A clamping device is applied to a cover of a container and comprises a first gear plate having a first rail hole, a second gear plate having a second rail hole, a guiding plate configured between the first gear plate and the second gear plate and having a guiding slot, a first motor, a second motor and a clamp assembly. The first motor is configured to drive the first gear plate to rotate. The second motor is configured to drive the second gear plate to rotate. The clamp component of the clamp assembly is disposed in the first rail hole, the second rail hole and the guiding slot and configured to contact the cover. The first motor and the second motor drive the first gear plate and the second gear plate to rotate in opposite directions and drive the clamp component to move inwardly for clamping the cover.

A high-precision two-part flat chuck device includes: a base, a cylinder, a sliding plate, a first clamping plate and a second clamping pate. A piston rod of the cylinder is connected with the sliding plate. Precision sliding rails are arranged at two sides of the base, and two sides of the sliding plate are respectively matched with the precision sliding rails in a sliding manner. An accommodating groove is arranged in a middle part of the sliding plate. The first and second clamping plates are symmetrically distributed in the accommodating groove along a center of the sliding plate, and a spring is arranged between the first and second clamping plates. Side surfaces of the first and second clamping plates are inclined planes, and chucks matched with each other are arranged at end parts of the first and seconding clamp plates.

Embodiments according to a first aspect of the present invention include an apparatus for transporting cargo, wherein the apparatus includes a mobile platform formed as an inverted pendulum and pick-up means arranged on the mobile platform. The apparatus is configured to lift the cargo by means of the pick-up means and to transport the lifted cargo.

The present invention concerns an apparatus (100) for transferring a vial (200) from a first station (301) to a second station (302), comprising a stock (101) of vials in said first station, a mobile arm (1) provided with at least three gripping elements (2a-2d) movable between one another in a controlled way at least between a first and a second position, wherein the free ends of at least part of said gripping elements (2a-2d) have a magnet (5), and wherein the area of the polygon (P) having as vertexes said free ends in said first position is smaller than the area of the polygon (P) having as vertexes said free ends in said second position.

A gripper for industrial manipulators comprising a body, jaws constrained to the body and activable to hold and release a piece, an actuator of the jaws and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a piece between said jaws, is described. Advantageously, the sensor is not positioned between the jaws, in the space intended to accommodate the piece to be held, but is functionally interposed between the actuator and one of the jaws. A method for detecting the presence of a piece between the jaws of an industrial manipulator gripper, the method providing a sensor to be used to detect the position of a jaw with respect to the actuator of the gripper.

Device for supporting and gripping containers (1,1a), comprising: a base (10;110;210) which defines an upper surface (15;115,215) supporting a container (1;1a); devices (20;120) for gripping the container (1,1a), associated with the base (10;110;210); devices (30) for actuating the devices (30) for gripping the container (1,1a); wherein the gripping devices (20;120) comprise at least one pair of sliders (21;121;221) inserted in the base (10;110;210) inside a respective seat (16;116;216) and translationally movable in both senses of different directions upon operation of the actuating devices (30), each jaw being associated with a respective slider (21;121;221).

An example device may include a rounded outer incline ramp and a rounded inner incline ramp surrounding a central axis. The rounded inner incline ramp and the rounded outer incline ramp may be inversely aligned relative to the central axis. The device may also include a piston carrier oriented in a direction parallel to the central axis. The piston carrier may include a first piston including a first roller positioned on the two ramps at a first point, where the first piston is configured to act on the two ramps in a direction parallel to the central axis. The piston carrier may also include a second piston including a second roller positioned on the two ramps at a second point opposite the first point, where the second piston is configured to act on the two ramps in a direction parallel to the central axis.

A gripper for industrial manipulators includes a body, jaws constrained to the body and activatable to hold and release a piece, an actuator of the jaws and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a piece between said jaws, is described. Advantageously, the sensor is not positioned between the jaws, in the space intended to accommodate the piece to be held, but is functionally interposed between the actuator and one of the jaws. A method for detecting the presence of a piece between the jaws of an industrial manipulator gripper includes providing a sensor usable to detect the position of a jaw with respect to the actuator of the gripper.

A gripper for industrial manipulators, especially for optical inspection devices to inspect transparent or semitransparent containers includes a body and an upper portion constrained to the body and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the body. An actuator is operable to impart rotations to the upper portion, and jaws are mounted on the upper portion and are movable closer to and away from each other to pick up and release an object. Rotation of the upper portion and activation of the jaws are controlled by the same electric motor housed in the gripper itself. The electric motor rotates a drive shaft coaxial with the longitudinal axis and connected to the upper portion so that the jaws rotate about the longitudinal axis. The assembly formed by the electric motor and the drive shaft may translate along the longitudinal axis to move the jaws and, therefore, open and close the gripper.

A gripper for industrial manipulators includes a body, inside which an electric motor is housed, and a turnable portion is constrained to the body. Jaws movable toward and away from each other to hold and release a piece are present on the turnable portion. The electric motor is intended for imparting rotations to the turnable portion while the piece is held between the jaws. A pneumatic actuator, for example a piston, controls the opening of the jaws to release the piece. The electric actuator and the pneumatic actuator remain separate and do not interact while the electric actuator is on. Vice-versa, the electric actuator and the pneumatic actuator are integral while the pneumatic actuator is active. The gripper is particularly adapted for being used in inspection systems of the carousel type, for checking the quality of containers and vials in the pharmaceutical industry.