A transportation apparatus (30), includes a bracket (31), a telescopic apparatus (32) and a manipulator (33), where the bracket is mounted to a storage shelf (20), the telescopic apparatus is mounted to the bracket, the manipulator is mounted to the telescopic apparatus, and the telescopic apparatus is used for driving the manipulator to move along a horizontal first reference line (S5) or a horizontal second reference line (S6). The manipulator is driven to move on the first reference line and second reference line that are disposed orthogonally, and thereby the manipulator is able to load or unload goods at any position on the first reference line or second reference line, so as to avoid time being wasted on adjusting an angle of a transportation robot (100). The transportation apparatus has a high transportation efficiency.

Provided is a robot including: a base; and a movable portion including a rotating drum that rotates about a vertical axis with respect to the base. The base is provided with an opening portion through which wire members are led into the base; the base and the rotating drum are provided with a hollow portion in which the wire members are guided into the rotating drum; the robot further includes a distribution board member that is detachably attached to the base; the distribution board member is provided with an attachment portion that is attached to the base, and a relay portion that is disposed on the outside of the opening portion with a gap therebetween; and the relay portion includes a mountable region in which a connector that relays some of the wire members is mounted.

In a robot (1) for gripping and/or holding objects (2), in particular workpieces, tools or carrier parts, the robot comprising: at least one robot arm (3, 4, 5) which is supported on a support frame (19) and is movable in space in at least one translational and/or rotational degree of freedom, a gripping and/or holding device (6), on which the respective object (2) is supported in a positionally oriented manner and/or held in a rotational arrangement, at least one electric motor (9) provided in the gripping and/or holding device (6), by means of which a torque and/or a clamping force is generated which acts on the object (2), and a drive shaft (24) mounted in the robot arm (5), which is coupled in a driving manner to the gripping and/or holding device (6), preferably in such a way that the gripping and/or holding device (6) rotates about its own longitudinal axis (6′),
the gripping and/or holding device (6) arranged at the free end of the robot arm (5) should be freely movable in space, so that rotation about its own longitudinal axis (6′) can be carried out as often and as quickly as desired.

This is achieved in that an interface (31) is provided between a free end (10) of the robot arm (5) at the end and the gripping and/or holding device (6), which interface (31) is bridged by a coupler (25) fixed in a non-rotating arrangement to the robot arm (5) and by a flange (11) adapted thereto, which flange (11) is connected in a non-rotating arrangement to the gripping and/or holding device (6) and the drive shaft (24), in that a first inductively operated transceiver (12) is provided in the coupler (25), which transceiver (12) is connected to a power source (15) via an electrical line (14) fed to the robot arm (5), in that a second inductively operated transceiver (13) is provided in the flange (11), which is connected to the electric motor (9) in the gripping and/or holding device (6) via electrical lines (14), and in that an air gap (21) is provided between the coupler (25) and the flange (11) as a component of the interface (31).

A method for operating a robotic joint of a robotic system comprising selectively operating a clutch mechanism of a clutched joint module in an engaged state to cause a quasi-passive elastic actuator to enter an elastic state, the clutched joint module operating about and defining a joint of the robotic system. The method comprising effecting a first rotation of the joint to cause the quasi-passive elastic actuator to store energy during at least a portion of the rotation of the joint. The method comprising effecting a second rotation of the joint and causing the stored energy from the quasi-passive elastic actuator to be released in the form of an augmented torque applied to an output member of the clutched joint module. The method comprising selectively operating the clutch mechanism in a disengaged state to cause the quasi-passive elastic actuator to enter an inelastic state. The method comprising effecting a third rotation of the joint, wherein the quasi-passive elastic actuator facilitates a free swing mode of the clutched joint module and the joint.

A clutched joint module comprising an output member and an input member rotatable relative to each other about an axis of rotation; a primary actuator operable to apply a primary torque to rotate the output member about the axis of rotation; and a clutch mechanism operable between an engaged state and a disengaged state to facilitate application of the primary torque. The clutch mechanism can comprise a plurality of plates and an actuator operable to compress the plurality of plates to cause the clutch mechanism to function in the engaged state. The actuator can be a ball-ramp clutch device. A quasi-passive elastic actuator can be coupled to the input member and can be operable, via the clutch mechanism, to release stored energy to apply an augmented torque to assist rotation of the output member. Associated methods and systems are disclosed.

A material delivery interface includes a fixed assembly that is coupled to a primary structural attachment. The fixed assembly includes a fluid inlet and a wired input, wherein the fixed assembly defines a central axis. A rotational assembly is rotationally coupled to the fixed assembly and that rotates about the central axis with respect to the fixed assembly. The rotational assembly includes an inner portion having a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and an outer portion having a wired output, wherein a conduit extends from the wired input to the wired output.

Examples described herein are directed to an item manipulation system that includes an end of arm tool. The end of arm tool includes a suction manifold including multiple independently controllable asymmetrical suction zones. The end of arm tool is also configured to rotate about a tool axis to selectively align the independently controllable asymmetrical suction zones with target items for manipulation.

A rotary module includes a first outer tube, a first member in which a function of the channel is maintained when a first outer tube rotates relative to a first inner tube, the channel coupling an outside of the first outer tube and an inside of the first inner tube, and a second member in which electrical coupling between the first terminal provided on an inner circumference surface of a second outer tube and the second terminal provided on an outer circumference surface of a second inner tube is maintained when the second outer tube rotates relative to the second inner tube, wherein the first outer tube and the second outer tube are fixed, the first inner tube and the second inner tube are fixed, and the first member and the second member are arranged along the same axis as each other.

The invention relates to a handling device for handling objects, including a base unit which extends overall in an elongate manner along a base axis from a first end to a second end, wherein a flange portion is arranged at the first end for fastening the handling device to a robot arm and wherein a pivot unit having a pivot portion is arranged at the second end, wherein the pivot portion is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis by means of a pivot joint, wherein the base unit has a pneumatic cylinder which is designed to pivot the pivot portion about the pivot axis, and including a couplable or coupled, pneumatically operated end effector for gripping an object, wherein the base unit includes an integrated negative-pressure generator and is constructed as a structural unit with its own module housing, wherein the module housing is designed to extend in an elongate manner along the base axis and in particular surrounds the pneumatic cylinder and the negative-pressure generator.

A connection module includes a shaft member that can be rotated in place and can be lifted up and down, two wires arranged side by side and spirally wound on the shaft member, and an holder block connected with the bottom end of the shaft member and the bottom end of each wire such that the holder block drives the two wires to expand or to contract along the axial direction of the shaft member or to spiral in the axial direction of the shaft member when the holder block is driven by the shaft member. Thus, the connection module of the present invention can simplify the conventional complicated wiring mode, thereby saving operation space and reducing the risk of line breakage.