Embodiments provide shelves, bracket systems, automated picker robots, totes, and other features that may be used with delivery vehicle configurations that have automated cargo areas. A delivery vehicle may include a picking robot that selectively retrieves packages for delivery without requiring substantial human intervention for locating those packages. The cargo area of the delivery vehicle may further comprise a plurality of customizable shelving units that generate custom-sized shelves for packages. The shelves may include a plurality of individually movable shelf brackets having retaining members that pivot between an extended and retracted position to hold the package in place and to enable the picking robot to retrieve the package from the shelf. Another embodiment provides for a tote having a drive mechanism to hold letters so that a letter may be automatically retrieved from the cargo arear and provided at a delivery location.

The invention discloses a handling robot control system, comprising a base, an air balance cavity set in the base, an air pump fixedly arranged at the middle of the air balance cavity, air valves symmetrically disposed in two sides of the end walls of the air balance cavity, The handling robot may confirm the position of the cargoes and the the position where the cargoes will be placed through the infrared detector, and control the inner motor to drive the movement, rotation, lifting and handling of the device; during the movement, the balance and stability of the device may be maintained through the adjustment of the air pressure when it moves on the rugged road surface, and through the transmission of the coupling and the connecting shaft, the device may continue to move when it maintains balance, so that the stability may be maintained when the cargoes are carried.

A payload exchange facilitating connector module, comprises: a) a structure secured to a payload; b) a locking member operatively connected to said structure! c) a locking initiating element that is settable in force transmitting relation with said locking member! and d) two guiders configured to urge an interface element of two different external positioning components, respectively, to undergo linear and non-rotatable relative motion exclusively with respect to said structure, until said locking initiating element is set in force transmitting relation with said locking member to cause said locking member to become coupled with a dedicated element of a first of said positioning components, or following decoupling of said locking member from said dedicated element to facilitate payload exchange.

A pick and place device for use in an in vitro diagnostics automation system is provided that includes a motor and a rotatable motor shaft coupled to the motor and a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly includes a yoke selectively coupled to the rotatable motor shaft and configured to rotate with the rotatable motor shaft when the yoke is coupled to the rotatable motor shaft. The gripping assembly also includes a first movable finger mount and a second movable finger mount each coupled to the rotatable motor shaft and configured to move toward each other and away from each other in a linear direction responsive to the rotation of the motor shaft when the yoke is uncoupled from the rotatable motor shaft. Fingers extending from the movable finger mounts are configured to move toward each other and away from each other in the linear direction and rotate with the yoke.

Some embodiments provide a magnet gripper system, comprising: a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face; at least two slide plate retaining systems; and two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position.

Exemplary embodiments relate to unique structures for robotic end-of-arm-tools (EOATs). According to some embodiments, two or more fingers or actuators may be present on an EOAT, and the actuators may be connected to a hub through one or more sets of pivots attached to linkages that allow the distances between the pivots to be varied. Compared to conventional EOATs, exemplary embodiments increase the range of motion of the actuators, improve grip posture, boost gripping force, and balance the loads on the actuators.

A commissioning device is provided that includes storage surfaces for storing piece goods, a delivery table, elongated clamping jaws disposed above the delivery table and a clamping jaw guide apparatus. The clamping jaw guide apparatus includes a frame structure, first and second guides disposed in parallel with the frame structure, clamping jaw carriages coupled to the first and second guides, the clamping jaw carriages driven in parallel with the frame structure. First clamping jaw carriages are associated with the first guide and second clamping jaw carriages are associated with the second guide, wherein at least two of the plurality of clamping jaw carriages are coupled to each of the clamping jaws. A first drive element is connected to the first clamping jaw carriages and a second drive element is connected to the second clamping jaw carriages at a distance from the first drive element along the delivery table.

A system for storing and handling small piece goods is provided. The system includes a plurality of horizontal storage surfaces for storing the small piece goods and a gripper. The gripper includes a delivery table, a gripping jaw guide assembly having two gripping jaws extending over the delivery table, wherein at least one of the gripping jaws is movable in a first direction and a drive unit coupled to the gripping jaw guide assembly and configured to move the gripping jaw guide assembly in a second direction. One of the gripping jaws includes a suction device having a suction surface and an adhesive element adjacent to the suction surface, the adhesive element having an increased adhesive friction coefficient compared to a surface of the gripping jaw, wherein the suction device is configured to apply a vacuum. A picking device for small piece goods is also provided.

Embodiments provide shelves, bracket systems, automated picker robots, totes, and other features that may be used with delivery vehicle configurations that have automated cargo areas. A delivery vehicle may include a picking robot that selectively retrieves packages for delivery without requiring substantial human intervention for locating those packages. The cargo area of the delivery vehicle may further comprise a plurality of customizable shelving units that generate custom-sized shelves for packages. The shelves may include a plurality of individually movable shelf brackets having retaining members that pivot between an extended and retracted position to hold the package in place and to enable the picking robot to retrieve the package from the shelf. Another embodiment provides for a tote having a drive mechanism to hold letters so that a letter may be automatically retrieved from the cargo arear and provided at a delivery location.

The present invention relates to a gripper system comprising fingers. The gripper fingers are connectable to a gripper arm. The gripper fingers comprise a roller configured to spin around its central axis or a ball element rotatable in any direction; a stopper configured to stop and/or prevent the spinning of the roller or ball. The present invention also relates to a method for grasping and displacing an object.