first, second, and third bins. A second robotic mechanism moves articles from the first, second, and third bins to containers on the case conveyor. A controller operatively coupled to the first robotic mechanism and the second robotic mechanism is configured to pick and place with the first robotic mechanism one or more conveyed articles into the first, second, and third bins, and grab and load with the second robotic mechanism one or more articles from the first, second, and third bins into containers on the case conveyor.

A robot includes: a drive link; two parallel passive links coupled to the drive link; and a support mechanism having two shafts. Each shaft is fixed to each of the passive links so that each shaft is engaged with a through-hole at an intermediate position of each of the passive links along a longitudinal axis thereof, and an auxiliary link rotatably attached to the shafts by bearings in which the shafts engage. The through-hole is formed in a direction that is orthogonal to a plane including the longitudinal axis. Each shaft includes a first shaft section engaged with the through-hole and abutting on one end surface, a second shaft section engaged with the through-hole and abutting on another end surface, and a fastening section applying a force in a direction that causes the first shaft section and the second shaft section to approach each other within the through-hole.

A plurality of arm mechanisms coupling a base and a bracket, each arm including an arm whose proximal end portion is swingably coupled to the base, parallel pair of links, the pair of links being disposed such that a proximal-end-side link sandwiched portion of the arm is rotatably sandwiched between proximal end portions of the respective links; a distal-end-side link sandwiched portion of the bracket is rotatably sandwiched between distal end portions of the respective links; a link dislocation detection unit mounted to the pair of links; and a controller configured to control an operation of the arm. The link dislocation detection unit includes a detector mounted to a middle portion of one of the pair of links, the detector detecting the middle portion of one of the pair of links and a middle portion of the other pair of links spaced apart by more than a predetermined distance.

A joint for transmitting movements between articulated elements of a parallel kinematics robot has at least two degrees of freedom and includes: a first housing, a second housing arranged rotatable in relation to the first housing about a first axis, and a shaft arranged rotatable in relation to the second housing about a second axis which coincides with a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The shaft is arranged rotatable in relation to the second housing by at least a first angular contact bearing. In applications where one of the revolute pairs of a joint is subjected to radial and axial forces of similar order, and another one is subjected almost solely to radial forces, it is advantageous to manage the forces of the prior by means of an angular contact bearing or bearings configured to bear both radial and axial loads, whereby a joint with very small backlash in a particularly compact design can be achieved.

A robot apparatus includes: a base plate; a rotation-driving motor provided on the base plate; a transmission mechanism that is provided on a bottom surface side of the base plate and to which a rotational force of the rotation-driving motor is transmitted; and a rotation-driving mechanism that is provided on the bottom surface side of the base plate and to which the rotational force of the rotation-driving motor is input via the transmission mechanism. A workpiece is rotated by the rotation-driving mechanism at an end of the rotation-driving mechanism opposite to the base plate.

The present invention includes an apparatus (1) and a method for handling articles and comprises an upper suspension (3) with at least three rotatably driven positioning arms (5), where the positioning arms (5) each comprise at least two arm sections (7, 9) that are swivelable relative to each other and operated independently of one another. A manipulator (32) comprises one or more clamping jaws (34, 36) and is mechanically coupled to the positioning arms (5) such the manipulator can be positioned by movement of one or more of the positioning arms (5). At least one drive shaft (12) is linked non-rotatingly to the manipulator, such that the manipulator is rotated by movement of the at least one drive shaft (12). Rotation of the at least one drive shaft (12) also controls the one or more clamping jaws (34, 36) via the at least one actuating shaft (14).

A parallel robot is equipped with: a base plate that is provided so as to be capable of sliding movement; three link mechanisms disposed radially when viewed from the normal direction of the base plate; and three lower motors with reduction gears that are disposed on the base plate and are connected separately to the base ends of the three link mechanisms. A plurality of parallel robots are disposed so that the respective orientations of the three link mechanisms alternate.

An apparatus displaces and positions items in a predetermined configuration. The apparatus includes a grouping station, a grouping manipulator using at least two degrees of freedom and having a prehension end-effector and a placing manipulator using at least four degrees of freedom and having a prehension end-effector. The grouping manipulator is configured to pick items at a first item location, displace the items towards the grouping station, and release the items at the grouping station to form a group of items. The placing manipulator is configured to pick the group of items at the grouping station, change an orientation of the group of items, and release the group of items at a receiving station in the predetermined configuration. A method displaces and positions items in a predetermined configuration.